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thenowherejournal · 28 days

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The Death of Healthy Relationships in Portrayed Fictional Literature

An Opinion Article By Nad and Francis (February 2024)

Books are like windows for readers that allow them to see the characters’ lives, experiences and relationships with other people in the story. Through printed texts, consumers of fictional media can be directly affected by what they read. In the modern day, there are numerous genres that one can choose and indulge themselves in.

As of 2022 book sales statistics, one of the popular genres nowadays is romance novels as it makes the majority of readers experience a whole variety of emotions that makes them feel like they are also experiencing it. Through captivating narratives, it evokes us to feel loved, hurt, comforted or ecstatic especially when we witness the connection and bond between the characters. The concerning thing about this is that most contemporary romance novels do not depict healthy romantic relationships between the characters and oftentimes, the conflict between them is not resolved. Considering this, regular consumers of this type of literature can be affected negatively.

Both of us are not keen on being in a relationship with someone, the most we can do is observe other people’s romantic relationships and other people who want to be in one– and as far as we’ve seen it, the more we question what the romance standard really is. A lot of modern romance novels depict so much toxicity that it could affect a person’s perception of what a healthy relationship is. Even though challenges and complications between characters make a story more interesting, the depiction of romance in those stories can be resolved in a healthier way without making it problematic.

Cleopatra and Frankenstein, Coco Mellors’ debut novel, tells the story of Cleo and Frank’s relationship and how they were too emotionally broken from their childhood trauma to even be in a relationship in the first place– and while being married out of circumstances at that. Not to mention, their problematic age gap of 20 years where Cleo is 23 years old, the younger one out of the relationship.

In Sad Girls by Lang Leav, a popular novelist and poet, the relationship was built on a lie. Audrey (the main protagonist) told a false rumor about her friend that caused her to commit suicide. After that, Audrey started dating the girl’s boyfriend. In reality, however, the death was caused by an accident where the boyfriend pushed her off during an argument about the rumor and she hit her head. He panicked, so he staged it as a suicide. The other problem here is that Audrey and the guy still dated after knowing the truth.

Malibu Rising is another popular novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid. She is a New York Times best-selling author and won awards for some of her stories. Her other notable novels are Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. In Malibu Rising, One of the couples to note here are the parents. In the story, their relationship went rock bottom when the mother ended up being a doormat by the rockstar father– He cheated many times, to the point that he prioritized her less after receiving fame. She then ended up being an alcoholic and eventually drowned. Before her death, and despite all that has happened, the mother loved him too much even if that was the situation.

Then there’s Sally Rooney’s Conversation with Friends– a plotline that involves four characters, cheating, affairs between all four of them, toxic relationships and friendships, interwoven relationships– we could go on about all this. Colleen Hover’s books are also prime examples of romanticizing unhealthy romantic relationships like her novel, It Ends With Us, which glamorizes domestic abuse.

All this to say, these romance novels depict problematic relationships but the same books are also extremely popular because of the controversial stories in them. We watched a popular YouTuber, poet, and author, Dakota Warren, talk about her perspective on these kinds of “romance” literature and she pointed it out perfectly; “Romance does not usually go hand-in-hand with this (toxicity) unless the romance is so toxic and problematic that it should not be called ‘Romance.’”

Having said all that, we’d like to give these books and other similar literature the benefit of the doubt and take into account that the authors may or may not have intended to depict them as a feel-good romance read because somewhere out there, some people are experiencing these stories in real life. Through these books, we can empathize with them and comfort them by saying “I see you, I understand, you’re not alone”. However, as long as people recommend and market it as “a good romance novel”, maybe we should reconsider it.

All things considered, we are not in the position to tell other readers, especially consumers of contemporary romance novels to not read these types of books at all. As we previously stated, there are some things that we can gain from them like making us feel alive, thrilled and enthralled. But just like other things in life, everything should be in moderation. Depictions of “romance” in these types of novels should not be idealized and be considered as the standard of what relationships should be. Instead, we should take these depictions as “warning signs” of what an unhealthy relationship is and try to avoid becoming somewhat of the character who has shown these toxic traits.

#literature #contemporary literature #romance #romance novels #sally rooney #taylor jenkins reid #lang leav #dakota warren #novels #books #booktok #bookworm

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sammiestudiesdrugs · 2 years

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Last book I

Bought: Normal People - Sally Rooney. This is honestly one of my absolute favourite reads from this year so far - I read this book back in March and it has lived in my head rent-free ever since. I'm currently watching the BBC adaptation so the story can wreck me again but slightly to the left.

