YA, on the other hand, is all about winning the reader over. Teens are notoriously fickle and cutthroat when it comes to being liking or not liking someone, and it's for that reason that character becomes so important in a YA novel. So there end up being tons of awesome characters, a lot of which I want to be friends with.
Here are, in no particular order, some of the YA peeps I'd like to go to a Starbucks with:
1) Hermione Granger. Sure, she can grate on your nerves (especially in the first few novels) but I feel like between the three main characters, you learn the least about her life. What exactly is it like going home to a muggle family of dentists? Plus, considering how she retains everything, I'm sure she knows twice as much gossip as she divulges in the books. I'd like to sit down and pick her brain. She seems like the kind of character you can switch between girl talk and intellectual conversation with a lot of ease.
2) Merry & Pippin from Lord of the Rings. They're certainly funnier in the movies than in the books, but they are one of the most fun duos. I think if it hadn't been for their misadventures I wouldn't have made it through the trilogy. Plus, I'd love to spend some time finding out what it's really like being a hobbit.
3) Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. And Fitzwilliam Darcy, for that matter. Did I say more?
4) Jo March from Little Women. And Theodore Lawrence. Again...need I say more?
5) And even though this isn't a YA novel, Bridget Jones from Bridget Jones Diary. Not only because her life is hilarious, but because sometimes things happen in my life that make me think I might secretly be Bridget Jones.
So there are my top five: what are yours? Who do you wish you could be friends with? (Or think you might secretly be?)
I LOVED Bridget Jones when I was in HS. Even though she is an adult, she is totally relatable, and I think thats an aspect of what makes an book BFF.
ReplyDeleteMy book BFF isn't YA at all, Sookie Stackhouse!
Ooh, this is a fabulous question. I'm tempted to say Becky from the Shopaholic books, but I think she'd get annoying after a while. Bridget is a good pick, but she's also a little needy. Bella would be uber annoying with all that Edward talk. Hmm...maybe one of the girls from Jane Green's novels? They're all pretty darn likable. I think I'll go with Piper from Belong to Me. She's a huge bitch, but also very entertaining and loyal once you get a foot in the door. Plus she'd save me a good spot at bootcamp every day.
ReplyDeletei'd say cat from the night huntress series, rose from vampire academy series, katniss from the hunger game series, georgina and seth from the succubus series haha i love ur post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Leslie! I thought about adding Rose from Vampire Academy to my list, but I wondered if her intensity towards...well...everything! would grate on my nerves after awhile. That's definitely a good pick, though!
ReplyDeleteLila-- Omg, I can't imagine having to deal with Bella everyday! I tried really hard to think of SOMEONE from Twilight to put on the list, but all I could come up with was Seth, the littlest werewolf.
Holly--she's totally relatable! Have you ever watched 30 Rock? Liz Lemon reminds me of a slightly hipper, NYC version of Bridget.
Oh geez, this is a hard one. I would probably have to say that I would love to be friends with are the characters of The Vampire Diaries. Elena, Stefan, and Damon. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome, awesome post Sara! Hermione's at the top of my list. I also love Mia from the Princess Diaries. Katniss from The Hunger Games reminds me a lot of one of my best friends I have in real life! And I wish I could agree with Leslie about Georgina from the Succubus series... but I think that life would get a little too complicated with her as a best friend. I still love her though! And Vee from Hush, Hush -- not an MC, but she's a very very fun friend to have.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I forgot to agree with you about Elizabeth Bennett -- bullheaded, sassy, and fiercely protective of the people she loves -- she's totally bff-worthy!
ReplyDeleteI've always thought I would have been good friends with Francie from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I get her.
ReplyDeleteLeslie you are a girl after my own heart although Cat gets on my nerves, I'd want to be friends with Bones though! And I'd want to be friends with Dimitri and Eddie and Christian from Vampire Academy! I'd like to be Rose. Georgina is an AWESOME friend, hello, look at what she does for Maddy and I'd want to be friends with Seth...or more...Im unhealthily in love for someone who isn't real.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I could be friends with Katniss...but Peeta and Gale, I'd be friends with them. Vee is also a great friend from Hush, Hush!
I'd sooooo be friends with Fred and George and Ron...Hermione might get on my last nerve, but I love reading about her anyway.
I can't believe I would forget Vee! She's pretty awesome, and definitely a good person to have when you need to get stuff done.
ReplyDeleteOh, and another one I totally forgot--when I was a kid, I would've killed for to be friends with a girl like Matilda from the Roald Dahl book. She was my ten-year-old soulmate.
My secret BFF list:
ReplyDeleteNot YA, but Faith from RVincent
NOT YA, but Mercy from Blood Bound
I have to agree with Hermione Granger
Aislinn from Ink Exchange
Claire from the Morganville Vampire series
Wow, this is alot of food for thought! Who needs to do work, when I can consider much more useful things, like this.
ReplyDeleteMy Five YA best friends, would have to be (in no particular order)...
1) Meggie, from 'Inkheart'
2) Yea, definitely Hermione
3) Anne, from 'Dreaming Anastasia'
4) Kaylee, from 'My Soul to take'
5) Ellie, from the "Tomorrow when the war began series'
And of course, books aside, my ultimate BFF would have to be Buffy Summers. I have spent many a wistful moment wishing for Buffy as my friend.