When we see the words “trope” or “cliche”, our first response is usually to point and scream.
I do point and scream at a lot of others things besides cliches and tropes. Usually those things are lettuce, responsibilities, or the idea that life without chocolate is liveable. BECAUSE IT’S NOT LIVEABLE. I have so so many issues with being told chocolate is not a staple to the human life. It is literally the only thing keeping this planet (and me) together.
Also this post is actually about tropes, not chocolate. Unless you want to talk about chocolate chips in cookies in which case, I will join that conversation.
Today I’m listing some popular tropes and deciding if I like vs hate them!
The inspiration for this post comes from an instagram challenge I’m doing called #BNDTPNov17! It’s hosted by wonderful bloggers including @books.bags.burgers and @journey_thru_pages! So definitely go check out their hashtag. Anyway their November theme was TROPES! And I wanted to spin it into a post. I’m also adding in other tropes I’ve thought up because why not.
Not all tropes are bad! It’s how they’re executed that makes all the difference. A well-written trope can be the absolutely greatest thing, just like chocolate. Wow I need to move on from that.
1. LOVE TRIANGLE (OR SQUARE OR PENTAGON OR DODECAHEDRON)
✓ I actually don’t mind a well-written triangle! Usually I loathe their guts out when a protagonist is all “oh oh who should I choose” and is wishy washy and IRRITATING. But when the triangle exists because of complexities and ALL three characters are developed?!? It’s interesting!!
Basically: no manipulation and leading people on. If it doesn’t go into that then we can work with this.
2. CHOSEN ONE
I’m reeeeally tired of Chosen Ones. I love powerful wild kids, but I don’t like it when the FATE OF THE WORLD RESTS ON THEIR GOOD SHOULDERS and blah blah etc. It’s very boring for all of us. Only you have the cure for the disease! Only you have the key to the world! Ahhh. No.
So yes I still love A Darker Shade of Magic and Harry Potter but…I’m really tired of Chosen Ones. ✗
3. ALL POWERFUL CHARACTER
UGH YES I LOVE IT. ✓ GIVE IT TO ME ALL THE TIMES. This is a favourite of mine to write too. I particularly like all-powerful characters who TERRIBLY underuse their powers or are just huge dorks about it: see Percy Jackson series.
4. FRIENDS TO LOVERS
Again! A solid YES.✓ Because there’s always such depth around this and you honestly close the book and feel like it’ll last, right?! You know the romance is built on two people actually KNOWING EACH OTHER.
Plus there’s less of the: “I would take a bullet for you, my love!!!”
And more of: “If you don’t get out of the way of the bullet, I will slap you because I love you, stupid adorable idiot.”
#SHIP
5. ENEMIES TO LOVERS
Haha hah HAHAHA…yes.✓ The chemistry is real. If two characters start fighting, well you just accidentally generally start shipping them. I didn’t make the rule.
6. INSTALOVE
✗ NO to when two characters instantly believe they are all that’s in the world. It is only the most lazy writing.
✓ YES to when one character falls in love instantly but has to still convince the other person. Because this is super cute, still includes character development, and isn’t irritating as sticking toothpicks in your eye.
7. ABSENT & DEAD PARENTS
This one is haaaaard. Because I do understand it’s easier to have a teen making terrible decisions and BREAKING THE WORLD by themselves. Adults can ruin a plot by being sensible. Sheesh, no one wants to get a full night’s rest, Mum, when we could be overtired and making bad decisions.
However good wholesome families and parents that care about their kids?! Be still my beating heart.
I say ✗ NO because I’m tired of it.
But it’s a soft no. There are many many books I love with absent parents.
8. DAMSEL IN DISTRESS
✗ NO! ALL THE NO’S. AT LEAST 20 NO’S!! Look, girls are extremely capable!! We are not weeping cabbages!! Of course girls can ask for help, but enoughhhhhh of books where the girl CAN’T DO ANYTHING unless a boy is there to hold her hand.
9. TYRANNICAL GOVERNMENT
I do need to climb onto a very small box (because I am very small) and clear my throat and announce gravely that dystopian did get me into reading YA. I think I must’ve ate 8001 dystopians in a very short space of time and therefore forever killed the genre to me.
So ✗ NO. I’m so tired of them you could literally say “tyrannical government” and I would say “please go talk about America somewhere else.” *
* HAHAHA JUST KIDDING…you’re not a President Snow level yet but holy heck, what are you doing, America.
10. LOVE CURES ALL
✗ Oh wow this is literally the W O R S T. If this trope got burned off the face of the sun, the world would be a better place. In fact, I’m even going to list for you whyyyy this trope is so problematic:
- First of all, the people getting “cured” don’t need to be cured! I am very much against cure culture. You need help and support but you can have a mental illness + a happy and fulfilled life.
- Love and support CAN save your life, in the sense that being cared for and helped is so uplifting when you’re struggling…but it won’t solve the problem. It can help you get through a problem, but books usually skip to the: “OMIGOSH NOW YOU’RE BETTER BECAUSE HERE IS A BOY!!”
- Teenage boys can’t cure anything!! They are annoying and smell and are still gathering their braincells because they are not born with them!! I have a brother!! I can attest!! IT’S JUST NOT EVEN REALISTIC.
- If something is so easily “fixed” it diminishes the problem. Putting this into books is literally telling teens all over the world who have depression that they can “get over it” if only they tried a bit harder.
- Also it’s putting like ALL this pressure on your crush/partner/boy/girlfriend and that’s SO unfair to them. They are people with needs too.
11. MENTAL ILLNESS MELTDOWNS AS THE FINALE DESTRUCTION.
✗ Ugh the levels of problematic here would rival the Eiffel Tower in height. This happens so much and while it can be done right, it’s usually done so wrong.
Look if the book is about someone’s spiral downwards —> it makes sense to have the climax have something to do with their disability or mental illness reaching peak.
HOWEVER. If the character is a secondary character or their mental illness isn’t the crux of the book?!?? DO NOT MAKE THEM INTO DRAMA SCENE FOR YOU TO LOOK AT. It is not a sideshow! This is not a zoo exhibit! It’s so so demeaning!! I literally open a book and see a character has bipolar and am like: “Ok well, the climax is going to be them doing something dangerous and manic.” Even if the book is, like, about surfing! Or art! Or mystery solving! Yes please talk about a mental illnesses lows…and yes often it is tragic and dangerous and sad. Put that in the book. But don’t make their entire character arc a meltdown unless that’s all the book is about.
12. HEROES DO A TERRIBLE THING AND VILLAINS DO A GOOD THING.
✓ I LOVE THIS SO MUCH I WILL TURN IT INTO A PIE AND EAT IT! Um…yes that did sound better in my head? Never mind. The fact is: intense appreciation.
