It is most probable that we’ve all encountered a book with a “special snowflake.”
And no, my fiendish pineapple frond, I am not talking about THE WEATHER. Although we can discuss that later. I’m talking about the delightful trope that features characters like (A) Chosen Ones, (B) characters no one can survive without, (C) characters everyone of ever, even that pine tree yonder, is desperately in love with, and (D) characters with stunning hair and eyes like the sea after the storm on the 5th of April during the Blood Moon. THEY ARE SPECIAL AND THE WORLD NEEDS THEM.
“Special Snowflakeism” is a not a bad trope, per se. Because I don’t believe any trope is bad if it’s done well! But it is a very very very very very used trope. And this can make it quite tedious. I often wither a little inside when I encounter the special snowflake trope, because I’ve just read it SO MANY TIMES MY BRAIN IS HURTING WITH ALL THE SNOW.
Signs There Might Be A Snowflake Special In That Book
- The character is irreplaceable.
- Like, seriously, the apocalypse is coming if they get bopped on the head, ergo everyone must protect them with their life 1000% of the time.
- Due to the aforementioned reason — EVERYONE AROUND THE SPECIAL SNOWFLAKES DIES.
- You might say they’re Snowflakes Of Blizzard Destruction.
- THEY HAVE POWERS NO ONE ELSE HAS.
- They don’t fit in with the crowd because THEY HAVE POWERS NO ONE ELSE HAS.
- Rules don’t generally apply to them because THEY HAVE POWERS NO ONE ELSE HAS.
- The fate of the world rests on their shoulders, or hands, or perhaps on their knees if they need to sit down while they hold the world. We ain’t all Atlas, folks.
- Despite being called “snowflakes”, they are actually not part of the weather.
- I agree that this is disappointing.
Is this trope DONE LIKE A DEAD DOORKNOB?
I frequently see people moaning in their reviews about tedious flakey snows. I whinge about it myself! Should Special Snowflakes please retire and melt somewhere? Should we calmly bury it 20,000 leagues underground and beseech the universe for some normal characters to come save the world? OR. Does it just need to be overhauled a little? Is it still entertaining?
DO WE STILL NEED SPECIAL SNOWFLAKES IN LITERATURE???
Lucky for you, today I am here to write a Pros & Cons list for special snowflakes. And then naturally I want your opinion, but not yet, Bob. Sit down. I have so much to say first.
T H E P R O S
- IT’S EXCITING. I mean, c’mon, look me in the eye and say it isn’t exciting to realise the fate of the universe rests in the hands of a 16-year-old with no battle training whatsoever??? DEFINITELY EXCITING. Everyone is basically guaranteed to die! Fun times!
- IT MAKES US FEEL SPECIAL. Because, really, who doesn’t read and sort of quietly probably maybe think they’re particularly special sometimes??? It happens to the best of us, don’t fret. Most teenagers feel WEIRD or like an ODDBALL as they grow into their adolescent bones. And when your hair just won’t lie flat, don’t you catch yourself thinking, “Maybe I’m a wizard? THE LAST OF MY KIND????” So reading about Special Snowflakes can make you feel like special snowflake.
- IT RAISES THE STAKES OF THE STORY. Because without the Snowflake, this planet is going dooooooown, my friend. WE NEED THEM ALIVE. Ergo it adds a lot of tension to the story to get this piddly little teen to save the world and not die and not kill everyone and still have time for their afternoon nap. *
- THEY RUIN EVERYTHING AND THAT’S NICE. I mean, one minute your world is being nice and dystopian and then — KABOOM — you get a Thomas or a Tris who trots in and ruins everything. Which is fun! And you have to admire this capability for destroying things too! They break everything they touch! #talented
* No I’m not confused. Teenagers need naps. I think the world would be a much happier place if EVERYONE took regular naps.
T H E C O N S
- IT’S OVERDONE. Well this is mildly obvious. There are tons of tropes out there that aren’t done as much so therefore don’t make one’s head bleed when encountering it. I think a whole lot of the problem here is just that WE’VE SEEN IT TOO MUCH.
- IT’S INSULTING TO EVERYONE ELSE. Because without the Special Snow of Flakes the world would END. And everyone else is…oh, who are you again? Just a minor character. Special Flakes tend to DROWN EVERYONE ELSE OUT. #rude And you know what? No one is that important. Lives shouldn’t be worth more than other lives because you have superpowers. C’mon now.
- THEY CAN BE UNRELATABLE. I mean, sure, like I said: most of us envision ourselves as special once in a while. But most of the time? WE ARE ALL POTATOES AND WE’RE OKAY WITH THAT. I mean, would you really have fought Voldemort??? I would’ve tried to appease him with snacks, probably, and then just died of anxiety on the spot. When the Flakey Snows dash around for 36 hours without sleep/food and fight a bazillion bad guys and HAVE PERFECT HAIR THE WHOLE TIME and never lose sight of their ultimate goal….I mean, GAG. It’s irritating.
- THE SURROUNDING CLICHES ARE OFTEN UNREALISTIC. I mean, not ALWAYS. Never always. But often times a Special Sowflake appears with cliches like (A) they become epic swordmasters in like 3 days, (B) they have perfect bodies but spend a lot of time saying they’re ugly, (C) and usually are orphans, and (D) everyone in the story is in love with them while we readers want to kill them, (E) their mistakes are never truly ruination, and (F) they can sometimes be so good that they’re truly boring to reading about. We need a little maiming and evil escapades here, thanks.
And I do have Special Snowflake characters that I LOVE.
I quite adore Harry Potter, whom dear Voldey had to kill or else. And there’s Aragorn of LOTR whom the world needed to sit his royal butt on the royal throne if he’d just stop frolicking across the country with pretty Elves. And Nathan from Half Bad is an adorable tragic hero AND ALSO a very special snowflake considering his powers alone could end the war. Then there’s Kell from A Darker Shade of Magic who is one of the only two magicians left who can walk through dimensions. And Kell is an adorable moody creature whom I adore monstrously so.
I personally think Special Snowflakes CAN be done well! Provided the average cliches are baked into delicious pies and served on pretty plates.
Sure, let the character be the special last wizard of their kind! But also let them be morally complex and please oh please don’t let them take themselves too seriously.
But generally? I’m tired of characters being selfishly special. I want to see the save-the-world-responsibility shared! I want to see mistakes that you can’t bounce back from. I want to see Morally Grey Snowflakes. I want characters to NOT be so special that nothing ever touches them. Like I said A LITTLE MAIMING AND BRINGING DOWN TO THE REAL WORLD FOR THESE FLAKES WOULD BE GREAT. Please and thankyou.
Special snowflakes can sometimes become too irritating for me – they leave me asking:
“how did you get stabbed, and then still manage to save the universe 2 hours later?”
“how does everyone know about your SUPER SPECIAL POWERS”
“how come everyone else is willing to build a human shield around you, to ensure your safety at their demise?!”
I like how you’ve discussed both sides of the argument, but I definitely agree more with the cons! Don’t get me wrong, characters like this can be done very well indeed (as you mentioned) but the unrealistic nature of 93.4% of them just PUT ME OFF. *throws book at wall*
Also potatoes > snowflakes for their diversity… I mean, sweet potato fries, yes. Normal fries, yes. Skinny fries, yes. Mashed potato, yes. Roast potatoes, ASDFGHJKL YES.
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Yesss, ALL THOSE QUESTIONS!! We want answers dangit!😂 I feel like special snowflakes are often SO exempt from reality that it’s just annoying, right?! I want realism with my Snowy Flakes! But yup: it can be done well, but often it’s done really badly and it’s kind of EVERYWHERE so that’s a huge turn off too. We need potatoes. All potatoes in all forms, in all shapes and sizes = THE MOST GLORIOUS THING ON EARTH.
I totally see your point! This trope is very common-especially in fantasy/dystopia. I do think that having normaler characters would be good– but is that possible. By the fact that their story is being told, we can automatically assume that the character is special sometimes. And I’m taking a psychology class, and we’ve been talking about how everyone thinks they’re a special snowflake, that they’re a bit better at doing stuff than they are in reality and that they matter a bit more. In fact, people who don’t think of themselves slightly more optimistically are more likely to get depressed. I’m reading Eragon right now, and I’ve been reading The Belgariad, an old fantasy series with very Chosen One. I don’t mind it that much though, as long as there’s a little twist on the story somehow– like Garion, in the Belgariad is totally unaware that he’s the chosen one, though everyone else isn’t. And at first in Eragon, he just seems special because he *happened* to run into a dragon egg, but then there are all these “coincidences” that get slowly revealed. I sort of hated Zenith By Sasha Alsberg and Queen of Shadows because they were too special snowflake. Snowflake because I have a cold heart.
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I agree that, like, as a protagonist you WILL feel a bit different/set apart from everyone else. But I don’t think “protagonist” is synonymous with “special snowflake”. For instance, Harry is the only one who can face off Voldemort, right? Snowflake. But like Emma in Lady Midnight is not particularly special to anyone/no particularly special powers. Doesn’t mean she’s not awesome/kick-butt or important. But she’s expendable. That’s how I differentiate it anyway.😂
I HAVEN’T READ ERAGON, SHANTI. I FEEL SO AWFUL.
Ooohhh this is a tricky one. You had some pretty good points on either side, but I think you hit the nail on the head when you suggested there be more morally grey special snowflakes. It would also love the read a book where there are no snowflakes, but just a team of mildly average teenagers who decide to save the world because all the powerful people are busy doing something else. I mean, they might blow up half of it by accident, but half the world is better than none, right?
Great post! 😀
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Awww, thanks, Melissa! (Omg you always leave such nice comments. <3) We are in definite need of our morally grey flakes! HUZZAH. I just think not everyone will always choose the selfless way, or be able to march around non-stop with no realistic human needs and never rely on anyone else. Just…nope. Doesn't happen. It feels dull to read about when it's too unrealistic.
I don’t mind special snowflakes that much if they have a personality besides that and that they’re complex. If they’re just there being a ~special snowflake~ I definitely get annoyed haha, especially if they had no training at all. Like sure you can be the hero of a prophecy, but you can’t become an all powerful wizard in one day mate
I TOTALLY CONCUR! They need, like, complexity.😂 Just running around being perfect is super irritating.
Tough, tough, tough. They are most definitely over done but then again, is it a bad thing? I mean, not necessarily but dammit sometimes it get’s so boring. Also, they are absolutely not relatable a lot of the time. If the fate of the world rested on my shoulders, I would probably take all of my favourite possessions and hide until someone else sorted it out. My favourite special snowflake is Harry Potter, how can you not love him? Somehow, I don’t have a huge big problem with special snowflakes unless they’re done horribly even though they’re boring and some of them are so similar that I can barely tell them apart. In theory this should mean I dislike them but I guess they add to the story and make it way more interesting than if they didn’t come along and ruin literally everything.
