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Where is my epilogue???
I get very attached to the characters I read about, especially if it has been an on going series that I have been following for years. So when I get to the very last parts of the final book and see there is no epilogue and that I'm supposed to be happy with the "happy for now" ending, I get real annoyed.
No epilogue? I'll show you!
I need to know that my favorite characters lived a long and happy life, maybe got married, popped out a few kids, grew old together and bought matching jumpsuits and hangout on their front porches and yell at kids that walk across their lawn. Who knows what happens but I need to know that something happened.
Someone killed the family pet
You did what?!?!?
Seriously? Do you really need to add that in? Did that really accomplish anything in your story besides pissing off the reader?
There are only a few exceptions to this rule and that is books that are all about the family pet, ex. Where the Red Fern Grows, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and Marley and Me. If your book does not have these titles, it is not okay to kill the family pet.
Insta-Love
While this might have made a great 90's pop song (Got to love Savage Garden) it's not so great in books. While love at first sight might be real, who knows, I know that lust at first sight is much more likely. When the characters decide they are willing to die for each other after knowing each other a few days, I just can't buy it. Let's just keep the insta-love for pop songs and keep it out of our books.
I'm sure there are a few other things that annoy me when I see them in books, but these are the big ones. Sometimes these do result in me dnf-ing the book or breaking up with the series but not very often. Anyone else annoyed by these things? What annoys you when you read about it?
Too much religion
This is the kind of religion I like in my books ;)
I tend to stay away from books that have religion in them, but sometimes the authors like to sneak some in to books, and sometimes they put way too much into a book that didn't need to have it at all. Most of the time this seems to come in the form of a very religious small town in the south or a over-the-top angry religious relative. Most of the time these are used as excuses for the mc to run away or to hate a family member. I find these to sort of be cop outs and they just annoy me.
How can you be that dumb?
Hmm no chairs you say? It's a good thing I have my gun to sit on then.
I know that everyone can't be the brightest crayon in the box, but I do not need to read about the incredibly dimwitted characters either. If the character could be nominated for a Darwin Award, then they should not be in a book.
I love this post, made me smile and the sitting on the gun picture, sigh, no comment.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest issue is the wrap up changing so much it doesn't feel like like the same book.
A YA book that doesn't have parents involved at all.
Riculous character names, the last for me was Margo but they said Go throughout the story, it messed with the flow of reading constantly.
Dileberate clever but in my mind stupid scenarios, unfortunately it seems many love this style so i'm 'alone' here.
Sometimes unique names can be cool in a book, but calling someone "Go" is not okay. That is just ridiculous.
DeleteDileberate clever scenarios are a big no-no for me as well. Like the whole "Lets actually go where we said we will go" in Twilight was the dumbest idea I have ever heard. The Cullens should have just gaged Bella and told her to shut up. They own an island, what better place to hide out than that? You are definitely not alone in your dislike of those situations.
Great post! I was thinking about doing one like this a month or so ago on my book deal breakers. I am totally with you with the killing the pet one too. I hate that!!
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely do a post like this. It's fun to think about all the things that happen in books that are infuriating.
Deletehaha The killing the pet or any innocent animal is something I HATE too, as well as Too Much Religion.. I also, add TOO much Politics. in that.
ReplyDeleteYes! Politics sucks! That is something I hate too much of in my actual life as well.
DeleteWell, I understand why some of them made your list but I also understand why some show up and are absent. :)
ReplyDeleteThat Darwin award reminds me of a line by Jayne Anne Krentz where she was talking about the old gothic heroines and how they would "drag their plot behind them."
Great post - gotta agree with the instant love, it rarely works. And I love the Darwin pic :)
ReplyDelete