Literature has come a long way in the past decade, and the young adult section, in particular, seems to have thrived in many bookstores and libraries nationwide. I can't help but feel, though, that many of these novels house the same over-used tropes and cliches. Whether it's a love interest for the main character, or a twist in the story, when will these patterns stop?
1. A Sad Upbringing
I'm serious! Even if it's not the most depressing sob-story out there like Harry Potter's or Feyre's, it's still sad in the fact that it's boring like Tris's or Bella Swan's. I can think of very few YA characters who don't have something sad in their back story.
2. A Love Interest
This is a scene from The Mortal Instruments series; need I say more?
3. Angst
Authors, CHILL, PLEASE! Just because your character is 16 or so doesn't mean they have to go through so many awkward moments. I would seriously pay for a character that had a "go with the flow" mindset sometimes, just to get away from the stereotype that young adults are a rebellious lot.
4. Love Triangles
STEFAN OR DAMON?
BILL OR ERIC?
EDWARD OR JACOB?
Cal or Maven or Kilorn? Tamlin or Rhys? Harry or Ron? Ginny or Cho or Luna? Gale or Peeta?
5. The Inevitable Twist
"Wait, so __________ was never dead?"; "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE RULES HAVE CHANGED?"; "WHY DO I SUDDENLY HATE THIS CHARACTER AFTER 6 BOOKS?"; ".....aliens...."
Every YA book I've ever read has one.
6. Those Moments that just make you want to throw the book
You know what I'm talking about.... whether it was the crap ending to Allegiant , the absolute abomination that was Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , or that really crappy scene in the grossfest that was New Moon. Everyone has one, and if you don't, you will.
7. The writer's uncanny skill at making an amazing heroine still look like a puddle of room temperature jello.
Am I the only one who has noticed this? The main character can harness lighting, be the best archer in the country, can manipulate people's thoughts, and yet they still seem relatively craptastic without their male counterpart. Granted, I don't want a demigod for a main character, necessarily, but making them a little less squishy would be a nice start.
