The Problem With Triangles

So your probably looking at the title of this post thinking "triangles why is she writing about triangles that has nothing to do with books." Which is true of course book aren't even shaped like triangles however I am not writing about plain old triangles I am writing about the infamous LOVE TRIANGLE *ominous music playing in the background*  For those of you who don't know what a love triangle is allow me to explain. A love triangle is when two characters are competing for the love of another or one character is in love with two characters and has to choose between them. An example of this is the love triangle presented within the Hunger Games trilogy. In which Katniss loves both Peeta and Gale and has to choose between them. I could give a million more examples (which is part of the problem) but I think without further ado its time to get into the post.


Love triangles the literary phenomenon that seems to be present in almost every YA book ever published. It's a source of turmoil, choice and often conflict between two characters so what's the big deal? Those sound like elements that could add to a novel. The truth is love triangles aren't all bad they typically allow for three of the characters in the novel to become quite well developed and they always add a degree of interest when you start to pick a side. However they still annoy me and several others to no end and here is why. The main issue is overuse seriously does every YA novel on the face of the earth need to have a love triangle can't tension and choice be created elsewhere within the book perhaps  from somewhere original and creative? To help illustrate my point i'm gonna list every book with a love triangle from the top of my head: The Hunger Games trilogy, The Twilight series, Matched, Shatter Me, Requiem, Splintered, City of Bones, The Iron King, The Selection, Rain, Fragments etc. I think you get the point. My one other main issue with love triangles is the melodramatic tone they often create. By that I mean it can get kind of annoying when the world is in danger and all the main character can think about is which guy to choose. Ok rant over please keep in mind that this is all my opinion and to each their own. So what do you think about love triangles? I'm so not in love with them.