Hey everyone! I've decided to do something different for today - I've decided to try doing a discussion post! I've never done one of these before, and I've never even taken part in one, but I've always wanted to so I thought I might host one myself, just to see what it's like :) I've chosen a topic that I know a lot of people have very strong opinions about...
LOVE TRIANGLES IN YA
For example, Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. I LOVED this book. It was amazing, one of my favourite werewolf book ever. BUT, and it's a big but. It has a really annoying love triangle in it! Calla is going to be the leader of her pack of werewolves, and she's 'destined' to lead the pack with Ren, and she has been her whole life. Then, one day, she meets a guy called Shay, and she just happens to reveal to him that she is a werewolf, and then suddenly, they're in a relationship! I was not impressed. I haven't yet read Wolfsbane, so maybe it'll change...
It can sometimes seem like every young adult fiction book has some kind of love triangle in it, especially paranormal books. Some people are sick of them, others absolutely love them.
Personally, I like love triangles. If they are well written and well thought out, then I think they can add a great aspect to the story, and they can make it a whole lot more interesting. However, I do think that if the love triangle is not an integral part of the story and is just used as a filler, then it can get very annoying. They have to be meaningful, and in some way it should make the story better.
While on the whole, I like love triangles, there is one 'type' that I really DON'T like: when a girl has known a guy her whole life - they're in a relationship and they're happy, and then a new guy comes along, and suddenly the guy she's known her WHOLE FREAKIN' LIFE is forgotten for a guy she barely knows. I'm just sitting there thinking, 'What are you doing?!' Would you really dump a guy you know and feel comfortable with for you whole life for someone you've literally known a week?! It just seems silly, but I've read many books that I've really enjoyed that have this kind of love triangle and it's the ONE THING about the book that ruins it for me...
For example, Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. I LOVED this book. It was amazing, one of my favourite werewolf book ever. BUT, and it's a big but. It has a really annoying love triangle in it! Calla is going to be the leader of her pack of werewolves, and she's 'destined' to lead the pack with Ren, and she has been her whole life. Then, one day, she meets a guy called Shay, and she just happens to reveal to him that she is a werewolf, and then suddenly, they're in a relationship! I was not impressed. I haven't yet read Wolfsbane, so maybe it'll change...
And then there's the other kind of love triangle - the one where there's a happy couple, guy and a girl, and then the guy who's always been left out. I don't mind this kind of love triangle, but as I said before, ONLY if it's written well. For example, one of the best ever love triangles is the triangle from the Summer series by Jenny Han (if you have not read these, BUY THEM). I haven't yet read the last book as it's not out in the UK yet, so I don't yet know who Belly chooses, but oh my word, either Conrad or Jeremiah would be a good choice. I think one of the best things about this triangle is that the situation is totally believable. Belly has grown up with both Jeremiah and Conrad all her life, and at some point in their lives, the guys have both had feelings for Belly and vice versa. Then, when Belly finally does choose, you as the reader can't decide whether or not she's made the right choice. Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad? The indecisiveness and the hesitation at choosing your team is what I think makes a good and effective love triangle.
