Tuesday, January 13, 2015

The New 52 - Trends While Reading




I've read a lot in the past few years, especially last year and I am planning on reading even more this year with the New 52 Challenge. With reading as much as I do, I'm surprised by the trends that I keep coming across.I thought it would be interesting to keep tally of these trends as the year progresses.
Each trend will have its own symbol. It will look something like this @ - 0/52
The symbol will appear in my blog reviews with every book that it applies to. That symbol will link back to this page, so you can see what trend it is. The number is to keep track of how many books this year have fallen into this trend. At the end of the year I will review my findings.

Let's start with the most obvious...

Rape

This is by far the most disturbing of trends that I have encountered lately. I really hate this trope. Within it are 72 different rape tropes that are often used in stories, whether they be books, movies or on TV. 72! I hate reading these scenes! HATE! There is no reason for this.
90% of these cases will be against women, in an attempt to brake her down or show that she is tough. Sometimes there is no reason at all.
The fact that this is an easy plot tool really angers me. Writers, please find another way to give your characters interesting stories without the sexual abuse.

% - 40/52

Friendship Romance

This is another trend that I come across all the time. I love a good story where a male and female main characters are just friends; nothing more. But more often than not, the writer will push these 2 characters into a romance that was never needed.  I really feel that we need more stories that tell young women that they can just be friends with a man, that sometimes friendship can be even better (eg. Jax & Vel from the Sirantha Jax series)*
Now don't get me wrong, I love a good romance, but I'm talking about when it doesn't add anything to the story by adding the romantic option.

& - 13/52

Touch of Power
Enclave
White Heart of Justice
Outpost
Moon Called
Murder of Crows
Winter Moon
Blood Bound
Blood Red
Witches With the Enemy
Magic Bites
Breakout*
Shady Lady


Failed  Bechdel-Wallace Test

Yes, we all know the Bechdel-Wallace Test. Well, we should all know it.
The Bechdel test asks if a work of fiction features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. The requirement that the two women must be named is sometimes added.
I'm glad to say that most of the books I read pass this test. Perhaps it's because I tend to read books that have a female protaginist and it makes it very easy for it to pass. Sadly, not all books do.

# - 14/52

The Bloodbound
Black Powder War 
A Dirty Job
Blood Bound
The Call of Cthulhu
Specter of the Past 
The Bloodforged
Professional Integrity
The Jester
The Jewel of Dantenos
Gabriel: Zero Point
Kiss & Hell
Dragon Thief 
Diamonds Are Forever


Microwave Tea

Call me old fashioned, I like to boil my water for tea in a kettle. Okay, so I'm not so old fashioned that I do it on the stove (although I have), but still there are limits to civility. Under no circumstances am I going to make tea in the microwave. I would rather not drink tea at all. At first I just thought this was something weird that an author came up with, but then it happened again in another book and it weirds me out enough that I'm going to be on the look out for it from now on.

@ - 2/52

I Want It That Way
Charms and Chocolate Chips



Magical Heritage

Are you able to see ghosts? Turn into a Panther? Read inanimate objects? Make magical scones? Is this sudden and confusing? Don't worry, it's probably some unexplained mystical power that's been past down through your half "insert ethnic group" heritage. This trope is quite popular in Urban Fantasy as a go-to explanation about how magic can work in the real world. It can be done really well or really terribly.

¥ - 21/52

White Heart of Justice
Blue Diablo
Charms and Chocolate Chips
Moon Called
Winter Moon
Hell Fire
Some Enchanted Éclair
Blood Bound
Blood Red
Witches With the Enemy
The Court of the Air
Magic Bites
Wish Bound
Endsinger
The Call of Cthulhu
Specter of the Past
Besieged
The Dragon Revenant
The Jewel of Dantenos
Poison Fruit
Shady Lady


Love Triangle

We see it over and over again in books. Girl can't choose between two guys, girl competes with other girl for guy. There are all sorts of ways that this trope can play out, with many genders, sexuality, mistaken identity.

▲ - 25/52

Touch of Power
Enclave
Green Rider
Blue Diablo
Outpost
The Bloodbound
Moon Called
Hell Fire
The Great Hunt
The Dragon Reborn
Blood Bound
The Shadow Rising
Envy
Blood Red
Horde
The Fires of Heaven
Magic Bites
Lord of Chaos
A Crown of Swords
The Bloodforged
Splendor
The Path of Daggers
Poison Fruit
Shady Lady
Winter's Heart

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