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Original poster

Which character from fiction would you like as a friend?

86 replies

CromartyForthTyneDogger · 11/01/2024 16:40

If you could have any character from a book as your best friend who would you choose?

OP posts:
HumphreyCobblers · 18/01/2024 16:47

Valency Redfern
Professor Simon Darcourt
Emma Woodhouse
Lizzy Bennett
Clover Carr, in Colorado
Lorna Sage (she was real but I know her from her autobiography so can I have her please?)

DriftingDora · 18/01/2024 13:09

Sorry to be greedy, but I've chosen two...

  1. George Knightley, from Jane Austen's Emma. He's sensible, sociable, gives advice you can trust and has a sense of humour. Who else would you need?

  2. Abbie Penhaligon, in Janet Bettle's The Confession. Smart, sassy and a successful barrister to boot - don't they say that everyone needs to know a good lawyer?

UnDruidlyWords · 18/01/2024 13:04

Sarah Prine from 'These is My Words' by Nancy Taylor. She had her gravestone inscribed with 'Wife, Mother and a Pretty Good Shot' which sums her up nicely, though she was so much more than that.

For calmer interludes, Elizabeth Bennett would be interesting to be around and I'd enjoy listening to her.

Any of the main women characters from 'The Other Wind' by Ursula Le Guin. Tenar and Tehanu for their wisdom and experience, the Princess for her courage and Orm Irian for her strong fiery personality, though her turning into a dragon here and there could be difficult.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 18/01/2024 12:26

I'd quite like to hang out with Jill Crewe and the ponies...

IhateHPSDeaneCnt · 18/01/2024 12:24

Brenda - lead protagonist of the Brenda and Effie mysteries written by Paul Magrs.
Don't want to give too much away but she's now settled in Whitby as the landlady of an impeccably run B&B after centuries fleeing mobs armed with pitchforks and burning torches ; providing huge cooked breakfasts to her guests and seeing to their needs before retiring to her palatial, boudoir attic to drink her spicy chai tea and a possible cheeky sherry with Effie, her next door neighbour and good friend who despite her years, is also partial to a Barney and dance around handbags. They solve Whitby 'going ons' which usually involves fighting off multitudes of supernatural 'people'. All whilst keeping her towering wig on and ensuring makeup to cover up scars is en pointe.

Notgoodatpoetrybutgreatatlit · 18/01/2024 11:12

Re. The Bloody Nine, I do really like Logen a lot but that scene in the blade itself when he is about to murder Ferro or try to, made me rethink whether he would be a good friend.

IsadoraQuagmire · 18/01/2024 10:13

@PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle It WOULD be great to be Midge. I've got all the Susan books and re-read them a lot. I always wish I was part of that family!

HarpyRampant · 18/01/2024 10:03

Loopytiles · 18/01/2024 07:57

Anne Shirley could be annoying as a friend: beautiful loyalty but all the gushing and wordy appreciation of life’s joys could grate on a bleak post work drinks night!

I’ve always thought that Anne had a weirdly split life when it came to friends. Her childhood friends are all essentially dull — dull, placid Jane Andrews, unimaginative but loyal Diana, flighty Ruby Gillis. (I suppose Gilbert is an exception once he’s stopped being her enemy and before he falls for her.)

Then her adult friends are almost all beautiful/striking, strong, quirky or tragic characters, or beautiful, otherworldly children — sarcastic, striking Katherine Brooke, wisecracking socialite Philippa Gordon, reclusive fantasist Miss Lavendar, Captain Jim, Paul and Little Elizabeth, Leslie Moore, Owen Ford.

Aaron95 · 18/01/2024 09:55

Notgoodatpoetrybutgreatatlit · 16/01/2024 06:17

Sand Dan Glokta from Joe Abercrombie's first law trilogy and Monza Murcatto from Joe Abercrombie' Best Served Cold. I'm a bit obsessed with his books at the moment.
Both characters survive against all odds and refuse to let the horrible things done to them define them. Also Monza dedicates herself to vengeance. I love vengeance.

There are times when having The Bloody Nine as a friend may be handy 😃

Another Joe Abercrombie fan here. He does create some great characters.

PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle · 18/01/2024 09:46

@IsadoraQuagmire I wanted to be Midge when I was young!

Anne Elliott
Valentine from Ender's Game
Dinah from Adam Bede
Molly from Wives and Daughters

These are all obedient, kind characters (Valentine also has the characteristic of being super intelligent) who would make good friends. I admire characters such as Jo March, Anne Shirley and Scarlet O'Hara - who set up her own business when women were not supposed to do such things. But I think if I met them in real life I'd find them pretty annoying.

Loopytiles · 18/01/2024 07:57

Anne Shirley could be annoying as a friend: beautiful loyalty but all the gushing and wordy appreciation of life’s joys could grate on a bleak post work drinks night!

HarpyRampant · 17/01/2024 21:31

sisplaydet · 17/01/2024 20:17

Heathcliffe

What’s the appeal in a friend who can’t cope with you marrying someone else, then marries your dimwit SIL to annoy your husband, beats her up and impregnates her, mauls you on your deathbed while you’re heavily pregnant, kidnaps your daughter, then digs up your dead body?

IsadoraQuagmire · 17/01/2024 20:49

Midge Carmichael from Jane Shaw's Susan's books. She's hilarious.

trickortrickier · 17/01/2024 20:31

Anne Shirley and/or Jo March

WilderRose · 17/01/2024 20:27

Laura Ingalls. I so loved her books as a child. And, her daughter sounds interesting as well.

KohlaParasaurus · 17/01/2024 20:23

Fanny from Nancy Mitford's novels.
Charlie Weasley from Harry Potter.
Julius Caesar's mother Aurelia from Colleen McCullough's series about Ancient Rome.
Siobhan Clarke from the Rebus novels.

FranKatzenjammer · 17/01/2024 20:23

Titus Moan I'd enjoy talking to him about music.

sisplaydet · 17/01/2024 20:17

Heathcliffe

PTSDBarbiegirl · 17/01/2024 20:16

Buzz Lightyear
Cormorant Strike

TitusMoan · 17/01/2024 20:15

FranKatzenjammer · 17/01/2024 19:57

Rob in High Fidelity.

Why?! He’s not exactly reliable… do you just want his record collection?

Loopytiles · 17/01/2024 20:12

Eve Malone - Circle of Friends
Mrs Banks or Bert - Mary Poppins
Sally, Pattie or Linus - Peanuts

FranKatzenjammer · 17/01/2024 19:57

Rob in High Fidelity.

SpanielsMatter · 16/01/2024 06:49

Miss Marple - Joan Hickson
Julia from 1984

CarStress2024 · 16/01/2024 06:34

Nessa from Gavin & Stacey

BarbaraBuncle · 16/01/2024 06:33

Anne Elliot from Persuasion. Whilst I love Pride and Prejudice, I think I have more in common with Anne and we'd be good friends.