On My Changing Relationship With Romance Novels
August 23, 2018
Few things could beat the excitement of getting a new book delivery at my school's library. My friend and I would rip through the wrapping, helping the librarian tick off books that had been delivered and, most importantly, taking dibs on books we wanted to read first. What books did teen me want? Anything and everything that had a hint of romance in it.
Romance novels have been my go-to genre for as long as I can remember. Whatever the sub-genre, if it had an inkling of a love story in it I was there. To translate: I have read my fair share of awful romance YA novels in my time, and yet still come back for more. For 14 year old me, the best books were ones that sped through the character's relationship at the speed of light - I was (and still am to be fair) an impatient 🙈 bean. I didn't care about the overall plot of saving the world, get these two characters I'm shipping together ASAP. They're together? Right well better get them married.
I didn't allow for any character or relationship development. The more unrealistic the relationship, the better.
As someone now beginning to read again (yey), I must admit that my love for romance has anything but faded. Indeed, it's only developed and matured - now my expectation of romance novels has notably changed.
The book I was reading was fab don't get me wrong, but now, with a more worldly developed understanding of romance, the love story plot that was the focus of the book just hit so many wrong notes that me 5 years ago would have lapped up in a heartbeat.
To summarise the novel, the book The Forbidden Queen follows the grandmother of Henry VII, Catherine Valois, who finds herself a widow with no proper companion or company, trying to find her place in the world. Her first suitor (massive spoilers, sorry), is a more gradual process. The author takes her time to fully explore the building romantic tension between the couple before exploring the issues with the match and the subsequent breakdown of the relationship. Beautiful focus, enough build up for me to believe in the storyline, but speedy enough that 14 year old me doesn't get impatient and skip ahead.
But the second suitor...
Ahhhhh...
Owen Tudor would have been perfect in the eyes of mid-teens June. Appears suddenly on the scene after the break up between Edmund Beaufort and Catherine, in what begins a very whirlwind romance. From being a character who had only a handful of appearances in the opening of the book, he suddenly becomes a dominant character. Little me would have thought it was the best book ever. Me? I'm not buying it... Where's the build up over the entire book? Hints of Owen's interest in Catherine? It gives a feel of the author just trying to rush the book to get finished. Whilst I don't want to make this piece into a book review, what I will say is that it was fascinating to see my new reaction to speed romances in fiction. My expectations for romance novels has evidently changed. I want the romance, the build-up, but also a realistic story-line, time length and series of events.
And don't get me started on Catherine.
Like I said in my Instagram post, the whole time she acts like her life needs a man to make it better, instead of working to build up friendships and create a life for her single self. True, she had experienced little love in her life so the craving for it is understandable, and yes, she is from the 1400s, and yes, it is a romance novel, BUT urgh, give her some depth, some interest. Little is known about the real Catherine so make use of that.
Again, my expectations of a romance novel have changed. I want romance, but I don't want the protagonist to only have that as their focus in life.
I don't know where I am going with this post. This is just some lunchtime ramblings from someone conscious that she promised this post a few of weeks ago and has a picture ready and waiting to use to publicise it that she really wants to publish because she doesn't have any other black and white pics to hand to use in the meantime (cause its all about the theme, right guys?!).
Have you noticed your changing attitude and expectation for things as you've got older? It doesn't have to be for books mind.
Let's have a discussion below
June xx
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