Welcome to our Fifth Annual Literary March Madness (#LiteraryMarchMadness)! This is a bracket-style tournament like the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament, but with a bookish twist: our competition pits popular literary characters against each other and the winner is decided by you! We went to the drawing board, and these sixteen characters will make their plays through four rounds. Who will cut down the literary net? Your votes will decide, and the character will be crowned the 2018 Literary March Madness champion.

How to vote:

Check in daily at 11 AM on our Twitter (@NYPL), Facebook, Instagram story, and here to vote in our social media polls. You'll have 24 hours to make your pick, and you can see live results below.

Round 1

#LiteraryMarchMadness is back for 2018! This year, your favorite characters face off through 4 rounds to be crowned the champion. Up first are 2 favorite detectives: Sherlock Holmes vs. Robert Langdon from "Angels and Demons!"https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 15, 2018

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 1, Match 2: it's a fantasy/sci-fi face-off. Daenerys Targaryen vs. Mercy Thompson—vote now!https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 16, 2018

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 1, Match 3: characters from literary classics compete! Elizabeth Bennett or Beloved? https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 17, 2018

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 1, Match 4: which comic book character will save the world—Black Panther or Superman? https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 18, 2018

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 1, Match 5: who will solve the mystery—Agatha Christie's Miss Marple or Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum? Vote now!https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 19, 2018

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 1, Match 6: It's a science fiction/fantasy showdown: Marvin the Paranoid Android from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy vs. Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit. Vote now! https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 20, 2018

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 1, Match 7: characters from literary classics face-off. Hamlet vs. Holden Caufield of The Catcher in the Rye. Vote now! https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 21, 2018

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 1, Match 8: it's the final match-up for the first round! Comic book characters complete: X-Men's Storm or Wonder Woman?https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 22, 2018

Round 2

Round 2 of #LiteraryMarchMadness is underway! Which super sleuth will come out on top: Agatha Christie's Miss Marple or Sherlock Holmes?https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 23, 2018

Which science fiction/fantasy character will complete the #LiteraryMarchMadness quest: Bilbo Baggins or Daenerys Targaryen?https://t.co/ffTQUKxnJp

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 24, 2018

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 2, Match 3: it's a classic literary character showdown. Elizabeth Bennett vs. Hamlet—vote now!https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 25, 2018

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 2, Match 4: round 2 is coming to a close with a comic book clash! It's Black Panther vs. Wonder Woman—vote now!https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 26, 2018

Round 3: Semifinals

The #LiteraryMarchMadness semifinals are underway! Which of these beloved characters will make it to the finals: Sherlock Holmes or Bilbo Baggins?https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 27, 2018

The semifinals of #LiteraryMarchMadness are concluding with this face-off! Who will win a spot in the finals: Elizabeth Bennet or Wonder Woman?

Vote now and come back tomorrow for the finals! https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 28, 2018

Round 4: Finals

It's time for the #LiteraryMarchMadness finals! Who will take home this year's crown: Sherlock Holmes or Elizabeth Bennet?

Vote now, and find out who is the winner tomorrow! https://t.co/eRUz132cg8

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 29, 2018

And the winner is... 

It's time to announce this year's #LiteraryMarchMadness winner...Elizabeth Bennet wins over Sherlock Holmes! https://t.co/mgcde5VWYQ pic.twitter.com/K8s8RappTE

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 30, 2018

 

Literary March Madness Reading List

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Character: Robert Langdon











 

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Character: Sherlock Holmes










 

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
Character: Stephanie Plum









 

The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
Character: Miss Marple









 

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Character: Daenerys Targaryen










 

Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
Character: Mercy Thompson









 

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Character: Bilbo Baggins









 

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Character: Marvin the Paranoid Android










 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Character: Elizabeth Bennet










 

Beloved by Toni Morrison
Character: Beloved









 

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Character: Holden Caulfield









 

Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Character: Hamlet










 

Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet - Book 1 by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze
Character: Black Panther









 

Superman: Volume 1,  Before Truth by Gene Luen Yang, John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson, and Dean White
Character: Superman








 

X-Men: Second Genesis, Volume 5 by Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, and John Byrne
Character: Storm









 

Wonder Woman: Volume 1, The Lies by Greg Rucka, Liam Sharp, and Laura Martin
Character: Wonder Woman