Sometimes you read a book, and you just instantly connect with a character on a spiritual level, and then slightly bemoan existence because they’re not real and what a waste of a perfectly good personality that is.
… or is that just me? I know I’ve done several character posts in the past, like outrageous characters I love and my book doppelgangers and my favorite snarky characters. But the honest truth is, I probably wouldn’t want to be friends with those characters, because as much as I love them, I’d have to destroy them and bury them out back, where all the unruly characters go. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is book characters I’d like to be besties with.
I make absolutely no claims as to the actual potential health of these relationships. Probably, many of these characters would get sick of me so quick, it’d make your head spin, but that’s a risk I’d be willing to take.
August
From: A Thousand Perfect Notes by C. G. Drews
Friend Type: Quirky
Reasons:
✿ Fluffy bunch of sarcasm and cheer.
✿ Looks at the world from a unique and fun perspective.
✿ Owns 10,000 fluffies that I can visit and love without having to care for them.
✿ So intense, but in a good, passionate way.
✿ Knows where to find all the best food.
✿ Has awesome parents who totally should adopt me.
‘But it’s dark,’ her mother says.
‘That is quite perfect for what I want to show him.’
Shane shares a mock aghast look with his wife and then slams a hand on the table. Three dogs skid out from under it. ‘Now, young lady, there will be no—’
August covers her face. ‘Please don’t say anything embarrassing to me, Dad. I beg you. I’m showing him the stars. The stars in the sky that God has made. If you embarrass my friend to death I swear I will run away from home and live in Paraguay.’
Theodora
From: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Friend Type: Throwing Shade
Reasons:
✿ Clearly a professional at spilling the tea and throwing shade.
✿ Sarcasms on an impressive level.
✿ Obviously would come with Luke, because they will forever be a package in my mind.
✿ Enjoys delightful adventures and isn’t afraid of haunted, creepy places.
✿ Drinks just enough to forget what a bad idea this is.
✿ Super supportive, but will still call you on your bullshit.
Eleanor could hear Luke, faintly, answering; he protested that a gentleman had a right to keep the favors bestowed upon him by a lady, and he was absolutely certain that Mrs. Dudley could hear every word.
Charley
From: The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry
Friend Type: Squishy Marshmallow
Reasons:
✿ Is a soft marshmallow that needs love and protection.
✿ Trying to learn to stand up for himself; failing miserably.
✿ Owns a fluffy, little hellhound named Henry.
✿ Could have the best literary debates and discussions.
✿ Knows the best people.
✿ Can bring characters to life by reading them out of books.
✿ Nope, sorry, all other arguments are invalid (see above).
“With all due respect, Master Charley,” Uriah said, “you were here at the start. I tied you up and put you in a cupboard.”
“Well,” he said rather weakly. “I’m back again.”
Albus Dumbledore & Gellert Grindelwald
From: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Friend Type: Conspiratorial
Reasons:
✿ Assuming this is the version of the boys during the summer they spent together.
✿ Young, powerful, intelligent: the perfect trifecta.
✿ Have the best philosophical debates.
✿ Plan world domination, like you do.
✿ I’m cool with being a third wheel.
✿ Clearly need someone to stabilize their powder keg of ambition.
✿ Yeah, sure, we could subjugate Muggles and start a great war, buuuut … doesn’t unlocking the secrets of magic and science sound more fun instead?
Raoden
From: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Friend Type: Your Highness
Reasons:
✿ A prince trying to be worthy of his people. Be still, my heart!
✿ Top-notch problem-solver and strategist.
✿ Clearly loves to learn.
✿ Driven by an insanely pure and unnatural desire to want to help others.
✿ All the fun Disney prince jokes I can make at his expense.
✿ Can totally teach me rune magic.
“I’m surprised they haven’t tried boiling one another.”
“Oh, it’s been tried,” Galladon said. “Fortunately. something happens to us during the Shaod—apparently the flesh of a dead man doesn’t taste too good. Kolo? In fact, it’s so violently bitter that no one can keep it down.”
“It’s nice to see that cannibalism has been so logically ruled out as an option,” Raoden said dryly.
