This post was inspired by a book that I really hated. It was painful, excruciating, and I can't think of any other synonym right now. I'm sure we all have a list of things that automatically turns us off and here's mine.
From strong to weak. Why do they always have to be strong at first then when they meet the guy, they end up stupid. Tripping on their feet, stuttering, heart beating faster than ever. Reading a person's transition like that from something great to something entirely not great is just not for me. And there were thought bubbles that said "why do I get this way when I'm around him?" I hate the double standards. I'd rather read about a character being a downright bitch than a girl who is smart & strong who all of a sudden felt the need to act all idiotic for a guy she barely knows. Which brings us to..
Insta-love. Of course, we all hate this. No background, no build up. Just boom! In love. I get attraction, I just read a trilogy that didn't even mention love in it. It was all about chemistry and lust which is GREAT. It's definitely something I can relate to. If the boy/girl just happen to fall in love that quickly, well I'm sorry *closes book*
Clichéd bad boys. Why do they always have to fall in love with a bad boy. And not a very original bad boy at that. Always with the tattoos, the smirk, etc. Please give me a bad boy that's smart, who reads books, and can quote Shakespeare (not really) There are a whole lot of ways to be considered a bad boy. Think Loki.
Multiple narrators. I don't know if it's just me, but when I read and it's in first person, I tend to get attached to the person's voice. And I sort of get lost a little bit when they switch point of view. I just can't unplug from a character and plug in to another one. I'm so simple-minded it's such a hassle.
Flashbacks. I know it's necessary in some stories. But when it's there just to add pages, it's really obvious. There's no connection to the story whatsoever. And the book can stand on its own, whether the flashbacks there or not.
And other in bullets:
-Unclear settings (is it after the destruction of earth? or before? in the process of?)
This is all I could think of for now.
-Slooooooooow pacing (After 500 words and it's still the description of the settings, then umm, bye bye)
-No background (What happened before this? Why is it happening now? Who the fuck is this character)
THIS.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. I can't tell you how many books I've begun with a kick ass heroine, she's sassy, she's feisty and not to be messed with. Along comes perfect boy wonder and BAM, instant moron. I mean, what the hell. We should be demanding more independent female protagonists in young adult, the ones that don't need a man and make smart choices. There's lots out there, but it's always the few that bring the genre down that irk me. Don;t get me started on 'bad boys'. Please, these idiot main characters see a guy smoking and see him as a 'bad boy'. Please, if you want to go bad, take a road trip down to the local penitentiary and pick yourself up a jailbird.
Brilliant article Ana. I could sit in your comments section all day and keep complaining <3
Haha, complain away Kelly! It's so nice to share these quirks with other book lovers. And you're right, we should definitely demand "more independent female protagonists" Imagine younger girls reading stuff like that and thinking "Hey, it's okay to act all stupid since I'm in love" No! Nu-uh.
DeleteOooh, the From Strong to Weak one and the Bad Boy trope can both go die, lol. Sometimes the "bad boy" is basically abusive! (Patch from Hush Hush for example... so creepy, ewww.)
ReplyDeleteI actually like multiple narrators because it gives me more perspective of a story, like Game of Thrones. And insta-love... is not a thing, lol. It's insta-lust. It drives me crazy too because it's completely physical and that's not how love is born. -sigh-
Great article! :)
Yeah, I can never get how it's so obvious that these characters are attracted to each other (only) physically but then they disguise it as being "in-love" which is of course not the case. Haven't read Hush Hush yet, but then after what you said, I probably never would :)
DeleteDef insta-hate insta-love! I, for one, live for slow-burning romances so reading a book with a romance that has no foundations whatsoever just sucks. I also really would like to erase the usual bad boy trope and would like to see boys who'd read books instead. I think multiple narrators and flashbacks can work for me though, depends on the writing! :) Great post. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks Hazel. In some cases, the flashbacks help the book get better. I agree that the writing is a huge part. And I just can't wait to read a book that has a guy that may have some issues but doesn't have the usual bad boy ingredients.
DeleteMhmm yes, signing all the points you mentioned! Excellent post, my dear!
ReplyDeleteMy co-blogger is currently reading... I forgot what she's reading, but there was a very memorable point in the book that she showed me where we both just went "Nope. Not here for this." In the headline of the first chapter, I suppose you could call it, the author went "In which we find out about these people and that thing happens and also we begin to like character x even more" and that just makes me go "nooooooooope" all the way.
