Friday 25 January 2013

Sangu Mandanna’s Top Ten Couples That Don’t Actually Exist

Joining us today is Sangu Mandanna - author of The Lost Girl.  She has stopped by to talk about her Top 10 Couples (that don't actually exist)...
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‘Top Ten Couples That Don’t Actually Exist’

The Lost Girl is about all kinds of love. It’s about the love between a parent and a child, between a creator and a creation, between you and the person you’ve lost, between friends. It’s also about the other kind of love, the one that makes your heart beat faster and your skin go all tingly, the one that makes you blurt the most embarrassing things because you can’t help it and endure all kinds of difficulties because the alternative would be to leave the other person and you can’t do that.

I love stories about love. All kinds of love but, I have to admit, I do like stories about the swoony, heart-melting kind a little more. I particularly love the characters involved. If these characters are great and the chemistry is there, I’m sold. Some of my favourites involve YA books, some adult. My top ten?

1. Lochan and Maya from Tabitha Suzuma’s Forbidden
Forbidden is the story of a boy and a girl who fall in love. And also happen to be brother and sister. It doesn’t get any more star-crossed than this and the book is so beautifully written, the characters feel intensely real and, in spite of knowing perfectly well that the idea is just wrong, I wanted Lochan and Maya to be together. (And oh, what a bawl-fest this is!)

2. Lou and Will from Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You
Another one that compelled me to contribute to Kleenex’s profits. Will is crippled and doesn’t really want to live; super-cautious Lou becomes his carer and starts to discover how to live. Somehow this book is gritty, sweet, realistic and sexy all at once. Lou’s transformation over the course of the book is incredible, and it’s all down to Will, and the ending… oh, the ending.

3. Sloane and Rhys from Courtney Summers’ This Is Not A Test
Apart from the fact that there’s something so appealing about watching two scared, passionate teenagers getting together in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, what sets Sloane and Rhys apart is a) the fact that when they get together it feels believable, b) the sizzling attraction turns gradually, and sweetly, into something more, and c) Rhys is just so very sexy. Instead of spending the entire book thinking omg please don’t be eaten by a zombie (though I did think that a lot), I spent the book thinking kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss…

4. Harry and Hermione from JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series
I know. I know. They’re not a couple. But I spent seven books rooting for them! She was the only one who always stuck by him, no matter what. Even now, I still think their friendship/almost-love story is the strongest relationship in the entire series. And that’s saying something.

5. Gemma and Ty from Lucy Christopher’s Stolen
It is so completely wrong that these two are even on this list. No matter how kind, sincere and ultimately redeemable Ty is, he is Gemma’s kidnapper. And when she grows attached to him, it’s obviously Stockholm Syndrome, not true love. But it’s a mark of how powerful this book is that, even knowing all these things and knowing that in real life I would never think this is a good idea, I almost – almost – wanted Gemma to be with him.

6. Millie and Hugh from Jill Mansell’s Millie’s Fling
This book is sweet and funny, indulgent chick lit at its finest. And while there’s nothing exceptionally special about Millie, Hugh or their love story, I never grow tired of reading about them.

7. Donna and the Frenchman from Daphne du Maurier’s Frenchman’s Creek
Far too overlooked and underrated, Frenchman’s Creek is one of my favourite books of all time. The writing is beautiful, the water and moors and atmosphere of Cornwall just leaps off the page, and the romance… Donna is unhappily married, with two children she dearly loves, and the Frenchman is a pirate who also happens to sketch birds in his spare time. Their love story is thrilling and heartbreaking. (Yes, another weepy! There seems to be a theme here…)

8. Emma and Mr Knightley from ITV’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma
Confession: I’ve never read Emma. So I’m going purely on the ITV version of the book with Kate Beckinsale. Emma and Mr Knightley are just perfect together.

9. Sam and Grace from Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver
Boy meets girl. They fall in love. Only the boy turns into a wolf when it gets too cold and will, one day, turn into a wolf forever. Sam and Grace’s relationship is developed and described so intricately and with such detail that you feel like you’re a part of them. And the book has one of the most wonderful endings ever.

10. Daisy and Edmond from Meg Rosoff’s How I Live Now
I don’t even know what I can say about Daisy and Edmond. This book – and their love story – is spectacular and utterly heart-wrenching. I can’t even describe it. Go get hold of a copy now.

There you have it. What do you like of the list? Agree or violently disagree with any of my choices? Who would you pick?
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Thanks Sangu!

I definitely agree with Sloane and Rhys!!!  And Lochan and Maya *sobs*. I'd have to add Rose and Dimitri (from Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series). And...hmm...I think I really need to give this some serious thought! :D

The Lost Girl is available to buy now.

You can find out more information about the book and the author at her website.

5 comments:

The Insouciant Sophisticate said...

I never thought Ron was good enough for Hermione so I'm on-board with H/H although I'm not sure Harry is good enough for her either...

Luci said...

What about Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy who are probably the most popular couple around next to Bella and Edward??

So Many Books, So Little Time said...

Some of my favourite books on that list! I championed so many of them, even against my better judgement.

Sarah said...

Lochan and Maya *sniffle* I loved them so much and I cried my heart out while reading that book! That is one book that I really didn't want to read but ended up loving and I'm so thankful that I was sent a review copy - it's the only reason I ever tried it & Forbidden is one of my favourite books!

I'd also agree with Sammee about Rose & Dimitri - I love the VA books :o)

Another couple I loved recently was Lake and Will from Slammed by Colleen Hoover. They are such a cute couple and I hate the reason they can't be together for so much of the book!

Michelle Fluttering Butterflies said...

Oh god, Lochan and Maya! I might start crying just thinking about them.

And Me Before You broke my heart and had me flooded in tears. Oh and Daisy and Edmond...

Great list of couples :)

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