I love it when things get turned on their head like this!! It makes my little heart beat faster. Also it (a) makes characters more complex, (b) everyone is morally grey! morally grey for you! and you! and you! and (c) you never know who to love and who to hate! You have to doubt yourself about everything.
Who doesn’t love that kind of trauma?!? It’s so much fun!
13. AMNESIA
Unless you are Bourne and arguably really good at shooting things and being a ninja (which makes up for a LOT of other failings) — then it’s a ✗ from me to amnesia plots. I find them soooooo tedious.
A few books have done it brilliantly!! And I will cheer them forever (WILD BEAUTY I’M LOOKING AT YOU) but generally if you sneeze “amnesia!” you will only see the edge of my flapping cloak as I run far far away.
14. ALPHA MALES AND AGGRESSIVE BROODY DUDES.
Reading about these dudes is basically like making horrible soup out of stinky fish and then tipping it over your eye. It’s not right. ✗ NO to everything in this trope. This trope only exists because of chauvinism and guys being aggressive and domineering like they have “ownership” of someone else is romanticised.
Reading about super masculine guys is fine! It’s just when it crosses that line to where they act like a god given gift to the world and abuse people and are cruel / rude. It’s not sexy, peoples.
(WHY CAN’T WE HAVE MORE SMOL SOFT HUFFLEPUFF BOYS.)
(HEY, GUESS WHAT I’M WRITING.)
15. SMOL FREAKY CHILDREN.
I have mentioned this recently but✓ I really adore small freaky kids with terrifying powers. AKA why are more books not like Stranger Things. #TheGoldenQuestionOfTheWorld There’s nothing worse than something being cute and terrifying, examples include (A) cats, (B) hedgehogs, (C) a single lego on the floor, (D) that small little screen popping up on your laptop saying “FILE CANNOT BE FOUND” when you’re trying to start writing for the day, and (E) me.
I want to be Eleven when I grow up. Or, um, grow down? To be fair, I’m already incredibly small so I just need a pink dress and less hair and way more waffles.
We’ll make it work.
Argh, yes, amnesia plots. They are so clichéd now *coughs* *quickly buries that book about the amnesiac otter she wrote when she was twelve beneath books*. There are a few stories that make manage to do it quite well though (I quite like the way its done in the musical Anastasia) but for the most part. No.
And brooding bad boys. Urgh.
Friends to lovers is so enjoyable! I love reading it, because, as you said, it’s a romance based on actual friendship, rather than just physical attraction. Also Enemies to lovers tends to be hilarious.
I also dislike the humble-blacksmith-son-turns-out-to-be-long-lost-prince trope. That tends to tie into the Chosen One Trope.
Omg hahah I feel bad!😂 Just ignore me AND WRITE WHATEVER YOU LOVE TO WRITE ABOUT!! Like I said, Wild Beauty did it soooo well and so basically any trope can be a good trope if you write it well, yes?!?
I do find it annoying when the unassuming “boring” person is suddenly EVERYTHING important. It’s a little too much.😂
Tropes are the lifeblood of stories. There’s no avoiding them. I seem to have a thing about girls and trees. Is that a trope? I also like to blur the lines between the tomboy and girly girl stereotypes because, let’s be honest, very few real people are fully one or the other. Most of us are a mix of both.
I like the dragon-human trope, and the protaganist/hero who’s basically a villain. I hate instalove.
Wait. The villains do good things in Six of Crows?
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Absolutely!! I feel like the word has a lot of negative feelings attached, but honestly you can’t have a trope-less story.😂 Also girls and trees are fantastic. I approve. Also boys and trees. Basically everything + trees.
Also ALL line-blurring is my favourite!! I love reading about badass girls who then also like pretty things. Basically Isabelle Lightwood. <3
I want to be Eleven, too! She is made of so much awesome I don’t even know where to start. She deserves all the waffles. And, of course, all the chocolate. As well as all the cake.
I agree with almost all your trope hate / like stuff. I think my most favorite is the friends to lovers trope, because there is just so much goodness in good friends falling in love, maybe struggling with being afraid of ruining their friendship with their mushy feelings, and then going for it after all. It’s a guaranteed way to make me all squishy and happy with a book.
I also hate the place-holder secondary character who either has a mental illness, a disability, or something else to make her different – only to make her basically ruin the plot of the book. *sighs*
However, I love alpha males, whom I think are opposite from alpha-holes. An alpha male to me is still respectful, but he can be slightly cave-man-ish. An alpha-hole is just a caveman who has no use for other people’s opinions, meanings, and restrictions when it comes to touching and stuff…
Great list, Cait 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!
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She definitely deserves ALL THE WAFFLES OF EVER. I have to still watch S2 (I’m waiting to watch it with my sister!!) but afjdaskdfl I love Eleven so much.
And yesss, the friends-to-lovers is always so CUTE and so meaningful. And you know things built on friendship first are more likely to last. <3
And it's so condescending to make that secondary character have the mental illness to just "ruin everything". Or, worse, to be a quirk.
I'll leave you to the alpha fellows.😂😂
LOL more Alplhas for me 😀
I haven’t watched S2 of Stranger Things yet, either… I want to have the time to savour it.
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as a gaming fan, I find amnesia tedious too. Love your trope list, I think I agree with most of it.
It is very tedious!! Like sometimes it can be done well, but mostly I’m sO tired of it.😂
Writing has really made me understand why tropes especially plot ones, like someone suddenly gets suck to make the end of the book intense, exist. I do like the odd well written love triangle, and I like fake relationships which become real. I also love it when kisses are an act of meaning rather than romantic ( aka Maggie Steifvater)
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Exactly! I feel like the word “trope” has a negative feeling about it, but like all stories are built off tropes.😂 It’s just about really exploring them instead of going shallow and annoyingly.
Basically everything Stiefvater writes is perfect. 😍😍 *Cait is not biased at all*
Chocolate is okay, you don’t have to stop mentioning chocolate. I actually just had chocolate. I haven’t read a lot of love triangles, but I do hate them. If terribly developed it just makes me ache. The Raven boys was a good example. Also agree that Heir of Fire was a bad example. I agree chosen ones is an old trope yet I still find creating stories and wanting to create a well written chosen one story. I like the Percy Jackson too. Insta love. I totally agree with you. Absent parents agree agree. Girl power. I’ve never been too big into dystopian novels so I’m not so tired of them. I was reading a book on wattpad recently about healing and yes the boy was a large but of moving forward, but I don’t it was all. He helped her to move, but it wasn’t instant nor all healing. I loved Strange the Dreamer and the ending was a pain. I often find myself with story ideas to do with amnesia and realise that I need to stop, although most aren’t written yet. I have a soft spot for those type of stories.
