Given that Pamela Hart writes historical romance, so this first point kind of makes a whole lot of sense, don’t you think?
If I’m reading an historical novel and they get the history wrong, I just can’t suspend my disbelief. It’s usually the little things, which show that the author may know their dates, but hasn’t really understood the culture or the difficulties of life in that time. Particularly the technology which is appropriate to the period. Nadia Wheatley once said to me that a lot of historical novels are set in ‘olden times’, rather than a specific period with specific technologies and cultures, and she’s so right!
Research, especially in historical novels, has to be perfect. There can be no passes if you respect your reader and you want them to come back.
As I get older (and my time gets scarcer), I have trouble with books where everyone is unpleasant. I don’t mind evil if it’s versing good, but sheer ordinary, nasty-minded unpleasantness puts me off. Why should I want to spend time with characters like that? And there are some authors who don’t have a single likable character in their books… I tend not to go back to them.
Have you ever had a book/character like this? Just so utterly unlikeable you can’t connect to them? Or, do you relish those sorts of characters?
I am suspicious of books where everyone is beautiful/handsome/extraordinary. Sure, have a beautiful character here and there (I’ve been known to do that myself), but not everyone.
Oh, I know there are bloggers out there that have listed this as one of their pet hates — as well as a plain Jane character that everyone loves anyway. There’s got to be middle ground, right? Which author has achieved that for you?
I am suspicious of books which assume all young people are alike. The author has to work very hard to get me past that one (and unfortunately, that includes some YA novels I’ve read, where everyone sounds like someone from American sitcoms).
This is what several authors talked about in the #LoveOzLit question on YA — too many authors do exactly what Pamela mentions: they assume all young people are alike. And, it’s the same with their best friends, their family and their love interests.
What authors and titles have broken the mould and shows YA characters as unique individuals? And, actually had a family be a good presence in their lives — alright, that’s my pet peeve. Why do families suck in YA?
Let me know what you think!