I would be like you if the fate of the world rested on my shoulders…😂 RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY! ahem. But I agree! It’s not always a bad trope and it is done well some of the time! Harry Potter is an excellent snowflake. And I think it helps that he has epic friends who he relies on. He never faces anything without support, really. And even when he was going to face off Voldemort at the end, he had the kinda ghosts (or whatever) of his parents/Sirius with him. *sniffles*
I only read Unwind – need to read the rest eventually when I stopped being traumatized – but that main trio was done perfectly. They were ordinary ones turned extraordinary by the events on their lives. They have layers, they get maimed and eventually they will change the world.
Omg I thoroughly agree: firstly with how awesome Unwind is by just featuring normal teens but doing wonderful things with them. But secondly; TRAUMA. SO MUCH TRAUMA. I read the first book like 3 years ago and still haven’t gotten the courage to finish.😭😭😭😭
Same here. I want to read the rest but I’m scared. The Unwinding of the guy still haunts me.
BTW, I referred to this post on my review of Paper and Fire. Because Jess has a little of snowflake factor… He must be immortal or something
The Unwind books are so awesome! Once you recover from your trauma you should definitely read the last three books!
I especially enjoyed this post. Never really thought about it in terms of this type ofcharacter being a snowflake, but the analogy makes complete sense. I would like to believe that this over done “snowflake” character is popular to teens at the moment, so authors are more inclined to dream up another world saving character to appease the masses. I’d also liked to think that the reason teens and others are drawn to these types of characters is that they have this secret desire to be that “snowflake.” Not necessarily to save the world, but to stand out, to be different, or maybe it provides an adventure outside their boring typical everyday life (that they don’t realize everyone else is living, too).
I agree it’s overused; I agree that if it’s going to be used they have to in fact be real in that there has to be huge character flaws: moral dilemma, people despise them, etc. Something to make them more real
Great post. And total potato!!!
I didn’t invent the term😂 but it is a good one!! And I do think that most people secretly dream of being the special-one at some point, hence the trope is popular! Although I also think it’s just easy to write? So maybe can fall into lazy writing…BUT DEFINITELY NOT ALWAYS OF COURSE!!
Potatoes FTW!!
Hmmmm…. I read mostly lit fic and those do not have a lot of snowflakes… so I guess you could say that it somehow shows my preference, no? If I have to pick, I’d say, no, I prefer realistic people I can relate to, and I’m no snowflake. I’m annoying as heck and full of flaws, but hey, that’s everyone, and so it’s totally cool, and I’d rather read about a potato rather than be all googly eyes over a non-existent snowflake. But hey, that’s just me…
Yup! Everyone IRL is truly flawed and much more relatable than any god-like-perfect character I think.😂 POTATOES FTW.
Oh yes, I absolutely HATE this trope. I think I will create snowflake characters in my books and just kill them off in dramatic ways and laugh manically while I do so b/c that is how much I hate them.
Bobby Pendragon from the Pendragon series is probably the worst snowflake EVER. I mean literally all he talks bayou is himself, and oh BTW he’s a TOTALLY NORMAL guy(even though he’s too special to be so) and he’s got this girl he’s got a crush on just randomly walking over to his house(for no reason) and telling him that he has an AURA in the first chp. I MEAN C”MON PLEASE! I almost puked.
Owen from the Navigator series wasn’t that bad, although that fate of the world rested on him. The first time I read it, I wasn’t bothered b/c I was very young and hadn’t realized that was a trope yet. But rereading it, I was like oh, he’s another of those “chosen to save the world guys”.
I think the world would be a much better place if we got rid of a lot of these snowflakes in books.
And potatoes b/c snowflakes are wintry things and I hate winter.
BAHAHHA. YOU’RE WONDERFUL. And yes do that. 😉 I will be eager to read those books.
I don’t recognise those two series though…SAD NOISES…but I believe you. That does sound insufferable and actually just lazy writing in a way? I need character development and logic! I think Snowflakes CAN work but they need to be flawed and also depend on other people…because irreplaceable people are just not realistic IRL.
POTATOES FTW.
This is so timely! Earlier I was wondering if Harry Potter counted as a special snowflake. “But I am the chosen one.” If he is a snowflake, he isn’t too bad for me because at least he’s part of the Golden Trio and I think he was aware of (and disliked) his snowflake status. The last character who came off as a special snowflake in a way I didn’t like was Alina from The Grisha trilogy, though she did still go through some struggles and need support from other characters.
I think there’s a massive difference between a character who’s the hero of a prophecy/royalty/a fated rival, and a character who’s flawless and can shoot a bullseye on their first try. If the character has flaws and actually has to work for things, I don’t have a problem with the trope. If the character is an unbearable, stunningly gorgeous, beacon of perfection, I will rant about it to anyone who’ll listen.
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Me too.😂 The stunningly-gorgeous-everyone-is-in-love-with-them-and-they-are-perfect-at-everything-they-do just get WAY too insufferable.😂
Haha I’m definitely a potato, the white one, not sweet potato because sweet potatoes are too good, too healthy and too perfect and I’m definitely not perfect. 😀
But about the trope… I don’t know, I haven’t really think about this. Sure, sometimes it annoys me if the hero saves the day too easily or unrealistically. I need pain! I want to see him sweating while fighting, I want to see him struggle like a normal person. Ok, you could tell I’m a little bit against it but I think that the main characters are special snowflakes in some way, though some may be less then others. It’s the struggles and the element of reality that make them interesting. At least I like to see that the princess can mess up sometimes and she’s not perfect and I like to see her having a best male friend without it being awkward or him being in love with her. Those things make it more interesting. Sure, the character can be snowflake or potato, as long as I have struggles, a little bit of torture and bad traits, I’m happy. 😀
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EQUAL LOVE FOR ALL POTATOES THOUGH, NO MATTER IF THEY ARE SWEET OR NON-SWEET POTATOES! *flails around in potato appreciation*
And yes: character flaws are so important. I couldn’t agree more! And just having characters who are relatable in SOME WAY despite snowflake tendencies, are really awesome and definitely can make a book brilliant. :’) Everything is better with a little bit o’ torture for sure.
Hmmm, this is a hard question. It’s too early in the morning for thinking. I know the special snowflake character can be done well. Characters like Harry Potter and Kell are pretty interesting. But, I prefer characters who are more average. Can an average person save the world?
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There there, I understand. *pats shoulder and feeds you coffee cake* Mornings are GLORIOUS for some people (aka me who rises at 5:30am) but other people are not even people in the morning. ANYWAY.
I hope average people can save the world. POTATOES FOR WORLD RULERS!
Great post! Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Personally, I’m really tired of seeing this trope. It seems like 99% of the book I read has this trope. It’s lurking on every corner on every fantasy, contemporary, historical, and paranormal books that ever exist. I want to read about someone that has been trained their whole life to try and save the world, and yet still fail. We all could relate to that too! I mean, how many of us have prepared for some things to found out that we still messed up? 🙂 I think Harry Potter is one of the perfect example of snowflakes done well. Yes, he’s special. But he still need help and care about the people around him. Juliette in Unravel Me is one of the worst snowflakes. Yes, she was amazing in Ignite Me. But all she’s done in Unravel Me is thinking about herself and Warner/Adam. The world is at war and the savior can’t fight because she can’t decide which boy she want…. *sigh*
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It IS lurking a lot these days. *sobs wildly* And I think that’s like half the problem? It’s so EVERYWHERE that it’s hard to avoid it and a lot of us are just downright sick of it.
And Harry Potter IS so awesome because even though he’s a Flake, he needed help! And we can all 100% agree the story wouldn’t have ended well if not for Hermione and Ron in the finale! So the “weight of the world” wasn’t ever solely on Harry and that helped a lot! *nods* (And I do remember loving the Shatter Me series while I read it, but tbh, I remember NOTHING NOW.😂 Except not much plot went down, did it?)
This is a tough one! I think the Special Snowflake trope is definitely overdone, but I also believe the whole reason it was invented is because it works well with the types of stories it was originally designed to be in (like epics!). And maybe that’s the problem. What started out as a significant contribution to stories that have significant amounts of fate and/or magic has turned into a pretty lazy way of making any main character important.
I guess my conclusion is, if you’re writing something that leans on the classic storytelling formats where Special Snowflakes first appeared, then go ahead and consider having a Special Snowflake (but include the other tropes too! Like the Mentor and the Rogue!). But if you’re writing something like a contemporary YA coming of age novel that doesn’t have any of the grand-scale elements like quests and whatnot, then maybe stay awake from snowflakes.
Agreed! And I think as long as being a Flakey Snow isn’t a reason to skip on world-building or characterisation, it can work!! IT CAN. I mean, look at Harry Potter!😂 And I think it’s the same as any other trope too: it’s how you write it. And if one puts twists on it and avoids cliches it can work marvellously.
Love this post! And seeing the save-the-world-responsibility shared, that’s…that’s a wonderful idea. *scribbles down line in file of ideas* At the same time, the main character does need to have a certain amount of importance. The stakes need to be high to make the climax intense. Although I suppose the stakes don’t need to be saving the world. It could be something much more personal; of less importance in a universal scale, but of overwhelming importance in the character’s life.
Well, I don’t mean the stakes can’t be high or the protagonist can’t have any abilities! 😂 When I say “special snowflake” I mean, the kind of character who has massive unexplained powers and the world cannot function without them. Plenty of characters are awesome and epic and protagonists of a story, but it doesn’t make them a snowflake. 😉 Like I just read a book where the protagonist was the ONLY person who had a cure for a world-wide disease. #SnowflakeAlert But I also just finished a book where a character was a genius mastermind — but so were other characters. So YEAH. Hope that explained it!
I so agree with you on everything!! This trope came out sooo exciting with Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and all things good but recently it becomes so overused to the point where it no longer makes sense! I like special snowflake if there’s a good reason why he/she becomes the chosen one, but recently? It’s more random than ever. And along with this trope is another trope where those chosen ones are unaware of their power but suddenly they become the most powerful teens ever, even more powerful than the people who have spent their whole life training. I mean, it’s kind of annoying hahaha like with Clary from The Mortal Instrument. She didn’t even know she was a shadowhunter but around book 3, she already had the ability to create her own rune… it’s just weird for me :’) also, completely unrelatable! Great post 😀
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AGREED! I think the more it gets used, the more lazy it seems? And it can honestly be an excuse to not flesh-out a character, which is not good! And yes, the whole “oh I am suddenly the most powerful with no training at all” is kind of getting tedious. Yes SURE I can believe someone can shoot laser beams out of their eyes….but that doesn’t mean they’re a perfect shot!
OOOH, good list of pros and cons. I agree whole-heartedly. I think that the Special Snowflake can be done very well. Special is good. Perfect is bad.
My favorites are ones who have a flaw as huge as whatever their special power is. Then you can keep wondering if they’ll save the world or self-destruct.
The one thing I CAN’T stand is the Special Snowflake who is Perfect and Indestructible and EVERYONE ELSE is willing to sacrifice themselves willy-nilly for them, but the Snowflake spends the entire book whining about how hard it is to be a Special Snowflake. Shut up. Whining in general is pretty much unreadable for me, but whining because you’re just so special. I will shut the book on your perfect, indestructible face.