Borrowed: I Was Born for This - Alice Oseman. This one was a bit darker than I was expecting it to be, which caught me a bit off guard but an amazing read nonetheless.

Was gifted: Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins-Reid

Gave to someone else: Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman (for my friend on their birthday)

Started: Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

Finished: Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid

Gave 5 stars: This Is Going To Hurt - Adam Kay. This was such a fantastic look into the lives of NHS doctors and you can see how while some parts have changed since it was written, other fairly toxic elements of the work environment are still very much the same. I really want to watch the BBC series but i've already been warned it will break my heart so i'm waiting till after exams.

Gave 2 stars: I don't have any 2 star reads but I would say i'd only give 3 stars to The Ministry of Utmost Happiness - Arundhati Roy. The writing was amazing but at the same time it was difficult to fully immerse myself in the narrative, and I kept losing track of characters and events.

Didnt finish: Jugend ohne Gott - Ödön van Horváth. It was fine but I just didn't have the time or energy to read it so I returned it to the school library unfinished. I'd like to finish it some day when i have more time dedicate myself to enjoying untranslated literature.

Thanks for the tag @la-galaxie-langblr this was so much fun!!

I'm tagging @cuteoptimistickitten @xiaosimp3 @physicla @daisychainedusb @coffeemedic and ofc anyone else who wants to join in :)

#tag game #sammie speaks #bookblr #books

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glacierviewings · 6 months

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Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

"What a gift it was to know so clearly what you were not, who you did not want to be. Nina wasn’t sure she’d ever asked herself that question."

When I first started this book I thought it was terrible. The beginning was so slow and hard to get into that I put it aside for over month. When I picked the book back up again, I was early enough in that I still thought it was bad, but I was not going to DNF and would finish the whole thing no matter what.

My conflict with the early portions of the book were the flashbacks revolving around June and Mick, because one, obviously I hate Mick, but two, I also didn't like June. I understand June as a character, I understand she was flawed and she had reasons for those flaws(Mr. Mick Riva), but I didn't like her. In the beginning she was boring, and then she became a terrible mom(I'll be honest). Actually, when I started getting invested in the book was when she died. Also this is just something that really bothered me but when 6-year-old Kit said "That's your plan? 'I don't know'?," it was terrible and I hated it because that's not something any 6-year-old is saying, that's a snarky teenager comment not someone learning how to spell.

Ok, moving onto the part of the book I liked. I love Ms. Nina Riva. She was eldest daughtering so hard, and I literally would forgive any action she ever did or would do. They all had it hard, but she had it the hardest by about 200% and yet she was still the best sibling. I love, I love her ending, and she deserved that shack in Portugal.

Now let's talk about the other siblings. Hud was the second best in my opinion. He was fun guy and he was in love. I do think he should have been upfront with Jay though. Speaking of Jay, he was boring. The only time I was ever interested in what he was doing was when he was going to confront Hud, but that's just cause I needed some conflict to keep me entertained. Kit was also boring. She felt like a really one-note character in my mind, and I was never interested in her story. I think her story could have been more interesting if the inbetween bit of her introduction and her coming to terms with her sexuality were more fun to read, but they just weren't.

Overall the book was very good, but a little ambitious as there were a lot of minor plotlines that were just quickly resolved, like Hud and Jay's fight. Same with Casey, I think that her whole entire storyline/plot point was really random. Maybe if Casey was around longer for the book, or created some conflict, or did anything for plot. The point of her character, to me at least, was that she was proof Mick had kids with other women, but we already knew that from Hud. I honestly think her character was a little bit of a waste of time.

Anyway, Nina made the book, it was her book, and she carried the whole entire Riva family and story on her back.

Rating: 3.75/5

#books #book review #malibu rising #taylor jenkins reid #malibu #goodreads

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thomastair · 3 years

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okay i finished one last stop and i must say. not my favorite but definitely better than rwrb

#i say as someone who really disliked rwrb #i think i honestly just don’t like the author’s writing style personally #but i hated how jane/biyu had no agency like idk the romance wasn’t good #so i probably won’t read their next one but !! oh well!#time to start malibu rising as someone who REALLY likes taylor jenkins reid #personal

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lesbian-helen-gansey · 2 years

