Monday, February 20, 2012

Julia Muses on Love Triangles and YA fiction

I have strong opinions about love triangles. I don't really know where these feelings generated, but they've been slowly simmering with each new YA summary I read on Goodreads that runs along these lines:

"Girl has always been the outcast in the crowd. Her and FriendForever have never dated, but everyone says that should. Girl doesn't know how she feels about FriendForever. One day she runs into BadBoy with his hot guy smolderer, who probably has a supernatural secret. She starts to fall for BadBoy, but all of a sudden FriendForever declares his feelings for Girl. Girl doesn't know what to do and proceeds to lead both on for multiple books in the series."

Clearly, I am not a writer (ha), and granted there usually is more going on in the book than just this. But after reading summary after summary that all sort of sound like the same book, as well as some books where the love triangle is the main definer of the lead girl, it makes me tired and not even wanting to try.

How do I know, though? How do I know that the summary really isn't at all like the book is written? Am I cheating myself out of some good books because I am turned off that these books, frankly, sound like Twilight knockoffs?

I mean there are YA love triangle books that I really enjoyed. The Hunger Games, a triangle through the whole series had WAY more going on than just the love triangle. Katniss was never defined by the man she loved. The love triangle never felt too contrived to me. I would have missed out on a great series if I had read the summary and thought "Urg, not another one!"

Luckily, the last few YA books I have read, Cinder and A Million Suns have been one love interest plus a plot. Because of this my cynicism on YA novels has subsided a bit since these were both 4 star books for me.

I can't help that I am still avoiding books with two boys. I am not sure if this is changing, since I did just read Everneath. The description of the book made me think it would fall into the love triangle category, but the content made it clear to me there wasn't much of a choice between the two (in my opinion). As the series goes on, we'll see what happens and if this changes.

If I wasn't so big into mythology, I would have never read Everneath and thus missed out on a great book. Am I missing out on more?

I guess what I want to open the comments for is discussion on this trend in YA novels.
  • Do you think love triangles in YA a trend or am I just being hypersensitive?
  • What books do you think did love triangles in fiction well and which poorly?
  • What YA books that have a description that may seem like it has a love triangle should I make sure read?
When I started this post, I had just read my first historical romance novel with an obvious love triangle. The premise was interesting, the execution poor. (Review here if interested) Can triangles be done well and the center of the story? It started me thinking about love triangles and how much I like to avoid them, which lead to me thinking of YA. That is where this came from. My initial anger has somewhat cooled, but I am still interested in what you think. I will be following the comments with bated breath on this one. :)

PS: Another issue with YA books that I have right now is they are all series? Any good stand alone YA books (with or without a love triangle) while we are at it? I am sick of the cliff-hangers!

Note: Since I eschew YA love triangles, the novels that make up the heart graphic came from a few Goodreads love triangle lists. If they are not actually love triangles, then mea culpa.

67 comments:

  1. You are oh so right. Seriously, it seems that EVERY SINGLE time I put a YA novel up nowadays the description is just a variation of your formula. I think there are teo explanations for this slowly becoming very annoying trend: Firstly and obviously there have been some great books recently where the love triangle concept worked out really really well, The Clockwork series by Cassandra Clare for example (these books are worthy of worshipping by the way, if you haven't read them yet, go and buy them NOW...no, you can't finish reading this before!) and now there are of course loads of uncreative authors who follow the example. Secondly, in my opinion part of this trend is the publishing industry's fault. They've seen that love triangles sell well and now they promote EVERY book with one female and two male main characters with that scheme, even if that means they have to bend the truth a little.
    I liked the love triangle in Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely a lot, but the sequels really annoyed me (but that's another problem, namely the "Oh-my-book-sells-so-well-let's-write-hundreds-of-sequels-although-there-is-nothing-left-to-tell"-problem). And to be honest I loved Twilight (read it before all of the hype) but the Jacob/Edward thing was truly nerve-wrecking. Why doesn't Jacob see that he's only the perfect best friend?! He never had a chance, so it was plain boring...
    The YA genre desperately needs some fresh ideas, so please, someone, do me the favour and invent a new formula!

