I hate love triangles. If I had my will, there would be a sticker on every book with “warning: love triangle” in it.
What is it in literature with two guys ‘falling in love’ with the same girl, most of the time at the same time? And her not being able to decide, because she kinda is ‘in love’ with both?
The guys are a lot of the time exact opposites. One is the good guy, the other more of a bad boy (or even the villain). Fair hair vs. dark hair. The perfect body they have both. Of course. Nice against secretive or even abusing.
One of these times I’ll make a list, which guy gets chosen, because I have the feeling it is the bad guy like 95%? As soon as he has his appearance I’ll stop wondering whether Mr. Nice Guy is The One, because even though he would be the better choice, the MC lusts for danger. Or is plain stupid and can’t see abuse if it punches her in the nose.
Sometimes it’s like the only reason guy number two is there, is to be a love interest/be a threat for guy number one/show how unbelievable wanted the MC is. And guess what? That doesn’t make me like him or even be the littlest bit interested in him. I’m just annoyed, really.
But let’s put the questionable character and reason for his being there aside. There are other things bothering me. Timing and situation for example. Most YA books (or at least those I read) are dangerous to live in, like one wrong move and you’re dead dangerous. There are more important things to think about than which guy’s chest is more muscled?!
I’m waiting for a YA book with a love triangle in it, which becomes a threesome relationship. That at least would be something new and if well done, it would be very interesting. (I am waiting for a YA book without any romance too, by the way.) If you know any books, that fit this, please tell me.
And as an after thought: I think I am noticing a new trend. At least it seems to be a trend in the books I have recently read? Two guys are boring apparently, so now she has to have more than two who are interested in her. And not just in passing, but constantly. In my last book there were FOUR!
Edit: Are you bothered by love triangles? Maybe you’d like to join the #NoLoveTriangle movement, which has been started by Alex the shadowgirl. Take a look at it? And do join in.
Another current rant about love triangles you can find at Lia’s blog, which focusses on a different aspect than my blog entry, so check it out?
Categories: Discussions
The Queer Bookish 
I laughed out loud (for real) at the part about a YA book with no romance because I’m also looking for such a book. I’m at the point of praising a book for having little romance since it comes up so much.
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It’s like there’s a rule somewhere which says “There has to be romance!!!”.
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Oh I agree! Sometimes I even like mr. Nice guy more than the mr. Bad guy and I ship him with the mc and then my dreams are being crushed and I am so sad. Awesome rant and I hope that YA authors will find something more interesting.
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Sometimes I wonder if it has something to do with age. Like the younger readers like the baddy more and the older readers the good guy? I don’t know.
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Hm probably it has to do with age and I guess with personality and taste. All three combined together.
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Love triangle is always the common theme for Young Adult Fiction now. I find those types of books to be cliché and there’s not much going on with the plot. What I want is for better ways for romance novels to be written.
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So true… as soon as it makes its appearance every other thing isn’t important anymore.
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I know right! I find that it beats the purpose of the plot. And I find that it make the story line to be mundane.
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Now that you mention it, I have never read a YA book with absolutely no romance. That’s crazy! Love triangles are annoying but I love the Hunger Games. I recently rewatched the Twilight Saga and realized that the movies were not only terrible but unrealistic because essentially Bella has at least 3 guys “fall” for her within the first two books
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It’s strange, isn’t it? There are other things in YA protagonists life than love, so why is it in every book?
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I just hate these cheesy, cliche love triangles that you have analysed perfectly. It’s being used in all the novels these days. We should like start a reviewer protest against it. #Nolovetriangles
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Whenever one is started, I am in!
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Well I’m gonna start it right now. : D
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I hate love triangles also. I’d love to see a novel where there are two guys chasing after a girl, and she’s just like, “Nah, I’m not interested in either of you losers” and it’s not a romance story at ALL. That’d be hilarious! But I did like the love triangle in The Hunger Games trilogy, surprisingly… It was unique, because it wasn’t the “good boy” vs “bad boy”, but instead Katniss had to choose between her best friend, who she loved one way, and the pretend relationship that kept her and her family alive (and the different sort of love that formed there).
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That would be really, really hilarious.
I think I would like the occasional love triangle, IF it would be well done, but most are just so… unrealistic in my eyes and stereotypical…
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