Pros and cons lists ARE MY LIFE. Why make a decision when you can HAVE EQUAL GOOD/BAD THOUGHTS ABOUT SOMETHING? #winning #exceptnotreally 😂 Ahem. And YES. Flaws to match the power are grand. I LIKE. I also like self-destructive snowflakes that everyone hates but puts up with because they need them.😂 See: Nathan from Half Bad (OMG BUT I LOVED HIM SO THAT’S OKAY.)
Ugh, the whining is not okay. Same as “everyone is in love with me but why I am an ugly squid” mentality. I just???? WANT TO CRUSH SOMETHING I THINK.
Pros and Cons are my life, too. We should make a Pros and Cons club.
(ooh! Let’s star by listing the pros and cons of such a club!)
It’s why I never make any decisions at all. Ever. It’s such curse to be able to brilliantly analyze both sides. 🙂
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I AGREE WITH THIS. A pros and cons list for a Pros and Cons club is obviously the best way to go about it.
Decisions, pfft, who needs to make ’em. If you just leave them alone sometimes they make themselves right? *rocks and cries in a corner and hides from decisions*
I am so tired of SS (special snowflakes). Whenever I find one I always have to put the book down for a good five minutes to gather my willpower about myself so that I can continue reading. I have a couple of SS that I just detest so much, Megan Chase from The Iron Fey series, I mean towards the end I kinda liked her (but don’t tell anyone) and Karou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I’ve just started the second book. Don’t get me wrong I really like the person Karou but her SS aspect just annoys me so much. She’s too perfect and way to good at everything way too quickly. UGH. I have a lot of feelings about SS and most of them aren’t good.
I can definitely relate more to a potato than a Special Snowflake. Potatoes all the way for me please.
Bahahha, I UNDERSTAND!! I usually persevere and just hope for the best, but these days I just zero in on it and go “uh oh this is gonna be bad”. I haven’t got a lot of faith in the Flakes these days, sadly.
I looooved Daughter of Smoke and Bone, but honestly the next two books? I couldn’t care less about Karou. 🙁 That series went downhill fast for me and I feel a bit bad hehe.
I’ve just finished the second one and honestly, I had thought the first one wasn’t the greatest, it was awful. Some of the laziest writing and plotting I have ever read. I can only hope that the third one is even mildly better. Please let it be better.
Good luck for the 3rd!! *gives you cake to get you through it*
I honestly think JK Rowling is the one who kicked the special snowflake into widely known existance, and then YA and MG authors have been using it ever since. Same with dead parents thing. But I agree with you; special snowflakes are way to common, but a well written one is fantastic. Percy Jackson comes to mind.
But what I really need is for an author to write a special snowflake who’s only job is to like do one thing at this particular moment and for the rest of the time is like kept under lock and key basically so they can’t screw it up.
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Yup, I would agree with that.😂 JK Rowling started a lot of trends that people have been doing less-than-well in honour hahah.😂 Percy Jackson is a FANTASTIC Snowflake because he acts like a Potato. And I think we should call him a Snowflakato and the world will be happier for the use of that word.
Bahhhaha, “so they can’t screw it up” <--- YES.
I think the Chosen One trope can still be quite fun, but I really can’t stand it when everyone is in love with the Snowflake! It doesn’t feel real to me. And if there is a ‘Special Snowflake’ character then maybe the supporting characters will be underdeveloped sometimes? I still think if it’s done right it can be a great trope though! (:
Oh I totally agree. I mean whyyyy are they even all in love with the Flake?! IT MAKES NO SENSE. EVERYONE GO GET A DOG AND A HOBBY.
Oh my gosh, Cait, this post made me laugh out loud to the point where my family was just confused. Thank you!!! 😀
Definitely agree on a lot of the tropes and particularly some of the pros and cons of the “Special Snowflake”. Maze Runner and Divergent are perfect examples of using this trope to very, very bad results. Yeah, who can sympathize with someone who’s so otherwise charmed, or selfish, or just plain irritating? We love the snowflakes like HP and Aragorn because they have flaws, they need their friends, and they often doubt they can achieve their Mt. Everest of destiny. Very understandable, easy to connect with.
Tris really made me want to throw things. Her death was too easy, after what we readers suffered through! Thomas, I was really hoping he’d get eaten before the end of The Scorch Trials. Or at least taken out by Teresa. Something.
HAPPY CONFUSION IS QUITE WONDERFUL AND I AM PLEASED. *flails like a happy watermelon*
(Although I must admit I love The Maze Runner to pieces and Thomas is one of my favourite characters. So.) But I agree Tris suffers from a lot of Snowflakisms that are a bit unfounded and can be irritating. It’s almost a heroes-sacrifice-complex too? Like they refuse to let anyone help and just UGH. You are not the pinnacle of the world, character!! Shape up!!😂
For me, Tris’ persecution complex was the WORST. How many people tried to smack her and tell her she was being silly and get over it!? and she just kept dragging herself around, looking for creative ways to become a marytar BLEH!!!!.
Agreed, omg. She basically looked for a way to die every book, didn’t she?!? And ALWAYS to “protect” someone else…which is nice and all, but when was she going to realise that TEAMWORK IS BETTER?! (Apparently never.😭)
I am guilty of having a Special Snowflake in one of my novels. She does indeed have a fate that rises above all others, though I gave her a perfectly normal family, a BFF who basically is her life-support, and an unfailing belief in all that is the opposite of what she’s supposed to be doing. XD Special Snowflakes are fun to write if you write them…differently. THOUGH MOST LITERATURE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THIS SIMPLE FACT. As a result of that, we get characters that are like gingerbread at Christmas: cookie-cuttered. XD (See what I did there? Huh? Huh? No? *lowers head in shame* okay…)
My favorite Special Snowflake is Percy Jackson. I mean, he was a Chosen One, but it was marvelous. 😉
Omg don’t worry, SO AM I.😂 I have several flakes. But hopefully I’m inverting the trope and adding some twists (are snowflake villains a thing? Because I have some ahem.) ANYWAY. Your snowflake sounds like she’s on the right track too! The trope definitely CAN WORK. Like some of my most favourite characters are Snowflakes! But yes, it basically boils down to = write it well!!😂
AHHH PERCY IS AN ADORABLE SNOWFLAKE. Who acts like a potato?!? I think that’s why he’s so good. He’s a Snowflakato.
Love this post. I am one of the people bored of the special snowflake label. It can be done and it can be done well, but it also so overdone it’s a little bit painful. We all love Harry (if anyone doesn’t I will totally fight for him) and that is an example of the trope done right. Also, the whole prophecy thing never specified him. He was not a special snowflake until old Voldy chose him and made him so. I think that’s what we need. It’s not so much this person is better than anyone else but someone out there has chosen them to fulfil this role whether they like it or not.
I think we need less world saviours and more smart, intelligent, capable folk who have actually trained for this stuff to be there saving things. I don’t want people to be able to save the world just because they are a special flower that gods say will totally save us, I want it to be someone who has worked really hard and trained forever to be able to do it and even then there is every chance they will fail. I just think it would be interesting to see something a bit different for a while. Gives us a chance to miss having special snowflakes out there saving the world. You know?
Yess, we love Harry Potter. WE ALLL DO. Althuogh I think we can agree Hermione is the actual real brains/hero behind that series?? Ahem.😂 And one thing that makes Harry so great is he DOES NOT do it alone and he COULD NOT do it alone. Like the Battle of Hogwarts would’ve been lost without Hermione/Ron, right?!? And I’m 100% sure they would’ve kept fighting even if Harry had permanently died.
And also TOTAL AGREEMENT: I’d like to see more heroes who actually train.😂
Oh, I definitely get tired of the special snowflake trope, especially if it’s pared with other tropes like insta-love, or worse, the love triangle. They can be done well, like you said, and I do love HP and LotR but I think there are reasons those ones really work. The thing with HP is that Harry has his friends who help him save the world–he really can’t do it alone. And with LotR, the story isn’t even about Aragorn the whole time. It’s about Frodo and Sam, Merry and Pippin, Gandalf and all the other amazing characters. So it doesn’t just focus on them.
But it can be really irritating and to use this trope you have to write it either really well or you have to put a twist on it–like say the “Chosen One” actually DOES get killed. What happens then? What do the other characters do without them? Do they still try to save the world?
I definitely enjoy books that don’t have special snowflakes though…and lots of characters AND DEATH. Because why not kill off all of your favorite characters?
Ooh, can I be both a snowflake and a potato? Snowfla-tato, that’s what I am.
Ugh, yes. It can get shoved in with a ton of cliches that are just brain-burn worth. *cries* And YES, that is a goodness about Harry: he doesn’t do it alone. In fact, he can’t. And he needs mentors and has adults giving advice, which is glorious. It’s when the snowflake is, like, 16 and scorns adults and does it 100% on their own that it gets SUPER irritating. (In YA at least.😂) And yes! Even though Aragorn is a flake, he’s like a secondary flake, right?! And Frodo is a potato. AND ADORABLE POTATO. (Samwise is the most adorable of all potatoes though, obviously.)
Twists on the Chosen One are my FAVOURITE. I really love Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson because it’s narrated by a Potato with Snowflakes as secondary characters. #winning
(I vote for Snowflato for sure.)
I have no preference, I just want to read a good story. I agree with Nathan from Half Bad, I want more of that world. I also really like Celanea from Throne of Glass. But there are also some potatoes I really like, like Lada from And I Darken (I’m currently reading). I also like Hope from The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North (also currently reading). I don’t relate to anyone I read. I stop reading if I start relating, so……nobody.
Zomg Nathan is my precious darling…<3 But my heart is too broken to handle more of that world hahhaah. *CRIES FOR 9000 YEARS*
Lada is like a serrated potato ahhaha ahem. But she is GLORIOUS I thoroughly agree!! And omg Is The Sudden Appearance of Hope good then? Because I need it but I never hear anyone talking about it!!
Oh, yes! The Sudden Appearance of Hope is good. Although I think I liked The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August more (and that was a surprise because I am not a sci-fi person). Hope is a total potatoes though, because no one remembers her and if she dies no one will have any memory of her and go on living there lives. I’m not in love with the book though. I don’t hate it or love, its kind of in between. You know?
Ohh I do get that feeling. *nods* I want to try it, but maybe I’ll see if my library has it??! I want to try The First Fifteen lives of Harry August too. GAH I NEED TO TRY ALL THE BOOKS.😂
My current favorite series (The Pillars of Reality by Jack Campbell) has a special snowflake that’s very well done. She is the prophesied one, the only one who can save the world, but lots of different people get involved and they work to make things function without her if necessary. And while she is very smart, and was pushed to become the youngest master mechanic ever, other people have similiar and other skills. Her specialness mostly resides in people’s belief in her status and thus their willingness to pitch in and work to change things.
What I love most of all is that there isn’t a love triangle (despite a more than a bit of jealousy on her part).
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Omg that sounds like the PERFECT way to write a snowflake! I THOROUGHLY APPROVE. *applauds* (And love triangles are honestly another trope that is usually more irritating than not.😂)
I think the whole special snowflake thing has definitely been overdone, so it’s a trope that probably just needs a bit of an overhaul.
