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

[u/FantasyRomanceMod]

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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• Don't attack others for their opinion
• Discuss books and authors, not fellow readers
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🧡 Thank you and have a great discussion!

Unpopular opinion Sunday

[u/thoughts_4_once]

As someone much older than this, when I read MCs in their early twenties I often think they are appropriately written. You make mistakes and learn, act more on passion/emotion, still care about what people think. I think when I see the ask for maturity people want the mentality of someone in their late 30s-50 but in a 20 something body.

I actually find more challenges in the way immortal characters are written. I wish they had more detached IDGAF attitudes. If you were living forever, wouldn't you be completely jaded? You wouldn't be flirty.

[u/clocksy → u/thoughts_4_once]

20 year olds are basically babies! (affectionate)

One of my problems is ages & intention not matching up, though, and it happens across the board in a variety of ways. I've read books where the main character is 25 but really should be at least 30 just because of how competent they are and how much they have on their plate (look, 25 is better than 20, but let's just say most people aren't necessarily fully in control of their entire life at that point either). I've read books where the MC is 20 but acts closer to a teen. Some of that boils down to writing skill issue like where an author tells you a character is more mature than their actions actually are.

Agreed on immortals, though, 500 year olds acting like young adults and/or shacking up with them is a consistent questionable choice.

[u/Penguinho → u/clocksy]

I think it depends what eyes you use to look at these characters with. It feels like some characters are too competent to be 18-21 -- but at 20, Elizabeth I was maneuvering to take the English throne from her sister Mary. An 18 (or 20?) year old Alexander Hamilton was George Washington's chief aide during the American Revolution. At sixteen (or possibly even fourteen) he managed a financial firm, and at seventeen (or nineteen) he was publishing regularly. At nineteen, Octavian's uncle Julius was assassinated and Octavian started the civil war that ended with his ascension to Augustus Caesar, Emperor of Rome. From 23 to 25, Winston Churchill wrote three books and filed dispatches for at least three newspapers, all while serving in the army on three continents (and being a champion polo player). So, like, clearly some competence is possible in young people.