It's time for our Sixth 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 heroes and villains 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 when the 2019 Literary March Madness champion is crowned we'll find out if heroes or villains prevail.

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 2019! We have your favorite heroes and villains facing off to see who will be crowned champion. Up first are 2 beloved comic book characters: Black Panther's Shuri vs. Captain Marvel.

Vote now to decide who will move on!

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 14, 2019

Round 1, Match 2 of #LiteraryMarchMadness gives us a face-off between 2 of our favorite inhuman villains. Which villain do you think is scarier: Big Brother from 1984 or Hill House from The Haunting of Hill House?https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 15, 2019

Round 1, Match 3 of #LiteraryMarchMadness brings two familiar clubs together as The Baby-sitter's Club goes head-to-head with IT's Loser's Club.

Which club will defy the odds? Vote now to decide! https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 16, 2019

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 1, Match 4: puts two infamous fairy tale villains against each other.

Who will triumph as the victorious villain: Maleficent or Cruella de Vil?https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 17, 2019

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 1, Match 5 brings together 2 heroes who may have started out as villains. Who is your favorite redeemed hero: Serverus Snape or the Grinch?

Vote now and come back for tomorrow's match-up!https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 18, 2019

Round 1, Match 6 of #LiteraryMarchMadness pits two creepy villains against each other.

But who is more villainous: Patrick Bateman from American Psycho or Mrs. Danvers from Rebecca?

Vote now to decide who will move on! https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 19, 2019

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 1, Match 7 is a battle of super sleuths! Who will solve the mystery: Easy Rawlins or Harriet the Spy?

Vote now and decide who continues to the next round!https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 20, 2019

It's the last Round 1 Match of #LiteraryMarchMadness! Today brings a face-off between fantasy's fiercest villains.

Who will rule them all: Sauron or the White Walkers?

Vote now to decide! https://t.co/CwrvTiGrZG

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 21, 2019

Round 2

 

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 2 is on! Our first match brings some of our favorite loyal heroes together.

Who will advance to the semifinals: Black Panther's Shuri or The Baby-sitter's Club?https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 22, 2019

#LiteraryMarchMadness Round 2, Match 2 pits two well-known villains against each other. But who is the most frightening: Big Brother from 1984 or Maleficent?

Vote now to decide!https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 23, 2019

Round 2, Match 3 is a face-off of the last heroes of this round! Who will move on to the semi-finals: Severus Snape or Harriet the Spy?

Vote now and come back tomorrow for the last villain match-up of Round 2!https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 24, 2019

It's the final match-up of Round 2! Which evil villain will move on to the semifinals: Patrick Bateman from American Psycho or Sauron from The Lord of the Rings?

Vote now, and make sure to check back tomorrow for the semifinals!https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 25, 2019

Semi-finals

 

 

It's time for the #LiteraryMarchMadness semi-finals! Who will be the hero to enter the finals: Black Panther's Shuri or Severus Snape?

Vote now to decide which hero will move on!https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 26, 2019

It's a villain showdown to determine who will enter tomorrow's #LiteraryMarchMadness finals!

Who will move on 1984's Big Brother or The Lord of the Rings' Sauron?

Vote now and come back tomorrow for the finals!https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 27, 2019

Finals

The #LiteraryMarchMadness heroes vs. villains finale is a fantasy face-off!

Will Harry Potter's redeemed hero Severus Snape triumph over the villain Sauron from Lord of the Rings?

Vote now to decide who is our champion!https://t.co/0TiIB5tkQs

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 28, 2019

And the winner is...

And the winner of #LiteraryMarchMadness is...Severus Snape!https://t.co/as0INwVphz pic.twitter.com/T61u5R6hA0

— NY Public Library (@nypl) March 29, 2019