I got this flair back in 2009 on my Facebook. Because up until this past year, that seemed to be the only books I could find on the YA shelf--vampires. Now, however, I think it would read "Dystopia Books: Or the section formerly known as Young Adult."
I'm not the only one sick of trends, am I? I know that trends are part of the business (especially in YA) and something that really, none of use can change, but still, as someone who likes multiple genres and focuses, I don't know why everything has to be about the same subject. First, in 2008 vampires came to the scene after the Twilight movie came out. Now that The Hunger Games is big, publishers assume we only want to read dystopia. Ok, I'm not so big on vampires because of a nightmare I had when I was little (a vampire came to eat me in front of my ENTIRE family. He said someone could take my place and he would let me go, but no one did and so he killed me). But I do love paranormal, and I love dystopia, and fantasy and historical and mystery and pretty much everything but contemporary.
However, get too much of a good thing and it goes stale. Which is bumming me out because a lot of dystopias sound so good and interesting, but it is getting to that point where it's just like...another one? Seriously?
There are still a few dystopian novels that I want to read and look forward to, but overall, unless for some reason it's compelling, I'm no longer interested in that genre for now.
How do you feel about trends?
You pretty much summed it up for me :)
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way. I have several friends who've written dystopians and are on sub and I worry that their work won't get out there because the market has become saturated. ;-/ If the publishers would just offer more of a balanced variety, the market wouldn't get saturated, and we'd have tons of different books to choose from. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI very much agree with you. Heavy trends can't really be that beneficial, especially if, down the road, everyone starts covering their eyes and saying, "Not another one!" You know?
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. I've loved dystopians ever since I read the Uglies series, but it's getting to the point where -- for the most part -- they're losing what's special about them.
ReplyDeleteHi Jenna,
ReplyDeleteJust thought I'd let you know I awarded you the Irrisistibly Sweet Blog Award. Congratulations.
Stop by my blog to see what it's all about and to pick up the award.
http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com
Yeah, I'm sick of trends, too. So much that I linked to your post over at my latest rant: http://calliekingston.blogspot.com/2011/06/ya-today-we-all-want-to-be-different.html
ReplyDeleteHere's to stretching the bounds a bit.