Post by GryphonMage on Aug 4, 2003 12:38:43 GMT -5
Well, I know I'm the only one who openly admits to reading romance novels, even if it is only on occassion. Some of them are great, some of them suck, some are sort of...meh. But I feel that as a genre, they are some of the most maligned books ever. I'm curious as to why people hate them so much, especially considering how many of the most vocal people haven't even read any romance books.
Like every genre romance has it's flaws. Often the romances are a little too pat and too easy, but they are escapism in it's purest form.
My biggest grudge against romances is that sometimes characters do something that I, personally, would find unforgivable and it just sort of...goes away. Now in real life, even if they got back together, you know that for the rest of their lives together, the wronged party would bring that up in every fight into infinity.
"You forgot to take the trash out."
"Oh yeah, well you slept with my twin brother, who later died!"
And there are entire publishers who I refuse to read because the main characters are so often and consistently unlikable. Welcome to the 21st century. Women like manly men, yes. That does not mean men who lie to them, treat them like property and hit them. I'm serious, and you know who you are. I really think those books are a written by a bunch of prison inmates and are the product of some serious wishful thinking.
The other thing that bothers me is that people will read romantic novels, but won't read romance novels, which is sort of unfair.
/rant
Ok, so...why don't you read them? Or, why do you read them, if you are willing to admit it. Discuss!
Like every genre romance has it's flaws. Often the romances are a little too pat and too easy, but they are escapism in it's purest form.
My biggest grudge against romances is that sometimes characters do something that I, personally, would find unforgivable and it just sort of...goes away. Now in real life, even if they got back together, you know that for the rest of their lives together, the wronged party would bring that up in every fight into infinity.
"You forgot to take the trash out."
"Oh yeah, well you slept with my twin brother, who later died!"
And there are entire publishers who I refuse to read because the main characters are so often and consistently unlikable. Welcome to the 21st century. Women like manly men, yes. That does not mean men who lie to them, treat them like property and hit them. I'm serious, and you know who you are. I really think those books are a written by a bunch of prison inmates and are the product of some serious wishful thinking.
The other thing that bothers me is that people will read romantic novels, but won't read romance novels, which is sort of unfair.
/rant
Ok, so...why don't you read them? Or, why do you read them, if you are willing to admit it. Discuss!