“Sometimes you simply needed someone kind to sit with you while you dealt with things.”
Friendships can be some of the most impactful relationships we build during our lifetimes, often shaping who we in profound ways. In literature, friendships are no different – they can be fiercely loyal, painfully strained, or beautifully redemptive. Some of the best books in the business bring readers into the lives of friends who are bound together by love, rivalry, secrets and sometimes even deceit. These relationships aren’t always perfect, but their complexity is what makes them so captivating to follow. Here at What We Reading we thought we would dive into some of the most complex friends in books across different genres, examining the dimensions and nuances that make their connections unforgettable. From intense rivalries to unlikely connections, join us for these fascinating literary friendships!
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman
Kicking off our list of the most complex friends in books are Eleanor, Raymond and Sammy in Gail Honeyman’s acclaimed novel, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. Eleanor is a socially awkward woman with a rigid, routined existence. She works a simple office job, eats the same meals and spends weekends alone with vodka as her only companion. Despite her assertions that she is ‘completely fine’, Eleanor’s routines mask deeply entrenched trauma and loneliness.
The turning point in her life comes when she meets Raymond, a scruffy IT guy at her office. After they help an elderly man named Sammy who collapses in the street, the three of them form a friendship that soon brings the warmth and connection they’ve all been missing from their lives. Their friendship is refreshingly genuine; each individual supports the other with empathy and humour, helping to break down the walls they’ve built around themselves and showcasing the transformative power connection can bring.
Sula – Toni Morrison
Sula by Toni Morrison is a powerful novel about the lifelong friendship between two Black women, Sula Peace and Nel Wright, growing up in a segregated Ohio town. Whilst the bond they form is deeply rooted in shared childhood experiences, their personalities and life choices are vastly different. Nel embodies a conventional lifestyle, opting for stability, marriage and motherhood, whereas Sula embraces independence, sensuality and a rejection of traditional norms.
As the pair grow older, their friendship faces betrayal and resentment, particularly in the wake of Sula making a decision that shatters Nel’s trust. Despite the rift, their connection lingers, reflecting both the strength and fragility of their bond. What makes Sula and Nel two of the most iconic friends in books is the way in which Morrison illuminates how friendship can be both a source of solace and pain, shaping who we are as individuals even when it becomes difficult to reconcile differences.
Bridge To Terabithia – Katherine Paterson
The classic Newbery Medal-winning title by Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia is a poignant story about friends in books that encapsulate themes of memories, imagination and loss. The narrative follows Jess Aarons, a quiet boy and Leslie Burke, a spirited girl at his school. They come from different backgrounds but quickly form a deep friendship, bonding over their shared experiences of feeling like outsiders. Together, they construct a magical kingdom known as Terabithia. There, they reign as king and queen, using this magical realm to escape the challenges of school and family life.
Leslie’s support and adventurous spirit encourage Jess to embrace his creativity and bravery. But, when Leslie suffers a fatally tragic accident, Jess is left devastated. Through his grief, Jess learns to carry forward Leslie’s spirit and courage, holding on to the lessons he learned during their time together.
The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton
One of the most classic coming-of-age novels of all time, S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders examines the powerful friendships among a group of teenage boys in 1960s Tulsa. The story is narrated by Ponyboy Curtis, a sensitive and introspective member of the ‘Greasers’, a close-knit gang of working-class boys who all depend on one another as family. Ponyboy’s friendships with his gang, and in particular his best friend Johnny Cade, are deeply rooted in their shared struggles and the realities they face growing up poor and marginalised.
Tensions rise when the Greasers clash with the affluent ‘Socs’, a rival gang whose members enjoy privilege and prestige. After a violent encounter with the Socs leaves Johnny in trouble, the pair set out on the run, testing their friendship through questions about identity, loyalty and survival. What makes The Outsiders such an iconic series of friendships is the way it delves into the bonds that sustain us even when social divides and hardships seem stacked against us.
Check Out The Best Books Like The Outsiders
The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern
The Night Circus is a mesmerising tale of magic, rivalry and unexpected friendships. The story follows two young illusionists, Celia Brown and Marco Alisdair, who are bound from childhood to a mysterious competition by their two mentors. They are pitted against one another in a battle of magical skill, each tasked with creating wonders within a travelling circus which only appears at night. Called the Le Cirque des Reves, this enchanting spectacle dazzles audiences around the world.
