Top Ten Tuesdays: Built to Last

The ladies at The Broke and the Bookish have torn us Top Tenning bloggers away from gazing into our own navels, in favor of a more romantic topic. Dealing as this does with novel-ends, it is rather spoilery. Read with caution. This week I shall give you

The Top Ten Literary Romances That Would Survive Beyond the Last Page

1. Amos and Clara, Crooked by Laura and Tom McNeal

I don’t know if this is a Til-Death-Do-Us-Part romance, but I’d say that by the end of Crooked Amos and Clara have high school sweethearts in the bag. They go through an awful lot of character-defining moments in the book: finding their own strength in the face of loss, choosing substance over style in romance, and surviving a homicidal bully. Something tells me that Amos and Clara are just the type of solid kids to make it last, perhaps even to that golden anniversary.

2. Cassie and Jake, Animorphs

Again, a really solid pair. Cassie and Jake already know who they are and are supremely comfortable with it. Their romance is built on a rock-solid friendship. They are the kind of couple who mutually agree to break up senior year or just after because some friend or family member has convinced them that they are missing out on something, only to discover that they aren’t. This all assumes, of course, that they SERIES SPOILERS IN WHITE did not die crashing their spaceship into a Yeerk ship. Perhaps the Ellimist intervened. I guess that’s still surviving beyond the last page, even if it is only for seconds.

3. Sean Kendrick and Puck Connoly, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

These two spend most of the novel facing a life-threatening obstacle, while discovering in their spare time that they kinda-sorta like each other. Both committed islanders and equestrians, by novel’s end there is no question of their commitment to each other. They’re practically meant to be, if anyone can handle Puck it’s a guy who’s madly in love with a flesh-eating horse.

4. Daisy and Edmond, How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

As much as it might completely squick people out, Daisy and Edmond have a full-on-Katniss-and-Peeta love situation. We know what happens with Katniss and Peeta, and I’m willing to bet Daisy and Edmond end up somewhere similar.

5. Dimple Lala and Karsh Kapoor, Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier

Dimple spends most of Born Confused getting in her own way, completely missing the fact that she and Karsh have a ton in common. Even after she comes around, she pridefully sticks to her rejection of him in order to save face. They take such a circuitous route coming together that it seems nothing short of fated when they do. Given their culture, and the deep bond they are able to build by novel’s end, it seems entirely likely that they end up a super-cool college couple headed happily for the altar.

6. Witch Baby and Angel Juan, Dangerous Angels: The Weetzie Bat Books by Francesca Lia Block

These two fit perfectly into a place in each others’ hearts. They appreciate what they have together, even when they need time apart to learn about themselves, because of what they haven’t had with others. When Cherokee Bat and Raphael seem likely to wander in search of sexier pastures, Witch Baby and Angel Juan keep the home fires burning.

7. Penelope and Odysseus, The Odyssey – Homer

You just don’t spend ten years trying to get back to your wife (and fending off lusty goddesses), only to bail on her. Ditto for Penelope and her endless weaving, buying time for a decade while those piggish suitors ate her out of house and home. That’s commitment, folks.

8.   Val and Ravus, Valiant by Holly Black

These two had been to such dark places independently, that their coming together and trusting each other means quite a bit more than that of the impetuous Kaye and haughty Roiben ( Tithe). This is not a pair who will split up over a petty argument, both have a deep sense of honor. Ravus can be the still point of Val’s spinning universe, and Val will fight to keep Ravus if ever the need arises.

9. Keenan and Donia, the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr

I admit that this pairing interests me far more than Seth/Aislinn. I haven’t finished the series, so it’s quite possible that either Keenan or Donia (or both) is dead by the end. Please don’t tell me if that’s the case, I plan on finishing. If they make it out alive, I’d like to think that they carry on their season-crossed romance. Loving each other from afar and coming together at the solstices. How dreadfully romantic.

10. Jacob and Renesmée, Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Just kidding! That’s creepy as hell. I’d like to think the family wouldn’t take this pairing for granted, and that the baby girl would grow up being totally grossed out by creeper Uncle Jake always sniffing around. I don’t even think Bella and Edward would last beyond her realizing that even hunting wild game with your bare hands can get boring after a century. Just because you married a rich hottie doesn’t mean that you won’t have to do laundry, and the lustful bloom will be off that rose as soon as Eddie realizes how terribly dull you really are. Wouldn’t she have lost her heroin-esque scent upon becoming a vamp?

I promise I’m not trying to cheat ya, here is a real number 10: Meg Murry and Calvin O’Keefe, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (yes I am aware that in later books they are hitched and have kids).