Book meme! Day 7
Jul. 27th, 2010 07:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vcmwDay 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Honorable points have to go to the woman-in-fridge and big-misunderstanding mentioned by others, and to the magic hoo-ha!
But I think my least favorite plot device employed by otherwise enjoyable books is the "suffering will make you nicer" plot.
This is really a classic fairy tale device (think King Thrushbeard, where the proud princess learns to be a humble man's wife and then finds out that, surprise, he's not really so humble). It doesn't bother me as much in fairy tales, but the more realistic a novel tries to be, the more I object to it.
Losing your money/status/good looks/power/etc. does not necessarily make you nicer or cause you to reconsider your place in the world and become more generous and giving. If you're going to do that to a character to instigate transformation, I feel like you owe me as reader some framing - who interacts with them during their suffering? what's their internal monologue about it all?
Children's and YA books are particularly prone to this when the book is a fairy tale novel. Adult fantasy often has heroines or heroes who reveal that their horrible pasts are the cause of their present niceness.
I say hooey.
Day 01 - A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already (or both!)
Day 02 - A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
Day 03 - The best book you've read in the last 12 months
Day 04 - Your favorite book or series ever
Day 05 - A book or series you hate
Day 06 - Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
Day 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Day 08 - A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A book that disappointed you
Day 12 - A book or series of books you’ve watched more than five times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 - Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 - Your "comfort" book
Day 16 - Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 - Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 - Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 - Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 - Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 - Most annoying character ever
Day 24 - Best quote from a novel
Day 25 - Any five books from your "to be read" stack
Day 26 - OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 - If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 - First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 - Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 - What book are you reading right now?
Honorable points have to go to the woman-in-fridge and big-misunderstanding mentioned by others, and to the magic hoo-ha!
But I think my least favorite plot device employed by otherwise enjoyable books is the "suffering will make you nicer" plot.
This is really a classic fairy tale device (think King Thrushbeard, where the proud princess learns to be a humble man's wife and then finds out that, surprise, he's not really so humble). It doesn't bother me as much in fairy tales, but the more realistic a novel tries to be, the more I object to it.
Losing your money/status/good looks/power/etc. does not necessarily make you nicer or cause you to reconsider your place in the world and become more generous and giving. If you're going to do that to a character to instigate transformation, I feel like you owe me as reader some framing - who interacts with them during their suffering? what's their internal monologue about it all?
Children's and YA books are particularly prone to this when the book is a fairy tale novel. Adult fantasy often has heroines or heroes who reveal that their horrible pasts are the cause of their present niceness.
I say hooey.
Day 01 - A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already (or both!)
Day 02 - A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
Day 03 - The best book you've read in the last 12 months
Day 04 - Your favorite book or series ever
Day 05 - A book or series you hate
Day 06 - Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
Day 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Day 08 - A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A book that disappointed you
Day 12 - A book or series of books you’ve watched more than five times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 - Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 - Your "comfort" book
Day 16 - Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 - Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 - Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 - Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 - Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 - Most annoying character ever
Day 24 - Best quote from a novel
Day 25 - Any five books from your "to be read" stack
Day 26 - OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 - If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 - First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 - Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 - What book are you reading right now?