I also hope all that made sense. It is a big chunk of writing.
If I see a book hint at a triangle, I admit, I do walk away.😂 But there are still some really good ones that are really well done! I forgot to add in The Crown’s Game, which I totally enjoyed.
And moving forward and learning to cope is DEFINITELY different to like “suddenly being cured”. And I also don’t want to ever deny the fact that a lot of people do need help, but it’s rarely helpful or permanent if it just comes out of romance. Too much manipulation there. Anywayyyy. YES. Strange the Dreamer was very very very rude with that ending. I sure hope those whole last pages were A TYPO. *cries*
Oh my goodness, YESSSS to all of this! I really like how the tropes themselves are discussed because they surely are not a bad thing (I love a little familiarity now and then!)
One trope I don’t really mind is the infamous Love Geomety™ .. but only in really fluffy books. (<- I really can’t explain why??) But a trope I cannot swallow is the chosen one. Especially if there’s a prophecy. And if their incompetent with their skills when they first find out. (*cough*FROSTBLOOD*cough*)
Oh! And a trope I always (subconsciously!) include in my writing is sassy stabby girls and shy I-don’t-know-how-to-hold-this-dagger-correctly boys. AKA my favorite trope of EVER.
Exactly! A trope isn’t “bad”… it’s just how it’s handled that makes all the difference.😂 And honestly there are a fair few love triangles that I actually like so I can’t be a sour lemon on them all the time.😂
(Frostblood was SO irritating omg. I’m with you.😂)
AJHHHHHHH I DO THAT TROPE IN MY BOOKS TOO!! I FREAKING LOVE IT!!! Hufflepuff boys and Slytherin girls = what I live for.
Excellent list. I agree with a lot of these. I like friends-to-lovers. I think it’s realistic because a lot of people are friends before they decide to do the whole dating thing. A trope I hate is the Magic Healing Dick. A girl has sex/gets a boyfriend, and suddenly all her problems are solved. Sorry, but male genitalia aren’t magic wands. It’s possible to have boyfriends and problems.
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Omg I’m laughing so much. YES TO ALL OF THIS. And honestly don’t boyfriends/girlfriends CREATE more problems?!😂
Not to “eavesdrop” but this is the best reply ever, oh my god. I’m dying 😂 Totally agree. They are DEFINITELY not magic wands.
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😂😂 I’m so glad you agree, Loretta, bahhaha.
SMOL HUFFLEPUFF BOYS ARE THE BEST!!!!! I’m writing lots of them. One is a particularly sad Hufflepuff boy but he’s still very sweet and soft and I love him so much.
One of my favorite things (not sure if it’s a trope or not) is when the tiny little quiet person suddenly turns into an angry killing machine and wreaks havoc on all their enemies. I have a character like that, too. She’s fantastic.
I’M SO GLAD YOU’RE WRITING SMOL HUFFLEPUFF BOYS TOO!! I write them more than any other kind of boy.😂 And omg I love that smol-quiet-person-being-surprising trope.
I LIKE chosen ones! Mostly because so much pressure is on them and they’re like ‘oh boy how the heck do I do this haaaaaaalp’ and I’m just like ha ha little squash you can’t get out of this too bad now suck it up and go save the world.
Wow, that didn’t have very much punctuation. 😳
Most crazily, ~Olive
“Little squash” is the best thing to call a chosen one. This entire comment is amazing.
aww, thanks! 😀
I do love it if they’re done right!! Like Harry Potter was excellent because ultimately the fate of the world rested in his hands, but not EVERYTHING about the situation and the grown ups were still there kicking butt.😂
I absolutely love love love the ‘persuasion’ trope which I don’t actually know what it’s called! Basically the love interests knew each other a long time ago but broke up and regret/still love each other. It’s why persuasion is my fav Jane Austen novel simply for this trope. Augh the feels I get!
I hate the normal person with no powers/ skills who gets involved in supernatural fights. Either the loved interest or best friend and it sucks because everyone says they’ll simply be a distraction but they still go ANYWAY AND IT FUCKING PISSES ME OFF! JUST STAY AT HOME!!!!!!
Ahem anyway, loved this post
Oh I haven’t read that one very much but I do know what you mean!! I do love it when they have to really WORK for the romance…it makes it more believable and shippable.😂
Honestly chocolate is the only thing that’s keeping me in one piece right now. And YES YES YES people need to stop doing the whole “Let’s romanticize a mental illness and make it the poorly written climax of the story”. Like, no! Mental illness freakin sucks and it shouldn’t be romanticized. If you’re going to write it, then you should show all of it. Not just what is necessary to your plot. Anyways, enough rambling. I’ve just launched my blog! It’s going to have a lot to do with books and nerdy things so if you want to check it out I’d be an absolutely happy person 🙂 url: https://iwasateenagepolarbear.wordpress.com xx
I couldn’t agree more!! I’m so tired of mental illness being the “Thing that ruins everyone’s lives at the climax” or someone’s whole character arc being their mental illness nearly killing them. Like that happens, yes. But omg it’s like turning people into NOT people. It romanticises it and then turns them into a box of symptoms and it’s frustrating.
I will definitely come see your blog!
Enemies to lovers that is well written. Give me! I need.
I’m kind of done with absent and dead parents as well. It is just so easy, right? Well. booh make it harder on yourself authors.
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I know right? I confess I write a lot of horrible parents.😂 Because it’s a good way to add conflict but ahhhh I LOVE reading about good families!!
😉 Don’t worry, Cait, we hate him as much as we hated Snow….
AND YES HEROES AND VILLAINS AREN’T BLACK AND WHITE HELLO I LOVE THAT TROPE TOOO
I actually like the damsel in distress trope when its used right… like i read a (bit ooc) fanfic where the mc started like that but had this big growth and helped themselves and I LOVED THAT
COMPLEX HEROES FOR THE WIN. WE LOVE THEM AND WE LOVE TO BE CONFLICTED BY THEM.😂
I hate the damsel in distress one, but I don’t like it when they make the female a bit too over the top of not being one. They should need help once and a while, you know; they’re still human! So both of those are annoying to me. 😆
Truuue! Not being able to ask for help is weakness too.
(Basically I just want well-written, well-rounded human beings that are also female??)
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It’s like can’t we have balance with females?!?? They don’t have to be a damsel OR a robot?!?😂
When I read #15, the first thing that came to mind was “My Sister Rosa.” TALK ABOUT FREAKY CHILDREN.
OMG YES SISTER ROSA! That was horrible and awesome.😂
I’m so over the love shapes. Give me a book with less romance, more action plz.
