Top Ten Tuesdays is hosted weekly by The Broke and Bookish and anyone is free to participate! Last week was top things that will make me want to read a book immediately. This week’s we’re coming full circle and talking about things that will make me instantly not want to read a book. I like to think I’m an open reader. I don’t shy away from books because they have “controversial topics” in them. By “controversial topics,” I don’t mean racist books like Carve the Mark or The Continent, I will not read books like this; I mean books like like Night by Eli Wiesel, Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill or The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. But try as I might, there are some things I just would really rather not read about. I’m repulsed by all these things. Alright, let’s get started, and as always, in no particular order:
- Teacher/student relationships
There is something extremely repulsive about teacher/student relationships. They’re forbidden for a reason and books about them are little better than normalizing pedophilia. I don’t care how old the student is; I don’t care how old the teacher is. It’s never acceptable; this is something I. Will. Not. Budge. On. No Lolita, No Mrs. Robinson. Just no. - Age gap greater than 6 years
Given there is a small (?) age gap between my husband and I (is 4 years considered an age gap?), I’m not sure what is defined as an “age gap.” I’ve seen 3 years defined as an age gap? There’s been only one exception where I’ve enjoyed an age gap and the characters were at essentially the same maturity (both consenting adults) so it wasn’t as noticeable; it was also a Korean Drama *cough* shameless plug for Coffee Prince. Either way, I’m just not a fan of it. I’ve never quite understood people who marry decades apart, but I guess whatever floats your boat. - Horror
I know this is more of a genre, but I cannot do any type of horror. I’m terrified of the dark and I see things/people in the dark that aren’t there. To preserve my sanity and ability to sleep at night, I avoid all things horror including “thriller” books in some cases too. - Murderer retellings
There have been a couple of Jack the Ripper retellings published in the last couple years (Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Manisalco and From Hell by Alan Moore) and I just can’t delve into that kind of thing. I read part of Stalking Jack the Ripper and I couldn’t take the gore; I didn’t get further than 3 chapters. From Hell is a graphic novel so that’s even more of a “no” from me. This category kind of goes along with the horror genre. Although I tend to think horror is more supernatural, maybe that’s just me. - Mystery
My mom tried to get me to read the Nancy Drew books when I was little, and I had no interest in them. I’m not sure what it is but I’m not interested in mystery at all. I love mystery shows, and I recently discovered the joy of Sherlock Holmes (I never read or watched them when I was little) and I like all those crime shows. But that genre does not extend across mediums. Please don’t tell me I’ll love _______ mystery book. I won’t. I’m saving us both heartache. - “Has to throw over the government”
I had enough of the dystopia “I need to throw over the government” around the time Divergent was over. By that time I had read The Maze Runner, The Gardener, Delirium, The Pledge, Matched, The Hunger Games, The Declaration, Among the Hidden, The Giver, Brave New World, The Handmaid’s Tale. For the most part, I was tired of seeing the same thing over and over and over and over again; still there’s The 5th Wave, All Our Yesterdays, Under the Never Sky. Please just let this end. To this day I refuse to read a dystopic novel like these unless I’ve seen OUTSTANDING reviews and people chatting about it (like The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton) will I read it. Just let’s move on. It worked for the Hunger Games for like 5 years, but now that’s over. I heard space is all the rage. Maybe jump on the sff bandwagon instead. - Voluntourism as a setting
If you want to know what voluntourism is, you can read about it here. There’s some books that have this “volunteer summer camp” as a backdrop and please just no. I don’t want to read about teens patting themselves on the back and I don’t have time to go into the White Savior complex right now. Just set your story in a band summer camp or a neighborhood or something. - Classics
Ha. You guys knew this was coming. Don’t @ me. Seriously.
Well that’s about it, I really looked hard though my Goodreads list to try and find a theme. But most often, I just read whatever looks good. Any mutuals? What are your major turnoffs with books?? Let me know in the comments!
I agree I don’t like murderer retelling either! I didn’t think about age gaps at all… that’s a good one… though Gong Yoo does somehow make age gaps work… both in Coffee Prunce and Goblin… great list!