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    1. haha...we both suggested The Clockwork Series. Obviously that's the best love triangle ever ;)

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    2. O yeah! The best book by the best author ;)

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    3. I thought about putting it in the main post, but I kind of have a personal aversion to Cassandra Clare because of back in the day with the HP fandom and the plagiarism issue.

      I don't begrudge anyone else reading her, but I just can't in good faith. Even if it was the best book ever, it would distract the hell out of me.

      Haha. If I could invent a new formula I would in a second. Because then I could make all the monies :) And provide all the entertaiments :)

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  2. Fist of all...I love your postscript. I've been thinking about writing a blog post about that very subject! I feel like YA authors know that they CAN sell series, so why even try to wrap everything up within one book.

    And now onto your main blogpost: Love traingles in YA books IS becoming an annoying trend. It may be just me, but authors know that people love a girl being torn between two boys so they make sure to add it to their story. I find that it only works if the author is an incredibly good writer. Otherwise, you know who the character will end up with, why even bother adding another character?

    That being said, I enjoy a well-written love triangle. The Clockwork Angel/Clockwork Prince is absolutely fantastic...BUT the plot is second place to the character development of the three characters, so you've been warned :)

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    1. "I feel like YA authors know that they CAN sell series, so why even try to wrap everything up within one book."
      That is exactly it! They know that they can milk the money out of the people and drag it on with just a weak plot attached to it. Granted, this is a generalization because I know there are decent books that make sense as series. It just makes me feel tired when I think about it...

      Like I said in an above comment, I can't get into Cassandra Clare for random reasons that really don't make any sense... lol

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  3. YES - love triangles are clearly a huge trend right now. And like both Cassandra and Elizabeth said, Why not? Love triangles sell! If you're looking for a freaking AWESOME book with a can't-choose-between-them-myself triangle, I'd recommend ASHES by Ilsa J Bick. Loved it. But of course, it is part of a new series :) Now I really feel like I need to read the Clockwork series...

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    1. Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes!!! Go and read them. NOW. I am not joking, stand up, go to the next bookshop and buy these books! I'll read Ashes in the meantime ;)

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    2. You are right! They do sell. And if you can get the triangle to last more than one book, you have a potential gold-mine on your hands. The whole concept just makes me feel tired though. Love triangle and you know what? all the other overused tropes as well. I just want something unique for once.

      What can I say. I like to complain :)

      I'll look into adding Ashes to my TBR pile

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  4. I am not really fan of any of the YA love triangles I've read (which is really only Twilight and the Hunger Games), as they seem a bit forced. I assume these sorts of love stories appeal to a wider audience and help sell books. I also think it makes it easier for the author to prolong some conflict so he/she can stretch the book into a series. I, too, would like to hear if there are believable love triangles out there!

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    1. Again, read the Clockwork series! I know I'm starting to sound like a missionary, but please give these books a try. Believe me, they're great!

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    2. I assume these sorts of love stories appeal to a wider audience and help sell books. I also think it makes it easier for the author to prolong some conflict so he/she can stretch the book into a series.
      Ding ding ding! I think we have a winner :)

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    3. The Clockwork series has made its way onto my TBR list! Make me a believer!

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  5. I actually find it really difficult to read YA now. For me it feels like all the stories are the same and yes, it feels like nearly all of them have love triangles. Good YA books I still enjoy are East by Edith Pattou and Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. I would also say Incarceron by Catherine Fisher. There is only one book that follows and there is a bit of a love triangle (centered around a boy, which is different), but I barely noticed it was there. What I liked about the books is that throughout you're questioning which world is the real one. It's also a bit "chosen one", but again that is left to the reader's interpretation. The protagonist may or may not fit what is said of their legendary hero.

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    1. Yeah I agree. It is not just the "love triangle" story that gets repeated over and over again. The saturation of the market with these repetitive stories make it hard to sift through and find the genuinely great one that make take an overused trope and turn it on itself.

