7 Sets of Fantasy Siblings That Will Put Your Real Life Family Drama to Shame

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By Lisa Ickowicz

Sibling relationships can be magical. But they can also be tricky and complex at times. These sets of fantastical siblings take it to a whole new level. Here’s a list of some siblings from fantasy fiction that that make your family dynamic seem a whole lot duller.

Lake & Willow (Strange Exit by Parker Peevyhouse)

  opens in a new windowSeventeen year oldSeventeen-year-old Lake spends her days searching a strange, post-apocalyptic landscape for people who have forgotten that this isn’t reality. Everyone she meets is a passenger in stasis aboard a ship that’s been orbiting Earth since a nuclear event. Going into the simulation is risky, but Lake needs to help her fellow passengers escape before their ship fails. It’s also the only way Lake can see her sister, Willow. Willow wasn’t selected to board the ship and almost certainly died on Earth, but in the simulation it’s as if the sisters were never separated. The more time Lake spends dreaming the more likely she’ll forget it isn’t real and become stuck there herself, but how can she leave her sister, again?

 Isoka & Tori (City of Stone and Silence by Django Wexler)

opens in a new windowboss Isoka uses the magical powerEighteen-year-old ward boss Isoka uses the magical power of Melos the Well of Combat—to enforce the will of her criminal masters. This usually involves killing without conscious a lot of it. But the money she collects goes to keep her sweet and gentle little sister Tori living in comfort, far away from the bloody streets they grew up on. Talk about ultimate sibling love and sacrifice!

 

Scarlett & Donatella “Tella” (Caraval by Stephanie Garber)

Scarlett has never left the tinysScarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved younger sister, Tella, live with their cruel and powerful father. Tella will do anything for her sister and she knows Scarlett longs to attend Caravel, a far-away, once-a-year performance. When Scarlett finally receives an invitation to Caravel she is crushed she cannot go because her father has arranged a marriage for her and she dare not disobey. But with the help of a mysterious sailor Tella whisks Scarlett away to the magical show—putting her own life in very real danger to try to fulfill her sister’s dream.

Zuhra & Inara (Sisters of Shadow and Light by Sara B. Larson)

opens in a new windowSisters Zuhra and InaraSisters Zuhra and Inara have been inseparable since Inara was born. Not that they had much choice. Immediately after Inara’s birth, a massive, magical hedge grew around their home in the Citadel of the Paladins. Now trapped in this fortress with their mother whose too lost in her own fury at their father’s abandonment, Zuhra and Inara only have each other. However, this is even more challenging than it sounds given that Inara inherited their father’s paladin magic, granting her incredible powers, but also keeping her trapped in her head most of the time. Nevertheless, Zuhra is very much devoted to her younger sister, and will do whatever it takes to protect her.

Adelina & Violetta (The Young Elites by Marie Lu)

Adelina and her younger sistersAdelina and her younger sister Violetta are survivors of the blood fever, which claimed their mother’s life. While both girls survived, Adelina was left with strange markings, mysterious powers, and believed to be a malfetto—a bad luck charm for her family. Violetta is thought to be “normal” and is therefore the favorite child of their cruel father and she frequently saves Adelina from his abuse. When Adelina gets captured by the Inquisition for displaying her powers, Violetta tries to save her, risking her own life while coming into her own.

Frey & Rafi (Impostors by Scott Westerfeld)

rey is Rafis twin sisterFrey is Rafi’s twin sister–and her body double. Their powerful father has many enemies, and they live in a dangerous world. So while Rafi was raised to be the perfect daughter, Frey has been taught to kill. Her only purpose is to protect her sister, to sacrifice herself for Rafi if she must. When her father sends Frey in Rafi’s place as collateral in a precarious deal, she becomes the perfect impostor-as poised and charming as her sister. But Col, the son of a rival leader, is getting close enough to spot the killer inside her. As the deal starts to crumble, Frey must decide if she can trust him with the truth . . . and if she can risk becoming her own person.

The Blackthorn Siblings: Julian “Jules”, Tiberius “Ty”, Livia “Livvy”, Drusilla “Dru”, & Octavian “Tavvy” (Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare)

After the devastating eventssAfter the devastating events that took place in City of Heavenly Fire, Julian “Jules” Blackthorn was left to parent his four younger siblings at just 12 years old. Now, five years later, he will do anything to protect his family and his parabatai, Emma Carstairs, and the familial loyalty is mutual. The Blackthorns know more than anyone that blood is thicker than water, which is  why when they’re given the chance to save their eldest half-brother, Mark, who was taken by the faeries five years prior, they jump at the opportunity, no matter the cost.