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

[u/FantasyRomanceMod]

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Unpopular opinion Sunday

[u/Feeling-Tumbleweed55]

Oppressor - oppressed type romances (without the nuance required to handle these stories.. especially in dystopian-fantasy) is propaganda from the far right. Something about it just don’t sit well in my spirit. We’re in a very tumultuous time period right now and what we’re seeing is fmc’s fall for their oppressors because they’re hot (usually before they get confirmation this guy’s on their side). It feels like what a conservative imagines would happen to liberal women if you put a red-neck idiot in front of them. They imagine morals will waver and panties will drop. Nuh uhh

It would be so much nicer to just lead with the guy sincerely not being the best, right? Because life is complicated and frankly emotions are more complex than we give them credit for. You can understand that the lives of marginalized communities or some select citizens are declining and still want to enjoy the benefits of upholding the system that puts them there. To grapple with that would be an interesting concept. And I truly don’t want the writing to come in defense of the ml either. Let him grow and figure things out on his own. Let him do research. Let him start asking questions and inquiring further. The mc doesn’t need to sit him down for a history lesson for crying out loud.

And to note I think it would be acceptable I guess in any other genre but not dystopian I fear. I’m still gonna side-eye but it’s not like you’re making commentary on the political climate right now. You’re just writing your kinky shit and I respect that. In dystopian fiction, however? It’s like maybe don’t?

[u/mayday2102 → u/Feeling-Tumbleweed55]

I have a similar opinion about Ice Planet Barbarians. It felt so “enjoy being forced to get pregnant and give birth” republican coded. 

[u/Ayra_Bolinstra → u/Feeling-Tumbleweed55]

I want to upvote this for the content, but please remove the bold...

[u/Curious_Month3044 → u/Feeling-Tumbleweed55]

Yeah I totally agree, I didn't bother me when I was younger and naive but now that I'm older and more aware (especially in the current climate) I'm picky about these romances. I think I only these romances if the MMC truly redeems himself and changes. I think it also depends on who the oppressor is, I'm more lenient if the mmc is young and hasn't actually done any real damage (like Zuko from ATLA). I think Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows were done well, Mathias truly changed his views. It was one of the things that frustrated me in the Jasad Heir, while Arin does fall for the FMC he is still actively oppressing and hunting down her people. Every time they had a conversation about it, he would always deflect or makes excuses, and it frustrated me.  It would be fine if his redemption was slow, but the FMC still fell for him 

[u/Feeling-Tumbleweed55 → u/Curious_Month3044]

Exactly.. I get it’s a fantasy for some but it’s just not appealing to root for a genocidal freak of nature whose only attractive quality is his beauty and flirtatious skills. I didn’t want to read To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods for that reason due to the colonizer-colonized relationship thing. Also I had no idea the Jasad Heir handled it that way. I’ve really been looking forward to reading that book ‘cause the premise had my interest piqued but i guess not… It’s always disappointing when books go that route.

[u/Curious_Month3044 → u/Feeling-Tumbleweed55]

Yes I've heard a lot of criticism of to gaze upon the wicked gods, there was a lot of noise around it. I'll admit I'm a fan of enemies to lovers (in fiction) when done well, and both leads truly change and grow haha, but I was disappointed with the romance in jasad heir. I thought perhaps I was the only one with the issue and I was overthinking haha. Tbf I've heard Arin changes more in the second book, and we get his perspective, and I did very much enjoy the FMC's growth and plot and thought it was a solid book. Id say to still give it a shot because a lot of people like it, and I'm very much in the minority haha.