      Those books sound interesting. Especially the question which world is real. Adding them to my shelf now :)

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  6. I used to agree with you. I used to think that love triangles were annoying, cliche, and just generally overused. However, there is a reason a cliche is a cliche. I didn't believe in love triangles, until I found myself in one. And man, it's a lot more difficult than people make it look. It seems so unrealistic in YA fiction, but that's exactly how it is! So, I'm definitely much more accepting of the very obvious trend, and I like to see what the girl will do, even if it's just making the most predictable choice. Because, for the record, the girl doesn't always choose FriendForever. Sometimes the BadBoy wins, and turns out to not be such a bad boy :)

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    1. Oh, I completely believe that there is a reason it exists. Being in an actual love triangle would, in my opinion, be the most emotionally taxing thing ever. No offence, I would never want to be in one.

      I tried to make my generic example seem vague, because you are right. Sometimes she picks the bad boy and sometimes the friend.

      Either way, I think it can be done well. I just feel like it is overused right now.

      Good luck with your triangle thing. I hope it turns out (turned out?) well!

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  7. I don't like love triangles because they seem to somehow play on the female being a victim. Usually she can't make up her mind and is portrayed as kind of wimpy (Bella) and as a pawn between these 2 guys. I also see her as a prize the boys are trying to win and the whole thing just seems icky to me. Wow. Didn't know I had strong feelings on love triangles either until now! : }

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    1. Yes. I agree with this. Also she doesn't seem to exist except in terms of the two boys. She is defined by the men and that just appalls me. Bella just made me hate her entirely in New Moon where she does nothing for chapters, then and goes to find a new man. *sigh*

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  8. I completely agree with you on this. I am so sick of love triangles and honestly, I really don't recall as many triangles before Twilight. Grant it, before Twlight, I was reading Terry Brooks' Shannara series religiously, so...

    I have to admit, there are some novels where the love triangle makes sense. Don't ask titles, because I can't think of any. But I SWEAR there are some. I get sick of the triangles with vampire and werewolf entities involved. I have had a deep rooted love of vampires long before I probably should have, but now I am very apprehensive when it comes to them.

    Oh!!! Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill makes sense! She is drawn to her sire and drawn to the leader of a rival clan. I really enjoyed that one.

    AND! I agree about the YA being nothing but series. I need some stand alones. My bank account cannot possibly fund more series. Trilogies I am more okay with, but I can' have another House of Night with 10+ books.

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    1. I don't want to blame Twilight, but I think you are on to something.

      I believe you that there are stories where it makes sense. Especially if it is not the main thing that holds the series together.

      I know what you mean on vampires. I was the same way. I obsessed over them in the time of Buffy and Angel. And to be honest, if I were in highschool now maybe I would be into some of it more than I am now. But because of the saturation level, I am weary of any supernatural element.

      Urg. 10+ books?! I would be heavily using the library.

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  9. I agree with you that I am done with the love triangle. Seriously, it's the worst. I'm reading THE IRON FEY series right now and it is ripe with the triangle business. I can't stop reading because it's a solid book and series but DAMNIT JULIE KAGAWA! I hate love triangles! Bah!

    I'd also submit that the girl is hot and has no idea. Or special in some way and has no idea. That's pretty popular among the love triangles as well.

    Here here to saying how you feel!

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    1. I could do a whole post with the other tropes in YA novels. You are right with the "no idea she is hot" Whatever. Did you live isolated in an igloo?

      I could also write a post about the tropes of historical romance too... :)

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  10. I have mixed feelings about love triangles in books. I agree that they're all starting to sound exactly like the one you described, and I'd really like some variety for a change. How about 2 bad boys and no nerdy goodboy friend? How about 3 nice boys from which to choose? (A love square? How about a love pentagram?!)
    But I do like the fact that this trend definitely makes it clear that women can like more than one guy. And, of course, isn't it every girl's dream to have lots of boys like her? ("Where are the simple joys of maidenhood?/ Where are all those adoring, daring boys?")