I’d quite like to see a special snowflake ‘who is the only one who can save the world’, that everyone finds super annoying and is really incompetent. If everyone is annoyed by the ‘chosen one’ then there’s a sense that they are just keeping him/her alive so he/she can save the world and not because they’re so amazing that everyone is in love with them. Plus if they are pretty incompetent as opposed to naturally talented at everything then the other characters would get to shine as they attempt to teach the absolute idiot who will save the world how to do it. I’d definitely be interested to read a book where that happens! 🙂
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I thoroughly agree! I think the fact that it is so overdone is half the problem. Like we’ve seen it all and we see riiiiight through characters who are one-dimensional and dull. WE NEED COMPLEX FLAKES.
SNOW IS CLEARLY THE BEST FORM OF WEATHER THERE IS. It’s quite disappointing these characters don’t come in blizzard form.
See, Aragorn was a long-lost king who scared Sauron out of his shoes and was beloved by the most beautiful creature since Luthien and somehow he didn’t feel cliche? Magic, I suppose. Tolkien’s an actual wizard, this is proof. I guess it’s because Aragorn made mistakes (and not just mistakes that everyone forgave because of his snowflakiness, mistakes that followed him around and got in the way of things) and had relatable flaws. Same with Harry – they felt more like potatoes with snowflakiness thrust upon them than natural snowflakes. I think those are the kinds of snowflakes we need more of – average people who may not have every heroic quality under the sun from birth, but because of their circumstances they must build themselves into a hero, they must find and forge those qualities instead of being magically blessed with them. This also helps us empathize with them – Harry was an average guy who did great things, but was at heart an average, nice potato. I want more potato characters who build themselves up into snowflakes and show us that we can too.
Ellie | On the Other Side of Reality
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I HAVE NEVER SEEN SNOW CAN YOU BELIEVE. I don’t know what I’m doing with my life either omg.
I’m sure Tolkien’s probably a wizard. That seems like the most logical idea. *nods sagely* And I think the fact that Aragon was complex and flawed also REALLY helped his Snowflakeness. And totally agreed with Harry. I think maybe that’s the key to an interesting snowflake? tHEY FAIL.😂 Omg that feels terrible to say but it’s true!!
We need snowflakes with potato hearts. <3
I completely agree with you that this trope is overdone. Yet, if I come across book who deals with special snoflake trope in unique engaging way, I am okay with it. But one thing I am not okay with it our special snowflake is “so special” that every single person (mal eor female) is in love with him/her. When this happens, I am out. Or at least I take couple of stars down from my rating. It is irritating as hell when EVERYONE is in love with main character….
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Ugh I do hate that part of the trope when everyone is in love with one person. Especially if that snowflake is like A SERIOUSLY PLAIN JANE. Whyyyyy.😭 It’s so irritating!
This is so funny because I’m reading a book with a Special Snowflake and it’s SO annoying. I think, like you said, it depends on how it gets done, but I usually prefer if they’re not that special. I also want morally gray snowflakes. I want melted snowflakes, characters that aren’t that great but that can still become heroes of their stories by hard work and by failing. People who receive help, who cannot do it alone, but that ultimately learn from others and can defeat or overcome whatever it is they’re fighting. You know? Great topic 😀
MELTED MORALLY GREY SNOWFLAKES FTW.😂 I definitely feel like they’re more relatable and interesting…because you don’t know if they’ll do something slightly evil in the midst of doing something good. WHICH IS SO MUCH FUN. Mwahhaah. And yes…teamwork. It’s GOOD. I think Special Snowflakes didn’t learn how to share their crayons in kindergarten.
Honestly, the special snowflakes are really ruining it for me these days. I mean of course I overlook it in some cases (Harry Potter and dear, moody Kell) because (1) The reasons for them being the only ones, the chosen ones are actually justifiable (2) It doesn’t feel as if they’re really the CHOSEN. In A Darker shade of magic, for instance, it didn’t really feel like the world rested on Kell’s shoulders. Sure he was a rare magician, but Schwab didn’t gloss over that fact till it made my head hurt. It was just one of many facts about him.
Oh oh I totally agree *nods* Like particularly with Kell. (Plus I have a theory that Lila is actually Antari as well…) Because he doesn’t get all these special privileges and when things go wrong and he HAS to be saving the world, it’s BECAUSE HE BROKE THE WORLD IN THE FIRST PLACE OMG.
I think special snowflakes happen a lot because they’re easy. Why bother with building a world and making up rules when you can just have this special snowflake who can do everything just because they’re so darn special? (I’m thinking specifically of one book where the MC was set up to be special through her backstory, though she wasn’t unique… until the author decided that the previously established rules didn’t apply to her and just remade her as a Snowflake Sue. So annoying.)
I agree that Harry Potter is a special snowflake, though he’s probably one of the better ones. His specialness makes sense based on the story.
Bella Swan is a special snowflake that does not make sense. Everybody wants her, even though she’s as boring as wet bread, and they must protect her at all costs! And then she goes and defies all the rules the author previously established, just so she could have a happy ending. Uh… no.
Erm… I meant to say, “Why bother with building a world and making up rules and having your characters actually follow them…”
Yeah. It’s a brain-fart sort of afternoon.
Ugh it’s even worse when the Snowflakes are Mary Sues, I agree. *sighs* But the snowflakes CAN be done well (exactly! Harry Potter!) especially when they’re not exempt from being hurt and they don’t have that whole broody “I’m the only one who can save the world” thing going on. Half the time they fail anyway and their friends are on cleanup duty.😂
Bahah, yes, sometimes the snowflakisms just ARE BIZARRE. Bella is an odd one…
I absolutely agree with you – it is overdone. But I still kind of like it? Because we ARE all unique, all special. There is only one of me, only one of you… so the world NEEDS all of us. We are all necessary. So I think it’s realistic to have a protagonist who the world needs, because it highlights that fact that that is ALL OF US?
Agreed! We are all unique in some way. Although when I say “special snowflake” I’m more referring to someone with super special powers/skills. So like not necessarily the protagonist? Some protagonists aren’t snowflakes at all. Sorry if the post was confusing!😂
No, no! You weren’t confusing at all! I totally got what you meant. 🙂 I’m just saying I think that trope appeals to everyone – which is good, right?
“I think the world would be a much happier place if EVERYONE took regular naps.” WORDS OF WISDOM RIGHT THERE! That is why the world needs to be ruled by you! A nap never hurt anybody. I think. Anyway.
I really can’t think of a well done special snowflake. I know I absolutely hate, Aiden. From the Door Within trilogy. The story on the whole wasn’t bad, (I could be wrong, it was like 4 years ago that I read it), but *shudders*. Need I say more?
I am so tired of this trope!!! SOMEONE DO SOMETHING ELSE, PLEEEEAAASE!!!!!!!!
I think I relate much more to normal french fries. Besides being flavorful and small in their own special way, they can still use ketchup to liven them up. I likes ’em a lot.
~E
P. S. Can I quote you on your naps statement? I have a quotes page on my blog.
I shall definitely put “more regular naps” into my Rules for the Universe when I take over. It’ll be like Rule #2 probably (after Rule #1 being “adore Cait always”) *nods*
Hahah, I remember Aiden! I REMEMBER THAT SERIES OMG WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE. He was a bit dull, honestly, with his snowflakisms.
The special snowflakes need to burn, or be challenged by other even more special snowflakes.
WE’LL MELT THESE SNOWFLAKES AND BRING OUT THE EPIC POTATOES.
My only peeve with this trope is when they feel like they are the only ones who can “save the world”. You know, when they set themselves up for a giant sacrifice and it just screws everything up for everyone else. Especially when if they had just TALKED to their friends, they could have kicked ass right the first time.
I call it “Lead-Heroine-Sacrifice-Syndrome”. Tris from Divergent is a great example of that I think.
Hmm, YUS. I think it’s annoying when they don’t HAVE to bear the whole burden but the choose to. Or when they believe they’re the only one worthy or something rubbish? Bleh.
Nice list! The Chosen One doesn’t bother me too much, except when their powers become a scapegoat from being adversely affected. I like Harry Potter, and yes he suffered from a lot of close people to him dying, but I feel like he or even the Golden Trio were overlooked for breaking a lot of school rules, mostly because all of the teachers looked the other way or only gave a stern warning. I don’t think Chosen Ones should be punished more than other characters, but when they are a huge exception to the general story’s rules to other characters and it overly inflate their specialness, it’s a bit bittersweet. /rant over/ lol
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Oh YES. I do think Harry Potter is the Snowflake Trope done WELL, though, because he gets beat up and in trouble and he makes dumb mistakes…and he’s generally a relatable potato despite being the Chosen One. <3 Although you're so right that he also does get away with a lot. hahah. Oh dear...and tbh, we know who the REAL hero of that series is (*whispers* Hermione...)
This trope has caused me endless problems when I have arguments with myself (what?). I love good ol’ HP but I do wish that someone with magical writing abilities will some day create a new trope and we’ll all go OH WHY HASN’T THIS BEEN AROUND FOR AGES.
But I do admit that usually I’m not bothered about how many takes on a certain trope there are – what really bothers me is insta-love *gags* make it go away. I read THE worst book for that called Kindred & it was about vampires and just STAY AWAY from it, Cait.
Hhahah. YES. We need some new tropes.😂 Although I suppose there’s nothing really new out there, right?!? It just depends on how well it’s written…which sometimes is NOT well when the trope is so flogged to death we’re all crying and running away from it.
The only kind of instalove I approve of is instalove between me + bookshelf.
Hmm I honestly have 50/50 feelings over special snowflakes. I agree that some are written well, so I don’t have a problem with those. However, others are written in such a cliché way that I know things will end up really well for the characters because of it, and it annoys me. Give the snowflake deadlier missions! Scars! Traumas! Something that will make then even the least bit vulnerable, at least. >.<
I also think I can relate to potatoes more. Not only are they healthy and edible, but they give off this "I'm a normal human vegetable and I can still be awesome!" vibe. (Although I do find snowflakes interesting, because their adventures are almost always more fun than the potatoes.)
Yesss, I couldn’t agree more! I think ANY trope is awesome if it’s well written *nods* But it seems with some of the over-used ones, the more books that come out with them, the more lax the storytelling gets? Eh.
Potato snowflakes tho <-- That needs to be the new norm.
I think it has a lot to do with the types of books you read. Maybe the genres and age range and when the books were written? Cause, yeah…I’ve hardly read any books that have “Special Snowflakes,” but I”m pretty sure I would enjoy those kinds of books, at least for a while. But if I read too many of them? Ugh… Almost everything gets redundant after long enough.
Really though, there’s nothing new under the sun, so I guess these types of stories are just going to continue being written and it’s the readers who will have to take breaks from them?
Aidyl from Noveltea
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Well that is true too for sure! Because I’m guessing contemporaries have less special snowflakes than, say, epic fantasy, right?! BUT ALSO TRUE: nothing new out there! And I think a well written book can counteract any overused trope. :’)
VERY much over the Special Snowflake. Yes, it HAS been done well. And I am sure it will BE done well again in the future. But that doesn’t mean we all need to suffer from 287,277 incarnations of it NOT being done well in the meantime. It’s like, you have a Harry, you have a Katniss, and now ALL books want to have those. Nope, doesn’t work that way. (In defense of Katniss, it was kind of her own actions that made her a Special Snowflake, so maybe she doesn’t count quite as much.) I remember reading The Testing, and the main character was “the key to everything” but WHY!? I have no idea! I read the whole trilogy and I still haven’t the foggiest.
