Thursday, March 17, 2011

I'm Only (Partly) Kidding!

It's funny to me the lengths some folks will go to in order to explain a love triangle.
I just read the longest, and the funniest, "In Defense" article in over 1 year of reading-and-blogging.
There are just some things in life I know I'll never understand, and love triangles is one of them - one of those literary foibles - along with "books that use a deus ex machina to solve their plots" and "not knowing that the hot new guy at school who's quiet and likes to read poetry is some paranormal dude" and the literary math equation "if the main character and the love interest get together in book one, and the series is a trilogy, how long will they be together before the 'trouble in paradise' cliche begins?"
Oh love triangles, please go away! You only make an impressionable protagonist look like a hoe.
Au revoir!

4 shout-outs!:

Audrey (holes In My brain) said...

love triangle of DOOOOOOM!
can you leave a link to the article? I'd love to read it!

Blueicegal ♥ said...

I know don't be cruel link us! LOL at "hoe" you are totally badass for that Amelia hehehe :D

Christina T said...

Oh, darn. Guess I'll have to pitch my manuscript involving a love octagon. ;)

It does seem as though the publishing world thinks that teenage girls all want to read about an ordinary plain jane girl who has two boys fighting over her.

What annoys me is when it is obvious which guy the heroine will choose/end up with. Why waste the time if it is clear from the beginning? It does make the heroine appear to be dumb or unable to know her mind.

It would be great if a YA author would take thos expected conventions and turn them on their head. Give us a heroine with a guy friend who is just a friend and doesn't have hidden feelings for her. Give us a "hot new guy at school who's quiet and likes to read poetry" who is not a vampire/fallen angel/faerie/demon/werewolf/dragon in disguise.

To be fair, I still do read some of these books with love triangles although I roll my eyes through certain parts. Great post, Amelia! Poor Captain Picard must be annoyed by the love triangle between Riker, Counselor Troi, and Worf. ;)

Stephanie said...

Ugh, I so agree! I think authors like love triangles because it ostensibly puts the power in the girl protagonist's hands, transforming her into the symbol of a modern feminist girl. But, really, it just turns the girl into an indecisive waffler who doesn't know her own mind--the very opposite of a feminist! Barf.

 
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