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    1. lol. A love pentagram. Sounds like a good premise for a witch YA book. I like those ideas. Another good one. How about a boy and two girls? Not as fun for us ladies but could be interesting.

      I do like that it seems women are not limited. But it is rarely done well enough for me to think that is the main good thing. I too often see the girl being defined by the men, which makes me super grumpy and is the exact opposite.

      I think it used to be my dream of having guys fight over me, but I think the reality would be horrifying and stressful.

      lol nice reference there. I am not going to say I got it (i looked it up lol. ive never seen the musical) BUT very apropos.

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  11. Haha, great post! I am also growing seriously frustrated with all the annoying love triangles. It's like the authors couldn't come up with interesting ways to keep their main characters apart, so they just stuck another boy in there to increase the tension, which stops working after the first twenty times. And I totally agree with Lisa [the nerd] about being sick of girls who don't know what they look like.

    Anyway, there still are some good YA books out there (most of which, shockingly, don't have love triangles):
    -Divergent (Veronica Roth)
    -The Modern Faerie Tales/The Curse Workers (Holly Black)
    -Soul Screamers (Rachel Vincent)
    -Shatter Me (Taherah Mafi)
    -Anything by Maggie Stiefvater
    -Vampire Academy (Richelle Mead), which sort of has a love triangle but is really good
    -Morganville Vampires (Rachel Caine)

    and I'm sure there are others too.

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    1. It's like the authors couldn't come up with interesting ways to keep their main characters apart, so they just stuck another boy in there to increase the tension

      Another nail on the head here. Maybe I just don't have patience with this because I read so many romance novels were the plot is what keeps them together and increases tension... and there is only two of them. Usually. I read this one book where she was married, guy goes missing in war, she searches for years with his best friend, no sign, they marry, he comes back. I spent the whole time trying not to be overcome with turmoil. I had a lot of tums.

      Thanks for the recs. I'll definitely look into some of those.

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  12. I'm with you. I'm really, really tired of poorly done love triangles. John Green's new book, The Fault in Our Stars, is blissfully free of that. I do think that they can be done well (as in the first book of the Wicked Lovely series).

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    1. I've been hearing so many good things about TFIOS. I'll have to check that out! I know nothing about it.

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  13. Although I have read some great series (with love triangles no less!) - hello "Hunger Games"! - I too am tired by the need to draw every plot line out to an overly wrought conclusion. I have a full-time job, husband, family, and dog to take care of. I don't have the time to invest in a series! I think most YA authors are attempting to cash in on the success of Harry Potter and Twilight; not to mention, series have longevity and the potential for fan loyalty; however, I too am interested in stand alone pieces. Laurie Anderson does a fine job, and Megan McCafferty's newest book "Bumped" has only a sequel "Thumped," which drops this spring - there is the suggestion of a love triangle, but it is SO far from being the center of the plot and in reality, it's not a real love triangle to begin with.

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    1. I think you hit the nail on the head with "longevity and fan loyalty". More fan loyalty with the series and the will she/wont she stories sells more books and make more money.

      i'll add those books to my list!

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  14. Love triangles can be so annoying! I love the Clockwork series, but find the triangle underwhelming. Definitely read The Curse Workers series, it's worth it and only 3 books long. I would also recommend Hourglass by Myra McEntire and Ruby Red by Kirsten Gier, and Blood Red Road by Moira Young (first books in new series). As for stand alones some of my favorites are: Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King, Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick, Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken, Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson, Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, Going Bovine by Libba Bray, oh, I could go on forever....

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    1. Awesome!! Thanks for all the books! I'll look into all of them!

