Okay so I’m a sucker for an animal. An animal sidekick, even better. I love it when an animal becomes an important part of a book or series, and it’s always excited to see what role they end up playing, especially as most authors don’t introduce an animal by chance.
When I set about writing this post, I thought it would be a relatively easy post to write BUT it turns out I could have written a post about cat side kicks far more easily than looking at a selection of animals. Maybe I’ll do that another time. I love animals, and I love cats. I also loved bloody dragons, so let’s move on with the post!
Shadowhunters – Church the cat
Church shows up first timeline-wise in The Infernal Devices when Will and Jem rescue him from a demonic ritual. However, we first meet Church in Clary and Jace’s New York, in City of Bones, at the NY Institute. He’s a grumpy moggy but incredibly smart too, not to mention immortal. The only person that Church has ever seemed to tolerate, let alone like, is Jem. Who can blame him? Jem is lovely! Church greets people at the door and will show people where to go, albeit begrudgingly at times. He’s fantastic as a companion, even if only Jem has ever had a belly rub!
From Blood and Ash – Setti the horse
I’m not being dramatic, but I would die for this horse. That could be the end of the paragraph, I swear. I love Setti the horse, with his big hooves, big heart, and big brain. When we first meet him in From Blood and Ash he seems like just a big horse, and it’s only as things move along in A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire and The Crown of Gilded Bones that we realise what he is really like, and how much of a personification of his rider he is – and that includes at the end of the third book too. If anything happens to Setti…
Among the Beasts and Briars – Fox
I absolutely loved the character of Fox throughout the story, with all his battles and struggles and who is turns out to be, on the surface and deeper down. He made for a brilliant companion, as did the bear that accompanied them for part of their journey through the Woods. The bonds between Cerys and Fox, and Fox and Vala the bear as well. It was a beautiful book that I’d love to read all over again for the first time.
The Priory of the Orange Tree – DRAGONS
This is the only book on my list that I haven’t read personally – yet. However, the fact this has not just a dragon in it, but a selection of dragons, is one of my main motivations for reading it. I’ve read other works by the author and especially knowing this book was her coming out in so many ways, I’m motivated all the more to get lost in this queer dragon filled fantasy.
The Gilded Ones – Lizard
I read The Gilded Ones earlier this year and and it’s proven to be one of my favourite books so far. I’ve absolutely loved every single page of this high fantasy, feminism packed, badass novel. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out. The lizard that Deka finds turns out to be far more than just any lizard, drawn to ger magic in ways we only find out in the latter parts of the book. It’s hard to talk about without spoilers, but this is one of my favourite animal sidekicks that I’ve met so far.
So, there we are. Five animal sidekicks who have all tugged at my heartstrings in various ways throughout my reading, and some dragons I’m looking forward to meeting soon.
And On She Reads 