Of course, there are so many different variations of the common love triangle, not just the two that you can see here. So, let me know. Do you like love triangles, or do you hate them? Have any examples of your own that demonstrate either good or bad love triangles? You can leave your thoughts in the comments, tweet me using the hashtag #lovetrianglesinYA, or you could even write up your own blog post, and I'll link up to you at the bottom of this post! If this works well and gets you all talking, I might even make it a weekly or monthly feature! :)
Other love triangles to think about: Bella, Edward and Jacob from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer | Jacinda, Will and Cassian from Firelight by Sophie Jordan | Cassia, Ky and Xander from Matched by Ally Condie | Zoey, Stark, and Heath from House of Night by PC & Kristin Cast
Books mentioned: The Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer | The Summer Series by Jenny Han
So remember, leave a comment, make a blog post, or tweet using the hashtag: #lovetrianglesinYA! I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Of course, there are so many different variations of the common love triangle, not just the two that you can see here. So, let me know. Do you like love triangles, or do you hate them? Have any examples of your own that demonstrate either good or bad love triangles? You can leave your thoughts in the comments, tweet me using the hashtag #lovetrianglesinYA, or you could even write up your own blog post, and I'll link up to you at the bottom of this post! If this works well and gets you all talking, I might even make it a weekly or monthly feature! :)
Other love triangles to think about: Bella, Edward and Jacob from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer | Jacinda, Will and Cassian from Firelight by Sophie Jordan | Cassia, Ky and Xander from Matched by Ally Condie | Zoey, Stark, and Heath from House of Night by PC & Kristin Cast
Books mentioned: The Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer | The Summer Series by Jenny Han
So remember, leave a comment, make a blog post, or tweet using the hashtag: #lovetrianglesinYA! I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
FINALLY! Someone who likes love triangles! My writerly friends have been dissing them like crazy in the last few months. I feel the need to defend them. Would you be interested in being interviewed on my blog for the reader's POV about why you like them?
ReplyDeleteI must say I am a real sucker for a love triangle. If done well there is nothing better than to agonise over which team you want your character to be apart of. Sometimes the choice is obviious but others have you gripping the edges of your book with white knuckle intencity "Who will she choose??"
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite such triangles was in Vampire Acadamy. Adrian and Dimitri - loved them both. Also Mercy Thompson Series Samual and Adam. For me if you find it hard to decide, but in the end are still satisfied with the characters choice that it has you smiling and sighing at the very last page, that is a succesful love triangle.
Great post!
http://can-duu.blogspot.com/
thats an awsome article. i dont know what to add, beacuse i agree with you in all points...im so, so glad, that there are readers out there who are annoyed by the same things as me, when they turn up in a book. great examples! :) the love triangle i hate the most is in evermore by alyson noel. i dont like the books, but after the love triangle came up, i was sure i would never pick up one of these books ever again! the triangle in matched was well written, one of my favourites, because i can totally relate to cassia and her feelings...
ReplyDeleteand thanks for mentioning the summer series, im going to buy & read them in near future :D
love this post :D I really don't mind love triangles, i actually quite like them when in the situations you've said, I just hate them when there's any feel of cheating in them, like in The Sky is Everywhere :/
ReplyDeleteAgain, I repeat, I love this post :D
xx
Lol I just did a post on love triangles the other day too!
ReplyDeleteOMG NIGHTSHADE! YES, I TOTALLY AGREE! Personally, I hate Shay. Can't stand him. I am very firmly Team Ren. It's like, Calla's known Ren her whole life,and all of the sudden this stupid guy comes into the picture and she just forgets all about Ren. NU-UH. NO WAY SISTA.
Generally, love triangles are okay, as long as there's a purpose to it.
I usually do quite like love triangles, except that the guy I like the best is NEVER the one to be chosen in the end, and that bugs me. It's always the 'good' guy or obvious choice. I'd like to see a love triangle where the underdog wins the girl
ReplyDeleteThe Cait Files
I agree with you, I only like love triangles if they're well done. I think that was one of the main reasons me and Nightshade didn't get on... I don't like Shay.. #TeamREN! ;P But the Summer series has an amazing love triangle! (I just nearly said traingle...;p) Great post! :D
ReplyDeletePersonally, love triangles seem to the bane of my existence. I find that I can almost always predict who the protagonist will end up with. So far in my reading adventures, the only tringle I had trouble predicting was between David and Paris in the Uglies series. And in the end, Taly didn't choose either of them. That being said I'm not a fan of romance in general. It's not that I'm a "hater" of love (yes, I've been called so before), most of the romance in YA these days just seems so cliche and boring. And I also just can't get excited some guy in a book. No matter how "hot" he is described. I have nothing against other readers who go for that kind of thing in fiction. It's just another example of how many ways there are to enjoy books. It's probably just because I've read too many books, but I can't get myself excited over books when it's obvious what will happen. When I read, I want a story that is unique. That hasn't been written before. So, just my opinion, I can't stand love triangles.
ReplyDelete