      Side note: does your handle refer to Rocky River Ohio? Because I am potentially moving there soon (I currently live in Akron). If not, completely ignore this :)

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  15. I love that I came across this! I was just thinking of having a discussion post about love triangles and what others' opinions are of them. I don't so much mind them as they do give you some serious angsty feelings, but I've started noticing that all love triangles tend to be the exact same. You have two complete opposites, both vying for average Jane's love, and she always ends up picking the one who gives her the most trouble. And, as readers, WE ALWAYS LOVE THE ONE WHO IS THE BIGGEST PRICK! Okay, that was harsh, but still... For once I'd like to see a love triangle where the guys are pretty evenly matched, so it's a real challenge of who the girl should pick. My next problem with love triangles is that they aren't very realistic. I mean, the one time I've been in a triangle I was one of two girls the guy said he had feelings for. And did I try to compete with said other girl? No. If a guy can't decide 100% that he wants me, why should I really be so desperate to want him? Maybe that's just the secure feminist adult in me, but the triangle thing happened when I was an older teen... besides the point. I guess my point is that with love triangles there has to be a reason for the triangle, not just "oh it works here." Because most times... it doesn't. And you look desperate.

    As for stand alones that are free of love triangles, Texas Gothic is one of my favorites. I love a good series, but most series these days really are just meh. Esp when they drag the love triangle out through the entire series. I'd much rather get all my kicks in one sitting than have to wait months before I can find out what happens next.

    Great post! :)

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    1. Loved Texas Gothic!

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    2. Amazing post/ set of responses. I literally just put down the 5th book in the Strange Angels series by Lili St. Crow-and I don't know why more people are not talking about them! Pick up the first couple if you are looking for a strong female lead who is busier drop-kicking the bad guys than anything else. The love emerges through the series, but its better done than most- esp. versus the Iron Fey love triangle, SHEESH its the worst.

      Stand alone books: read Chime by Franny Billingsley or Sunshine by Robin McKinley. Both are at the top of what I've read in the last year.

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    3. And, as readers, WE ALWAYS LOVE THE ONE WHO IS THE BIGGEST PRICK! Okay, that was harsh, but still... For once I'd like to see a love triangle where the guys are pretty evenly matched, so it's a real challenge of who the girl should pick.

      So true! And that would be totally awesome! Though in Everneath, I was rooting against Cole from the beginning. My review was pretty hard on him as a person; he is a great character though.

      I'll have to check out Texas Gothic!

      And did I try to compete with said other girl? No. If a guy can't decide 100% that he wants me, why should I really be so desperate to want him?
      Yay you! I would feel that way too (I hope) and if the shoe was on the other foot... dear Lord. It would be so stressful.

      I once read a romance novel where the triangle was her current husband and her former husband once thought dead. That there is a reason for a triangle. (The ending was dissatisfying though)

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    4. @GradStudent

      I've had Sunshine on my list for FOREVER! I really need to look into reading it.

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  16. Love triangles...some are good, most are annoying. =)

    To be honest, I think it goes all the way back to Harry Potter--though there was never an outward "Both boys like her" moment, there was always the mystery--Will it be Harry/Hermione? Will it be Ron/Hermione? Back in the day, there were a lot of fan-fictions that tackled this HUGE question because it was not clear until book 6.

    And then Twilight happened, and all of a sudden the angst that comes with falling in love with a Vampire and a Werewolf pretty early on in the series became immediately popular and lended itself to drama and interesting plot development.

    And now, lots of books (series) thrive upon the love triangle. Why? Because yes, there have been many successes before it, so why not continue a good thing (even if it is bad or annoying), and Yes, it allows for romantic tension to help keep the suspense of the plotline at hand to keep the series going. But I also think that authors might choose a love triangle over just having a boy and a girl to keep the love from being "instalove"--it is a lot easier for a love triangle to keep out the instalove aspect that many YA novels produce by keeping readers (and characters for that matter) guessing at how things will turn out.

    That being said, I have recently read a couple of YA novels that did not have a love triangle and I would not consider "instalove". Divergent goes for the "I don't like you at all but I can't stop thinking about you" development, and it is really done well. I absolutely loved and appreciated that relationship. Another was Article 5, where the boy and girl know each other before the story starts, and when they are re-united there is a lot that they must work through. I really liked this, too, because it was almost the opposite of instalove, and it leads to a very interesting development of the storyline at hand.