I love the found fmily trope. My current favorite is A Court of Mist and Fury. More of all the side characters in that book! I’m not sure if this is a trope or not, but I love boarding school stories. Parental units are (usually) still alive butnot there, allowing all of the shenanigans XD
Wouldn’t that be nice, right?! Instead of love hexagons, let’s have NO ROMANCE FOR ONCE!😂
Omg I love this post so much! I aso loe the friend to lover and eney to lover tropes-they’re my favorites and they’re always so cute. All powerful characters are good too. Tropes I hate-there are so many. Some are the “I’m not like other girls” character or a girl who instantly has friends after she becomes pretty or skinny. But, a trope that I absolutely despise that no one seems to talk about is the popular mean girls trope. I hate books and movies where all the popular girls are mean and rude. It’s just not true and it’s so frustrating. I go to school, and I’m not in the popular group myself, but I have plenty of friends in that group who are some of the nicest people I’ve met. Sure, there are mean people in that group, but there are people who aren’t popular and they’re mean too. I just hate it when popular=mean, because it is just not. True. It frustrates me soooo much. Also…about number nine…I’m American and I agree. America get ur head together!
I sooo love the all-powerful characters. They’re just so EPIC AND TERRIFYING. Yas. And ugh the “makeover” tropes annoy me too…or like when the girl puts on a dress and suddenly the boy realises she’s gorgeous. Seriously?!? That’s so demeaning!! And the popular girl trope annoys me too. I think the “highschool cliques” that are in books/movies are way over the top.😂
ahhhh I love this post so much! I agree with you on everything!
Aww I’m glad we are of the same opinion!!
I love this post so much and found myself nodding along to A LOT of your choices here. I absolutely love the friends to lovers trope, it is so realistic and I just love how the characters know each other, are friends and grow feelings for each other slowly. Also, a big no no no no nooooooo to absent parents and love-cures-it-all tropes, I hate these ones the most, I think. You’re so right, you can have a fulfilled and happy life while having a mental illness. Books suggesting the contrary just are a big, big no.
I have to admit I’m curious about An Ember in the Ashes: I’m with you on that the love triangle in this is A MASSIVE NO. But I’m curious, otherwise did you enjoy the book / series, or it wasn’t for you? 🙂
Also, to answer your question, one trope I write a lot is the childhood friends with complex feelings one. I love that one a whole lot ahah.
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AHH I’M GLAD WE’RE IN AGREEMENT. Clearly we both have excellent taste.😂 And friends-to-lovers is so sweet too?! Like they know each other and do cute little things and jafdklsad I love it so much.
I think we need WAY more balance with how mental illness is written in books, because currently the majority of it is just depressing. 🙁
I actually didn’t like Ember in the Ashes originally…BUT I hear the audiobook is by my favourite narrator so I kind of want to retry? I just thought it was so dumb how they killed off like half the army to see who was the best? I mean, why? Put the soldiers that aren’t “the elite” as foot soldiers to be killed in the first wave. Just killing off EVERYONE was really wasteful from a strategic point of view ahhaha. Anyway. I might continue someday.😂
Ohh I’m glad you write the childhood friends tropes!!
I agree with almost all of these especially number 4 and 5 because what cuter than enemies becoming lovers or friends becoming lovers. I don’t mind number 7 because it is hard not to kill the parents and this is also the reason my parents will never read what I write. I do try my very best though to not kill parents and actually have wrote good parents before, but I admit I have killed some parents to. Also is it to much to ask for all alpha male to fall off a cliff?
I was reading number 15 and was so excited when I read “hedgehogs” because I’m literally reading this post with my pet hedgehog next to me. Proof hedgehogs are terrifying is when my parents had a friend over and made me show them my hedgehog and she tried to touch her and my hedgehog hissed and my parent’s friend screamed and basically ran away. Also a fun fact hedgehogs are usually nice to one person and this is because they plan to take over the world but there plan requires a loyal servant aka their owner, so you may have competition taking over the world!
Love you post!
Omg I have the same problem with writing parents.😂 I mean, I tend to write really AWFUL parents or dead ones and my mum is kind of concerned.😂 (Why is it so hard to write nice parents?!)
aww you have a pet hedgehog!! I’m so jealous!!😂
I am with you on the love triangles! I actually LOVE love triangles. But then you get a bad I’m so indecisive and manipulative and ugh… and it spoils it. I actually tend to write love triangles. They’re often the oblivious type. You know, one character happily getting on with their life and their love interest of choice, with absolutely no idea that their best friend / ex / sworn enemy is pining helplessly in the background and then things getting all tangled and complicated when they realise. (I also realise that if you look at the circumstances of my novels, happily is probably not the right word. But still.)
One I hate… Hmmm… I’m not keen on Chosen Ones but I understand why sometimes they make a story work so… I think I’ll go with the super masculine aggressively dominant dudes. I think we both know which author is the main culprit here.
Yes! Yes exactly! Like if you say “do you like love triangles” I’ll say: NO. But then there are a ton I truly adore and they’re done so well?! It’s when people get horrible in them and abuse and hurt each other that it makes no sense. I have a really small triangle in one of my books and it’s amusing me a lot.😂
Ahh HHHAAAA yes I think we are thinking of the same author with the aggressive alpha dudes. *throws up a little*
So which of these did you try and make into soup, Cait? : P I, personally, would make the instalove trope and the love cures all trope into a lettuce soup because they irk me that much! Then I’d make the friendship turns into romance into pumpkin soup because it’s the best and, like you said, there’s actually hope of those characters continuing their relationship after the book unfortunately ends.
As a writer, I tend to focus on friendship before romance, which could (maybe should) be a trope. Also I have this thing about open endings, but that’s probably more me hating to tie up everything loose plot thread and less of a trope. : )
Oh I think I made the broody bad boy into soup and drowned in it because it annoys me so much.😂😂 But there is GOOD types of soup obviously (I love pumpkin soup) so yes let’s accuse of the friendship-to-romance of being delicious pumpkin soup.
Omggg I love open endings too!! I almost always do them because I like that whole idea of “the book still continues when you close the cover”.
There are some top-notch gifs in this post; namely the “no, no, NO!” girls and the sassy face Instalove girl.
Little & Lion and The Ember in the Ashes just tumbled several spots down my TBR, given that you call them out for bad trope application. Especially since I completely agree with all of your good and bad examples that I’ve read in each of these.
I think I’ve said it before, but a couple of days ago it seriously hit me–I am living in a dystopia. We pretend we have liberty and justice for all, and we distract ourselves with shiny objects made by people living in virtual slavery, and the majority of us live in enough comfort that we don’t want to confront the fact that our system is actually really really messed up. That’s what a dystopia is, right? A false utopia? “Make America Great Again” my ass.
