Hey there! This week I’m participating in Six for Sunday, a meme hosted by Steph at A Little But a Lot. This month focuses on tropes, and this week’s topic is:
Least Favorite Tropes
There aren’t too many tropes I dislike, but there are a few that never fail to make my eyes roll. Here are the tropes that I try to avoid:
1. Teacher/Student Affairs.
Gross. Just…no. Stop abusing your power. If I know this is the focus of the book, I won’t read it.
2. Ugly Duckling Turned Beauty Queen
Once she gets a makeover everyone thinks the plain girl is now pretty.
Trite, demeaning, and unoriginal.
This trope suggests that women aren’t good enough. It implies that beauty is more important than anything else, and, if you’re pretty, all the world is yours. It’s demeaning.
Judge me for my intellect, my kindness, my morality – don’t judge me based on my “attractiveness” and make me transform into something I’m not before I can attain my goals.
3. The Secret Twin/Sibling
This is just mean. I can’t imagine the psychological ramifications of learning that your family kept a sibling from you. That’s pretty messed up, even if they had good reason.
4. Ambiguous Endings
I like cliffhangers if there’s a continuation, but ambiguous endings frustrate me. Yes, I like to come to my own conclusions, but I also want something definitive.
It’s like the short story, “The Lady or the Tiger?” What’s behind the door!?! I still want to know, but instead I’ve spent years considering the possibilities.
Now, I admit that it is a great trope. I mean, hey, it got me to think about the story long after I finished, but I like a conclusion. I need the satisfaction of a closing and end result.
5. Absentee/Clueless Parents
It’s kind of like when I watched the cartoon Max and Ruby with my kids. Where the heck are the parents? So annoying!
I hate books that have parents that are totally unaware and/or unconcerned with their kid’s comings and goings. Keep track of your kids! Who are they hanging out with? How are they doing in school? Maybe if the parents were more involved and available, they’d know what their kid was up to. This is a total eye-roller for me.
6. Love Triangles
Oh, just pick one, for crying out loud! Don’t string them along, don’t drag it out. Choose!
This trope is so frustrating. If you can’t decide between two people, either be with both of them or realize that neither is the right one, and move on.
Well, there you have it – my 6 least favorite tropes. Did any of these make your list? Did I forget any? Comment below!
Wait?! What?
There are books doing the teacher/student thing?
This must be the romance genre because I’ve not seen it… ever. Thank God!
Love Lessons by Jacqueline Wilson is one of those I believe. It’s a really problematic book.
Well. Yeah. There is absolutely no need.
Is that even a trope??? That is just. No. Lol
Unfortunately, yes.
That is just… someone needs to stop that.
It’s in Pretty Little Liars. One of the girls had a relationship with her teacher, I believe. However, I think it’s more common in romance than other genres.
I really hate parents in YA Books. Why is it so hard to find a loving, supportive parent these days? They’re either dead, divorced or abusive.
Haha that’s so true! I think there’s always the two extremes. You either have a parent who interferes in all the child’s business, or one that’s abusive and mean. Can’t we just find a bit of balance?
The BEST parents I have read lately were in The Love Hypothesis, her two gay Dads. They have such a loving, hilarious relationship the book got bumped up 2 stars for them alone.
I love that! I’ll have to check the book out. 🙂
Aww I love the sound of that! Added to my TBR right away. I’m so glad you let me know because I have never heard about it before x
Yay! I think it sounds really intriguing too! 🙂
Exactly! Maybe some parents that build their child up and support them instead of putting them down or neglecting them.
This is so relatable. I strongly dislike these trope too! Every now and then I find guilty pleasure in a love triangle, but oh my they get on my nerves.
I agree. There have been a few books where I liked the love triangle, but they are few and far between.
These made me laugh.
Love triangles are the ones that get me the most. I have to close the book.
I agree – not a fan. 🙂
All of these are so infuriating to read about, especially the parents one. I mean, can’t there be a few loving, present and caring parents, especially in YA books?! This was really fun to read, and you put together a great list 🙂
Thanks so much! 🙂
I can definitely agree with all of these!
Oh man, I agree with all of these! I’m ok with certain love triangles, if done right. If it takes up a small portion of the story or is a misunderstanding or something easily resolved I’m fine with it. Or a love triangle based on unavoidable circumstances, like she thought the love of her life died so she moved on and then finds out he’s actually still alive somehow but oh no she’s with someone new now, those I can get behind for some weird reason. But in general they’re just really overused and unnecessary.
I feel like I need to buy ya a coffee for that Max and Ruby absent parents call out! haha.
Lol – that show always irritated me. And as much as I love Dora, why were her parents cool with her running all over the place with a half dressed monkey and no supervision? That’s bad parenting 101 right there. And her cousin Diego? Spends his days rescuing wild animals – alone. I think his parents send him on some of the rescue missions. That’s kind of messed up. hahaha 🙂
Yes to ambiguous endings!