I mean, I AM a potato, but I sure wish I was a snowflake. In fact, I think a great deal of my unhappiness in life may come from the fact that I am a potato? I have no idea. BUT I do agree that everyone should take naps. I don’t care if you’re an infant or a supercentenarian, we all need naps. The moral of this post is, naps are great and Special Snowflakes need to melt.
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Saaaaame. I feel like the more popular a trope is the worse it gets??? Like once-upon-a-time love triangles weren’t even that bad! HELLO THE HUNGER GAMES. <3 But now? I run when I see one.
(Also I think there are like different kind of snowflakes. Like Katniss was MADE into one? Harry Potter was BORN into one? And honestly, District 13 did a lot without Katniss hahhaha. She spent half of Mockingjay not functioning and yet the rebellion went on. #justaprettyface BUT I LOVE YOU KATNISS, DON'T BE HURT.)
I am a potato too. Mutual potato hi five my friend!
The actual bottom line of this post is: we all need more naps. The whole snowflake discussion was just, like, a cover for my nap theory.
I agree….we should all take regular naps. Oh wait, that wasn’t the point of this post? KIDDING! But still…naps. Gotta love them.
I think it works sometimes. I mean, I LOVE Harry Potter. However, I like when the special snowflake character KNOWS they need their friends and people around them. Sure, HP had to die in the end, but everything else up to that point? If he didn’t have Hermione, the world would be over!
Just saying.
-Lauren
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Actually you COMPLETELY got the point of the post BECAUSE ALL I REALLY WANTED TO DO WAS TALK ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD ALL TAKE MORE NAPS. The universe would be so much more happy and well-adjusted. #PetitionForMoreNappingAsANation
And yes, omg, if the story did not have Hermione, I think they’d have been dead in bk 1 right?!?😂
I both love and hate the trope. Like you said, it has to be done well. I love Harry Potter, and Aragorn, etc. But I also love Frodo (who didn’t have any special powers), Sam, Merry and Pippin. They didn’t have any special powers but the world still would have ended without them. I think it’s important that a special snowflake (or Chosen One) has a group of good friends who are normal. Like Hermione. Yes, she’s incredibly smart but she’s just a normal girl. Then I tend to love them more.
But I have read some cases in which I was like: UGH. Is there really no one else that can do this? Because I don’t feel like reading about this person anymore.
Great discussion, Cait!
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YES! Frodo is marvellous because HE’S NOT A FLAKE he just chooses to carry the ring, whereas really Sam could’ve done it, or anyone. (Well, not Boromir obviously hahaha. aHem.) And I do think the “normal” characters are more relatable, for sure. I admit to loving Hermione more than Harry. BUT SHE WAS ALSO A LOT SMARTER THAN HARRY SO THAT HELPED TOO.😂
I like my snowflakes to be flawed… the more flaws the better.
PS and off topic: I recently finished Nevernight and was thinking about how much I think you are going to love it… lots of stabby, stabby, kill all the characters for you 😉
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YAY FOR FLAWED FLAKES. (I feel like I’m turning them into a cereal now but whatever.😂)
OMG I REALLY WANT TO READ NEVERNIGHT!! It’s actually in my shopping basket for next time I make a book order. STABBY STABBING!
I absolutely hate the special snowflake trope, especially when the character is a girl who doesn’t know she has perfect looks. That drives me nuts. I don’t think of myself as an average ordinary person, but I can’t relate to special snowflake characters at all. My favourite characters are always morally grey, so I agree we need more like them. Bring on the morally grey snowflakes! Jaded morally grey snowflakes who make awful decisions for their own ends or for the good of the many! Yeah, that’s who I want to read about.
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Saaaame, I love me some morally grey characters. EEEEP. They are just more interesting?!?
I always tend to think about this, and I totally agree with your points. However to me, pretty much all books are focused on a special snowflake – to varying degrees, because if they weren’t some kind of special, why would we be reading their stories? Like, for instance, I have never read a book in which the main character – as in the character who’s POV is the most present – is not a special snowflake in the sense that their friend is the snowflake. That’s really confusing, but for example, why do we read about Harry Potter, and not Hermione Granger? Or Ron?
You also mentioned that you wish that there are more morally grey snowflakes, and I totally agree with that too. However, that just means there are several special snowflakes, because we never read about a normal person like us, we are always reading about ‘that person’ or ‘that group of friends’ that saved the world. We never read about a character that doesn’t do much, because that would make quite a boring story.
I’m really bad at trying to put my complicated jumble of thoughts into a readable comment (so for that I’m sorry…xD) but basically what I’m trying to say is that every character in the books we read are basically special snowflakes, because they have a story to tell, otherwise, it would be pretty boring. The main character is the main character for a reason – their story is simply more interesting to read about.
HOWEVER, there are special snowflakes, and then there are special snowflakes who ARE JUST TOO SPECIAL. Like Tris, and these types are just too annoying to read about. I think that it just depends on how the author writes them, as sometimes it is done really badly, and the character just ends up being an arrogant, annoying little prick to read about, and makes their story the opposite of interesting.
I don’t know if you got what I was trying to say, but oh well.
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Well, no, by Special Snowflake, I’m not referring to who the story is ABOUT. And I don’t mean “hero” either. Like there’s advice that I hear often that says “make every character believe they are the hero of their own story” which helps one to write complex and interesting secondary characters. *nods* When I say “Special Snowflake” I’m referring to THE ONLY ONE who can do a certain thing. Like ONLY TRIS was 98% Divergent (or whatever she was).😂 In the finale Divergent book (just using this as an example) we had narration by Four. He wasn’t a Snow Flake despite being the protagonist.
AnSorry if my post was confusing because I’m definitely not talking about snowflakes vs boring characters.
YES YES YES. I LOVE the special snowflake IF it’s done well. I agree that that is the condition for me to enjoy a trope in general.
We are TWINNING IN THIS CLEARLY.
The MC of my story at first appears to be a special snowflake, but it turns out there is at least another of her kind who is just as special as her and may in the end be more of a catalyst than the MC (Because she is the stabby kill everyone kind) and maybe two more that could appear later in the story, All of them also appears to be orphans but most are not, they just have not yet met their parents, I am still not sure if that counts… but my MC does not do much stabbing at all. So of course I have to somehow make her cool despite the fact that she does not like stabbing, much, I hope that is possible, but she can do other epic cool stuff like use magic really well, and there are only a few other people who can use magic as well but generally everyone uses it is slightly different ways or at least they specialise in different elements of it and they are spread fairly thin over the world. So it remains to be seen how much of a snowflake she will end up being.
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Your MC sounds awesome quite frankly.😂 I actually have written a fair few Snowflakes myself! Although mine always, ahem, include stabby snowflakes. I swear I’m a nice person IRL…but just my writing? Sheesh.
I think it’s very much as you’ve said it, it’s not the trope itself (as all tropes can toyed with) but how it’s commonly used. I’m sure there will come a day where I will encounter a love triangle that will be considered “well written” but I will never consider a love triangle well written simply because it’s used a lazy source of conflict for far too long. If you can take a trope and invert it (like say, they are a special snowflake but nobody cares or they are a special snowflake but so is everyone else) you do fun things. Guilt by Association is probably the big problem.
TOTALLY IN AGREEMENT WITH YOU. And I think we totally just get burnt out by the overuse…like you mentioned love triangles = I totally always run away from them.😂 But the first one I read (The Hunger Games!) I loved to pieces.
I’m pretty fed up special snowflakes. It has to be REALLY done well for me to like it.
I don’t know if there’s many book like this, but I’d like to see more ‘minor’ characters be special snowflakes and the main character not be. It’d be an interesting to see how that would work. How the main character fits in beside the special snowflake and what the MC’s role would be.
Ohhh have you read The Rest of Us Just Live Here?! BECAUSE THAT IS 100% THE PLOT OF THAT BOOK. It’s glorious. The protagonist is an anxious potato and his friend has superpowers. <3 And Steelheart does it too.😍 It really makes the story a LOT more interesting!
There’s also a hilarious tumblr post here applying the idea to Harry Potter: https://absentlyabbie.tumblr.com/post/59051322411/steel-plated-hearts-a-kid-at-hogwarts-who-just
Interesting discussion! ‘Special snowflakes’ often don’t have an emotional impact on me anymore, but just basing it off your list, I think it depends on how it is done. For example, in the Healing Wars series by Janice Hardy, the main character, Nya, has a different power from everyone else (instead of healing people then pushing that pain into a metal, she can only shift it from one person to another). I LOVED those books because 1) her ‘different powers’ are never inherently a good thing, right up to the end 2) she genuinely felt like an ordinary but strong-willed girl pushed into serious situations, and 3) everything about ‘saving the world’ etc. was really personal, so even with her being the irreplaceable character, it never felt overdone. This is a great ‘morally grey snowflake’ if you’d like to pick it up 😉
And I agree with what you said about sharing the responsibility of saving the world! There’s not a lot you can do entirely by yourself in real life…
ohh, I haven’t heard of that series but I’m definitely curious now! (Though it sounds like Touch of Power by Maria V Snyder. Have you read that one? I’m wondering which came first now hhaha.😂 Ahh but there’s nothing new out there.) And morally grey snowflakes FTW FOR SURE.
Oohhh I hadn’t heard of Touch of Power before but just looked it up and it’s definitely going on my TBR! ‘The Shifter’ (first book in Healing Wars series) was published in 2009, three years before that.
Ahhh, so many books end up sounding the same, right?!😂 But I’m curious about the Healing Wars and I’ll definitely look it up! Thanks for the recommendation!
Eeep! Love this post. Snowflakes annoy me so. I want to punch them in their perfect teeth. (usually) #sorrynotsorry Like you said, there are now absolutes. Only Siths deal in absolutes. And there are some snowflakes I’m fond of. But I usually still find their flakeyness quite annoying. (Harry Potter, for example.)
I love trope subversions, though. It would be so cool to start out a book with a “choosen one” character and kill them off pretty early. Then leave it to all the normal characters to save the world.
I loooove books where the snowflake is the side-character and the normal-Bob is the protagonist.😂 Have you read Steelheart?! IT RULES THAT TWIST ON THE TROPE OMG I LOVE IT. <3
So totally overdone that it is eye rolling. yes I like your lists for sure – hard to relate to this special person who is so irreplaceable. I want to read about characters who have some special characteristics, and it is their drive and bravery that makes them so important and helpful to the cause.
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Same! Or like, sure, have the snowflakes with the epic powers…but don’t make the ENTIRE PLOT REST ON THEIR SHOULDERS. It just isn’t realistic or interesting to have one character be so insufferably important.
I think Nathan from Half Bad was morally gray. He ofter fought his dark side, and sometimes did bad things. I think that’s why I liked him so much. Darrow in Red Rising was a perfect snowflake, but I loved that he suffered consequences for his bad mistakes, instead of magically escaping from them. I also think Harry Potter would’ve died in the first novel if it wasn’t for his friendships with Hermione and Ron. When you really look at him as a wizard, he wasn’t that good as people touted. However, others like Tris got on my nerves, because I didn’t get why they were so special or badass. At least Katniss had hunting experience from living in District 9, and surviving the Hunger Games.
