Unpopular Opinions About Books

[Megan]

I'm in a ranting mood today so I thought that it might be time to bring in some real ONTD snark and talk about unpopular opinions related to books and tropes in books and yadda yadda.

I'll start!

Is it just me or is YA nowadays mostly about unrealistic love? There is no plot other than falling in love at age 16 with some bad boy, who often times fits the standard of abusive? "Hush, Hush", "Twilight", "Fallen", all of them focus on relationships that are unhealthy, abusive, and even illegal in many instances. I've heard the whole argument that dark stories like this are "healthy" for teenagers, but is exposing 16 year olds to fantasies about a bad boy falling in love with them, obsessing with them, forever loving them (FOREVERRRRR) good for them?

I don't think so. So that's my unpopular opinion (at least 16 year old - and older - Twilighters wouldn't agree).

[Megan]

I guess unpopular opinions are unpopular!

[Tea]

Haha, no, I totally agree with you. I just haven't had anything helpful or witty to add. Sadly, it just seems that most of the people (can't even narrow it down to teenagers, in Twilight's case) enjoying those books dont find the relationships unhealthy or abusive, but romantic. The protective/controlling line gets blurry and they're associating scary, possessiveness with love and devotion. I hate it, and it kills me to see how much my 10 year old god-sister loves Twilight/Edward/etc. She already has self-worth issues and it breaks my heart that she's getting these messages from the only books she loves. No one else I know seems to think that it's a big deal, but I know it is, at least for her and other girls like her.

[Megan]

Teens especially can get confused and think obsession equals love. They want someone to love and care for them, and all these books are really doing is telling these girls that if it gets you a boy, abuse is okay.

[Tea]

Yeah, I agree. So far I've pretty much just gotten the response of "Oh, it's just a book, they don't take it that seriously, it's just a phase, they'll grow out of it..." etc, but I think the general extreme Twilight obsession has brought to light just how much girls can get into these books. Even if they do grow out of it or don't take it seriously, it's still unnecessary and does more harm than good.

[Megan]

I am plotting a YA trilogy based on an old manuscript of mine, but I don't want a stereotypical forbidden love bad boy love triangle forever and ever thing. I want it to feel realistic, where girl meets boy, awkward moments, some initial dislike, harmless teasing, and an honest truth that maybe they'll make it in the end, but just as likely they won't. I want the romance, though, to be secondary to the conflict. Maybe other potential loves will come along, but I don't want people fighting over her and I don't want girls or women or men, I don't care, swooning over a figment of my imagination. Okay, if it sells I'll take it.