    I think love triangles are a fad started by successful YA series that other authors hope their series will become. I do not think YA love triangles will be around forever--they will probably dwindle out. However, I do think that love shapes will continue on for forever.

    So, Look out for the Love Septagon!! ;-)

    Jennifer @ A Librarian's Library

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    1. Nods heads with everything here. I am sick of them and trilogies ...I get the team aspect and wanting to sell more books. I am all for stand alones now too.

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    2. This. Seriously. I agree with all of the above.

      I am excited for the Septagon! lol

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  17. Great topic! I admit the prevalence of love triangles in YA books make me very inclined to skip the majority of them. I just don't find love triangles a typical occurrence in real life (at least in my own life, and those of my family/friends), so they're not easy to relate to. I appreciate some of the books that people have suggested here though, I'm definitely going to add some of them to my list to read.

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  18. I think that love triangles are a trend. More so, I think that girls chasing after guys who are jerks or don't treat them well is a trend within a trend. I would like to see less of love triangles, but also see girls going after nice guy, or the smart nerdy types.

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    1. I agree with your comment. It does make me sadder to see the girl chase after jerks. Any deviation for the general pattern would be good for me

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  19. I agree with you 100%!! It drives me crazy how frequently the entire plot of a story is a love triangle with {generally} some paranormal battle taking place. I think that love triangles sell. Everyone wants to find the next Twilight. Why?! Anyway, I also agree that I can't let my lackluster feelings for a love triangle determine what I do and don't read, because I would have missed a lot of good stories. I have my own personal opinion that The Hunger Games was not really a love triangle story, but no one else tends to agree with me. Same with Divergent. Anyway. I agree with just about everything you and previous posters have said. I'm so happy I'm not alone in this!

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    1. Oh, I agree on The Hunger Games! If anything it was like a far secondary plot. Katniss was very much against love for almost the entire series. No stupid tricks to play the boys against each other... she was more worried about saving her life and the lives of those around her.

      And nope. Not alone :)

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  20. Love triangles are a definite trend in most of the novels I read these days. While I'm not completely against the idea, I do have issues if I feel the way its done is a little too cliche (with the stereotypes, as you so wonderfully mentioned in your post, for instance). I love a good love triangle now and again, but I really just find it frustrating when it's (a) cliche or (b) "forced" into a storyline.

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    1. Yeah. I am not against them in general, but too many now seem to be followed in the cliche category.

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  21. I haven't read much YA, but I, too, am sick of finding love triangles EVERYWHERE. Almost every single book/show I've read/watched or heard about has a love triangle at some point, most have several. It gets incredibly tiresome, especially because it invariably ruins at least 2/3 of the triangle.

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    1. They are everywhere... I never really thought about it outside of the context of books. But its all over TV too.

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  22. I agree, I'm getting sick of love triangles. Which is why the book I'm writing doesn't have a love triangle in it, it's a love/hate relationship (I love reading stories with love/hate relationships, if they're done properly) and it's only like a side story (It's my first book and I'm hoping to get it self-published by 2013.

    There are some books I read that don't have love triangles: Anna Dressed in Blood, some of the Night World books, I don't think Healer: Touch of Power is a love triangle either, etc.

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    1. I find Love/Hate relationships really, really interesting. I think I love to read them the most.

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  23. I always *think* I'm sick of love triangles, until I find a really good book that happens to have a love triangle in it. I think, if the book is well done, and the characters are really original, it can make you forget that you're reading a storyline that's been done over and over again.

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    1. I think, if the book is well done, and the characters are really original, it can make you forget that you're reading a storyline that's been done over and over again.

      Truth. I've had my preconceptions proved wrong quite a few times.

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  24. Love triangle books ANNOY me. If there's not something more to it (like THG) then I am unlikely to finish the book. I get annoyed easily. I struggle enough to read romance books, so add a whiny protagonist who can't make up her mind and I just get more annoyed.