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10 Favorite Books of 2021

Making this list made me realize that I read a lot of books this year that I just felt meh about, which was kind of disappointing, but these are the really good ones! About 70% of what I read was fiction, and about 70% were written by women. This is also where I once again add the caveat that I’m terrible at summarizing books, but I do have good taste. You just have to trust me.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This book is about four celebrity siblings who are hosting the party of the summer, and the narrative takes place over the course of the party as everything starts to go wrong. It’s my favorite kind of book in that it’s about people’s relationships with each other, which all books are kind of about, but this one especially. The bond between siblings, the pressure each of them feels in their role in the family, how can you be responsible for each other when no adult has been responsible for you etc. Calling all Lynch Siblings Lovers. (Adult fiction)

The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst

This is not a feel good read. This book made me very sad, but Alan Hollinghurst is one of, if not my favorite writer, so it’s worth it. I’ve never read another author that describes the specificity and complexity of human emotion the way that he does. This book takes place during the 80s in England, and is about Nick, a gay man, who moves in with his friend’s wealthy conservative family. It follows his experiences over the course of several years of trying to exist as a gay man in this time and find meaningful relationships with people without being able to be very open with any of them. It’s very character driven and is about Nick’s emotional experience as he tries to figure out who he is and how he fits in the world. Hollinghurst is such a talented writer and the book really shows off his craft. (Adult Fiction)

The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee

This is a super interesting book about how structural racism in America has led to the country’s economic inequality. It talks about the history of a variety of policies including housing and social safety programs and how people would rather destroy these programs entirely than see Black people benefit from them. These is really accessible nonfiction as it’s very narrative based. (Non-fiction)

The Crying Book by Heather Christle

If you love the web-weaving style posts on this website, than this book is for you. This book is all about crying -how we cry, why we cry, what it means to cry-, and Christle weaves together science, philosophy, and her personal experience into something that reads both like a personal essay and an extended poem. It’s really creative and beautiful. I don’t think anything else like it exists. Every page had a quote I wanted to remember. (creative non-fiction)

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

A group of old college friends take their annual New Year’s Eve trip to a secluded hunting lodge. It seems like their personal drama and the secrets they’re keeping will be enough drama to keep them busy for the trip, until someone is killed. A snowstorm means no one can get in or out of the lodge. New secrets, old friends, someone dead, no help on the way. (Adult fiction)

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

It seems almost unfair to say I read this book In 2021 when what really happened was that is took me over a year to get through this audiobook, but I did finish it in 2021, so I’m saying it counts. This book is about a boy, Theo, whose mother dies in a terrorist attack at an art museum. It follows him trying to come to terms with this trauma as he becomes an adult. He also stole a painting, which is both the entire point and not the point. This book is very much an exercise in craft with extensive descriptions that Tartt can only get away with because she is such a talented writer. A book that’s worth the effort. (Adult Fiction)

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Another TJK! This one is about a famous movie star, Evelyn Hugo, during the golden age of Hollywood. She is looking back on her infamous life and career through the lens of her seven different husbands. I cried more reading this book than any other in recent memory, but in a good way, obviously. I agree with all the popular praise of this book that talks about how vivid Evelyn’s life seems, that it seems like she must have been a real actress. For all the times I got emotional, this was a really fun read, mostly light and easy. (Adult fiction)

The Hunting Wives by May Cobb

This year I got really into domestic thriller type books, I think in part because they tend to be quick and easy, and they also really center around the lives of women. This book is about a young mom, Sophie, who recently moved her family to a small town in Texas. Her new life isn’t what she thought it would be, and she becomes fascinated with the gorgeous and wealthy Margot. As her friendship obsession with Margot becomes more intense, she begins to spiral into a world of sex and violence she’s not sure she can get out of, or even really wants to. (Adult Fiction)

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Steifvater

This was both a very thoughtful and heart warming book that made me very happy. I just thought it was the sweetest thing, and I really loved it. It’s about a family who preforms miracles and the people who seek them out. After a miracle goes wrong for one of their cousins, they reconsider if their traditions are as true as they think they are. Also, people fall in love. Maggie Steifvater has such a knack for creating complex, loveable characters, and this book is no different. (young adult fiction)

The Girls are All so Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

This is by far the craziest book I read this year. If you want to read about girls being evil to each other and villainous behavior, this is the book for you. Told in two timelines, Amb is attending her college reunion and is being threatened with revenge for what she did her freshman year. It’s about the pressure women feel to compete with each other and the way that projecting your insecurities onto others can make you into the vilian in the story really quickly (Adult Fiction, cw sa)

(I feel like everyone on here already knows I loved Call Down the Hawk and Mister Impossible, so It feels redundant to put them on the list, but those too!!)

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