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Saaaaaame. Nathan is the most precious thing in the universe omg. <3 Like he HAD the "special snowflake powers" but he definitely wasn't always using them for good. #cinnamonroll Darrow, I think, is different a bit? Because he was MADE into the snowflake. Like he didn't start off as it...Eo was more a snowflake than him almost. IDEK. It gets complicated.😂
We ALL KNOW Hermione is the real saviour of the world.
I like to lie to myself and imagine that if I would be that certain special snowflake I would be just as brave and cunning. In truth? I’d probably sneak away, change my name and start a profession as, I dunno, baker? Something quiet and harmless. Let someone else solve the problem. Ehem, so I definitively relate more to the potatoes of our literary world than to the special snowflakes. ^-^’
But I agree that while the trope is overused it can be done very well! For example in Eliza Crewe’s triology: Meda is one of a kind, she is more powerful than others and more or less an orphan. BUT she makes a lot of mistakes which acually have disastrous effects. And her “normal” best friends play a huge and important role in the story. Yey! *happy sigh*
Although I’ll admit that it’s often very tiresome to read about a special snowflake. It’s (often) not relateable, like you said. (Points for you ;P) But do I like reading about the trope when it’s done well? Yes. So I guess that you just have to risk reading a bad example and hope for the best. (Or something like that. Honestly, it’s too late for me to write coherent sentences/make sense at all. Sorry for that. I hope you can understand what I’m trying to say.^-^’)
I would definitely do that too *nods* Baker is an excellent profession idea…but do we have to sell the cakes in the bakery?? Because I would like to eat them. #priorities
And it is GLORIOUS when the special snowflake have an epic side-cast of secondary characters too!! IT gets annoying when they are the ONLY important person in the story and everyone else is expendable. Ergh. >_>
I do know what you mean I think!😂 It’s not a bad trope, but it gets written in a lazy way a lot and I think that’s made it seem BLEH so often.
Maybe we could sell only every second cake? Mhmm….
Yes&yes! 😉
Love this list! I’m coming down more on the ‘be done with snowflakes’ side – I just can’t stand the unrealisticness of a lot of special snowflakes. Especially if, as you said, they go a billion hours without food or rest…or basic medical care. I appreciate the more…hobbity character, as their outlook on food is in line with mine (basically boils down to two questions; one: where’s the food?; two: no, seriously, where’s the food?) If there has to be a snowflake then at minimum they should still be relatable (Harry Potter, for example, gets moody, gets stuff wrong and also requires both food and sleep=relatable).
Hobbity characters = omg I LOVE THEM. That’s why Frodo was such an epic protagonist, too, I think….because he like CHOSE to do the special thing but he wasn’t necessarily particularly well equipped to do it.😂 (But seriously: food. Characters who go days without eating = I don’t understand them.)
It is so overdone! I think I’m not 100% anti “special snowflakes,” but I hate that it’s become such a lazy trope. Authors no longer need to explain anything, just have some prophet declare a young girl as “the one.” I really think that Harry Potter did this the best where it was situational.
Yes! I think “Lazy trope” is the best description honestly! Like it can be done well…but often it’s just done bleh and the characters feel so flat.
I meannnnnnn yep, they’re overdone. But obviously I do have a soft spot for good old Harry. You’re right about the cliches, though. Prophecy is another one. Because I mean, they’re just DESTINED to save the world, right? And actually that’s part of the reason I loved The Rest of Us Just Live Here 🙂
It’s better if they can be Flakes SANS CLICHES.😂 That would just make life a lot more interesting. And omg I know right?! Like Mikey was just an anxious potato while his friend was the god. (Why can’t I remember his friend’s name. OMG WHAT WAS IT. I FEEL AWFUL. Did it start with a J?😭)
“They ruin everything and that’s nice” 😂 I’m so torn on this one. On one hand, I LOVE reading and writing about special powers because it’s COOL and FUN. And yet… I’m also so sick of it being in EVERY BOOK EVER because then all the stories tend to blur into one big special snowball mountain. And I DO love those cases where the non-special character(s) without any remarkable abilities manage to save the day! It warms my cold dead heart ❤️ awesome discussion, Cait!
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We just need special powered flakes WHO ALSO ARE NOT THE SOLE REASON THE EARTH SPINS.😂 #problemsolved
Ahhh, this was such an interesting read because I don’t always read into the whole trope thing unless it, like, beats me over the head, you know? That’s when the special snowflake business really makes me gag or just generally gets under my skin, but you made a lot of good points in this and I really enjoyed this entry. And that last bit? YES, that is exactly what I want from novels–more of that, less of characters who are so *damn* “special”–do you sense that? Me nodding my head at everything you wrote?
Anyways. Seriously. Fantastic post 10/10 would read again.
(Yep, I just said 10/10 would read again like a dweeb and you can feel free to roll your eyes.)
AHHH THANK YOU JESSICA.😂 I’m glad you liked the post! I definitely sense you nodding. *nods in unison with you* I think most tropes CAN be tolerable and fun…if they’ve got like little unique twists to them. ;D
And I hear your 10/10 and raise you my 10/10-would-read-your-lovely-comment-again. 😂
I do enjoy a special snowflake at times, especially the three you’ve mentioned! But sometimes, I feel that it gets too cliche. Don’t you think that once they find out they’re the special snowflake, they usually abandon their friends and save the world by themselves? Not all the time, but it happens a lot. 🙁
It does happen a lot unfortunately…like when they get that total “lone hero complex” and argh, it’s so annoying. IRL everyone is expendable, and I think they get a bit stuck-up in books when they’re not!
It’s midnight and I’m laughing out loud and creeping everyone out in my house 😂
but what can I say, #struggleisreal
that is to say this post is hilarious! I pretty much second every other word but also feel a bit sad. It gets harder and harder to actually enjoy new books if you acknowledge the existence of The Special Snowflake because every time one appears, you go “Ha! I see you! I know what kind of snowflake you are!” and reading experience is spoiled. The pleasure of ranting or raving about those characters is gone because of the label. That’s my problem.
I fee like Sarah J.Maas is the Snow Queen, honestly. I dislike Aelin from ToG but adore my baby Feyre from ACOTAR. So, I wonder how can she create those two absolutely different SS?!
OMG THANKYOU.😂 This makes me very pleased quite honestly ehhehe.
Aw, but I’m sad that labelling things spoils the book for you! Most aspects of books have a name, tbh, and I suppose because I’ma writer, I like to notice those things too hehe. But I do agree over-analysing can sometimes spoil the reading experience. Unless you enjoy it. Which I do.😂
And AGREED. Sarah J Maas does like her special snowflakes….
Yeah, I agree with it all. I like them (harry potter, Harry Potter, HARRY POTTER), but there is too much if it around that is just plifttt. Maybe there should be a rule that authors can only publish a Special Snowflake story after they have published four other books, or that an author only gets to publish one SS trope book in their lifetime. Ha ha. XD
Bahahha YES.😂 Rules and regulations for writing Snowflakes. THAT WOULD BE NICE.
I think, too, that just the sheer amount of them (and not always well written :/) majorly contributes to their chances of being cliche. Blah.😂
Special snowflakes didn’t used to bother me until I tried to write one and realized how very little sense the trope made and how very much it seemed like lazy writing. It’s easier to say that a character could save the world because they are ‘special’ than it is to write the character who does it without any mystic qualifications–who saves the world only by true grit and a lot of help.
I enjoyed reading your assessment of it, and I agree with everything you stated.
My favorite special snowflake is Harry Potter because he is relatable and he is largely the hero because of his own actions. I can’t remember my least favorite. Incidentally, I relate more to a potato.
Keep blogging!
I totally agree! Special Snowflakes often do fall into the “lazy writing” category, which is a shame. *sad noises* I also think it’s irritating when a character is so irreplaceable. IRL NO ONE IS IRREPLACEABLE. So it’s just a bit irritating there. Blah.
And I do agree about Harry Potter! No lazy writing there!
(Potato = very relatable. I concur.)
I agree that Harry Potter was written well. And yeah, I’m personally more of a potato xD
Special snowflakes can definitely be annoying, especially when they are absolutely perfect and untouchable. But I have to agree – it’d be boring if we heard from a minor character where not much happens all the time! And yes, they definitely make things a little more exciting. As long as they’re not 100% unrelatable.
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But I don’t think “protagonist” equates to “special snowflake” necessarily! I probably didn’t sum it up in the post enough, sorry.😂 But snowflake more means someone who is untouchable and “the only one” and everyone loves them and reveres them for no real reason. Like Celeana is a snowflake being queen of everything and she’s totally irreplaceable. Whereas Emma from Lady Midnight is badass and awesome, but is totally expendable. If that makes sense. I hope? Ahem. ANYWAY.😂
I literally screamed when i saw that MCR gif. Literally. Anyways, i think the special snowflake trope is a very useful trope, but overdone and all too often badly done. I like it when the ‘special snowflake’ turns out to not be so special after all, like in Red Queen, when she finds out that she’s not the only Red with powers.
Yesss, I do like twists on the snowflake trope! ANY twist is glorious I think! It’s also interesting if they randomly find out they’re NOT special after all.😂
I think you need to stop reading YA fiction as much as you do. Though this trope DOES exist in adult fiction, it’s less apparent and/or obvious. I’ve read a few YA books in my time and literally every single one of them contains this trope. It’s annoying and quite frankly, it lets both the reader and the story down.
Well that’s not going to happen! YA is my favourite. And luckily I actually don’t come across this trope in every book I read.
I don’t usually like the ‘special snowflake’ people in stories because they’re usually very self-centered and they’re useless without their special power. I like heros who can take care of themselves without anything that makes them different (like Isi, in the Goose Girl, who did have a power, but was not completely useless without it, because she didn’t even have her especially great power for most of the story). As for chosen one type snowflake, I loved Emmett from The Lego Movie (who doesn’t?!) and I detested Harry Potter (who is about as self-centered as you get without being a villain). I liked Aragorn from LOTR (book one, not movie!) and I hated Alina from Barbie Fairytopia (I know, it’s random!). I didn’t used to like Peter from Narnia, but now he’s cool. And of all things, I used to enjoy Hiccup from the book How To Train Your Dragon. Now, ever since I saw the movie, I’ve highly dislike him to say the least. I like Isi from the Goose Girl, but I wouldn’t call her a ‘chosen one’. I did not like Taran in The Black Cauldron when I first saw the old Disney movie, but if I see it again, I’m sure I’ll be inclined to like him. Oh, and I detest Harry Potter. Did I say that already? 😛 Well, anyways, it’s worth saying twice cuz he’s a self-centered, immature, punky half-witted, teenaged kid trying to pretend he is tough and good and virtuous (which drives me out of my head!). Anyways, though, great post, Cait! I must say that throughout all my writing though, I have never had a special snowflake. Unless you count people who make themselves special? In that case, I have a few villains who think they’re special snowflakes. 😉
I get this vaaague feeling you don’t like Harry Potter.😂 Fair enough! I actually quite adore him though. 😉 But omg I only recognise half the people you named here! HELLO MY BOOKISH SHAME. *sends self to the corner* And omg my sister used to be obsessed with Barbie movies when she was little and I hated them.😂 Nooooo more special snowflakes. UGH.