Do you have a hot pink copy of THUG? Is that an Australian edition or something?
I think “fixed by love” is my most hated trope. There is not a good way to do it, unlike pretty much all the others, which CAN be done well, even if they often AREN’T. And Heroes Do Bad/Villains Do Good is awesome. I’m thinking of the Chaos Walking series.
I’m so glad you liked my gifs for this one.😂😂 And Little & Lion is hard because it’s SO good with a lot of the rep, but the bipolar had some problematic themes going on unfortunately. *sigh*
I’m sure we’re all in a dystopia by this point too.😂 I mean, Australia isn’t quite as bad as America, but it’s not really great. We’re still voting if certain people groups get rights. I mean, WAHT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD.
Oh! My copy of THUG is the UK paperback! Only the spine is hot pink, the rest is black with a girl’s face!
I actually love a fair few tropes haha. Girl disguised as boy, the chosen one (it’s one of my guilty pleasures and I love to write it and read haha. But it can definitely be done in a horrendous way and ruin a plot), hate to love, the grey areas of heroes and villains, and probably more I’m forgetting. Love triangles depend on how they’re written, same with the tyrannical government.
I cannot deal with instalove though, or the whole “love is the solution to all” crap. I also get annoyed with the “one has to sacrifice themselves to save everyone” thing BUT it’s also in a lot of my favourite books so I am very conflicted about it.
Pfft, I mean just look at ME and all my trope-love-confessions here.😂 I do like the girl-disguised-as-a-boy sometimes but it usually grates on me that it HAS to happen because of the sexism of the world. *cries* But then like Lila Bard is freaking AWESOME.
This was super fun to read! I generally agree with your thing, but I’m kind of a sucker for amnesia plots and have written a few 😛 that sad, I’ve only read/seen like three things with amnesia plots (and one of them was the Bourne Identity) and they were all great, so, that might be why.
ON THE TOPIC OF WHICH. I have an amnesia plot book suggestion for you, which … maybe you’ve already read it? I don’t know. It’s The Rook by Daniel O’Malley, about a woman (old enough that the book technically isn’t YA) who wakes up with no memory and finds she’s inherited (from her pre-amnesia self) the job of basically being in MI5 but for supernatural disturbances. She is also a real powerful character, which you said you like, so maybe that’ll balance out the amnesia plot? ANYWAY I loved this book and it was a total fucking blast to read, just very fun, and I recommend it and if you end up reading and liking it you should let me know. If you end up hating it, I’m sorry but also sad.
Ahh thanks, Rain!! I’m so glad you liked it.😂 And hey any trope that’s well written is a good trope! And c’mon now, Bourne is amazing so obviously I’m not opposed to all amnesia tropes.😂
I have actually heard of The Rook! I feel like I might even have won it at some point and it might be on my kindle?!? Thanks for the rec though! I definitely shall get to it!
Ughhhh. I just realized one of the books I’m reading has eight (EIGHT) of your X nope make it stop tropes. I think the only one it is missing is Amnesia.
No wonder I am so enraged by it. As in, cannot listen to it without a constant strain of salty comments on Goodreads. Or Twitter. Sometimes both at the same time. You make me feel better. Thank you.
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Ahhh hahah. I mean they’re just MY “nope tropes” but like some of them are so irritating.😂 And hey isn’t that what Goodreads is for? So we can just give salty commentaries at all times?😂
Okay, I know we’re all supposed to hate tropes and whatever, but honestly there are a few that I’m an absolute sucker for. I totally agree with you about the smol stabby children and the books where literally everyone is morally gray and does terrible things: Yes. GIVE IT TO ME. Enemies to lovers is the best. And honestly, there are some fic tropes I reaaally wish would start bleeding into actual books because bedsharing? The cutest. Fake relationships/marriages? GIVE IT TO ME.
But love cures all and mental illness breakdowns can go burn with actual good American government.
I know right?! We totally shouldn’t be so hard on tropes.😂 EVERY book has them and some are just downright enjoyable. Like if someone says “there’s hate to love romance here” then I kind of want to read it immediately.😂 Also fake relationships are so adorable, I forgot about that one! I got TOTALLY sold on it in To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Ahhh.
omg I’m laughing so much at your last line. YES.
It’s interesting because I haven’t seen so much of the mental illness gradually fades or amnesia tropes, but I wouldn’t like them! Love triangles are getting way too overused in my opinion but yes, they can be well written. Insta love is definitely seen too often, and I agree, if one character likes the other and has to convince them it makes a lot more sense. Though I confess, I’m not so cynical about insta love, I just like to ship people. I don’t see friends/enemies to lovers often enough, especially the latter! It makes for a good story.
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Love triangles are definitely overused!😂 I think that’s half the problem, honestly? Because like if they were more rare, maybe I we all wouldn’t be so sick of them haha.
I’m actually mildly addicted to the Chosen One Trope – WHEN DONE PROPERLY. Should every book be about a chosen one? No, but don’t throw out my babies with the bathwater.
I don’t outright hate any particular trope, because I think that every trope has its place, and it can be done properly. One that annoys me, though, is the Female Fighter trope. Not that I hate girls who fight … it just saddens me that that seems to be the only archetype of “strong” woman that many authors know how to write. GIVING YOUR GIRL A SWORD IS NOT THE MAGICAL CURE TO MAKE THEM A STRONG CHARACTER. In fact, it can make a girl less identifiable and inspiring for young girls – CAN WE PLEASE STOP TEACHING THAT THERE IS ONE COOKIE-CUTTER-MOLD FOR FEMININITY. Show woman doing and loving feminine things right alongside your female fighters. Let little girls feel proud to be girls.
That said, I do write a lot of female fighters. I like exploring what it means to be a woman in my writing. Anywho.
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For sure! Like no trope is “bad” (unless it’s one of the major problematic one that harms a minority), it just depends what types of readers like them, if they’re well written, and if they’re overdone. The pure only reason I hate tyrannical governments is because I read too many. My bad.😂😂
And SO much agreement with the “strong female character”. Also guys don’t have to do that? We never say “oh here’s a strong male character” aughiguaHA AGH. Girls are complex and different and they can be super strong with or without a sword! I’m so in appreciation of your comment, Kendra!! Girls should be proud to be super feminine if they want to be!!
I agree with you on almost all of these… My favourite trope is probably hate to love relationships, because they’re just wonderful. As for the ones I hate, obviously I hate all of the harmful ‘love cures all’ and such tropes, but I also really HATE love triangles. I mean, I’ve certainly read okay ones, but even those aren’t my favourite, and once they start lying, or anything like that, it just makes me SO mad!