I refuse to be told whom I should like or not. I don't know why some authors think this is attractive to a reader because it's not. I will not be told what I should and shouldn't feel. I'm the boss of my feelings and sympathies and you don't know meeee. I previously read (and DNFed) a self-published book that had many MANY issues that were worse than this, but I lost it when the author directly spoke to the reader -- he seriously took an entire chapter to talk to you and tell you how you should be feeling about the characters -- and I just really don't appreciate that at all.
Authors don't need to tell me that I should like a character, they should be able to make me like them by writing them well. Especially because every time it happens it just sort of lets me down because it isn't very strong writing to be telling me that a character is likeable (and usually I already dislike them so it's a very jarring experience).
Thanks Isa! Wow, I've never actually encountered a book like that but I can definitely understand the frustration. It's as if they don't trust us to interpret the story they're telling correctly. That's just rude. I mean, if they have to rely on one chapter in a book to explain what's going on then they must be doing something not quite right.
DeleteThat must also feel like your reading an instructional material. I can only imagine how hard it must be to go through a book like that. Thank you for sharing your insta-hate Isa!
Insta-love is the worst. I did a similar post about YA fiction a while back. For some reason there are some themes that we just can't escape. How are we supposed to believe these characters can fall in love with each other after being acquainted for 5 minutes. Another thing I hate are love triangles. There's no need for every main character to be in a love triangle, it's just uneccesary.
ReplyDeleteI feel like some authors and publishing houses have a 'recipe' for what's going to sell so the book shop shelves are always filled with the same kind books with bland characters and overused storylines. Occasionally though some do surprise me and they're actually quite good.
Loved your post. :)
I love the 'recipe' idea! It does look that way. Sometimes, they all seem to have the same plot. They just make it different by either making it a vampire, an angel, a wolf, a witch, a human, a fish, etc. Oh and yeah, the love triangles. That's probably one of the basic ingredients ever!
DeleteBut then we have to keep reading to find that occasional gem of a book that we can treasure forever. Thank you for taking the time to comment Lettora!
I pretty much agree with these. XD Except I'm beginning to realise Insta-Love isn't as unbelievable as I used to think. *sigh* When I was younger, my friends would see a boy and basically be marrying him and having his children 12 minutes later. -_- It drove me nuts. But I'm not even exaggerating! They wouldn't even know his name. So I think it's not as nuts to believe insta-love exists. What's frustrating is when the author doesn't bother fleshing out and developing the romance/relationship because they've just said -- BOOM -- they're in love. Not. Cool.
ReplyDeleteTooootally hate no background or, alternately, info-dumps. Gah! Frustration.
Thanks for stopping by @ Notebook Sisters!
Anytime Cait. And I get the instant attraction, it's just I don't see how they suddenly have to plan their lives around someone they barely know. There should be atleast a build up of some sort.
DeleteThanks for taking the time to comment!
Nice post, Ana! Multiple narrators get me every time, it's sooo confusing! Unless maybe in audio books. Or if it's a Rick Riordan book, then that's okay. Hahaha! I have my biases. I used to hate insta-love, too but you know, sometimes it's not really insta-love... it's just insta-like or insta-attraction and those things are pretty much acceptable and real. Maybe it's just in the way we label things?
ReplyDeleteAnd bad boys. Ugh. Why do they always have to be bad boys (who are also often mysterious, btw) and not just regular, nice, sometimes jerky boys?
Haha, I would love to have the "regular, nice, sometimes jerky boys" I want to read a story that a girl falls in love with a good honest guy. Yeah, it might seem boring but then it would be a nice change after all the bad boys.
DeleteI'm glad we think alike. When I read "Please give me a bad boy that's smart, who reads books, and can quote Shakespeare (not really)." I immediately thought of Tom Hiddleston. And then you go "Think Loki". High five!
ReplyDeleteAlso, you mention the transition from strong to weak, but it also really bugs me when there's a weak character who suddenly develops powers overnight and suddenly knows how to fight and stuff.
Now that you've mentioned it, there are also a lot of premature growth in some books. One day she's this weakling then all of a sudden she finds strength from within. Seriously, people change. But never overnight. Not unless you get bitten by a werewolf, even then you go through some sort of a transition period.
DeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts Inge :)