I do like people who MAKE themselves special! Like self-made-flakes?! They seem more complex and dimensional. :’)
Yeah, I don’t like him. But it’s pretty much just because his friends make him so wanted and he treats them terrible. Surely you recognize Emmett?! If not, then Cait, you do need a corner of shame. As weird as it sounds, I love the old Barbie movies. Just not Fairytopia and its sequels. Or any of the newest ones. Yes, I like those people who aren’t really any better than anybody else but in their awesomeness make themselves still everyone’s fav. And I agree! We need humble snowflakes who are flawed and trying instead of these I-think-I’m-perfect-but-really-I’m-self-absorbed chosen ones! I believe that characters who make themselves special are so much greater because you know they don’t need some prophecy or special power to be great. Cuz that’s how it is! Any potato can save the world with the right amount of courage and faith! We don’t need snowflakes! If every single hero in history had his own special power and prophecy to go with him, then they wouldn’t be so special anymore. Because as much as we don’t realize it, there are real heroes everywhere! They save the world (or at least try to) without an introduction prophecy or anyone supporting them to the point of ridiculousness. Anyways, there’s my rant for the day. 🙂
Burry the trope in the center of a dying sun. I love characters who make themselves important to others by their actions but I have to fall in love with them as the other characters do, not be told they are special and expected to believe it.
YES THIS IS GLORIOUS I AGREE. I like characters who earn their respect/positions/love. It just feels so much more realistic and admirable. :’)
I honestly love this trope. Partly because I am totally guilty of just letting myself believe that I am that special snowflake. #noshame I only enjoy this trope in dystopian/paranormal books, though. If I’m reading a contemporary book, the popular kids annoy me! So if it’s one of those characters who EVERYONE loves, I need some other vulnerable traits to like him/her because that’s more real. But I could totally read about special snowflakes all day if the person is, say, Tessa Gray. Lol! But only if Will is also in said book!
That’s totally wonderful😂 AND I KINDA UNDERSTAND. I mean, don’t we all envision ourselves as spwecial snowflakes occasionally? #guilty And yes, I agree it doesn’t work so well in contemporaries. People get irritating fast. haha. Ahem.
With 99% of the things in life, really, I err on the side of BUT BOTH SIDES! BUT CAVEATS! BUT DIPLOMACY! BUT I KINDA SEE THE OTHER SIDE’S POINT! BUT DEVIL’S ADVOCATE!
When it comes to speshul snowflakes, as I’m beginning to learn, I just can’t. I’m firmly in the NOPENOPENOPE CAN’T DEAL WITH IT GO TO YOUR ROOM NOPE camp. A speshul snowflake might, in theory, work – BUT IF THEY OWNED IT. Which they never, never do. I would argue that whining about everything is in no way a part of the speshul snowflake trope. The whining is its own separate thing. But somehow it’s always paired up with it to create a unique “Woe is me, my bright blue eyes are too big for my face and no one has my luscious silver hair and I am alone in my unique world-ass-kicking powers and the prophecy singles me out as the most powerful person alive, and as one who will save humanity. OH, HOW UTTERLY VEXING! HOWEVER WILL I DEAL?”
… Shush, snowflake. You know less than Jon Snow. (Who is only Snow, to be clear. Not a flake.)
But having said all this, I do have to agree – I was totally on board with Harry Potter AND Aragorn AND Kell AND likely a bunch of other arguably flakey bits of snow in terms of characterization. But was it because I related to them personally, or because I felt they accurately represented the everyman? Haaaaaardly. (Lord, would it be nice if we were all Harry and Kell and Aragorn. But then they would not be representative of the trope. So I guess I’m going in circles now.) And do they have to work harder to win me over these days than fundamentally flawed and more ‘human’ protagonists nowadays? Yup. Sorry, snowflakes. That’s just where we are right now.
I do like winter, though. Y’all would have a much easier time with me if you WERE, in fact, bits of snow.
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BAHAHAH YOUR COMMENTS ALWAYS MAKE MY DAY, LEXIE.😂 And yes the whining is just insufferable. I mean, if you’ve got epic powers WHO CARES IF YOU HAVE A BOY/GIRLFRIEND AND IF YOUR EYES ARE BLUE ENOUGH? Omg go smite something and be happy with that.
I haven’t seen S6 of Game of Thrones yet (shhh I was pathetic and wanted to wait for the book but I doubt I will because I’ve seen too many spoilers) but I think little Jon Snow is turning into a snowflake.😂 BUT I LOVE HIM (AND HIS HAIR) SO I DON’T EVEN MIND TBH.
And YES! Snowflakes can be done rather well, but I think they have to work harder than most other tropes to be interesting? Because they’re just soooo overdone. That’s my entirely logical and clearly scientific analysis of course.
I HAVE NEVER EVEN EVER SEEN SNOW.😭
I think it really does depend on how this is done, and possibly—maybe—what the genre of the story is. I think that seeing a Special Snowflake in a contemporary, for example, would drive everyone nuts, because that protagonist would almost definitely be this random pretty girl who is convinced she’s ugly and yet is the only one who is capable of making the school better because of her specialness. Or whatever. I don’t read contemporary, so maybe that happens all the time. Anyway, it’s difficult because we know that would never happen in real life, and at least in my case, I have difficulty agreeing that everyone is a special snowflake in the real world.
But in the fantasy genre? Definitely exhausted, I am certain. The Chosen One has been used so many times in literature, and definitely the YA novels I’m familiar with, that it might be healthy to have a Chosen One/prophecy/one ring to rule them all detox for the next two years in the YA industry. We’re just sick of that stuff, especially because, as you listed in the cons, it is overdone and unrelatable.
Still, I think that there are some genres that are thriving with the special snowflake trope right now, and I actually don’t mind. It isn’t exactly “literature,” but when I was reading your initial list up above of what constitutes a special snowflake, my first thought was “Avengers!” because it applies. They are almost all special rule-breaking irreplaceable snowflakes made of death magnets, and the plot of Captain America: Civil War hinged on that remaining so. Same goes for X-Men, really. This is especially interesting because I think the market took a break from superheroes as a hugely popular phenomenon for a while because all of the tropes and ideas were, again, getting overused and out of hand. Now we’re back on superheroes, and in many cases, they’re making the extra effort to break stereotypes, remain relatable and humorous, and stay enjoyable to large quantities of people.
So, who knows? I definitely think that snowflakes are on their way out now, but it may be that we get some super cool snowflakes in a few years who will blow us all out of the water then.
*nods* I think the fact that it’s SO overdone (particularly, as you said, in fantasy) that we’re just all tiiiiired of it and it’s become uber predictable? I mean, you can’t bop around the fantasy genre at all without encountering it.
And YES superheroes definitely count as little Flakey Snows….but I think the fact that they’re so complex, too, helps?!? And they do make mistakes. HORRIBLE MISTAKES hahahahah *cries a little* So at least they get around the “perfect” aspect that Snowflakes usually have. Plus breaking stereotypes (and cliches) is super helpful.😂
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OMG AREN’T YOU SO KIND! *flails*
What an overdone trope, I totally agree! I am okay with it honestly, like you said there are a few “special snowflakes” that are just so right. But, it has been overdone and it seems as though it will continue to be. Great discussion!
Ahh, thank you, Becca! *flails happily* I think the biggest problem is just how overdone it is, tbh.😂 We’re just getting a bit sick of this hahhaha. #dead
*Starts mentally bobbing along to MCR* ‘Every snowflake’s different just like you….’ XD
What makes me laugh (and probably shouldn’t) is when the special snowflakes are actually named Snow *coughs* GoT, *coughs* Carry On (d’you think Rainbow Rowell did that on purpose? Kind of seems like something she’d do. Like putting the wizard school in Watford for example XD )
OMG YES. I forgot about Simon Snow…special snowflake. But I DID like the twist on that at the end. I liked that a lot. 😉
Most of the time when I’m reading a special snowflake book it is because the character speaks to my heart and I relate to him/her. I think this trope is still needed because it reminds me that I’m not so alone.
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Oh that’s awesome that you relate to Special Snowflakes, Terri!! I’m glad you’re a fan. 🙂
I really like special snowflake aka chosen one characters. Yes, they’re done a lot, but there’s a reason. I’m not an advocate for morally gray ones. That seems to defeat the purpose of the trope. Though I don’t think they should learn things in three days or be too perfect. They should struggle like the rest of us (like most of the chosen ones I’ve encountered do). I think they’re really fun characters and some of the most beloved characters are chosen one characters.
I don’t see how morally grey flakes would defeat the trope haha, but each to their own!😂 And yes when they’re to perfect and flawless at fighting in 3 days it’s seriously irritating. and takes a lot of suspension of disbelief which drags us out of the story, right? 🙁 BUT ANYWAY! It can be done well!!
Special snowflakes are so overdone, a world full of millions of people and it is always that one random person who can save the world despite having no experience of anything. Meh, still it never stops me reading them!
Thank you for the My Chemical Romance gif there, they look so daft in their snow gear!
Haha, AGREED. I’ll read them, absolutely, but I’m getting a bit tired of “oh this random person is suddenly talented enough to save everyone!” Like can’t we have people who are trained?? Please.😂
Omg I didn’t even realise that was a My Chemical Romance gif! bahahah.
Heh – I’m thinking it’s time for the snowflakes to melt already. Yes, I have enjoyed some snowflake books (Harry Potter etc) but I always find that I relate less to the snowflake character and more to the supporting ones. I guess in the end I just prefer more relatable characters. I also find that the snowflakes tend to be rather narcissistic and everything is about them and their special powers and their quest and the burden of their awesomeness and everyone else is just expected to fall in line…
I’m 100% potato.
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I totally agree with relating more to the secondary characters.😂 Sometimes special Snowflakes are just kind of irritating in their unattainable perfection of aaall the things. And I do kind of hate the “oh I’m so ugly yet 903 love interests are surrounding me” <-- that kind of attitude just needs to stop. haha. POTATO LIFE FTW.
haha I loved this.
I do like the whole “special snowflake” thing. It makes for a good story. BUT at the same time, I definitely like the task shared sometimes. Like, maybe they work as a team majority of the book, but then she does the last big task….still with the help of everyone else? I’m cool with that.
I also hate when they KNOW they’re the special snowflake and are just cocky and annoying.
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So what we need is TEAMS OF SNOWFLAKES! Like a blizzard?! *nods* Then everyone would be less special but still awesome haha.😂
YES. Like a blizzard! I LOVE THAT.
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I agree. Those special snowflakes who seem to be better than everyone else and must be protected above anyone else is just a little too much. But also, any trope can be good if done well.
I do like the normal characters! They are so much fun and so relatable. I like it when they do regular human things like have allergies or eat candy or trip over the cat. Or sneeze, It’s monstrously fun to give a character a sneezing fit and all the while they give you annoyed glances like, “Make it stop!” Maybe that’s awful of me. . .