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    1. A whiny protagonists is the kiss of death. Especially if the book is first person POV... urgh!

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  25. Love triangles has certainly become a trend. I've been avoiding those for the same reasons. I didn't think it was done well in Twilight, in my opinion. I think mostly because Bella is such a bad character. I like love triangle if it's done right. So far, most of what has been written hasn't been well written. It's almost always obvious who the girl is going to choose.

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    1. I read a romance novel where it wasn't obvious who she would chose and they were both pretty equal, and the whole time I was stressed out because this could not end well.

      Sadly, the ending was more of an "Eh, you take her" "Okay!" Boo.

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  27. This is so true; it actually put me off reading Young Adult fiction for quite a while because I was so sick of them! I think they're occasionally handled well, and if all three characters are well-fleshed out then I think they have more promise; but so much of the time it's exactly like you said; apparently dull girl meets bad boy with secret who she is drawn to, but also her nice, normally slightly dorky, best guy mate also likes her...which is just so annoying.

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    1. Yeah. I've had to take a YA break before because I get so annoyed...

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  28. Amen to that! I get so frustrated with love triangles. I'm glad you pointed out The Hunger Games because that's a love triangle that worked so well. Plus, I got what I wanted in the end.

    For the most part, I hate love triangles. They don't make me avoid books, but they do make me roll my eyes. I mean, do you know anyone who actually had that problem in real life? I don't.

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    1. I've never had the problem and I am sooo glad of it. I would get an ulcer.

      Love triangles can be frustrating AND painful to the insides lol

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  29. I can see what the person meant who mentioned Harry Potter, but the thing is that those books weren't really about a love triangle. What I find boring with YA is that whole books are based around love triangles now and I come to find the whole YA genre (for the most part) to be dull and boring because of it.

    It could be my age, too (I'm 30), so I probably just don't get them. But when I was a teenager I remember series like Sweet Valley High and books based on the TV series, Saved by the Bell. I loved Saved by the Bell, because of the comedy involved, but I soon got tired of reading the Sweet Valley High series after just a couple of books because I just found them too cheesy. (And soon moved on to Star Wars and High Fantasy when I found that there weren't that many animal novels around which were good enough to interest older teenagers, which is what I read before Saved by the Bell and Sweet Valley High). These days it seems that the problem with YA books is that they are being marketed as grand literature suitable for discussion among Advanced English Lit students instead of the fluff that they are, which is something I do blame on Twilight. That is not to say that there aren't any YA books which fit the Advanced English Lit category, but they are few.

    Literature for teenagers is difficult to find good books in because the author has to be careful about the level of "adult" content (by that I don't just been obvious things like teenage pregnancy, but other things like violence, etc, because parents either don't want their kids to read that kind of stuff or they may not be mature enough for it), they have to keep it at a reading level that makes it easy to read - that could be frustrating to kids who are more advanced in their reading level than others and it has to be of a theme that will sell it, but they do still need to be at a good standard, which is perhaps lacking.

    What I would suggest for people who are getting fed up of the love triangle thing is to read different types of books for a while.

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  30. OMG i so agree with you.
    i dont understand the need for love triangles, i am not saying that they are bad. Its just that now a days most YA's have them, you can have a good book with a love triangle, and those books are actually better because then you can focus more on the PLOT!
    also how can someone be in love with two people at the same time, it makes no sense, either you like one or the other.
    what annoys me is that there are people who WANT to make love triangles out of everything, like in some cases we know the choice yet people are like oh no she should go with him. Doesn't it count that she was actually in a relationship with the dude she chooses for a longer period of time (hopefully)?
    And if you know any good YA's without love triangles pleaseee tell me, i crave them.
    i need a book where i dont have to fret about who she chooses.

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, I so agree! I think my favorite YA series that I've read without a triangle (though the third book has frustrating hints of one) is Beth Revis' Across the Universe.

      I am sure there are some out there somewhere... I haven't read a wide variety of YA either though.

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