The Thunderhead
From: Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman
Friend Type: Artificial
Reasons:
✿ Knows all the things. Could maybe teach me one or two.
✿ Fun philosophical conversations.
✿ Guaranteed to have a meltdown. I want front-row tickets.
✿ Still has things to learn. Maybe I could teach it.
✿ Always nice to have powerful allies. Just in case.
✿ AI’s just make life easier. Until they take over the world.
Jillian Toth
From: Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Friend Type: Dr. Cryptid
Reasons:
✿ Sticks to her convictions. Admirably so.
✿ Not only believes in cryptids, but can science about them, too.
✿ Also smart enough to know not to go toe-to-toe with them.
✿ Knows lots of cool things.
✿ Sarcasm a-plenty, but she’s earned it.
✿ Doesn’t panic in stressful situations.
✿ Would probably be hella fun to drink with.
“Are you planning to leave like a nice little corporate shill, or do you need me to contact security? Because I’d love to contact security. You never need to get me another birthday present if you make me contact security.”
“You’ve returned every birthday present I’ve given you in seven years.”
“I wouldn’t return this one. I would treasure it.”
Michi & Jacques
From: Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Friend Type: Diametrically Opposed
Reasons:
✿ Stand for everything opposite what I do, but with so much fervor that I can respect that.
✿ Know their place in the natural order of things.
✿ Kill for sport, but also realize eventually their prey will kill them. As it should be.
✿ Fully understand the circle of life.
✿ Kind of badass. Definitely zombie plan material.
✿ Scary, but in a good way. I could have fun with this.
“That it’s damned funny, and I’m not going to stop unless I’m given a solid reason to do so.”
The man opened his mouth like he was going to say something. Then he stopped and grinned. “Oh, right,” he said. “That’s exactly what we said. Let’s go meet the locals.”
Aziraphale
From: Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
Friend Type: Angelic
Reasons:
✿ Was issued a flaming sword. Could come in handy.
✿ Wings > no wings.
✿ Absolutely adorable ball of fluff.
✿ Owns a bookshop that he’d probably let me just, like, sit in and absorb the words.
✿ Would always be down for getting a cuppa.
✿ Must have some fantastic stories. One or two, at least.
Jupiter North
From: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
Friend Type: Whimsical
Reasons:
✿ Lives in the most whimsical, fantastic place.
✿ Has an awesome sense of humor.
✿ Clearly good with kids.
✿ Always on some fun, potentially slightly life-threatening adventure.
✿ Knows all the best people and animals.
✿ Lives in a super cool hotel that I would visit forever.
I have the SAME reaction to certain characters. They’re so wonderful. It truly isn’t fair that they don’t (or didn’t, for historical novels) exist in our world.
Honestly, I’d be a little intimidated by Albus and Gellert at first. If they liked me, I’d sure want to do all sorts of friend stuff with them, though! That would be delightful.
My TTT.
Really, all we need to do is make Charley real, and he’d solve all our problems by making the others real. See? Simple. xD
I can definitely see how they’d make an intimidating couple. But I have no shame and would totally insert myself lol.
You have a great variety of characters! I would love to be friends with Jillian from Into the Drowning Deep as well😁
Right? How much fun would she be? xD
Ok, I have to ask, how the bloody hell do you change the font?
Magic! *waves hands mystically*
I assume you mean the font on the character names? I added the Easy Google Fonts plugin, and then I just created a new h1 class (Settings > Google Fonts after you’ve installed the plugin). There are probably easier ways to do it, because I have to insert custom HTML for all the headings, but that’s easy for me so no big deal, and I can pick and choose when to use it without messing with the other headings.
Ah. Well, I’m not good with HTML. I really think WordPress needs some new fonts though.
If you don’t know CSS, Easy Google Fonts plugin has an easier way. I can go to customize my layout and under default typography, I can change all 6 of the heading tags to different fonts, sizes, etc. That lets you use all the Google Fonts for those. I’ve used those, too, to make my heading fonts different.
Do you have to use Chrome? Because I don’t typically except at work, and I can’t install plugins there 🙁 .
