You know when you're reading a novel (which if you are Steph Bowe is more often than not*) and it's pretty good so far, but then the love interest has to show up? And then it's all downhill from there?
This is usually the worst part of the whole book because nine times out of ten instead of being described normally like a normal character, they are described in ridiculous hyperbole. They are breathtakingly and arrestingly and unfathomably beautiful. They are the most attractive person the protagonist has ever seen.
They are so otherworldly in their beauty, in fact, that everyone in their immediate vicinity stops and stares at them. NO. NO. A MILLION TIMES NO. I don't even care if they are from another world.
Why? Can't they just love normal-looking people? Isn't how attractive people are a fairly subjective thing? I know that people in movies and on TV are really, ridiculously good-looking but when you are writing a book the people can look however you say they look. So why make them generic hotties? Really? Wouldn't it be so much more interesting in your world of amazingly gorgeous folks if the love interest wasn't just one step of hotness above everyone else?
Why aren't there more average-looking paranormal creatures, really? It's all either tall, broad-shouldered super-babes or really evil ugly ones (as if ugly somehow equates to innate evil. How does that work? Does that seem illogical and kind of offensive to you? Those poor Orcs probably weren't even bad guys).
The profundity of people's love is not based on how ridiculously attractive they are, as far as I know.** Always, in these books, it's like they're reincarnated soul mates or magical partners in crime or at the very least they're gonna get married because they have some profound bond. Is them being the most attractive person ever to have lived really necessary if they're soul mates?
(Imagine if you lived in a world actually populated by the characters of these novels. It'd just be all redheads and seventeen-year-olds and people with creepy-coloured eyes and overly muscled immortals. I mean, really. What a nightmare. I'm confident I could be the dorky best friend of the gorgeous-but-doesn't-know-she's-gorgeous protagonist, and then conveniently disappear once the other main characters show up.)
Writers of future YA novels: please don't make the love interest the most attractive person on planet earth. It's not necessary. Especially if it's all about ~true love~. Because it's blind, guys. Haven't you ever seen a romantic comedy? (In which all of the characters are really, ridiculously good-looking, of course.)
*I am hoping to evolve past the need for sleep because I feel like that
third of my life could be put towards better use i.e. reading***
**Maybe I'm wrong and us normal-looking folks aren't particularly loveable. I'm going to go and adopt a cat now.
***I'm kidding. You need your sleep, kids.
