Hello, ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between!
I’ve been having problems reading lately, and I think I finally figured out why. The “popular” books that are out, have things that irritate the crap out of me. So, here is my list of bookish pet peeves! Who knows, maybe you might agree with me.
Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions…
One of the most annoying things I have found, that seems to be popular, is the Mary Sue main character. The character with all the power–even if they don’t know how to control it–and everyone likes them. The “strong” female character that’s “not like other girls.” Even if they, themselves, don’t say it, you bet your butt their love interest will!
Another one is when the women talk about the men in the story, and whenever they are in a scene together, the men will be the first things they speak about. It’s like the author doesn’t know how to speak to other women. Hell, when I talked to my fellow women co-workers for the first time we talked about college and hiking!
Oh, and let’s bring up the love triangle! I get it. Love lives are complicated, but do people really have this silly love triangle, in real life? Especially, if they are not in high school? We are adults, talk it out. Communication is key in a good (and healthy) relationship.
And speaking about healthy relationships, how is it romantic for man who drugs the main character in the first book and then have her fall madly in love with him in the second? I’m sorry, but he used her in the first book, and I don’t care if it was “to help his friend,” he drugged her! How is this romantic?! (I’m not going to give the title to this series, because the author is quite popular and I don’t want to get in trouble.) This seems to be a very popular thing in YA fiction right now, and I just can’t get into it… You want a good read that makes you think about relationships and what is healthy, read Jennifer Moorman’s books or if you like darker stories, Ruth Miranda’s. Or Julia Blake’s, for that matter! Three great indie authors, that know what they are doing!
Now it’s personal…
But, I think the most annoying thing for me, as a Death Positive advocate, is when anything that is associated with death. Be it, death related Gods and Goddesses, places associated with the dead, and so on, are considered evil (i.e. Di Inferi). This is why it’s so hard to speak about death in this country [USA]–in the West!–because of how everything related to death is depicted in the media, all forms of the media. It doesn’t help people with their death anxiety when they are constantly being bombarded by negative images of death. Yes, trust me, I know that death is sad and scary, but it is natural. It happens. Be afraid, but don’t let the fear control you, and certainly don’t let authors, that don’t take the time to acknowledge the fears in a proper way, scare you.
Back to your regularly posted bookish pet peeves!
There are many more things that irritate me that are popular right now, but these, I think, are the most irritating. It seems to be a thing to depict death negatively, and to make women characters overly super powered to the point where it’s alienating. I understand why some of these are popular. I have no problem with people liking them, but there comes a point where it becomes unhealthy.
When books, marketed towards young adults, depict unhealthy relationships in a romantic way, that is not okay. When low-income children (in this case, young girls) feel like the only thing that makes women strong is having the ability to beat up everyone, and not being able to afford to learn a martial art, is not okay. Books are another way to reach people. It’s a form of media, and lately, I’ve felt like the publishing companies and authors have been letting us down.
Have a bad ass, physically strong woman in your story, but make her realistic. Put in women that are strong in other ways. Think of Molly Weasley! She’s a good example. She’s a mother first, because she chose to be, and when it came time to showing up and protecting her children, she showed how much of a bad ass witch she was! We need more Molly Weasleys in literature!
And go on ahead and write about unhealthy relationships, but show it as it is. Unhealthy.
I don’t know… I love reading. I love feeling like I’m understood, like I have some sort of connection to the characters. But lately, the popular books (and some indie books) have just been letting me down. I’m not blaming anyone, I’m just floating and hoping to find that spark again. And I’m not giving up
Until next time. Happy reading/writing.
L. A. Maciel
I don’t find books appealing when a love develops from an unhealthy relationship. In real life, it’s not only unhealthy but could be dangerous.
Ruth Miranda is a talented story teller!
Agreed. And yet this seems to be a popular thing in YA novels. It’s truly upsetting.
She really knows how to examine unhealthy relationships, and her stories are just phenomenal.
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Hi! This post could not be written any better!
Reading this post reminds me of my good old room mate! He always kept chatting about this.
I will forward this post to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read.
Many thanks for sharing!