Thursday, July 25, 2013

Thoughts for Thursday: The Love Triangle

 It seems that almost every book I pick up has a love triangle. It’s certainly a trend in Young Adult books but I have never fully understood the purpose of putting one in a book. For some romantic tension? Or maybe the author is an evil mastermind that likes toying with readers' feels.
 
The typical love triangle in YA books consists of two guys after the same girl. I even made a diagram to go along with it because I like diagrams (and I was bored).
How many books have you read with an actual love triangle? I’m pretty sure I’ve only come across two or three. Most of the time love triangles aren’t even triangles they are V shaped. In order for it to be an actual love triangle don't the two guys have to like each other (not necessarily in love) because that line is connecting them together too. I guess love triangle just sounds better than love v.

More often than not the “bad boy” gets the girl and the “nice guy” doesn’t. Why? I know people that have been in a relationship with their best friend. I can’t think of many books where the best friend ends up with the heroine.

Love triangles can make the book interesting or it can make it unbearable. There are already so many books out there with love triangles that it gets old after awhile. The only love triangle that I loved was from The Infernal Devices because the guys in the triangle loved and cared for each other not just the girl they both loved.

Personally I would be fine with reading a YA book without a love triangle. Once in a blue moon I enjoy a love triangle, but most of the time I find them irritating. Now this may seem that books with love triangles automatically get lower ratings from me, but this isn't true. I have given plenty of books with love triangles four or five stars. The love triangle only brings down the rating if it bugged the crap out of me and succeeded in making me want to bang my head against my desk.

What do you think of love triangles?

6 comments:

  1. It's an interesting point you make about needing the two male characters having to have some sort of relationship/connection for it to be a proper love triangle... Also, don't you think it's interesting how there are hardly any love triangles (or love v's) that are the other way round? As in one girl and two guys?

    Anyways, yeah sometimes I do quite enjoy love triangles, sometimes I don't mind them, and sometimes they really annoy me! I guess it just depends on the characters, and the story, and how well it's written etc.

    Great post :)

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    1. I think I see more love triangles with one girl and two guys and two girls and one guy. I always thought that was weird.

      Exactly. Some love triangles are written very well and it's almost like you're rooting for both guys. But the ones that aren't written well just get old and annoying.

      Thanks :D

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  2. It seems like love triangles have become a trend these days. Maybe authors are afraid that no love triangle = doom.

    I have heard of the term love V, which may be a better way to describe the One Girl Needs to Choose One of the Two Guys thing going on, but I say love triangle cuz it sounds better :P

    I look forward to more discussions!

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    1. Same I think a lot of people probably say love triangle because it sounds better and other people might not know what you're talking about if you say love v.

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  3. Love triangles in manga/anime, I am okay with, but in books it annoys me to no end. I think half the reasons I avoid books is because it has love triangle. The point of a love V makes total sense! Maybe if they are brothers and liking the same girl then its a love triangle? XD

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    1. I've never read a manga/anime (but I want to) so I'm not sure if a love triangle in those would bother me.

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