Ship Wars!

Pearl Harbor, Blackwater Bay, Gale-Peeta-Katniss. What do these things have in common? SHIP WARS. As tumblr users, we are well versed in the ship wars of the YA fandom. Choosing your OTP can be stressful, but when it happens. you will just know. Here at the Lone Book Club, we feel pretty strongly about some popular ships, so we decided to lay out our least favorite literary ships, as well as our favorites.

Kaley:

Least Favorite: Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley

Isn't it the most unspoken bro rule that you don't date your best friend's sister? Isn't this ESPECIALLY true when your best friend sacrifices their life for you on a daily basis? Apparently not for Harry Potter! I loathed this pairing from the earliest evidence of it. The only positive thing I can say about this pairing is that it distracted J.K Rowling from whatever delusions she had about hooking up Harry and Hermione. The entire relationship felt forced, and for two people whose lives are some of the most exciting and adventurous lives EVER, this romance was crazy boring. There has got to be a potion to spice this romance UP. 

Favorite: Claire and Henry (Time Traveler's Wife)

This was the first adult fiction novel that I read where I felt like the two main characters were portrayed emotionally in an incredibly realistic way, which is saying something considering this book is centered around a time traveler. Their passion was palpable, evidenced by their sex life and their ever present arguments. There is something so endearing about how Claire feels about Henry, and their history is extremely well developed. It's a rare occasion when a book makes me cry, but I bawled like a baby at the end of this book, both because of the content and because it was over. I still name this book as being my second favorite book of all time. 

Runner Up: Laila and Tariq from A Thousand Splendid Suns, because their love empowers them to overcome the most harrowing of obstacles. 

Miss Mish:

Least Favorite: Gatsby and Daisy - The Great Gatsby

Gatsby's love for Daisy is border-line obsessive. First of all, she's a married woman. And while Gatsby may have noble reasons for many of his un-noble deeds, he's convinced he can only win her over by throwing lavish parties, telling a bunch of lies, and getting involved with pin-striped wearing crooks. So I would say that he needs to check some of his priorities. Because her priorities are clear. Daisy values money and status over true love and affection, so I think we can argue that she loves herself more than she ever loved him. But he's a romantic. He loves the idea of Daisy more than he actually probably loves her--he hasn't even seen her in five years! Hate to say it, but I don't blame her for letting him fulfill his role as the crazy love-struck murderer. She was always going to be the coward, and it's what he wanted.

Their love is not tragic. It's unhealthy. Why do people love these characters so much? I don't get it. Nick Carraway hates them all in the end, so let's take his lead. 

Favorite: Henry and Claire - The Time Traveler's Wife

They fall in love with each other at different times in their life, and despite the fact that fate brought them together, they choose to remain together, even though they know it will be hard. They overcome impossible struggles and bouts of despair. They communicate, they forgive, they trust. They love each other even though the movie sucks, and even though the book I borrowed has been returned. That's how dope their love is. 

Honorable mention: Rudy and Liesel from The Book Thief, because they are best friends... and because she refuses to kiss him. 

Julia:

Least Favorite: Katniss and Peeta - The Hunger Games

I enjoyed Katniss and Peeta (of The Hunger Games) as characters, but I never really believed in them as a couple. Maybe it's because I don't go for the blonde, blue-eyed pretty boy. Maybe because Katniss didn't really believe in them either for most of the series. But by the end of Mockingjay, they had both changed too much for me to feel secure in their relationship. Honestly, if Katniss had ended up alone, I would have been satisfied.

Favorite: Yeine and Nahadoth - The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

This one's hard because there are a lot of pairings I like, but few are as hot as Yeine and Nahadoth from The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. They're both powerful characters; Yeine is a Darre chieftain and heir to the Arameri throne, and Nahadoth is, well, a god (hey, supernatural love really does it for me). These types of pairings, full of tension, danger, and heart-pounding passion, are my favorite.

Alex:

Least Favorite: Clary and Jace - The Mortal Instruments

Inhale, exhale. I needed that to fend off the rant. Ok... Clary and Jace from The Mortal Instruments series are so terrible it's just terrible to even think of how terrible they are. Their relationship is based in... annoyance, I guess is the right word? He's hot, yes, but super rude. And she's self-conscious (yet really oh so cute and she doesn't know it) but smart and spunky and so in love with an asshole. But, like, an asshole who's only an asshole because he's trying to protect her.... Asshole. 

And then there's that whole "is it incest?!" bit that really takes you out of it.

Overall a it's poor relationship to root for and a poor example for any self-conscious, smart, and spunky girls in the real world.

Favorite: Eleanor and Park - Eleanor & Park

I don't really read many novels with romantic relationships. But when I came across the sweetest love ever formed between two high-schoolers, I knew that this relationship would stay with me forever. Eleanor and Park of Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell have the truest purest love one can fall into. It's filled with self-doubt and insecurities, but from the moment they meet, they are drawn to each other by forces greater than themselves. It's honest and true and no matter what, I know they will always be together.

"Holding Eleanor's hand was like holding a butterfly. Or a heartbeat. Like holding something complete, and completely alive."

Oh my God.

If you couldn't tell, we're pretty passionate about our literary relationships. Everyone is. SHIPS speak to us on deep levels and are often times one of the most powerful things we take away from a book. A story can be great, but if that SHIP just isn't working for us, it may ruin the whole thing. Or inversely, a realistic and passionate relationship can raise a story out of mediocrity and into "OMG I can't handle this!" *Swoon* *Faint* *Repeat* 

What are some of your favorite and least favorite SHIPS? Do you agree with any of ours, or are you ready to fire a cannonball?