Despite being staunch opponents, Celia and Marco are drawn to each other, sharing a deep understanding of the sacrifices and struggles their magic demands. As their competition intensifies, their connection only grows stronger. This complex bond blurs the lines between rivalry and romance, sparking a partnership that challenges the very rules of the game, even as the competition demands that one must ultimately prevail over the other.
Little Fires Everywhere – Celeste Ng
The Richardsons are a picture-perfect family unit led by Elena Richardson, who lives in the affluent suburbs of Shaker Heights, Ohio. However, their idyllic existence is upended by the arrival of the free-spirited Mia Warren and her teenage daughter, Pearl. When the Warrens move into the Richardson’s rental property, their lives become deeply entangled, sparking both friendship and friction, especially between Elena and Mia, whose world views couldn’t be more at odds.
The teenagers in both families form friendships that reflect their parents’ dynamics, with Pearl becoming close to the Richardsons and discovering a world vastly different from the one she is familiar with. However, tensions soon mount as the two families find themselves on opposing sides of a custody battle over a Chinese-American baby. The tentative friendship between Mia and Elena deteriorates as trust surrenders to judgment, exposing the underlying tensions around privilege, race and morality.
Check Out The Best Books Like Little Fires Everywhere
Good Omens: The Nice And Accurate Prophecies Of Agnes Nutter, Witch – Neil Gaiman And Terry Pratchett
Good Omens chronicles the heartfelt and humorous escapades of the unlikely friendship between an angel, Aziraphale, and a demon, Crowley. For centuries, the two have maintained a cautious camaraderie, enjoying each other’s company despite being on opposing sides of the eternal war between Heaven and Hell. When they discover that the apocalypse is imminent, they both realise that they’ve grown fond of the Earth and of each other.
Bound by their shared desire to prevent Armageddon, they join forces to sabotage the divine plan, combining their strengths and quirks into a reluctant partnership. Through wit, mishaps and moral dilemmas, their friendship deepens, unveiling a surprising bond constructed on understanding, loyalty and appreciation for humanity’s quirks. One of the best friendships in fantasy, Good Omens explores how friendships can be found in unexpected places, defy rules and expectations and how even supposed opposites can find common ground in the face of cosmic stakes.
Normal People – Sally Rooney
Connell Waldron and Marianne Sheridan are two Irish teenagers navigating their final years of high school and their first years at university. Connell is popular and well-liked, whilst Marianne is a well-spoken outsider who frequently endures bullying from her peers. Despite their differences, they develop a secret relationship that becomes the cornerstone of their lives. As they transition into adulthood, their paths diverge and intersect in unexpected ways, highlighting the challenges of intimacy, vulnerability and communication. Their story and relationship is defined by misunderstandings, missed opportunities and a bond that endures despite all of these ups and downs.
Novelist Sally Rooney deftly captures the intricacies of love and friendship, revealing how deeply intertwined the two can often be. Normal People examines the ways in which friendships evolve over time, and how genuine connections can survive even as individuals struggle to understand themselves and each other.
Check Out The Best Books Like Normal People
The Bellwether Revivals – Benjamin Wood
Benjamin Wood’s The Bellwether Revivals is a gripping psychological novel that explores the intricacies of friendship, obsession and the blurred lines between genius and madness. Set in the prestigious grounds of Oxford’s academic elite, the story follows Oscar Lowe, a young man who becomes entranced by a charismatic group of students led by the brilliant but troubled Eden Bellwether. Eden’s magnetic personality and artistic talent captivate Oscar, pulling him into a world of intense and increasingly hazardous experimentation.
As Oscar navigates his growing fascination with Eden and the group, he becomes increasingly entwined in their lives, uncovering the dark currents that threaten to unravel them all. The Bellwether Revivals is a novel that examines the ways in which friendships can lead to us making choices that challenge our beliefs. Eden’s circle of friends reveal the admiration and rivalries that can fester in the face of ambition and mental health struggles.
Check Out These Book Club Questions For The Bellwether Revivals
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
The Book Thief is an acclaimed historical fiction novel set in Nazi Germany and centres around a young girl named Liesel Meminger. After losing her brother and being separated from her mother, Liesel is sent to live with her foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. As she grapples with the grief that comes with her new life, she finds solace in words and stories, stealing books to fill the void left behind by her family.
Liesel forms a deep bond with her foster father, who nurtures her love for the reader and encourages her sense of hope amid despair. She also makes friends with Rudy Steiner, a boy from her neighbourhood who becomes her partner in crime. As the war around them intensifies, The Book Thief beautifully illustrates how friendship, love and the power of words can provide strength even in the darkest of moments in history.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
