My friends know that I tend to speak my mind alot about things - this is both a blessing and a curse! However, I have found myself being pretty good on this blog - I have kept my ranting to a dull roar :)However, there is a "book" rant that I have felt coming on for some time now and I am just going to post it here and I would be curious to read your views on the subject. Just a quick disclaimer - this is MY opinion and does not mean that I speak for anyone else!!!! :)
I visit quite alot of bookstores, not to mention read tons of other blogs. I also spend time on Amazon.com and Chapters.ca (because I am, after all, a book addict and that IS what book addicts do).
The other day, I was at Indigo which is one of two big bookstores in Montreal (not as big as I would like - but that's ANOTHER rant for another day).
I visited the "fiction" section and frankly, found absolutely nothing of interest. Then, I walked over to the YA section (here comes the rant) - between the two sections (fictiona and YA), I counted 47 different titles that deal with either: vampires, werewolves, witches or dead people speaking through some earthly form. WHY??????
I know that the book world is like any other "media" and that there are spurts of genres that become popular - but it seems to me that sooooo many authors are getting on this bandwagon that its getting a little annoying for those of us, who don't normally read these types of books.
I have a few favorite authors who have completely abandonned their regular genres to write about people biting other people's neck for their blood! This is especially true in YA - can someone PLEASE tell me the fascination with this type of book? I have tried, on a few occasions to read these, including the first few Harry Potter books which I have NEVER managed to get pass the firs few chapters - the story is just too out there for me and I struggle to find one little piece of reality in a story that is completely impossible and therefore, the storyline gets boring, boring! Maybe that is the point? that readers want to explore a world that they can never be in? Yes, I know fiction is about escapism, but I am really at a lost to understand why anyone would want to escape into a world of vampires and witches.
I guess what really bugs me about this is that while the authors are writing these new genre books and while the publishers are actively buying them, publishing them and pushing them on us, this leaves less $$$$, less author time and certainly less shelf space to write, publish and actively promote those books that the rest of the population enjoys!
I have a friend who absolutely freaked out when she found out about Twilight (both the book and the movie) and when i asked her why she answered - "cauz the whole thing is sexy"?????!!!!!!
I think I am completely missing the boat on these new genres. So, I would love for you guys to give me your opinions :)
End of rant.
6 comments:
Tina that is what we like about you (or at least I do) you tell it like it is no BS about it.
I agree with you especially in the YA section there is alot of books like that. I know that Chapters here is pretty good with a wide selection of other kinds of YA.
The next time I am there I will have to take a look to see what its like but probably its about half half.
YES! Thank you! Finally someone else who is sick of the whole vampire thing! I am not into reading books about vampires at all. I know there is a swarm of them out there now. I do think "Harry Potter" may have started it but also the "Twilight" series being so popular, now everyone is trying to get on the bandwagon. Have you also noticed that it isn't just books, it has also invaded TV! Just wait, it will all die down... with a steak to the heart, eventually. I was going to say silver bullet, but isn't that werewolves? Shows you what I know.
I agree that the YA section seems out of control with Vampires, etc.
But I really think that publishers are catering to the desires of the audience...the economy is in the crapper, their lives suck, and they want escape--so they give it to them.
I like vampires, etc. and have read these books for years, but I may not be the norm.
I'm with you on this one! Not only do I not really get the whole vampire thing (I read the first Twilight book and that was enough for me), but it seems to me that even if you are into vampires, is it really necessary for everybody and their sister to be writing about them? This does seem like overkill...
Oh and yay for a good rant every now and then!
This is a trend that I have noticed as well, and I even enjoy books about vampires and other paranormal subject matter in fiction. It seems like there are too many for them to all appeal to me, and I wonder how much longer this will go on.
I would agree that I enjoy these books because of the escape they provide, and maybe that is why publishers are attached to them right now.
I completely agree! I can't stand vampire books, and they do seem to be everywhere. I was in Walmart today browsing their book section while I waited for my husband, and almost all of the YA books were vampire/supernatural books. Then there was the Spanish language section that was filled with Twilight series translations and other vampire books.
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