Books
13 Female BFFs In Lit That'll Make You Love Yours
The relationship between you and your best friend is likely one of the most important in your life. They've seen you at your best and your worst, know all of those secrets you can't fathom telling anyone else, and can probably make you laugh harder than almost anyone else. Maintaining this friendship was so easy before college and "real" life. Before you were separated by jobs and other states and relationships and who knows what else. Suddenly you're an adult, and your 20s become less about that old high school desire for a giant group of friends, and more about holding onto the small handful of people who've been there through it all.
The bond of a close friend is unbreakable, and hard to capture through fiction. No one understands the deep understanding between the two of you like, well, you guys do. However, these 13 books capture the essence of friendships and the power they have to endure even the hardest challenges life can throw at you.
Cather and Wren from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Cather and Wren are an inseparable pair of sisters who set off for their freshman year of college together, only to be faced with the vast differences between them. No matter what though, sisters are your first friend, and that's a bond that sticks.
Rose and Windy from This One Summer by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki
Despite their age difference, Rose and Windy grow up together one summer on Awago Beach, losing their naive sense of innocence and gaining the knowledge that every girl comes to learn, that one particular summer where everything seems to change. No matter what comes their way though, Rose and Windy are in it together.
Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Series by Ann Brashares
The beloved Traveling Pants series came to an end with a final book, set years into the future: Sisterhood Everlasting. If the title isn't enough of a hint, Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget have an unbreakable bond that remains unwavering long after that first summer apart. The sisterhood sees them through some of the darkest days of their lives, something all girls hope for when they promise "best friends forever."
Abileen and Minny from The Help by Kathryn Stockett
No matter how hard times gtt for Abileen and Minny, two maids in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, they always had at least one person they can depend on: each other. Things got incredibly ugly for them, but their friendship always remained a constant.
Jess and Hope from Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty
Jess and Hope are best friends, keeping each other sane through their crazy high school years. That is, until Hope moves away, and Jess has to go on without the one person who knows her best. Laugh out loud funny and utterly relatable, Sloppy Firsts will have you calling your best friend to thank her for everything you've faced together.
Blair and Serena from Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar
S and B, though they had (more than) their share of ups and downs, were always there for each other when it really mattered. From boys to school to college and beyond, Blair and Serena always found their way back to each other in the end, the way most meaningful friendships always seem to.
Jo, Amy, Meg, and Beth from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The classic story of the unbreakable bond and friendship between four sisters remains one of the best friendships of all time. Jo, Amy, Meg, and Beth stick together despite all of their many differences, seeing each other through all of life's heartbreaks. This one will have you feeling sentimental for all the good times you've shared with your own sister.
Janie and Phoeby from Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Their Eyes Were Watching God is the story of Janie's life, as told to her best friend, Phoeby. She is the one person Janie trusts with the whole painful tale. One of the beautiful things about a best friend, after all, is having someone you know you can trust no matter what.
Verity and Maddie from Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
In Elizabeth Wein's heartbreaking novel set during WWII, secrets and tragedy are slowly unraveled as the story of "Verity," a captured pilot, is revealed. A Printz Award winner and a New York Times Best Seller, this is a story of friendship that will have you hugging your BFF — hard.
Anne and Diana from Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montgomery
Another classic, Anne of Green Gables explores the importance of the friends we have growing up, and the lasting impression they make on us. Anne and Diane become friends in that effortless way young girls have, and are as Anne says, kindred spirits.
Lila and Elena from My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
The first in a series by the reclusive Elena Ferrante, My Brilliant Friend takes place in Naples, Italy, in the 1950s, where two close friends grow up together, remaining friends despite the different paths life has cut out for them. This one is the perfect book to read with that friend you don't see as often as you'd like, but with whom nothing ever seems to change.
Lillia, Kat, and Mary from Burn for Burn by Jenny Han
High school can be a difficult time for all of us, but Lillia, Kat, and Mary join forces to fight fire with fire. A powerful story of female friendships and the courage they give us, Jenny Han's Burn for Burn is the perfect reminder of why you stuck by your high school best friends, and why you're so glad that time of your life is over.
Snow and Lily from Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
In 19th century China, a seven year old girl, Lily, meets someone named Snow Flower. The two begin to exchange letters in "nu shu" a language created so women could communicate in secret. Their secret friendship helps them through the agonies of foot binding and arranged marriage, as Lisa See captures the true power of female friendship.
Image: Warner Bros
