Interesting, and somewhat annoying

[ellid]

I posted my weekly Daily Kos diary last night. The subject was bad romances. I chose three books, only one of which was written in my lifetime Pamela, The Sheik, and Dark Fires).

I deliberately try to avoid contemporary books because the true quality of a book (or utter lack thereof) only becomes evident with time. Romance novels have changed dramatically in recent decades, with even the average category romance being far better today than the equivalent would have been as recently as twenty years ago, so it's better to give recent romances a pass and look to the past for examples of true badness.

One problem: I was stupid enough to admit that I rarely read romances.

I have now received recommendations for at least a dozen romance novelists, some of whom I've tried and couldn't stand (*cough*Diana Gabaldon*cough*), others of whom are writing the equivalent of the sort of fantasy or SF that came out when I was in high school (and that I didn't much like then, when I reading every heroic fantasy I could get my hands on). I downloaded a sample of a highly recommended book and was less than impressed, although I'm going to finish the sample to give it a fair chance.

I've also had at least one person ask if I *really* don't read romances, as if she couldn't quite believe that I'd genuinely prefer other genres. ?????

Now *I'm* wondering just why so many people are so eager to have me read their favorites. I've been writing these diaries since the late winter and have never had such a reaction, or such a flood of recommendations. Is this an attempt to steer me toward books I might enjoy, or a cyber version of "get the straggler into line" because of course I should read romance novels since I'm a woman.

Very strange. Very, very strange.

Comments

[samantha-vimes.livejournal.com]

I have *no* idea. I'm not even clear on the definition of romance as a genre, actually. I mean, clearly, it's the central focus, but is Jane Eyre romance? What about P.G. Wodehouse novels, which are humorous, but are pretty much about lovers overcoming obstacles and finding their happy ending? I never see them characterized as romance novels, so it seems there are less obvious rules about what's included in the genre.

Meh. Like you, I've got other things to read.

[ellid.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering about that myself. I mean, some of my favorite books involve characters falling in love, but they aren't romances. So what exactly do they mean?