The snark! the banter!! It gives me pure life.😂😂 Ugh and I do hate when the lying/emotional-manipulation starts in triangles. It’s really irritating and kills any good plots!
Some tropes are wonderful. And others are… not. The one I have the most love/hate relationship with is love triangles. I usually end up picking the person who they meet second (like I’m Team Peeta), but it doesn’t really seem fair to the original guy….whyyy it is so complicated.😂 Anyway, great post, Cait!
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Exactly! And I think our personal preferences just play into this a lot too.😂 (TEAM PEETA ALL THE WAY, I AGREE. I hated Gale…he was so awful.) I only really like triangles when the characters ALL have lives outside of the triangle. Otherwise it’s really irritating for some reason!?
Tropes that are pretty much in ALL my WIPs:
1. Dead/absent parents (because I have no imagination)
2. Dead older siblings (basically, if you’re an older sibling…hahaha, watch out)
3. Halfway instalove (I love it even more when the other half is instahate)
4. Royalty (is that a trope?)
Someday I’ll grow out of it. Someday. Tropes I’ll never write though?
1. Love-triangles
That’s all.
Omg I LOVE instalove vs instahate though.😂😂 I do that so much too so pls keep writing just as you are haahah. And I have a lot of horrible parents in my books which is super bad of me (CAIT, STAHP BEING INTO ALL THE TROPES!!) so I’m trying to work on good parents in my books?!? Help.
I LOVE THIS IDEA!! I love discussing tropes. I definitely agree with the absent parent trope… I want to see some parents that help their kids kick butt and have the kids be surprised.
Mind if I steal this idea for a post on my blog? I’ll give all the credit. ❤
Oh feel free, Charley!! That’s totally fine! (I can’t wait to read your take on it.🎉🎉)
I think that *most* tropes are not all good or all bad ever, it depends on how they are handled. That said, there are a few in here that need to burn forever, like the MI as a plot device, the love “curing” people, and the douchey guy. OH and the damsel, not really a fan of that unless she like, gets her own self un-damseled? UGH and I hateeee when the rude guy has some snowflake “reason” for being rude. Like no, sorry, I don’t really care what happened, you don’t get to treat people like garbage, “bro”. I do love friends-to-lovers though. I think because it seems hopeful for like, real life?
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Yes exactly! And honestly sometimes it’s just the sheer quantity that is the problem. Like would we all roll our eyes at love triangles if they weren’t in every second book?!? And I wouldn’t hate dystopian so much if I hadn’t have overeaten it as a teen.😂 (But yes like you said, some of them are just always going to be problematic.)
No one is allowed to be rude and have it excused!! It’s such a pet peeve of mine!!
(And AGREED. I feel like friends-to-lovers will actually stay together.😂)
I just have to comment on the perfection that is that Tinkerbell gif for instalove. Just YES. 😂
Isn’t her face perfect?!😂 NEW FAVOURITE GIF.
Let me tell you about chocolate. Yesterday I made cocoa for my boyfriend and then me. The way I make cocoa for myself is more complicated, cause I use actual baking cocoa (not the drink powder) and make myself THE DRINK OF THE GODS (it’s more bitter and stronger), and guess what. IT BURNED TO THE POT ;_; I had to throw it ALL away, and had no more milk. And my boyfriend had cocoa and I didn’t. So I just went off to my little corner and sat there like a sad little panda bear. That’s how much chocolate means xD
I also agree that tropes are not all bad. Tropes are kind of what stories are made of, in the general sense. Everything is tropes. But it’s when they get overused or oversimplified, that’s when it’s bad!
Haha, I’m also really tired of Chosen Ones 😀 it’s not a bad trope, but it’s just greatly overused. Maybe we could give it a decade to rest. Then we’d like it again.
I admit I do like friends to lovers as well, cause it’s basically the story of my life 🙂 I do hate enemies to lovers though xD cause I just can’t see that one being very realistic.
And yep, dystopian government settings are fine, but I believe most of us are also tired of them by now.
Ditto on the teenage boys bit xD I always get really annoyed about that in books 😀
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I can actually FEEL the agony and pain of your hot chocolate experience. *cries with you* And also pure admiration for how dedicated you are to your hot cocoa making!! I seriously put cocoa powder and hot water and like a dash of milk and call it a day.😂 (Apparently I love chocolate but I’m also mega lazy.)
And YES! All books have tropes. That’s storytelling! But just some tick us off more than others, right?!😂
Tons of these aren’t even the problem…it’s more the sheer quantity of what we’ve had to put up with ahhah. I’d probably not be so over the tyrannical governments if I hadn’t read 9389 books when I first started!
I agree with so so so many of these, Cait! BUT I especially love the ‘why can’t we have more smol soft Hufflepuff boys?’
BECAUSE YES! I need all the Cedric Diggory-boys out there to be written into books (although I’m still salty about that one in particular). I genuinely need a Hufflepuff boy in my life, and I’m 100% convinced that books need them too.
I always love your posts! I haven’t been able to read many blog posts in the past months, but I always look forward to yours 🙂
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I LOVE ALL THE HUFFLEPUFF BOYS TOO!! I swear I write more Hufflepuffs than anything else (which is hilarious to my Slytherin soul😂). And aww, thanks so much, Jolien!! I’m sorry I haven’t been on your blog lately either. Life gets so busy right?! Off to read yours now!! <3
I think I agree with you on almost every single one of these EXCEPT I’m still down for a good dystopian. I know, I know, I’m behind the times here, but give me a good tyrannical society with a villain with shades of gray (like you can actually see WHY the society or the leader thought that the dystopia might actually have been necessary) and I am loving it!
Aww that’s fine!! Like I said, I TOTALLY overloaded myself. 😂 Apparently why read a few good things when you can read 498 of them and then hate yourself and the genre.😂
Ughh yessss I agree with everything you’ve said! Some cliches I’m totally cool with like the freaky kids, morally grey characters, and friends to lovers BUT I HAAAAAAATE ALPHA MALES AND BROODY DUDES! Ughhhh so. much. hate.
I love reading about cute teeny bois doing coot noice things. And I love big bois doing coot teeny things. Okay I’ll leave now…
Eeeep I love the smol cinnamon sons too THEY ARE SO LOVELY. And like the really massive character who is so sweet and gentle?! LOVE THAT TOO.
I wasn’t going to post this, but I’m so upset right now that I feel I should. I’m probably not the only one who feels this way (even if others might be afraid to say so).
