We all love a good romance in fiction but friendships are so underrated!
When a friendship is written well, it becomes one of my favourite parts of the book. I'm quite hard to please when it comes to quality friendships in fiction so I've listed five of my favourite friendships in books to show how it should be done!
1. Fang Runin and Chen Kitay (The Poppy War trilogy)
Rin and Kitay are the blueprint!! They are my all-time favourite friendship in a book.
I will forever rave about this series for so many different reasons but Rin and Kitay's friendship is one of my favourite elements. They are so dedicated to each other and supportive. They argue a lot as well and have very different opinions and perspectives but they always respect the other and compromise where possible. They never let their differences split them apart.
They are the best example of platonic soulmates
"It's time." Rin stood up, they faced each other, hands clasped between them.
"At dawn," she said.
"At dawn," he agreed.
He put his hand on her shoulders and kissed her forehead. This was their standard way of parting, the way they said everything out loud. Fight well, keep us safe, I love you.
2. Juliette and Kenji (Shatter Me series)
Juliette and Kenji are a pair that are so effortlessly funny and entertaining together but they also have some incredibly tender and beautiful moments. They may tease each other but they always have each other's back and will defend each other to the death.
“You're my best friend, Kenji. You know that, right?"
"Yeah, kid." He grins at me. "I do. And I can't believe I got stuck with your skinny ass.”
3. Inej and Jesper (Grishaverse)
This pair has a pretty similar vibe to Juliette and Kenji - I like badass women and cinnamon roll men, okay? Sue me.
I also could have said any one of the crows to be honest because their friendships with each other are precious.
I love Inej and Jesper in the books but I also really adore their dynamic in the series adaptation. Kit Young and Amita Suman are perfect for the roles and they portray these characters so beautifully.
"So what are we doing here?"
Jesper turned back to the sea, feeling his cheeks heat. "Hoping for honey, I guess, and praying not to get stung."
Inej bumped her shoulder against his. "Then at least we're both the same kind of stupid."
"I don't know what your excuse is, wraith. I'm the one who can never walk away from a bad hand."
She looped her arm in his. "That makes you a rotten gambler, Jesper. But an excellent friend."
4. Cinder and Iko (The Lunar Chronicles)
Iko may be a robot but, boy, she is one of the best fictional besties out there.
I remember reading the Lunar Chronicles for the first time so many years ago and Iko never failed to make me smile. She's hilarious and so dedicated to Cinder. I had so much fun watching Iko get a proper body and always stick to Cinder's side.
“I’m broken. I’m literally broken.”
Iko settled a hand on Cinder’s shoulder.
“Yeah, but broken isn’t the same as unfixable.”
5. Gallagher Girls (The Gallagher Academy series)
I had to have a really solid women-supporting-women example in this list. Growing up, Cammie, Bex, Liz and Macey were my role models and they were the perfect supportive group of women for me to look up to.
This series has a lot of girl-power woven in (it's a spy school for girls... feminist energy is a given) and this group were so much fun to follow. As a reader, you get to be involved in their inside jokes and adventures and they were my comfort characters as a kid.
“What is a Gallagher Girl?" Liz asked one final time. "She's a genius, a scientist, a heroine, a spy. And now we are at the end of our time at school, and the one thing I know for certain is this: a Gallagher Girl is whatever she wants to be.”
And that's my list of fictional friendships! Who are your favourite bookish besties? Let me know!
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