This post make me laugh, as normal. 🙂
Oh I totally agree that any trope can be done well!! We all have our preferences, of course, but a good writer can convince me that any trope is awesome. 😂 (AKA AG Howard = love triangles. Usually I hate them, but Splintered IS MY LIFE.)
Potato characters really are much more relatable, and interesting I think!! And YES I like regular human things, omg. I actually like when there’s like a super powerful character who has regular human weaknesses. Like ooh super strength + peanut allergy = I want to read this. 🙂
Even though I know this trope is overdone, I still kind of love it. But I definitely agree that it can be done well – or very badly.
It’s true!! It honestly can just come down to how the author goes about writing it, right?!?😂
Aaaah, the cute, fluffy special snowflakes. They’re like puppies, unique and yet too similar. And I love puppies (WHO DOESN’T LOVE PUPPIES??? *horrified*) See, I kind of am tired of them. Like, take Frodo. Everyone’s like “OOOOH, he’s the ringbearer”, and I’m like “Goddamit, if Sam wasn’t there, he’d still have that ring for himself, and then Gollum basically helped destroy the ring, even if he is seen as one of the bad guys!” *deep breath*
Yes, special snowflakes “chosen ones” can be done really well. However, I want a book about the sidekicks, you know? The ones who just forms a band, a group, a squad, a team, WHATEVER, and just kicks some butts and save the day. Not ONE person, a team. Also, I want to read a book about a guy/chick who just HAPPENS TO BE THERE. Like, “OOPS, I was there, I stumbled upon this thing, I’m nothing special.” I want that. Sure, it’s nice knowing there’s going to be someone who saves the day, and special snowflakes do that, because you know they can’t die. Suffer yes, be tortured most definitely, maybe lose a limb or two, but they won’t die. I want a book where the hero doesn’t die *glares at a certain trilogy I will not name*, but where I’m not sure. I want to be uncertain about the whole thing, because that will play with my head and my emotions and I’ll probably suffer painfully, but it will be more satisfying than just knowing the story will end with a HEA, does that make sense to you?
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I LOVE PUPPIES AND I’M NOT TIRED OF PUPPIES….but I am a bit tired of Snowflakes so I’m with you there.😂 I don’t think Frodo is a snowflake! He volunteered but he wasn’t any more equipped or like bedazzled with special gift to actually do it. We all know Sam is the true hero.😂
I like to be scared when I’m reading too!! I don’t know to know the Snowflake is going to get through with like, minimal pain and all that. ALL THE PAIN!! ALL THE FEAR!! I don’t want to be apathetic while reading!!
This trope is SO OVERDONE and while I DO enjoy it sometimes, the rest of the time I want the “special snowflake” to die and let the world burn to cinders. That is all.
Hehe, fair enough! I think it needs a bit of revamping because it is getting tedious!!
Eh. I agree – the troupe kind of got old after a while. *shrugs* The first few times I read a book with a protagonist that was a special snowflake I was excited and entertained, but now that every other book has a character that’s a special snowflake it’s just not as exciting anymore. 🙁 Thanks for sharing, and, as always, fabulous discussion! <3
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I totally think it’s the sheer AMOUNT of snowflake blizzards we have to go through that half ruins this trope.😂 And like when you see something aaall the time, it just becomes tedious right?!? Still. It can definitely be done well. 😉
Great post Cait! And yes I totally agree that a special snowflake trope can be done well in some instances, Harry Potter beign a good example, but I also think it’s a bit overdone in general. I think that for a special snowflake to be done well they don’t have to be too special or over powered compared to the rest or they still have to feel realistic and make mistakes too and it needs to be plausible why they are so special. I am personally not a fan of prophecies, but as long as the author can make me believe or convince it makes sense that the character is special and gives a reason for that I can be okay with it. It just seems the special snowflake trope happens a bit too often and I like books about normal people too as like you said special snowflakes can be hard to relate to.
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Yes! I think half the problem is just the fact that it’s done soooo much. It gets tiring just to see the same thing over and over again. I prefer to be scared for the protagonist, not just know that because they’re a Snowflake they’ll get out just fine. 😛
I think this CAN be done well, but it really is. Yes, HP is a good example of how it was done well. As is our dear Kell. But most of the time these characters end up being boring and the story is boring because we kind of already know how things will turn out. So yeah.
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EXACTLY! I want to be in fear for the protagonist. 😂 And despite Kell being a Flake, I’m like 1000% TERRIFIED FOR HIM OMG. *freaks out quietly in the background*
ERRRR I think I might be in the minority group here, but I LIVE for book tropes. HEHE. So, needless to say, I definitely love the special snowflakes trope. And I don’t think it makes the rest of us useless, yknow? Like, I guess for me, when I read it, I have that feeling like “YAS SOMEDAY I WILL BE THE CHOSEN ONE TOO. SOMEDAY I WILL BE A SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE.” You feel me? HEHE. So, it’s kinda cool reading about an ordinary person who turns out to be not-so-ordinary. 😀
But I do agree that it gets used too much, LIKE OMG STOP IT. I wish most authors would come up with something unique, because I’m pretty scared that one day people will get annoyed, like super annoyed, and they will ban this trope, and I’ll dieeeeeee without mah special snowflakes babies. 🙁
(sorry for the long rant heheheh)
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As I said in the post, tropes are not bad. 🙂 So no you’re not in the minority haha. Almost every book contains a trope (or several) it just depends how they’re written that makes the difference. But I’m glad you’re a fan of the Snowflakes! MORE SNOWFLAKES FOR YOU!
Ahhh, the brilliance of this. Great post, Cait. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Amazing job describing the endless problem and fascination with “Special Snowflake” people (and the occasional hobbit).
I agree 99.99999% with everything, especially the propensity for everyone else to find said snowy flake ridiculously attractive–as if they stole all the beauty genes. Tropes done well are fun to read. Done badly, they tempt me to pull my hair out.
One immediately comes to mind in the DONE BADLY category…Eragon *cough* Aragorn-Harry-Skywalker *cough*. Just no.
One done well is Frodo. He’s an orphan, but he doesn’t feel like one. He’s small and vulnerable and not hero material, but he’s not a lovesick teenager either. He’s a fascinating hero without all the excess trope baggage.
Potato or snowflake…Hmmm. Depends on if the potato happens to be highly militaristic Sontoran. #Strax
Oh thank you! 🙂 I really appreciate that! I did have fun with this post.😂 And yes, tropes aren’t bad at all, but they caaaaan be done in cliche ways that just make the reader want to, well, stab out an eyeball? ahem. (And omg I never even finished Eragon because of that. haha. But I kind of do mean to go back to it one day…when I feel like being in a Special Snowflake blizzard.)
Do you think Frodo is a Snowflake though? Because he truly wasn’t special. He volunteered, he wasn’t “chosen” really. I mean Bilbo kind of chose him, but in the end Frodo didn’t HAVE to take the ring to Mordor…anyone could’ve done it. Sam, basically.😂
Eh, I finished the Eragon books. After the second book, it went downhill even more than when it started… 0_0
Hmmm, good point about Frodo. Maybe he’s more of a raindrop, then? Sorta kinda related, but at the same time not?
I admit I like reading about Chosen Ones, at time, although I’ve been disillusioned recently since many of them seem bland. Like you said, that trope could become more interesting if the character has more personality – flawed – doesn’t rely on others to keep him/her safe. I have a particularly soft spot for genre-savvy ones, hehe.
“And when your hair just won’t lie flat, don’t you catch yourself thinking, “Maybe I’m a wizard? THE LAST OF MY KIND????”” YES, OFTEN, I’M GLAD IT’S NOT JUST ME ……..
No seriously though.
This is something I’ve thought about A LOT recently. When I started my WIP series I was like pffft no special snowflakes for me, there will be NO “gosh she’s secretly a princess!”, NO “oh but you ARE beautiful!” and NO “the fate of the Fah family rests in your claws!” ((spot that reference)) But now I’m in Book 2 and Corrie is still waltzing around, no magic powers, not a princess, and I’m like … so why are you here? What do you have to contribute to the war effort? Shouldn’t you go home to your worried parents?
And of course, she DOES have things to contribute (namely, there’s a really needy queen who wants to be her pal, and a very angsty boy (she and he are in love but don’t tell them) who needs her help), and of course, I’m trying to make the point that you don’t HAVE to be a princess or have magic powers to be important. But it does make it harder. If she, like Harry Potter, was the Chosen One and had only the Dursleys to go home to, we’d all feel better about sending her off into battle.
What I’m saying is, when it comes to fantasy special snowflakes are a lot easier.
But whoever said I was going to make this writing thing easy for myself?! Lalalala ….
OBVIOUSLY IT’S UNRULY HAIR = WIZARD TENDENCIES. I’m sure this is true. I have done the research. *throws paper gallantly in the air*
Yes, I do definitely see your point! *nods* But like a character can be crucial to the storyline without everyone falling over themselves to cater to their needs, right? And like, I figure, if they’re replaceable they’re well on the way. Like sometimes the special snowflakes are HORRIBLE to everyone, but everyone still acts nicely to them because they “need” them and that’s just … merp. But anyway.😂 I confess to having written my own fair bundle of snowflakes, so it happens hahhaha.
I have a character who sort of fits the bill, but not exactly. And I made stuff happen so now she can’t fulfill her ‘special snowflake’ duties.. (meaning, she’s pregnant. Because seriously, with all the unprotected sex that goes on in books, you’d think that there would be a few more babies. Just sayin’… and it’s fun to bring ’em back down to earth.)
Bahaha, this is hilarious and wonderful.😂 I write snowflakes too, don’t worry! But my snowflakes usually end up exploding into little lava balls and ruining everything so everyone kills them and they DO NOT save the world. #awkward (And yes there should probably be far more little babies in fantasy books.😂)
Personally I’m not for the special snowflakes… mainly because they’re so unrelatable!! And it’s much more inspiring to read about a “normal” person that is ultimately victorious because of tenacity, grit, or cleverness, not because they’re, uh, “chosen.” I get why it appeals sometimes… it just doesn’t appeal for me! xD
As a side note, Aelin has crossed this line for me in Empire of Storms. *rolls eyes* I used to love this series and I really cared about her character. But now she’s just so powerful and invulnerable and I’m like yeaaaaaaaah I don’t care. I’m sooo unimpressed. xD So… I guess I’ve officially joined your ex-Throne-of-Glass-fans club? *slow high-five*
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WE CAN WEAR MATCHING ANTI-THRONE-OF-GLASS TEE SHIRTS NOW. *hi fives* 😂😭 I mean, gah, Aelin?? What even happened. Celaena was relatale and epic and Aelin is none of those things and a complete jerk on top. I is sad.
HAHA yes, if such T-shirts exist we shall wear them. 😎 Yeah, basically everything that made her relatable and likable has changed. >_>
It depends on how the character is written. For instance, is that character likable? It also depends on the person reading the book. Other readers might find that certain character annoying, while others might find that character likable.
Example? Delilah Bard from ADSOM. I still think Lila is a special snowflake because of the eye and the abilities and the fact that they’re good at what they do. etc.