Favorite literary couple/pair?

[sgwordy.livejournal.com]

This morning I was asked about my favorite literary couple. Immediately after asking the questioner added, "Oh, Gen and the Queen?" So now I've been thinking about it all day. I'm having a hard time picking just one so I thought I'd pass the question along to everyone here. And if you're like me and can't think of just one, how about a top 3?

(as always, if you think there are relevant links in the archives please post them if you get the chance, I skimmed the archives but didn't see anything specific - thanks!)

Comments

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

Whoa, I was just going to post, and the topic's so similar that I'll piggyback on yours!

http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/2009/05/you-tell-me-who-is-your-favorite.html

I hope that link works. Agent Nathan Bransford asks his readers who their favorite character is. It takes quite a while to read all those comments, but so far I counted at least three votes for Eugenides (and only one of them was mine!)

[sgwordy.livejournal.com]

Oooh, small world (wide web) as I was there recently to add my vote for Richard Parker from Life of Pi...and those comments did take a while, but totally worth it for all the great reminders of lovely characters!

btw, love "and only one of them was mine"

[9t9.livejournal.com]

This is a great question-but so tough to answer!

I think my answer is a tie between Elizabeth and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice and Katsa and Po from Graceling.

[sgwordy.livejournal.com]

I know it's practically sacrilegious in most Austen circles to not pick Darcy and Elizabeth (who I of course love) but my soft spot has always been for Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot.

I must check out Graceling asap as I've seen all kinds of recommendations and also noted how much people love the characters...

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...

Well Gen and Irene would certainly be one of them. A particular couple from the manga Beauty Pop - Kiri Koshiba and Shogo Narumi, because they are the only couple who has ever made me laugh as much as Gen and Irene. Then... I would have to go with Terence and Elene from The Squire's Tales.

That makes three.

[philia-fan.livejournal.com]

Does "couple" mean romantic, or can we count Jeeves and Wooster?

If we can include movies I vote Nick and Nora Charles (because they just have to be William Powell and Myrna Loy).

[keestone.livejournal.com]

Beatrice and Benedick.

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

I LOVE YOU KEESTONE

SHAKESPEARE TRUMPS ALL

YAY FOR BEATRICE

[hapaxnym.livejournal.com]

B & B fer shur.
Val Con & Miri from the Liaden books by Lee / Miller.
Eve Dallas & Roarke from the In Death series.

I loves me some snarklicious couples.

[adalanne.livejournal.com]

Surprisingly easy for me: Sam Vimes and Sybil Ramkin.

I'm trying to put into words why I love them so, but it's because they are them. Maybe it's because they are both coming into love late in life, but there's never a sense of urgency with their relationship; it's based more on choices than hormones. Plus Sybil is the one who did the "chasing;" so many literary romances have the man seeking after the woman, but in my experience (my own, my friends', and my family's), generally the woman is the one who is pro-active. Gives a flavor of realism to the romance.

[readsintrees.livejournal.com]

How about top 5?

1. Ella and Prince Char from "Ella Enchanted"
2. Miriam Willard and Pierre Laroche, from "Calico Captive"
3. Ani and Geric from "The Goose Girl"
4. Tess and Jeck from "The Decoy Princess"
5. Mr. and Mrs. Twit, from Roahl Dahl's "The Twits"

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

I was just thinking... How about Sophie and Howl from Howl's Moving Castle. Those two were pretty evenly matched.

[zumie-ashlen.livejournal.com]

Seconded. I love their relationship.

Also Gen and Irene, of course. :D

Oh, and Jaenelle and Damon from The Dark Jewels Trilogy too, now that I'm thinking.

[ilonaotus.livejournal.com]

I'd have to go with Crowley and Aziraphale from Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

After that I third the Sophie & Howl opinion.

As for the third, I'd say Mairelon and Kim from Patricia C. Wrede's Mairelon the Magician.

There are of course several other couples and pairs that I absolutely love, but these are the top three. :)

[faerie-music.livejournal.com]

These are all great ones!

I also have to choose Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane. They're just so perfect.

[peanut13171.livejournal.com]

Some of my favorite couples have already been mentioned, I'll add a few more:

Jessica Trent and Sebastian, Marquess of Dain from Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

Harry Crewe and Corlath from The Blue Sword by Robin McKInley

Meliara Astair & Vidanric, Marquis of Shevraeth from Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

[jezmitt.livejournal.com]

Yes to Harry/Corlath and Mel/Vidanric! Both two of my favorites. :)

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty partial to Alex and Seregil from the Nightrunner books.

[hapaxnym.livejournal.com]

Well, if you're going there, how about Alec and Richard from Ellen Kushner's SWORD books?

[beatlelove927.livejournal.com]

Mr. Rochester and Jane Eyre, definitly my number 1!

[ballet2nite.livejournal.com]

I really like Katsa and Po from Graceling, and Gen and Agape, I know they're not together, but I love the scene where they are and I thought that either Gen wouldn't marry or end up with her...boy was I wrong...

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

Gen and Irene are pretty much my #1. I love Beatrice and Benedick, as I said above. Oh! Bowman and Sisi from Wind on Fire. And for my non-romantic couple, I'll just say that Max and Liesel from The Book Thief are INCREDIBLE. I find myself reading their scenes together over and over. Man, I have to find myself a real copy of that book... (I first read it as an ebook)

[shaylee-ann.livejournal.com]

*stops lurking*

I LOVE Max and Liesel as a non-romantic pair. Definitely one of my favorites! Book Thief is one of my favorite books, so I just had to comment to agree!

