I’ve been doing a lot of research for this post lately and I did not realise there were so many tropes. Pretty much anything can be a trope apparently. Which is good for me because it means there are so many posts to write. There are far more tropes I like than hate, but I’m sure I’ll come across more to rant about.
Not like the other girls
I absolutely hate when female characters claim to ‘not be like the other girls’ when in reality they are exactly the same. There is something so infuriating about this, especially when it used at the same time as the ‘plain jane’ trope. But I’m going to save that one for a future post.
My main issue with this trope is when the character is using it to seem superior to other people. Please can we stop pitting women against each other? Thanks.
I am all for characters with interesting quirks and characteristics, however, make sure they are actually interesting before claiming they are ‘not like the other girls’. Also claiming ‘quirky’ as a personality trait does not count.
I’d absolutely love a bad-ass female character to reclaim being ‘girly’ and show it in a positive way. More often than not, the character this trope is based around is ‘different’ because she isn’t interested in having a boyfriend/girlfriend or ‘girly’ activities like shopping or using makeup. They suck.
Love conquers all
I’m a huge romantic and I do love romance novels, but this trope is so cringeworthy. I’d say it’s used more often in fantasy books and I think that’s why I hate it. If it’s used in a romance book, I’m expecting it to be a little out there and cringey, that’s why I love them. However, fantasy has always been a genre that I expect to be more series, which in hindsight, is ridiculous. I know more now, fantasy can be just as cringe, if not worse than romance, so shame on me.
The reason why I hate this trope so much is the way in which it’s used as a resolution. Especially when the characters have been fighting a big war and it all ends because they fall in love or something as equally ridiculous.
I don’t feel as strongly about this trope as I do some of the others, but surely someone agrees that ‘love conquers all’ is cringeworthy.
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Like this post? Why not read this one too: Book Confessions: Popular Books I Didn’t Like #3