Okay so if you know me at all, you probably know I’m weak for problematic books and relationships. That’s not to be confused with racist/homophobic/sexist/abusive books or relationships. When I say I love problematic stories, I mean in a sense of like disturbing age gaps (+15years), “incest” (step-siblings, step-parent, cousins, anything in game of thrones lol), hooking up with brother/sister/best friend’s exes, murderous couple (shout out to ruthless people), polygamous relationships… this kind of problematic.
I used to feel so bad about the series that I read and weren’t exactly in the “ideal” side of things, people use the word problematic a lot to describe these things, and I get it… to some extend, but I’ve also come to realize that it’s all a question of point of view; what’s fucked up for you, it’s the lifestyle for someone else. So I try to be more open minded about it.
I’m also not saying all of it is okay, I’d obviously never think it’s okay to just murder people in real life, but most of it’s just a matter of opinion and taste.
Some of the books I’ve read that has a problematic undertone and you probably heard of are; The Royals, Ruthless People and Stepbrother Dearest. I’ll break it down what it seems to bother people the most about those books from what I’ve seen around in reviews, twitter, etc. Spoilers ahead.
The Royals
We’re talking about a 17-year-old girl who has to work as a stripper to survive after her mother dies. If this doesn’t scream fucked up I don’t know what does. So the book is all based on a problematic situation. But it just gets worse from that, it has brothers sharing the same girl, cheating, underage boys hooking up with older women who are in relationships, secret murders, and so on and on.
I completely understand people hating on the story. But at the same time it’s awfully addicting in a melodramatic perspective with one messed up things after the other happening.
I’d also like to point out that for everyone saying that it has abusive relationships and whatnot, when you break it down, it doesn’t. It has toxic relationships all over the place, but they never do cross the line to abusive. Do we see male dominance? Yes. But it’s not like Ella just stays quiet and let Reed walk all over her, she fights back until that is no longer the case.
Ruthless People
Where to start, where to start… this whole story is focused on a mafia family, but they’re not really just mafia, McAvoy really makes you question your morality while reading this; it’s not only mafia against mafia, it’s also mafia against the good guys like cops, FBI, etc. so you’re cheering for the wrong side.
So yes, this book has every problematic plot imaginable, but, and that’s a big ass but, it has amazing girl empowerment and develops to women supporting women, I was not expecting that when I started and honestly, it gave me life.
Stepbrother Dearest
This one is pretty tame next to the other ones, we only have a step-siblings situation and the hero is a huge asshole to the heroine at first.
Let’s start with the step-siblings issue; I really don’t get why people get so bent out of shape about it, which is weird since I was raised with an amazing step-family, I love them and I do have a little step-sister. I don’t see her differently than I do my biological brother but I still don’t get why people consider this trope incest, it technically isn’t.
Like, I can understand it’d be creepy as hell if they were raised together since toddlers or something like that, but when it starts when they’re already in their adolescent years, it’s hard to see them as relatives, to me at least. But oh well, everyone has a different taste and opinion so I try to respect that—don’t understand it—but I respect it.
I feel like I don’t even have to comment on the second issue so I’ll only say this; at this point eighty percent of romance books present us with a lovable asshole as a hero or just a straight up asshole so it’s a problematic issue on a whole different level and I’ll not get into that right now.
So one thing I’ve come to realize from reading taboo books is that people will judge you for it. Openly or not, they will. But it doesn’t mean it’s wrong for you to enjoy those stories, everyone has a different taste and people have to learn to accept that.
Again, problematic doesn’t always means racist/homophobic/sexist/abusive books or relationships, it’s okay to like problematic things even if they’re messed up, you’re not excusing the unideal parts of it, you’re accepting it and that’s okay.
Check out my taboo/problematic shelf on Goodreads!
Do you guys have any “problematic” fave? Or favorite problematic trope?
