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

[handspinner.livejournal.com]

It could be a reaction to the fact that there is an academic bias against romance novels. Those of us who read them feel picked upon. You can be writing one of the least biased, most even-handed article, but if you are not a consumer of the genre, it is assumed you have the intellectual bias. Because we have been looked down upon for a long time. I remember an introduction from Marion Zimmer Bradley where she admitted amazement that her very organized intelligent secretary admitted to reading romance novels. I also had a physics teacher who openly sneered at a romance novel she picked up when it fell out of a student's book bag.

You tripped into a mine field.

[ivyblossom.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed your post a lot!

I think people want to share their favourites with you because it seems like you're willing to read the genre but haven't found anything really good yet. So they want to give you books they think you'll love! And you'll be a convert! They are probably mostly wrong, but I think the recs are coming from a relatively good place. :) I suspect romance readers get a lot of flak most of the time and want to prove a point. Like how if anyone writes about fanfiction being terrible there's a flood of people jumping in to say OH THAT'S NOT TRUE.

Again: great post!

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

It could be entirely innocent -- people love books in a particular genre, and think you might love those books too if you read them.

And since romance is such a huge genre (~50% of USA fiction sale, right?) there has to be some gems in it, just going by Sturgeon's Law.

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.

Otoh, this was just kind of wtf. Doubting your word that you don't read romances is calling you self-deceiving at *best.

[tree_and_leaf]

I'm not a romance reader, but I do love Georgette Heyer and Mary Stewart. Of course, you can enjoy Heyer without caring much about the romances, as she does quite good plots (she also wrote detective novels), and she has a fabulous ear for language.

[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.

[roonilwazlib6.livejournal.com]

I'm not a big fan of romances, either. I tried the first book of the Outlander series, and it was ok -- but I didn't enjoy it enough to continue reading. So you're not alone! :)

[aseneth.livejournal.com]

The only "Romance" author I have ever cared for is Roberta Gellis - she's my guilty pleasure author. I think you might like her medieval books; start with the Roselynde series or the Magdalene la Batarde books. She has a Masters in Medieval Literature and is at least reasonably well-researched.