5 Cross-Book YA Character Pairings We’re Shipping
In real life, I’m not much of a matchmaker. I can barely find people I like, let alone figure out who would pair well with my friends. It’s not that I don’t want to help anyone find love or friendship, just more like I’m not particularly good at it.That’s matchmaking in reality, of course. Fictional matchmaking is a whole other ballgame, one that I enjoy way more. Whenever I read a book, I do one of two things: ship a set of characters (often ones that are neither canon nor particularly logical, #teamsiriuslupin), or dream about imaginary meetings between characters who would totally be perfect for each other, if only they appeared in the same story. Whether you view the pairings below as best-friends-to-be or potential love matches, I think they’d really hit it off if they just got the chance to meet. {{ product: 9780385744652 }}
Echo (The Girl at Midnight) and Fred and/or George Weasley (Harry Potter)
Echo is a savvy thief living in a magical world who always has a joke or witty comeback up her sleeve. Fred and George Weasley are wizard pranksters who can find the funny in any situation. This is a match made in heaven! Sure, there’s no way they would be able to stay out of a trouble, and chaos would pretty much follow them wherever they went, but they would definitely know how to have some fun together.
Charlie (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) and Hazel (The Fault in Our Stars)
They’re both sensitive, well-read teens who have problems that keep them from relating easily to their classmates (his anxiety and depression, her cancer). But these similarities could help them find solace in each other, since they both know what it’s like to deal with issues a lot of other teens don’t have to think about. Plus, they’re on the same literary wavelength and could form a pretty great book club.
Katniss (The Hunger Games) and Rachelle (Crimson Bound)
Both are badass warrior women who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the well-being of those they love. Both have to choose between a gentle (but still tough!) love interest and one who seems more drawn to battle than to them. And, of course, each has to try to take down a large, malevolent entity (a corrupt government system and a demon, respectively) that threatens the fate of their world. Seriously, ladies, you two should talk.
Tiger Lily (Tiger Lily) and the women of the Lunar Chronicles
There is nothing, I repeat, NOTHING I like more than when authors rewrite fairy tales and give agency to female characters who weren’t particularly active in their original story. Tiger Lily in Anderson’s adaptation is a strong, independent woman rather than a jealous love interest, just as the women of the Lunar Chronicles are way more badass than their damsel-in-distress counterparts. Basically they should get together and talk about how much cooler they are than they seemed in their Disney movies.
Colin (An Abundance of Katherines) and Nick (Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist)
Geeky, sensitive guys who don’t have the best luck with women. Colin and Nick can both commiserate over their ex-es, though their combined whining might get a little annoying to anyone around them. But maybe, by helping each other deal with their problems and insecurities, they can actually work through their issues together.