Favourite Side Ships
Top 5 Wednesday is a goodreads group created by Lainey from gingerreadslainey and run by Sam from ThoughtsOnTomes, where each week there is a different book-related topic to discuss. If you're interested in this topic or others, check out the goodreads page to see more answers.
So this week's Top Five Wednesday is about our favourite side ships, meaning relationships that don't involve the story's protagonist. I tend to read stories that don't have very much in the way of relationships just generally, so I had to stretch this out and cheat a little by adding characters that could arguably be called protagonists, as well as including a couple tv series. I tried my best. Obviously, there will be mild spoilers ahead.
So this week's Top Five Wednesday is about our favourite side ships, meaning relationships that don't involve the story's protagonist. I tend to read stories that don't have very much in the way of relationships just generally, so I had to stretch this out and cheat a little by adding characters that could arguably be called protagonists, as well as including a couple tv series. I tried my best. Obviously, there will be mild spoilers ahead.
5. Kelsier & Mare from the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
So to be fair, we never get to witness the relationship between Kelsier and his wife in the Mistborn trilogy, as by the events of the first book, she's long since passed away, but I really enjoy this relationship in terms of concept.
The fact that Kelsier didn't know whether or not Mare had been the one to betray him, and even though all signs pointed to yes, he still chose to believe in her and to love her, and I really admire that kind of conviction and foolhardiness and love in Kelsier. It made me love him all the more as a character, because it did a lot to show who he was as a person underneath the bravado of empire-overthrower and heist-coordinator.
4. Blaine & Peyton from the TV series iZombie
Okay, technically iZombie is a comic book series and so technically this is only cheating if you choose to look at it that way. But let's be real here, we're talking about the TV series. This is one of those relationships that you really shouldn't love-- there's lying, there's a very obviously bad guy, and yet when they're together, they're just so... happy, and domestic, and sweet. Like, sure, Blaine may have killed a bunch of people and ruined lives, but what's more wholesome than a competition to see who can make the other the best breakfast? The answer to that question is nothing. Nothing is more wholesome.
3. Brienne & Jamie from the TV series Game of Thrones
Again, technically this began as a book series and so as far as I'm concerned, it counts. Despite the fact that I've never actually read the book series... Either way. I lost touch with Game of Thrones a few seasons ago, but when I did keep up with it, Brienne and Jamie were absolutely my favourite part of the show.
Brienne has always been my favourite character anyway, but much like Blaine and Peyton, what I really like about this friendship is that Brienne makes Jamie better. He's a less selfish, more heroic person when they're together, and they perfectly juxtapose each other; while Jamie looks the part of the handsome and heroic knight, but he's a horrible selfish bastard, and Brienne is this big unconventional-looking woman, who is the bravest and most loyal person in the show. I just... I believe in the way they believed in each other.
3. Brienne & Jamie from the TV series Game of Thrones
Again, technically this began as a book series and so as far as I'm concerned, it counts. Despite the fact that I've never actually read the book series... Either way. I lost touch with Game of Thrones a few seasons ago, but when I did keep up with it, Brienne and Jamie were absolutely my favourite part of the show.
Brienne has always been my favourite character anyway, but much like Blaine and Peyton, what I really like about this friendship is that Brienne makes Jamie better. He's a less selfish, more heroic person when they're together, and they perfectly juxtapose each other; while Jamie looks the part of the handsome and heroic knight, but he's a horrible selfish bastard, and Brienne is this big unconventional-looking woman, who is the bravest and most loyal person in the show. I just... I believe in the way they believed in each other.
I haven't yet finished this series but these two are my precious babies and I will literally fight you for their honour. Zuzana is such a wonderful character already, and Mik is so supportive of her. They banter, but always lovingly. When she loses Karou, he is nothing but helpful toward her, even when he thinks it's a bad idea.
And in my opinion, most importantly, Zuzana's relationship with Mik never takes away from her friendship with Karou, which is something you don't see often in young adult novels. Even though Karou is dealing with her own shit romantically, she's supportive of Zuzana's relationship, and in turn, because he's perfect, Mik basically treats Karou as if she were family because he knows that Zuzana cares for her. I just love everything about this relationship, and if anything happens to them, I'm going to weep like a baby.
1. Ronan Lynch & Adam Parrish from the Raven Cycle quartet by Maggie Stiefvater
“His feelings for Adam were an oil spill; he'd let them overflow and now there wasn't a damn place in the ocean that wouldn't catch fire if he dropped a match.”
So this one is a little bit of a stretch when it comes to the term "side ship," but considering Blue is the first main protagonist in this story, I'm just going to roll with it and pretend this is fine. These boys... phew. These boys. I honestly don't even know where to begin. The character development that occurred for both of these characters that led them to a place where they could be together is just so wonderful. Because the truth is, they're both very damaged people. But they adjust for each other, and they put each other first, even though they're both basically selfish assholes 99% of the time.
Showing Ronan's love for Adam really gave Stiefvater the opportunity to explore this side of his character that we never would have known, if we'd only seen his interactions with Gansey and Blue, and showing Adam shift from just wanting someone to think of him as worthy to actually really caring about Ronan, I just... feel very strongly.
I agree with #1 so so much. Just reading your thoughts on their relationship makes me want to go back and reread the series so I can experience it developing again. So beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend. Even if just to re-read The Raven King. They are so perfect.
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