I love to read. I love to read all kinds of genres. I typically will read something from one area (say non-fiction) followed by some genre of fiction. Most recently I finished Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which requires some thinking and for the reader to pay attention. To follow, I wanted an easy, light read. I opted for Julie and Julia. (I will admit, I saw both the movies first. I usually try to do it the other way, doesn’t always happen.)
The last few books I have read in the “chick lit” genre have somehow involved cheating. What I would like to know is why does someone feel the need to cheat in order to get a good story line? How many great books have been written that do not involve this story line? And why do chick lit authors seem to use it as a go to? To me it seems like the easy way out, “I need conflict soooo let’s throw in an affair!”
It gets old. I have never been one to agree with or condone cheating. I believe in being faithful to the one you are with. And if you can’t handle that, get out. It bothers me that so many stories involve this but could still be good stories without it. I have read many a chick lit books throughout my life and I do not recall earlier books being so focused on that as the main conflict. Or maybe I am just not remembering right (which very well could be).
I will say that Tinker Tailor Solder Spy also spoke to an affair but it wasn’t the main conflict. It tortured the main character but it was secondary to the main plot. It also drove part of the plot and made sense in the overall scheme of the story line. Twice in Julie & Julia affairs have been mentioned by secondary characters and seem to have no point, go nowhere. Why did the author need to throw this in? Needless to say I only have about 50 pages yet and do not really see the point of these added affairs. I understand if it makes sense/drives the plot. In some books it seems thrown in to add another conflict or drama when not needed. In some chick lit books it is the driving factor. Sometimes it works, sometimes it seems like it is just done for the sake of having no other conflict idea worked out.
Do I need to give up chick lit?? I like it because it is usually a light, easy read. I just get tired of the cop-out of cheating. With as much cheating and affairs that go on in chick lit one would think that every person on this earth cheats. I know it happens but is it really as common as portrayed in books/movies/tv shows?
Do you feel that there is more of this in current chick lit? Do you like story lines that revolve around cheating? Do you think authors are starting to take the easy way out when they resort to using cheating as a conflict?