The dreaded Love-Triangles!
*DUN DUN DUUUNNNN*
But wait, because what I'm going to talk about is really incredibly interesting.
Okay--so we've all been taught to hate Love-Triangles, right?
Taught by who, you ask?
By Authors who, most of the time, screw them up and make us all growl and want to rip out the pages of the book.
In your mind, what does a Love-Triangle mean to you?
It means where a character (Usually female because reasons), has the same feelings of love for two separate people., right?
But not all of them have to be that dramatic "Oh but I love him but OH I love him more and". No. Get that out of your head. 'Love-Triangles' are just like your characters or your setting or your plot--it is a part of the story that, if not done properly, will surely make you want to destroy everyone in your book.
Now, like it or not, over half of the things you watch and read today have at least ONE Love-Triangle involved.
Sorry to say, but it's the truth.
Of course there's Twilight (This is my least favorite Love-Triangle in anything. Ever.), but there are many more in places you wouldn't necessarily think to look. I'm going to list a few of the ones right off the top of my head, and if recognize any of them, feel free to ponder on it:
- Clary, Jace and Simon from City of Bones. This one was brief, and I thought it was incredibly crappy, but it's still there, none the less.
- Katniss, Peeta and Gale from the Hunger Games. Yes, as annoying as it is, there's a competition here.
- Una, Peter and Indy from StoryBound. This one was not exactly able to develop as other one's might, considering it was a MG book, but there were still technically two love interests involved.
- Alina, Mal and the Darkling from the Grisha Trilogy. This one was very unique, and I think it was well done.
I know there are many, many more out there, but this is all I can list right now. Can you think of anymore?
Now--while all of these have the same idea of the Love-Triangle, each one is completely different from the last. I told you before--Love-Triangles is part of the story, too.
Though Love-Triangles involve three people (Obviously), that doesn't necessarily mean that both options, if you will, have to be equal in the competition for the girls love. From a person's point of view with no opinion on either competitor, sure, they both have a fair shot. But if you actually read the book, then like it or not you will root for one other the other. It's just the way it goes, and is why we choose "teams".
A lot of Love-Triangles have reasons and motive and, no, the book couldn't be what it is without it.
One of the references for this is the Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare.
Sure, there's a bit of uncertainty with Tessa between Will and Jem, but I believe the Love-Triangle in this book was done beautifully, and it is actually what changed my view on hating Love-Triangles as a whole. I learned that they are more than just a random part of the story to get average teenage girls interested.
While most YA Love-Triangles are petty and annoying, what with the one 'kind-hearted blonde guy' and the 'dark haired rogue', and ultimately I just what to stab my eyes with a fork, but some Authors have the ability to do them properly.
Love-Triangles are not for everyone to write, I'll tell you that. They're very easy to make too dramatic, or go overboard, or screw up, or. You get the point. But if you feel that you can serve it justice and balance the emotions? Go ahead and try it. You might like it!
In my opinion--if the Love-Triangle doesn't make the book better, and bring something that will lift, not tear down, the novel, it is unnecessary and should not even be there.
So--while Love-Triangles are complicated and risky, they're very realistic because, in real life, we don't meet one guy and think 'he's the one'. At first you're not sure about anything. It takes time to understand what love feels like, so I think, if you're going to have a Love-Triangle, don't drag it out through the entire book--or worse, the entire series. Oh gods, PLEASE don't do that.
If you spend that much time going back and forwards between two guys, you would figure out that you enjoy spending time with one over the other, thus letting you understand you actually love one more than the other. It's unrealistic and impossible to be THAT torn to carry on through an entire series--there comes a time to just say enough, alright?
I have a love/hate relationship with Love-Triangles, truthfully.
What about you? Have you ever written a Love-Triangle? Have you ever read about one?
Thanks for reading!
(And thanks, my sister, for pondering and studying Love-Triangles with me last night. Biscuit!)
