Monday

My Love/Hate Relationship with Love Triangles

A love-square in Stephenie Meyer's The Host
In Young Adult novels, one of the most popular aspects of a book is the Love Triangle. Lately, they seem to be everywhere. In most novels there is a type of triangle between the main characters and in general, I have a love/hate relationship with them. I don't know what it is, at times I love them, and am thrilled by the romance and excited about what could be coming next and who she/he will choose. Other times, I find them annoying to say the least and repetitive, as they seem to be in every book. When they're well-written, I find myself enjoying them but when I feel like they have just been thrown in, I don't know what to think.
 
Recently, I've been reading The Selection, which has one of my personal favourite love-triangles in, because it fits in with the plot and had me hanging on to every page. Not only that, I never thought there would be one. The love-triangle between Aspen, America and Maxon, is counted as treason so, not only is it romantic, it's fiery. My other favourite love-triangles are Alina, Quinn and Bea, which was completely different to the normal set-up, where there are two males and one female, where both are in love. With Alina, she never had clear feelings for Quinn, whereas Quinn fell for her and Bea still liked Quinn. The complicated route makes it unique and this is why I loved the journey of this triangle. Along with Katniss, Peeta and Gale from The Hunger Games- who I would never miss out and Chaol, Celaena and Dorian from Throne of Glass.

Other popular love-triangles are of course: Edward, Bella and Jacob(The Twilight Saga) and Will, Tessa and Jem(The Infernal Devices-which I am yet to read but have heard a huge amount about). I think it was Twilight that kicked-off the initial obsession with love-triangles.

Peeta, Katniss and Gale make up one of my favourite
 love-triangles
A reason I dislike love-triangles are when they seem to be just thrown into the plot. They're popular, they seem to be in most books, mostly I love them but there are other times when I feel like screaming out "Why is there another love-triangle?". When they are written well, plotted and perfected with characters I love, I tend to enjoy them. I spend hours on Twitter discussing it with Lucy - Chaol and Dorian, Aspen and Maxon, Gale and Peeta. They're fun to discuss but I feel they are over-used lately. Is it that I'm possibly getting bored by so many? I think that every book doesn't needs a love-triangle thrown in to be liked. My favourite books have a story outside of the love-triangle. Throne of Glass and The Hunger Games are perfect examples of this and I'm in love with both books.

But, one of the main reasons, my love/hate relationship exists is the 'Teams'. When it's not the writing that matters, or the way a book is plotted but which Team you are on. And then things can get mean. . Although, I am guilty of choosing a Team, and supporting them. I find it gives you a topic of conversation and someone to route for. I also always seem to fall for the character who doesn't get chosen and ends up with less than a happy ending.

One of the first love-triangles
On the plus side, I do have reasons for why I enjoy love-triangles. The discussions you can have, the excitement and build-up, and if it works up and the character you were routing for ends up 'winning' - it's perfect. It only sets out a heart-breaking ending. Who doesn't like a novel to move you so much you start crying? And the books with well-written love-triangles, have beautiful romances. When I read The Twilight Saga, I enjoyed the back-and-forth between Edward and Jacob(I was Team Jacob, like I said I always choose the wrong guy!)

'When I first started reading YA, I loved them. They pulled me in, they had me gripped to the book and I never knew what the outcome would be but now I feel a little bit tired. Sometimes it feels like they're used just for the hell of it and it won't actually add anything to the story." I feel exactly the same as Rebekah on this topic, expescially when she goes onto to say that it "makes all the difference when I read a love triangle that is done incredibly well". When they're written-well it's thrilling, and that's what a love-triangle is for right?

"Love triangles are just awkward, clumsy and can last a long-time" Is something I can partially agree on. They do last a long-time but I don't find them too awkward, more romantic.(Charlie)

What are your thoughts on book love-triangles?
Who make up your favourite triangles?


6 comments:

  1. I adore love triangles and it baffles me when people really hate them. I think they make the plot more exciting and I get more emotions from the characters by thinking "Nooo! You are supposed to be with HIM, not HIM!"

    You must read The Infernal Devices - I just finished Clockwork Prince today and ... oh wow :D I really like The Hunger Games love triangle too.

    The only books where I didn't like the romance were Hidden and The Host. In Hidden, the second guy was thrown in kind of abruptly so I was confused why she liked him. And I haven't read The Host but I watched the film and I didn't enjoy it that much.

    Thanks for the great post, Sophie! :)

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    1. They definitely make the plot more exciting but I always choose the wrong person! In Twilight, I chose Jacob and in The Hunger Games I was with Gale until Mockingjay. I got why she liked him in Hidden, and I was thrilled by the romance but insta-love is a pet-hate for many people.

      And The Infernal Devices is on the top of my TBR Pile!
      Thanks for commenting :)

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  2. Oh my goodness, I loved the triangles in Throne of Glass and THG, they were so well done!!! Love Triangles are a great plot point to have in a novel but when it gets to the point where you're relieved a book only has one love interest, it gets a bit silly :/
    Thanks for mentioning me, Sophie :D Great post!

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    1. I loved them too, Gale or Peeta adds a more 'normal-girl' side to Katniss. Definitely, I love a simple romance novel!

      No problem and thanks! :D

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  3. Great Post Sophie. OMG I am team Peeta but choosing gale or Peeta in THG was never easy at all. Love Triangles are intresting because yes on one hand they are exciting and thrilling but on the other they are kind of frustrating. But for me I think the real problem is that fact that SO many of the YA novels today have Love Triangles. I mean in TFIOS how refreshing was it to read a story with two people who love eachother!

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    1. Oh yeah I saw the Catching Fire Teaser Trailer and OH MY GAWD! If I wasn't excited enough, I am now. I can't wait for it, I'm obsessed with The Hunger Games. It looks so much darker then the first one and the trailer gave us so much. I put it on my sidebar for everyone to see. Sorry if I don't stop now I'm going to be fangirling all day :D Haha. Do you want to put each others Blog Button's up? I will put yours on my sidebar and mine currently doesn't have a link in the grab box but you can still use the image if you be interested in doing a swap. :D

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read - and comment on - this blog post! I read and reply to every comment, so feel free to ask any questions and I'll answer!

See you soon!

Sophie Louise