Is Enemies-To-Lovers Overrated?9/24/2022 Over the last couple of years, enemies-to-lovers has become one of the most talked-about tropes in literature. It is a favorite of reading communities online, especially in the YA circle, and so I have seen many books marketed with this trope quickly gain readers' interest. “Enemies-to-lovers” is also present in film and television, with examples including both the popular show Bridgerton: Season 2 and the instant hit Purple Hearts -which both broke Netflix’s viewership records in their respective categories-. But perhaps the line between a romantic trope and romanticizing toxicity has become too blurry, and the reading community might be ignoring some of its harmful representations. Disclaimer: As with any work of art, literature is subjective. We are a diverse group of readers and writers, and everyone is entitled to have their own opinion. This article is not meant to be disrespectful, but is rather my perspective on some of the questionable aspects of this trope. What does enemies-to-lovers mean? The Merriam-Webster dictionary refers to the two key terms of this trope as: “one that is antagonistic to another especially: one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent” (“Enemy” def. 1) “strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties” (“Love” def. 1.a) Enemies-to-lovers is the juxtaposition between hate and love. Two of the most powerful words in any language, overflowing with meaning and experience. Loving is known to be a decision for many psychologists. This choice requires the different parts “to work on communication, trust, intimacy, or emotional security (...)” (PsychCentral). Meanwhile, the enemy is tied not only to dislike or to opposition, but to a desire of harming someone. Most times, enemies consciously choose to injure each other. That is when the first problem of this trope comes in. It is not only tolerable, but desirable for two characters to damage each other first, and to come to feel affection second. Jude and Cardan, from The Folk Of The Air Series, are one of the best-known examples of the trope. Cardan enjoyed making Jude feel inferior, and the other way around. I had to put the book down when I realized this. I am still unsure of how can they cross to the other extreme after that. Misunderstanding the trope Marketing is complicated. A reader can be browsing a bookstore and see “enemies-to-lovers” on a poster or on the blurb of a book. Intrigued, they take the book home and begin reading it. However, as they pass page after page, it is other scenes, character dynamics, or even writing styles that call their attention. They might realize that the central themes of the book were not related to romance. Or that the trope was nonexistent at all. In many cases, relationships said to be “enemies-to-lovers” fit the “rivals-to-lovers” trope better. Rivals are known for opposing one another due to a variety of circumstances; of which the most popular two are the group they belong to or the events that lead them to face each other in a competition. Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller, and A Pho Love Story by Loan Le are examples of these two scenarios. Attention: Spoilers from Pride and Prejudice in the paragraph ahead. Another example of mis-categorization is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, which is sometimes considered the first enemies-to-lovers book. But Mr. Darcy already thought that Elizabeth Bennet was an intelligent and beautiful woman by chapter 6. Plus, both characters will often feel frustrated with their perception of the other throughout the book, but neither will actively try to hinder them. Internal Conflict One of the most interesting connotations of the trope is the internal conflict characters go through while getting to know each other. After all, they stand against their position, what they represent, and sometimes even their values. Are they willing to turn back on the world they know for someone that they are supposed to oppose? If they want to succeed, the other must fail. Who will give in first? Knowing someone’s flaws. Knowing them in anger or in pain. And still choosing to put effort into trying to make a relationship work. I firmly believe that there are better ways to portray this than enemies-to-lovers. Characters do not need to root hate through the cuts and scratches they have given each other before considering if they can be romantically involved or not. Paula Argudois a young planster with too much passion and too little time on a day. She has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, whether they are thoroughly researched flash fiction pieces or improvised bedtime stories.
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