I know this is your blog and that these are your opinions. But you need to be very careful when you make statements like, “First of all, the people getting “cured” don’t need to be cured!” When someone who does want to be cured of a problem that’s making their life a living hell, destroying their will to live, or making it seem like there’s no hope for a decent life because they can’t function at all, a statement like that can come across as a giant, cruel slap in the face. Contrary to what the neurodiversity movement would have us believe, there are people who would do almost anything for a cure for their issues, whatever those issues might be. If some people want to keep their disorders and diagnoses, that’s their choice and their right. But not everybody feels the same way, and it’s not fair (or kind) to dictate how people should feel about their own problems, or make them feel bad for daring to hope for a cure.
Now, I’m not saying that books highlighting “tru wuv” as a cure are okay. That trope is pretty much just… stupid. It’s the anti-cure thing that breaks my heart. For what other condition or disorder would people ever think it was okay to say it’s wrong to want a cure or that it’s okay to make people feel bad for wanting one? Cancer? Diabetes? Alzheimer’s? Suicidal depression? Who would want to keep these things? Who wouldn’t want a cure? Frankly, this baffles me. Yes, I understand there are people with autism who think cures (even though there aren’t any for their particular condition yet) are awful. I just don’t understand why that has to translate to an anti-cure stance for all mental illnesses, especially when some of them can, essentially, be cured.
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Agree to disagree. I don’t know what your experiences are and whether you personally have any disabilities / mental illnesses, etc. But the thing is, most of them cannot be cured. They can be managed to the point where they don’t destroy your life. Say you have schizophrenia to such a point that it is dangerous for you and others — you will never not have schizophrenia, but you can get it managed to a point where it is not ruining your life and your quality of life improves. There’s a HUGE difference between cure culture and assistance.
I do hope that one day you might reconsider what you said about autism here (and that there’s no cure “yet”) because your comment is very harmful.
I’m pretty sure I read like the first 4 of Sarah Maas’s books?? And while my memories of them are rather fuzzy, my impression was that every book had a different love interest. Which was just – nope. ESPECIALLY if [I don’t actually remember if this happened or not, though??] the love interests would cycle through again every few books.
Friends to lovers – YES.
Absent/dead parents… ahahaaa *runs away* *with all my manuscripts tucked under my arm*
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Ahhh you are not wrong.😂 I think it was Chaol/Dorian for book 1, and then Chaol alone for book 2 and then Rowan for book 3 and then Rowan and the cousin Aedon (??) for book 4??? And then I quit too because I cannot handle that level of stupidity.😂
(Shh don’t worry.😂 I have mostly got horrible parents in my books😂)
With the exception of the Love Triangle (a trope I despise and simply acknowledge that some triangles are slightly more tolerable than others), I agree with a lot of these, most of the time it’s not the trope itself, but how it’s used. Such as your mention of using mental illness and disability as a side-conflict, that’s stuff is serious, and neither of those topics should ever be used as a source cheap drama. As bad as it is that mental health and disabilities can be used as cheap drama, I sometimes find in YA books with Female Protagonists that sexual assault has become the new “dead parents” (as if dead parents weren’t bad enough). All in all, a good list of good and bad tropes.
Yes exactly! And a well-written trope can warm my cold dead heart really fast.😂 Like I basically ALWAYS avoid love-triangles, but I’ve been caught unawares with some that I’ve quite enjoyed. But egh, yes the problematic ones can’t really be redeemed. Ever. And I hate it when they’re used as cheap drama…or like the “finale” where the mentally ill person flips out and “ruins everyone’s lives”. GOD I HATE THAT.
Girls are indeed not weeping cabbages. I don’t mind tropes as long as they’re well written and not the same scenarios rehashed time and time again. Love triangles are common but same same, don’t have the main love interest pinging back and forth between these potential partners because then it becomes irritating. What young adult needs is more unrequited love. Ohhh as a teen you would be crushing on a guy only to find out that he already had a girlfriend which gave you a terrible case of sad face, but then you pick yourself up, get yourself an inspiring theme song to march off into the sunset with, holding your own hand. Where are those storylines? The girls that realise love is a little bit shit and they have the rest of their lives to figure it out and for now, they’ll buy themselves flowers and woo themselves with moderately priced dinners.
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Aww unrequited love. :’) I have mixed feelings on that.😂 As long as the person doesn’t make themselves and ABSOLUTE SAP over it. (I love you Radu but omgggggg please find someone better than Mehmed, HE DOESN’T DESERVE YOU. *wretched wailing*)
Honestly I love books where girls realise love is a little bit shitty and then go do something amazing.😂
As an American, I don’t even know what’s happening anymore. Australia is nice isn’t it? Can I come live with you in a spare bedroom? Cupboard under the stairs?? A shoe box??? I’LL BRING CHOCOLATE.
But seriously, this post is amazing! I totally agree that tropes can be good or bad depending on the writer. If it’s written well, I’m a sucker for almost anything. But omg YES TO ALPHA MALES AND BROODY DUDES!!!!! I HAAAAAAATE THAT!!!!!! It’s been done so many times and I’m over it. I don’t mind broody dudes AS MUCH if they’re written well, but I HATE the alpha male thing. NOPE.
And I’m also a total sucker for the whole enemies to love thing. SWOON! And btw, as a fellow Hufflepuff, if your book is about smol soft Hufflepuff boys, I’M TOTALLY HERE FOR IT!!! Well, more than I was before?? Whatever, I’m excited!!!! 😆
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AUSTRALIA IS VERY NICE HONESTLY. I mean…not perfect, but a heck of a lot better than your dystopian world.😂 And we have lamingtons! AND TIM TAMS.
And too true, right?! Anything well written wins me over immediately. Like I would’ve always said “nO TO INSTALOVE!” but I actually read a well-done version this year and it threw me.😂 I think sometimes books use tropes as an “easy out” and then it’s just lazy. But if it’s really properly and cleverly incorporated it works SO well.
aWWWW I’M GLAD!! I tend to write so many Hufflepuff boys.😂 And Slytherin girls mwhahah.
Ok Cait… I have never agreed with a post more. 4:My best friend is a guy. He and I will NEVER be in a romantic situation though,and I have been asked this question to many times:IS HE YOUR BOYFRIEND?!OH I SHIP SO HARD! Just leave me and my cinnamon buns alone please.5: AHEM…Annabeth and Percy:).9: Ok so I have had a deep hatred for Dystopian since i was a smol 4th grader. I HATE dystopian. And I live in America. I just really hate dystopian. 10: As for the teenage boys thing…I had 3 of them living in my house up until 1 year ago and let me just say…not every boy can be Percy or Frank or even Leo. 13: I hated the first 2 books of The blood of Olympus mainly the 2nd one because it just triggers me when I know how that person lived before someone stole their memories(HERA YOU NASTY LITTLE WITCH). Thanks for posting and sorry this was soooooo long. I just really agreed.
