Recommending Books Based on Tropes: Sibling Relationships

Hey readers! I’ve decided to start a new series where I recommend books based on tropes, and today’s topic is one of my personal favorites: Sibling Relationships! I love sibling relationships in books, but many times this particular trope is not done well, in my opinion. Most of the time when it is done so improperly, I think it’s because an author with no siblings tries to write a book with sibling relationships. DO YOUR RESEARCH PEOPLE!!!

Anyway, here are five books that have well represented sibling relationships.

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

Shiori is the only princess and youngest sibling of the royal family of Kiata. She is the “wild child” of the family, and she is fussed over by her older brothers and hated by her stepmother. One day, Shiori’s stepmother finally snaps, and curses Shiori and her brothers, causing Shiori to be mute with her face hidden, and her brothers have been turned into cranes. The young princess has to figure out how to break the curse on her family and expose her stepmother to save her kingdom and her family.

Shiori and her older brothers have one of the most realistic sibling relationships I have ever read in a book. Shiori has six brothers, and her relationship with each of them is unique and tailored to each person’s personality. She is closer to some of her brothers than she is to others– and she has that one sibling that is just impossible to get along with. It’s realistic, it’s entertaining, and if you like sibling relationships in books, I highly recommend.

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Mibs is turning thirteen, the big birthday where she will receive her special power, just like everyone else in her family. Before the celebrations can begin, Mibs’s father is involved in a horrible accident. Her mother and older brother go to visit the hospital, leaving Mibs and her other siblings with people they barely know– people who don’t know about their family’s special powers. An epic adventure ensues, as Mibs and her siblings attempt to escape the watch of their temporary caretaker and find the rest of their family.

The word I typically use to describe this book is wholesome. It’s a sweet story about a couple of kids determined to reunite themselves with the rest of their family, encountering a few bumps and roadblocks along the way. Each one of Mibs’s siblings are very different from each other, and similarly to the dynamic in Six Crimson Cranes, Mibs has a different relationship with each of her siblings. This book is very family centered and especially highlights the relationships between siblings. If you are in the mood for a lighthearted, easy going, family oriented read, this is the book for you.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Do I have to describe what this book is about? It’s an absolute classic, and if you haven’t read the book, you’ve seen one of the three thousand movie and/or TV show adaptations. Quick summary: it’s a story about four sisters and we get to see a few years of their lives as they grow up and mature, becoming young women.

It’s Little Women. It would have been a crime to not have this book on the sibling relationship list. The relationships in this book feel realistic, and many of the interactions the girls have are very “sibling-y.” It’s a little different from the other books mentioned, as it does not feature any sort of fantasy element, but if you want to forgo the magic and worldbuilding and all you want is a bittersweet story of four sisters growing up, this is the book for you.

Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Puck’s life is slowly falling apart. Her parents died years ago and all she has left are her two brothers, her horse, and her island. However, one of her brothers is determined to leave the island, and in the process abandon Puck and her other brother. To convince her older brother to stay, Puck enters the Scorpio Races, a race meant for the magic, and vicious, water horses only native to Puck’s home island. This is her last chance to keep everything she loves, but will it be enough?

Although the sibling relationship in this book is not as prominent as the others, I am including it because Puck’s brothers were crucial to the plot, and it was one element of the story I did really enjoy. Unlike the other books mentioned, Puck’s relationship with both of her brothers is strained throughout most of the book. Even though it caused tension and was sometimes painful to read about, I liked how the author portrayed that some families don’t have it as easy as others and that it can be a real struggle. It’s reality, and something that can be overlooked or brushed aside in books and stories.

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

Meryl and Addie are the best of friends and the closest of sisters, despite their differences. Meryl craves adventure and danger, while Addie is fearful and cowardice. When Meryl becomes ill with an unsurvivable sickness, Addie has no choice but to go on a quest, facing all of her fears at once, to save the most precious thing in her life: her sister.

Addie and Meryl’s relationship is one of the sweetest things I’ve ever read in a book. The whole book is so bittersweet as we see Addie struggle through her impossible quest just to save Meryl. It’s such an admirable thing to do, and I love how close these two sisters are! It isn’t the most realistic sibling relationship, but it's one of my favorites nonetheless.

That’s all the books I have for you today! Hope you found a book you’re interested in, and that you might even have a fun time reading! What are some sibling relationships in books that you enjoyed?

Until Next Time!

~Kamama Deere