LikeLike
I haven’t watched Goblin! I completely forgot about that one!! I’ll get around to it… eventually! Yeah, Coffee Prince is the only age-gap I’ve been able to stomach. Maybe because Eun Chan seems so mature??
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d be interested in what you think of Goblin compared to Coffee Prince… I agree Eun Chan is a big reason the age gap works in Coffee Prince… I don’t think it was as successful in Goblin on the OTP front but I seem to be in the minority.
LikeLike
I completely agree with #1. How is that ever okay? (It’s not.)
I’m not sure I’ve read any books with voluntourism as a setting, but I can see why that would be obnoxious.
Also, lol to the classics. I agree. xD
LikeLike
I think the voluntourism thing is so forefront in my mind because there was this amazing-sounding book that was published this year and I waited SO. Long. to read it and I heard good things about it and everything and then it was set in Mexico where these kids were building orphanages and I was like NOPE. Not today!
LikeLike
Ughhh. What book was it?
LikeLike
Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley Brown (I think that’s her last name).
LikeLike
Thanks! I’ll stay away.
LikeLike
Teacher-student relationships just make me go ick. I cannot stand reading about them at all. Even if it’s less of a teacher and more of a mentor, I will be comfortable.
I also can’t get behind age gaps. With gaps in age there are gaps in maturity and in power, and it’s not okay.
I love classics and the occasional mystery, but I’m with you on the dystopian overthrow-the-government thing! It’s overdone. We can do without it now.
LikeLike
I KNOW. I think you touched on the reasons I’m so against age gaps and teacher-student relationships. The power dynamics are way wack. People already have a hard time maintaining balance in a relationship when they’re the same age; it seems like a real struggle. Although I have more than a couple friends who are married to or whose parents are a decade apart. I guess if it works for you…
LikeLike
Horror, murder retellings, and mystery are no go’s for me as well. If there is a mystery aspect to the book that’s fine, but straight up mystery no way! I’m also tired of overthrowing the government, and student/teacher relationships shouldn’t be in literature, to begin with!
LikeLike
Yeah, I can understand if there’s some mystery. But the whole “killer on the loose” thing absolutely frightens me. When I was younger and more naive I tried to get into horror movies and started with Thriller and now I just openly oppose them, haha
LikeLike
The “overthrowing the government” trope is definitely something that I can do without as well. I’ve read so many stories like that and at this point they all seem very predictable. Chances are that they’ll succeed with their plan in the end… and then what?
Great list! 🙂
LikeLike
SO TRUE! They’re so predictable. Plus when I read them, I’m like… so what’s your game plan to dismantle this government? And it’s so unrealistic how it’s overthrown. Like nothing is as simple. I just think it’s not a good topic for YA, hah
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great list! I’m not a fan of horror either for the sake of my sanity and sleep. Here is my Top Ten Tuesday!
LikeLike
I’m 100% with you on Student/Teacher relationships. So disturbing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Murderer retells–ga! Didn’t even know this was a thing. Student/teacher–no, although maybe a grad student/prof (adults). I have a thing for older men/younger women but both must be ADULTS. That’s what I write. But no creepers–no kidnapping or icky things like that. True older man/younger woman love. No “trophy” wives, either.
LikeLike
Yeah!! I don’t know when murder retellings came into being, but I’ve already seen enough of them. I have a very sensitive mind, hah
LikeLike
I have to disagree on a couple of points- I love Nancy Drew and Classics. But totally agree about horror and anything with lots of gore. Oh and yes, the dystiopian copycat plot is soooo tired. But the thing is that not every book is for every person and that’s okay. 🙂
My TTT: http://books.thetechchef.net/top-ten-tuesday-22/
LikeLike
So true! It would definitely be boring if everyone liked the same books because then only those books would be published and we’d never be exposed to anything new! I know Nancy Drew is a beloved classic and I’m really happy people liked them!
LikeLiked by 1 person
omg! yes to your list. Especially ‘overthrowing the government’ and voluntourism themes. Time to move on.
LikeLike
for real. This is 2017, those book plots don’t fly anymore!
LikeLike