It’s a plugin for WordPress, not your browser. But if you’re using a wordpress.com site instead of a hosted one, I don’t think you can install plugins on your site? I don’t remember. It’s been so long. D: I’d recommend googling your website platform and plugins and see if you can put WordPress plugins on your blog. 🙂
Thanks for the info!
Great ideas here! I would love Jupiter North too!!
Thanks! He sure would be fun, wouldn’t he? :3 Especially if he brings Fenestra. 😉
LOVE Fenestra!!
Aziraphale would be such a good friend. 🙂
Yes! Also, you’d get Crowley as a bonus, because you know you could never separate those two. :3 Extra fun times.
I loved this post! I have not read these but I loved your list. My post https://paigesofbook.blogspot.com/2019/08/top-ten-tuesday-female-squad-goals.html
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.
You have some interesting choices on your list and I really like how you included the quotes!
Thanks! I love a good quote. :3
Great list!
(www.evelynreads.com)
Thanks!
I saw Jillian from into the drowning deep and said YES. she is an absolute amazing character and so strong and smart. I loved her.
and also hell yes to dumbledore and grindewald. I love your list.
Thank you! I loved how chill Jillian was as things hit the fan. She was just like, “Well … duh … I told you so.” xD
I feel like Dumbledore and Grindelwald are so underappreciated. <3 Besides, what 16-year-old doesn't, at some point, dream of taking over something? Pshaw. I'm sure it's fine.
These are mostly new to me, but I definitely think Dumbledore would be an interesting friend to spend time with!
This is such an awesome list Sammie 😍The Thunderhead as a bestie would be so super interesting and I think a little intense! But yeah, talk about having all powerful besties (as long as I don’t die in the take over, y’know) 😂I love that you included AI’s in this list too!
Hey, AIs are totally people too, right? xD It’s always nice to have powerful allies. They tend to kill you last lol!
HAHA you’d hope so!!! 😂
Oh my gosh! Yes to being friends with Aziraphale. He’s amazing. XD
Right?! I’d sort of also love to hang out with the horsemen, just for a couple hours, maybe, because they seem fun. Though, I think I’d be afraid to get them all in one place together again, so maybe I’d have to do separate coffee dates with each. xD
Wow you’re never allowed to say you’re not organized again after this post! I love how you set this up!
NEVER? Never’s a pretty dang long time. D: I should show you a picture of my TBR bookcase. xD I like to think it’s organized in the theme of “ADHD Chaos.”
Yes, same on Aziraphale! I’ve almost finished with that book now!
Oh, I hope you’re enjoying it! Have you seen the show yet?
Yes! The show is awesome. I watched it first lol
You did it backwards! Although, I a dirty hypocrite, because I was only halfway through the book when the show released and couldn’t wait, either, so … oops? xD I was actually impressed at how well the show did with sticking to the source material. There are a few changes, some I liked better and some I didn’t. But I thought they got a pretty awesome cast.
I know, I’m a terrible book nerd lol!
Me too! It’s been a lot of fun reading the book after the show actually.
YES! So many good picks but I have to especially call out Theodora from The Haunting of Hill House! Yes, yes, yes.
Thanks! Theo sure is a treasure. That’s the only thing I think I’m disappointed in about the actual series, is that Luke and Theo weren’t even a fraction as entertaining and interesting. xD
I absolutely love how you’ve classified them under “friend type” and reasons! I haven’t read a number of these books yet so learning about these characters like this make it easier to know whether I would like them. Theodora sounds like my kind of friend haha except the scary stuff. No can do I will not survive. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thanks! I had a lot of fun with it. Oh, but it’s just Hill House. Pffft, what’s the worst that could happen? I’m sure it’ll be fiiiiine. 😛
There’s a lot of books here I’ve never heard of. Still have to read Good Omens.
It was great! I highly recommend the show, too. 🙂
Such a fun idea! We need to try this!
Aziraphale is such a cutie. I really need to see the tv show <3
You haven’t seen it yet?! You totally do. 🙂 They did a good job of staying true to the source material.
It’s not released here yet ._. I think I’ll wait for the dvd box to come out this Fall (I think)
Awww that’s a shame. But Fall isn’t too long to wait! Almost there!