The literary device infamously known as the love triangle has been around since the days of the Greeks and cropping up like a scourge ever since. It’s become a trademark of the Young Adult Paranormal Romance genre and I cannot stand it. Personally, I think that the vast majority of the time the love triangle serves no real purpose other than to make me want to take a sledgehammer to a watermelon.
Love triangles, like vultures or cockroaches, have their uses. Sometimes one fits a story (whether I like it or not). If the love triangle is the extension of another conflict as in the question of which of two factions one should choose, it can even be beneficial to the story. I must concede that I have in the past read love triangles I liked, but of all the books I have read, I can count them on one hand. The thing that kept me from hating the love triangles in each case was not being sure who should end up with who or even who was in love with who. Once it becomes clear who the heroine/hero should end up with, the triangle feels like unnecessary drama and I despise drama.
I spend most of my time reading about a love triangle wishing that the heroine (because that’s who’s usually at the center of these things) would just make up her bloody mind and pick a guy. It’s usually pretty clear from the get go who she should/will/I want her to pick and the heroine’s indecision drives me a bad kind of crazy. Perhaps that’s a good thing because it means I’m emotionally invested, but it’s hard to see it as such when I’d like to hit someone in the face (usually the character I don’t want to get picked).
Maybe it goes back to my own personal loathing of shopping, I don’t know. I could just be fangirl-zilla, standing by my matchmaking of fictional characters like a rabid wolf. I could just be unreasonable. The fact remains, love triangles get under my skin like little else. I can endure reading about whatever obstacles a couple has to go through—monsters, wizards, political intrigue, meddling power players, even death—so long as a love triangle isn’t involved.
If the success of Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, Tiger’s Curse, or most any other YA Paranormal Romance is an indicator, love triangles are not so passionately loathed by everyone. I understand that a love triangle adds a special something for some readers, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. In my not-so-humble opinion there are exceptions, but love triangles in general suck.
Inkspelled Faery 
I like to imagine that the watermelon is the heart of the one who cannot make up their mind. Maybe it’s morbid, but it brings closure.
Also, as the reader we almost always know who they’re going to choose. Just get it over with and ditch the drama. Please. For the sake of all things good and worthy of our time. End it.
All love triangles make me want to do is throw the book at the wall and scream into my pillow. (Not going to admit I’ve actually done this.)
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There is only one time when I was wrong about who the girl would end up with, in all the books I’ve read and I wasn’t pleased (but the whole ending to that series was a little…weird). Really, I don’t see the appeal in love triangles. There was this one series I loved that had one and then it was finally resolved, then the author went and threw in three more (each involving members of the original love triangle) and I gave up on the series.
THEY IRK ME. THEY IRK ME GREATLY.
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When the blurb makes a point of it, I immediately lose interest in reading the book. (Then again, even a prominent romantic interest being declared in the blurb makes me extremely wary. It’s not that I dislike romance, just that I dislike the romance being the story.) With love triangles I keep wanting something unexpected to happen, like a poly relationship, or the girl going off with someone else entirely, or something that isn’t tediously predictable.
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Like I said, usually the love triangle is just to add drama. And it’s a major turn-off for me, too.
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I loathe the drama too! I am not a fan of romance in general, so a love triangle really annoys me. As an author, I hear you! Nice post!
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I don’t mind the romance (okay, so I usually LOVE the romance), but love triangles…ick.
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So what are you trying to say? Is something upsetting you? Don’t hold back let it out. *snicker*
I’m sorry but I couldn’t stop laughing. Don’t hate me–please. I’m just as passionate about cliffhangers, so don’t get me going on that tangent.
I’m glad I dropped by, even if it was just to poke fun. 🙂
Anna from Shout with Emaginette
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😛 I personally have mixed feelings about cliffhangers, but in general I do not care for them either.
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Agreed! I use them lightly if ever. I feel that if there’s another person “holding you back” from being with someone else, your desire to be with that someone else isn’t strong enough and you don’t deserve them.
That being said, the BEST love triangle I have ever read in my ENTIRE LIFE EVER was the love triangle in The Infernal Devices. In book 1 I thought I knew who I wanted her to be with, but book 2 threw me for the biggest loop of my literary life. Down to the last few chapters of the final book I still had no idea who would win out, or who I even wanted! So basically, I recommend it.
As a whole though, a lot of books rely on love triangles as their only source of interest, which makes it pretty weak to me. :p
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But see, like I said, it was because you had no idea who should or even who you wanted to get the girl! When it’s clear, I just…ARGH!!!
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