The Best Friendships in Literature

A Street Cat Named Bob - James Bowen

Words by Kavita Patel

Words by Molly Openshaw

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree was the first book I read in 2023, and no book is yet to live up to the enchanting novel of friendship, adventure and coffee in this novel boasting ‘high fantasy and low stakes’. If, like me, you enjoy fantasy novels and their rich world-building and unique characters, yet sometimes find the typical quest, battle, and death sequence overwhelming, then this novel is the perfect palette cleanser for a kinder, cosier type of fantasy. Legends and Lattes follows a retired orc, named Viv, in her endeavour to open a coffee shop in a land unbeknownst to coffee, seeing her making unlikely friends in the town of Thune. The low-stakes element of this novel means that it feels more like the exposition part of a typical fantasy novel, meaning we get to experience more of the world-building, friendships budding and the fantastical elements of magic that make the genre so enchanting.

It is the depictions of friendships in this novel that make it so heartwarming, as we see the protagonist, Viv, befriend shy residents of Thune and bring together a community. We meet Tandri, a succubus who is soon employed at the coffee shop to help Viv and quickly becomes a companion. There’s Cal, the carpenter responsible for constructing the coffee shop and encouraging Viv to achieve her dreams. Thimble, the rattkin, is a quiet and mischievous baker of delicious treats such as cinnamon buns and thimblets (biscuits). Probably my favourite is Pendry, the shy bard who entertains the customers in the coffee shop. Travis Baldtree crafts a beautiful tale about the ordinary yet perfect parts of life in an extraordinary world, and I could not recommend this book more.

Friendships can often sneak up on you and alter your life for the better in less than five minutes. Typically, friendships are shaped from social activities when you least expect it, and no one knows how long they will last. It is not every day that you find a true, dear companion in a cat. Their scratchy and independent nature make them highly unreliable and unrelatable creatures, which people tend to avoid. This cannot be said for the representation of a blossoming friendship between a feline friend and recovering drug addict male in A Street Cat Named Bob, an autobiography by James Bowen. The novel examines the importance of friendship at a time of crucial need and loneliness. The author Bowen relays his journey from a homeless musician busking on the streets of London, to surviving alongside the company of Bob.

Bowen’s novel highlights the significance of a stable, loyal friend and demonstrates how a small minimal change such as feline friendship can become somebody’s reason to persevere and have a reason to live. The novel illustrates themes of loyalty and trust in one another, demonstrating a remarkable friendship between human and animal.

In my opinion, it is one of the best friendships in literature due to its natural occurrence; the friendship is pure and particularly unique considering the circumstances for communication. The autobiography emphasises that the company of another, big or small (and regardless of language barriers), can often lead to the most valuable friendships that you treasure the most. The novel centres the importance of taking a chance on someone as you never know where it could lead you, as well as helping others in need. Despite being a homeless, recovering addict, when Bowen found Bob abandoned and injured, he chose to help him. It led to saving his life, ultimately illustrating the value of a true friend.

Design by Molly Openshaw