There are many memorable characters which we have have read about, take snape, or gollum/smeagle for instance. Character's which are so very memorable and well written that we can't forget them or get them out of our head, how about sharing some of them? Evil or good, greedy or mysterious, however they are.
Jasmin I agree with you about the book but the movie is terrible, Stanley Kubrick ruined it. You should try and watch the version Stephen King wrote the script for, it's massively superior.
The' Marchioness' from Dickens 'The Old Curiosity Shop'- she was a real 'rags to riches' heroine with spirit!
Becky Sharp - Vanity Fair - because she was so incredibly 'naughty, sad and funny'
James Bond - from all the 007 books - for obvious reasons
I loved all the characters in Louis De Bernierres 'Notwithtanding'' (If you haven't read it - then you should! ) - English eccentric village life at its best!
Griffin from The Invisible Man. His slow descent into madness is classic.