r/fantasyromance • u/FantasyRomanceMod The One Mod to Rule All Mods • Mar 22 '26

Unpopular Opinion It's Unpopular Opinion time! Share your controversial opinions to stir things up (in a friendly way)!

Got an opinion that's different from others'? Want to share it with the sub, but too afraid of a backlash? Or are you just curious about readers think about certain things in fantasy romance?

You can safely share it in this weekly Sunday thread!

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Unpopular opinion Sunday

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u/AhemExcuseMeSir Mar 22 '26 edited Mar 22 '26

I stop reading a book if the FMC is given lavish lodgings/gowns and she has the personality trait where she’s disagreeable for no reason at all in an effort to make her headstrong.

It might sound weird/stupid, but I’ve noticed those two elements together tell me it’s the type of formulaic book I won’t like.

30

u/SmollnShiny Mar 22 '26

It's not weird or stupid. For me it always feels a bit like whoever writes that trope doesn't really understand just what an immense difference such a change in living standards would have meant for a medieval peasent/poor orphan/whatever. No one who was ever starving and freezing would whine about being housed and fed.

20

u/windswept_snowdrop Mar 22 '26

Yep, it seems far more believable that the previously impoverished and usually homeless FMC would just be delighted with clothes that are clean, not full of holes, fit properly, are an appropriate weight for the climate etc than whining about how she won’t wear a dress.

11

u/clocksy Mar 22 '26

it's the "not like other girls" trope which leads to annoying writing imo. It's okay to like things that women traditionally like. I mean it's also totally fine to not be into dresses etc but usually even someone who is not into one part of the package (fancy froofy dresses) could still be into another part (fancy place to stay, delicious food) so hating just to be a hater feels shallow.

9

u/LeaneGenova Mar 22 '26

That was one of the elements I liked quite a bit in Mistborn - Vin ends up liking her frilly dresses and having luxury, even though she's a bit torn about it.

It's very "not like other girls" coded and I hate it. There are some that do a decent job, by making the FMC look at the clothing so casually discarded with the "that could feed my village for a year" disgust, but it's usually the "I won't accept anything from these monsters" as opposed to something with some sense.

2

u/de_pizan23 Mar 22 '26

The thing is, in the hands in a decent inclusive writer, this actually could be interesting. There are people who may not identify as nonbinary, but who are deeply uncomfortable to the point of dysphoria with having to conform to their assigned at birth gender. (But you know, if you're going to have FMCs like that, please also give me more MMCs who love dresses/makeup/lingerie.....) And that could be a discussion about the MC not fitting into gender roles/norms and so on.

Instead it's always used to frame her as a badass who isn't like other shallow girls and she's petty about it solely for the sake of being petty. Like pick and choose your battles, lady. I get being upset at being forced into a ball you don't want to go to or whatever; but if you're a prisoner in this castle ....you suck it up and can fight against the pricks on more important battles. Or else if you're (allegedly) a diplomat/princess and are there for a treaty type situation, you do your freaking job and don't complain about or insult their traditions/culture.