Emmy
P.s I like the smol hufflepuff boys in my common room. They are very pleasant.
I’M VERY VERY GLAD, EMMY. *shares cake with you* 😂 And honestly book-boys give us unrealistic expectations for boys-in-real-life. My brother is a gross lump. Why couldn’t I have a brother like Percy Jackson?!? THE REAL QUESTION.
I really hate it when the character is like O-Woe-is-to-me since sweetheart, I don’t want to listen to what Samantha told Simon today (rhyming names= also bad)
But I love sweet hufflepuff pepole who suffer endlessly.
Also, my current WIP is an amnesia novel, so let’s see if it works *fingers crossed*
Sweet hufflepuffs all the way I say. <3 We do not deserve their gorgeousness.
(Also sorry for insulting the amnesia trope!! I know it CAN be done well and I fully believe in you!!)
Nope, I do not like love triangles at all lol. BEST FRIENDS TO LOVERS IS MY FAVOURITE. (Speaking of which, my Gentlemen’s Guide is ready to pick up at the library!) I totally agree about Love Cures All, that is literally the worst trope ever. And unrealistic. I HATE ALPHA MALES. Anyway, great post Cait!
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I’M SCREAMING I HOPE YOU LOVE THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE. I JUST FINISHED RE-READING IT FOR THE 2ND TIME THIS YEAR, THAT’S HOW OBSESSED I AM. 😍😍😍
Brooding bad boys, no. Except. Brooding YA Hero for life. Also, any trope twister that takes a super serious character (like a Broody) and makes them look ridiculous…usually by them being unaware of how ridiculous they are.
I do have a soft spot for dark broody boys who are actually really insecure, though, if it’s not coupled with bad power dynamics. I used to write a lot of that. Now I mostly just write boys who are angsty and really insecure…less broody, though.
Oh I like broody boys who just aren’t HORRIBLE about it.😂Like Cassandra Clare writes a lot of broody boys but they make fun of themselves so that’s fun.😂
I know you said amnesia/memory loss is crap on the whole but can I recommend Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin because the plot is used in a great way. Before she is mean, selfish, tons of attitude, after because she can’t remember anything she re-evaluates her whole life and changes it for the better, ditches dull boyfriend, rediscovers her passions, heals family rifts. It’s just awesome.
That honestly sounds really good! 😂
*small children with scary powers* *coughs in the direction of Zu from Darkest Minds* PROTECT MY SMOL CHILD AT ALL COSTS AND ALSO CREATE 13894530983 MORE OF HER
I have not read Darkest Minds but I am already a fan!!
HOW have you not read it??? It’s the trope of outcast kids banding together + smol children with powers and also Alexandra Bracken. You must read it immediately.
I KNOW!! I’m ashamed of myself.😂 Although I confess the reason I haven’t read it is purely because my library shelved it as adult and I have to pay to reserve it.😂 I knoooow, I’m terribly stingy. I swear I will get to it though. 😉
EW why do you have to pay to reserve it? That’s awful. It is totally worth it though. All my precious babies are beautiful and amazing
Unfortunately yes. 😭😭 I believe you though and it’s on my to-do list!
… it’s generous for you to say The Raven Boys has a good love triangle when it’s actually a love pentagon, but we should keep that under wraps for the sake of Mrs. Bennett and her poor nerves.
Also, America is fine. We’re fine. F-I-N-E. I mean, historically speaking, every country goes through a period that can be lovingly called a shit storm, and some last longer than others, but eventually it all lands in a history book and we’re like, “Hey, you remember when that happened? Would be totes stupid for us to do that again,” and then go do it again because for the most part men rule the world and historically have never been taught the meaning of the word “no.” BUT WE ARE FINE. ALSO, RUSSIA IS PLANNING ON HAVING A REALITY SHOW THAT IS BASICALLY THE HUNGER GAMES WHERE YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO WIN INCLUDING MURDER (you will go to jail, but you sign a waiver saying you totes are okay with dying if it happens) SO IF THE WORLD COULD FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION ON RUSSIA BEING RUN BY FRIGGIN JERKOFFS (who don’t even like gay people, which is 50% worse than America) THAT WOULD BE COOL. Like, America is only getting final countdown music because we’re big and loud and obnoxiously hard to miss but there are plenty of other assholes in the world AND I’M JUST FEELING A LITTLE SENSITIVE ABOUT MY COUNTRY.
… woo… don’t know where that came from.
So about you turning in Eleven, I don’t know if you have the bone structure for a shaved head (take it from someone who has rocked that look twice), but doesn’t she have longer hair in the second season or something? (have never watched the show, am going solely on social media posts) You could pull that off. 🙂
You know…it is a love pentagon and I am so VERY wrong in my assessment. I mean Blue kissed Noah and Adam and Blue where together at one stage and then Ronan kisses Adam and Blue fake kisses Gansey and then Gansey divorces them all and runs after a dead kind, the true love of his life. WHAT IS THAT. IS THERE A WORD FOR THIS. I DON’T KNOW. It’s beautiful.
I have heard about the Russians. What is going on with this universe. But I the unfortunate problem with America being such a fireball at the moment is that they influence and affect the rest of us super much.
Honestly I have no idea how I’d look shaved?? I might turn out to be Ronan, who can know.
My most hated trope of ever is the miscommunication plot-line. I find it pointless, aggravating, and a super weak plot device.
On the other hand I love both the friends to lovers or enemies to lovers trope. I also don’t mind the alpha male trope as long as it’s done right (in my opinion of course). I particularly like the alpha males that are complete pushovers when it comes to their love interest. I find it hilarious.
Oh I agree…that one is endlessly irritating. Why can’t people just TALK!? Books would also probably be half the length.😂
Cait, you wound me with the Heir of Fire choice! But… I understand with leading Chaol on. Do you at least like Rowan?
Ahh hhahhaa, omg I’m so sorry but I literally loathe Rowan. 😂 Chaol was my ship and I hated how Celeana treated him!
I absolutely cannot resist the friends to lovers trope. I honestly don’t understand how people can just get with someone they hardly know??? My favorite spin on the instalove trope is when one of the characters is instantly attracted to the other and is trying super hard to get their attention but in the process realises that they didn’t know them at all and is somehow more in love with them once they actually know them,,, if that makes sense… I just need more of this exact plot progression.
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I feel like friends-to-lovers has a WAY more chance of staying together when the book finishes.😂 Half the time I end a book and feel like the couple will break up 2 minutes later hhaha.
Also I DO also like that instalove twist. Kind of like Paper Towns?! I think any trope can work if it’s written well (and realistically!) enough.