As far as ones that haven't already been listed, I'm rather fond of Katharina and Petruchio from Taming of the Shrew - just because it makes me laugh so hard.

[tencups-i-swear.livejournal.com]

Gen and Attolia are my favourite couple, and then Howl and Sophie from 'Howls moving castle' and then Ron and Hermione.
[And then Meggie and Dorian, Arwen and Aragorn, Faramir and Eowyn, etc . . .]

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

YAAAAAY FELLOW MEGGIE/DORIA FAN

[tearoha.livejournal.com]

Oh nooo... only 3? Well:

Gen and Irene, of course. So much love.
Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane. They're so silly. Also, I can't help comparing them at every step to Gen and Irene.
Meg and Calvin from Madeleine L'engle's Wrinkle in Time series.

I want to answer Peggy's question as well, but it's impossible to pick!

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

Beauty and the Beast, hands down.
Cimorene and Mendenbar.
Phèdre and Joscelin.

*mems*

[(Anonymous)]

Of course! How could I forget Beauty and the Beast??

*mems*

[coyul.livejournal.com]

Gen and Irene are #1 of course.
Next, Artemis and Holly from the Artemis Fowl series. They're an amazing pair.
I'd also like to add to the group who say Howl and Sophie.
And uh, Stephanie and Joe Morelli from the Stephanie Plum series.
and Jacob/Renesmee lol jk

[puppeteergirl.livejournal.com]

I agree with Fairydance! I was going to name Gen and Irene, Howl and Sophie and Artemis and Holly.

For non-romanticish duos, I'd like to name Holmes and Watson. Has anyone else seen the trailer for Sherlock Holmes? Terrible, isn't it? Made me feel ill. Doyle is turning over in his grave (again!) Hello hollywood! Can't you leave SOME classic characters alone!!! Okay, that's my venting for today.

[sgwordy.livejournal.com]

Oooh, these are so much fun! In case anyone else is going to use this as a reading list for the as yet unread titles, as I am, I'm keeping a summary and in a couple weeks I'll post all the couples/pairs with titles and authors.

And for mine:

Pi Patel and Richard Parker, Life of Pi
Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, Don Quixote (official title much longer:)
Morgaine and Accolon, The Mists of Avalon

And it's sort of cheating since they are real people so technically not literary but Katherine de Roet and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster are the sole reason I have read Katherine by Anya Seton about a billion times and even specifically went to Ghent (Gaunt) in Belgium. *sigh*

(Gen and Attolia are a given, of course)

[main-titles.livejournal.com]

This is a little late, but whatever. (I also can't manage to pick only a top three)

Kartik and Gemma - from Libba Bray's books
Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries - from Kenneth Oppel's books
Percy and Annabeth - from Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Mia and Michael - from the The Princess Diaries

And of course Gen and Attolia.

[sgwordy.livejournal.com]

In no particular order:
couple/pair, title, author –

Gen and Irene, Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner
Bowman and Sisi, Wind on Fire by William Nicholson
Max and Liesel, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Kartik and Gemma, Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray
Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries, Airborne trilogy by Kenneth Oppel
Percy and Annabeth, Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
Mia and Michael, The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Katharina and Petruchio, Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Kit and Nat, The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George
Mr. Rochester and Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Artemis and Holly, Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
Della and James, The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
Jo and Laurie, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Meggie and Doria, Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke
Holmes and Watson, Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Rupert and Maree, Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones
Howl and Sophie, Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Stephanie and Joe Morelli, Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Kiri Koshiba and Shogo Narumi, Beauty Pop (manga)
Terence and Elene, The Squire's Tales by Gerald Morris
Jeeves and Wooster, Extricating Young Gussie and others by P.G. Wodehouse
Beatrice and Benedick, Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
Val Con & Miri, the Liaden books by Lee Miller
Eve Dallas & Roarke, In Death series by JD Robb
Sam Vimes and Sybil Ramkin, Discworld series by Terry Pratchett
Ella and Prince Char, Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson
Miriam Willard and Pierre Laroche, Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare
Ani and Geric, The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Tess and Jeck, The Decoy Princess by Dawn Cook
Mr. and Mrs. Twit, The Twits by Roahl Dahl
Jaenelle and Damon, The Dark Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop
Crowley and Aziraphale, Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
Mairelon and Kim, Mairelon the Magician by Patricia C. Wrede
Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane, Strong Poison and others by Dorothy L. Sayers
Cordelia and Aral Vorkosigan, Vorkosigan Saga series by Lois McMaster Bujold
Jessica Trent and Sebastian, Marquess of Dain, Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
Harry Crewe and Corlath, The Blue Sword by Robin McKInley
Meliara Astair & Vidanric, Marquis of Shevraeth, Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith
Alex and Seregil, the Nightrunner books by Max Turner
Alec and Richard, Sword books by Ellen Kushner
Katsa and Po, Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Gen and Agape, The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
Bowman and Sisi, Wind on Fire trilogy by William Nicholson
Ron and Hermione, Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
Arwen and Aragorn, Faramir and Eowyn, the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Meg and Calvin, Wrinkle in Time series by Madeleine L'engle
Beauty and the Beast, Beauty and the Beast first published by Madame Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot
Cimorene and Mendanbar, Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Phèdre and Joscelin, Kushiel’s Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey
Pi Patel and Richard Parker, Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Morgaine and Accolon, The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley


There was much copy/paste and google searching for things I hadn't read so I hope I got them all and that they are correct...