/lit/ - Literature

Lately I’ve been revisiting some YA books and wtf. It’s like the writing equivalent of water. Paragraphs will literally play out like “My mom walked in and gave me a glass of water. I didn’t drink it. I was too upset about my best friend going missing” No description of anything! There is nothing natural about the tone and even the dialogue is wooden.

It’s almost always first person but reveals nothing about the characters mind. Bitches be like “I walked to school. It was so cold. My scarf blew about me. I got in late” Dude do you have feelings? Every single character is usually a cardboard cut out, bullies are unnatural and speak in corny pop culture references, everything is so damn plain and bland. Nothing is subtle, everything is spelled out. I read one about an abusive relationship that literally just said “I think I must stay because I am ugly. No one else will love me.” In the characters internal monologue. Can they not write that sentiment a little more complex and nuanced?

It’s so patronizing lol. I didn’t even realize how bad this was as a teen myself. Do they not think teens can handle any kind of good writing?