I’ve found recently that there are a lot of things that really bother me in YA books these days. They aren’t enough to make me hate a book or stop reading one but they really do stick in my head. Bookish Pet Peeves is something I’m going to be doing randomly here on the blog from here on out just to put these things out there. I know Jamie over at The Perpetual Page-Turner has done a Top Ten Tuesday topic on this in the past and that’s where I got my inspiration.
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Can we please get away from the stereotypes?
I’m tired of reading stories where the hot popular guy ditches the super pretty girl (because she’s a bitch) for the nerdy girl who’s really pretty underneath her glasses and bad haircut. First, just because a girl is pretty doesn’t mean she’s a bitch. It also doesn’t mean she has to cheat on her boyfriend. Sure, it could happen but it doesn’t have to happen in every single book.
Also, nerdy girls are awesome (I am one!) but the whole thing with them in YA is just do overdone. First off, why should a nerdy girl have to get a makeover for a guy to notice her? Why shouldn’t she just be enough as she is?
Then we have the pretty girl who has no clue how gorgeous she is. Maybe there are some girls like that out there but I haven’t met them. If you’re pretty you tend to know it. It’s just a fact. You don’t have to flaunt it but at least acknowledge it. Don’t act like “oh, little old me, there’s nothing special here” and act all surprised when guys are interested in you. It gets old really quickly.
Oh and don’t let me forget the bad boy with the good heart. Not every bad boy has a good heart. Some of them are truly bad boys. Let them be that way! I’m not saying they have to be the love interest, I’m just saying put them in the story somehow. Give me a tatted up, motorcycle riding, chain smoking bad boy who truly doesn’t give a shit. They exist in the real world, where are they in the books?
I can’t be the only one who wants to read a completely original young adult book with completely original characters who take the stereotypes and turn them on their heads. Give me a nerdy girl who is full of confidence and manages to snag the hot guy all on her own. Give me a super popular pretty girl who is the sweetest person out there. Give me a bad boy who is truly bad. Just give me something new.
How do you guys feel about stereotyping in YA?
I’m pretty tired of the popular girl who is a bitch stereotype too. I was a total nerd in high school but I had friends who were part of the “popular” crowd and they were nothing but nice!
I am so with you..if I start a book and the main character walks into school and immediately is made fun of by the cheerleader and then there’s the dark handsome boy in the corner…It goes straight into the DNF pile.
I think a lot of this is true! The same types of characters are being used again and again and it gets boring fast. There are a few books that may flip these stereotypes on the head, but not enough.
The one thing I will say though is that I do believe there ARE some pretty girls who there who don’t know they’re pretty. I think the only difference is they usually have some kind of body image problem. But being pretty and just not realizing it even though guys are throwing themselves at you? Yeah, not so much.
So yes, bring out some interesting characters that don’t fit a stereotype. What I would really like to have? An ugly character. Seriously. All characters are super hot or at least somewhat attractive in the case of nerds. But what about the UGLY? lol
I am definitely get sick of the popular, pretty girls being portrayed as bitches with no underlying niceness. People aren’t really like that. At least not all the time. It’s definitely something that has been getting on my nerves a bit.
I agree with all your points, but especially about the bad boys with the good hearts. I am so, so sick of this.
I hate the bitchy blonde cheerleader stereotype. I was a cheerleader and that definitely doesn’t describe me, or most of my friends on the squad in high school. That one has always bothered me.
Love this post! I’m with you on the nerdy girls. Why do they have to change for the guy to notice them. I want one to snag the guy anyway. I’m with you on this one. All the way!
Some guys are jerks. They just are.
Yes times ten to this post! I agree with everything written here, but more than anything, I hate the way some YA authors just stereotype teens in general. I despise long descriptions about how OMG the main character’s parents are SO UNCOOL and are just RUINING her LIFE and other things of that nature because it is so not how I think or act. And yeah, I don’t think I have ever met a bad boy with a good heart. Just saying.
Whenever I read a YA book that has truly stereotyped characters, I can’t help but feel the disconnect between the author and the teenagers she’s writing about. Especially since teenagers are usually quick to claim that they are NOT, in fact punk/prep/nerd/goth/emo. They are just being themselves!
– Jackie
Katie, I love this post! I think all of the points you brought up are very true. These stereotypes that I read about are usually the things that detract my enjoyment towards a novel. I SO want to see a nerdy girl get a guy all on her own! Great post, again. 🙂
I’m with you on the stereotype aspect. I love it when I come across a book that turns the stereotypes on their head, but they seem to be pretty rare this day. Have you ever read Bad Taste in Boys? It’s not completely original but it’s pretty good. The main character is a nerd, proud of being a nerd, and manages to get the hot boy (who is also a secret nerd and not really a jock). Plus her bff is a really popular yet really sweet girl. It’s not a flawless book, but it’s interesting.
I pretty much agree with you on all of these stereotypes. They’re just very overdone. I’m really tired of the love triangle with the popular mean girl and the quiet, sweet, nerdy girl with the guy in the middle. I would LOVE to see a portrayal of a nice popular girl, because they do exist! Yes, I went to high school with some very mean popular girls, but one of them was also one of the nicest girls in my class. Also, there are mean nerdy girls too. Popularity or nerdiness does not determine kindness.
Yes! I am sick of always having the mean girl when it comes to high school books. Or the jock. It’s just so overdone!
I have to agree with you on the bad boys front. Bad boys are not as romantic and fun as they are portrayed in books. Know why? Because they will use you for their pleasure and then leave. Or desert you when you need them most.
I hate the girl who doesn’t know she’s pretty especially when she accumulates multiple boys panting after her. I also would like bad boys to actually be bad because I always root for the nice guy anyway.
I fully agree with ALL of your points. Pretty girls aren’t bitches, not are they vapid for wanting to spend time taking care of themselves. Ditto the whole bad guy with good heart thing.
I’m also really sick of the ‘abusive boyfriends are caring’ trend that’s been cropping up lately. There’s just an implication that it’s up to the girl to redeem them when quite frankly it’s nobody’s business but his own to not act like a jackass.
Mostly, though, I just wish YA consisted more of books like Night Circus. Now that’s a story.
I totally agree with you. When I’m asked to review a YA book the first thing I look for is the lack of such stereotypes. And, unfortunately, that usually means that anything with a love or high-school element doesn’t even end up on my TBR pile.
The other part of the stereotypes is that when they’re overcome (like the popular guy falling for the nerd and everything working out) it’s unrealistic (never happened in my school – I’m a nerd, a geek, whatever and if a fellow nerd got the attention of the popular guy without selling out she’s be our hero!!).
But I know what you mean, about pretty girls always being mean. That’s not true, the way if you’re pretty you know it because sad as it is the world treats you differently.
Lovely post! Very thoughtful!