This Week’s Topic:
DOES IT HAVE TO BE HEAVY?
I make no secret of being the queen of the light and fluffy. I love books, that lean on the lighter side, but make no mistake, being lighter doesn't necessarily mean that the books are devoid of any depth.
I read a LOT of YA books, and I would say a majority of the characters are dealing with something, as most teens are. It could be the stress of high school life, familial expectations, or even a profound loss, but it's often wrapped up in a more upbeat story on the whole. Does that discount its weight? Does it diminish the character's pain? To me, no.
In fact, I would argue, that these moments actually stand out more in a book with an overall light tone. I have read quite a few heavy books, and I find myself drowning in the weight of it all. I know some people love it, catharsis and all that, but I tend to expect it, and maybe become a little desensitize to it after a while. You know, sort of like how I tune people out, who are talk a lot, but really sit up and listen, when a quieter person puts their ideas forth.
Do we really have to suffer an emotional overload for the character's journey or situation to be meaningful? I would hate to think, that any of my suffering was deemed inadequate to "count". I know I relish those quieter moments, where the character is coming to terms with something, or when the source of their underlying agony is revealed. I think it may have something to do with the fact, that someone's pain is someone's pain. It's not the misery Olympics. I don't compare one situation to the other, because suffering is a relative thing.
I don't know, I found myself struck by how many people were surprised, that sunnier-side books could have any depth. It doesn't seem like a happy book can't be meaningful, that it is not allowed to explore any meaningful issues. All I know is, that is the way I prefer my weighty topics package. I like to find them wrapped inside something fun, happy, and hopeful.
Now it's your turn!
Do you think a lighter read can have depth?
Let us know in the comments!
Let us know in the comments!
I think any read can have depth if it is well written with good characters. I'm not really into the books that have heavy medical and emotional issues as the main plot as it does get me down ploughing through it. I don't mind difficult moments for my characters, mixed in with action and humour, but it drains me to read an angst filled book so I tend to avoid it if possible!
ReplyDeleteIt's all about balance for me too. Like you, I feel so drained at the end of book that demands constant heartache or fear. A bit of that, ok, but less is more in those cases, at least for me
DeleteAbsolutely! I've been reading a lot of contemporary romance lately - I know one in particular stuck out because the romance was kind of so-so, but the main character was also going through a lot of personal growth, figuring out what she wanted to do with her business and where she wanted to live. That part was a little heavier and actually interested me more than the romance!
ReplyDeleteAnd, here I am trying to figure out what book you were reading. Those are major life decisions, which have some weight, that can be compounded by other circumstances the author built into the story, but still doesn't bring that weight to the overall tone of the book. Those are the types of books I enjoy. A blend of heavy and light.
DeleteExactly, me too. The book was The Prenup by Lauren Layne!
DeleteThat's one LL book I have not read. It got a lot of so-so reviews (probably because the romance was meh)
DeleteWhile I typically prefer my books on the heavier, more intense/angsty side, I certainly don't think that lighter equates to lack of depth. I've read plenty of "lighter" books that dealt with very serious topics. And they're usually balanced out well with the "fluffier" scenes and/or with humor. I love that there's something out there to suit every reading preference. :)
ReplyDeleteBalance is something that satisfies me as a reader. I like some depth, and just because I don't talk about those parts all the time in my reviews, doesn't mean they are not there. And, I agree with you. There is an audience for serious topics wrapped in a fluffy package, just as there is for intense reads.
DeleteI dislike books that are too heavy. I pay more attention to tough issues when they're wrapped up in a lighter story. Everybody struggles with different things and even when you're at your rock bottom you can still experience joy so a book doesn't have to be shrouded in darkness to have substance.
ReplyDeleteI think people just confuse "weight" with depth...
Same. When there are too many issues or the whole book is so issue heavy, I find my attention wanders a bit. I need those breaks from all of it. Maybe that's how I process it.
DeleteI do enjoy the lighter reads that do deal with issues and I don’t mind the heavier ones either. I do like to have some kind of balance with growth and learning from their situations and sometimes a little humor and some kind of happiness along the way is good too.
ReplyDeleteI cannot think of too many books I have read, where the characters experience no growth. Maybe they could have grown a bit more (so could I), but there was some growth. I do like a side of humor with just about everything. It helps me get through the hard parts.
DeleteI like both types of books---sometimes a heavy book that just devastates me and makes me sob is sort of cathartic. But if I read only that type of book, I'd be miserable! Lighter books with substance are truly delightful, and I always love it when I find unexpected depth in a book I'm reading!
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I remember the first time my daughter told me to read a book, and it had me ugly crying for days. I admonished her, and questioned how she dared recommend such a book to me, and she pulled out the catharsis line for me. So, other people agree with you there. I am just imagining reading books like that non-stop. EEEKK! I would be a puddle, because I am some sort of empath. Every now and then, they are fine, but not my regular book diet.
Deletei split between heavy and light. it depends on my mood
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
Mood is everything with me, which is why I read a LOT of lighter books. I need them to help me get through the day.
DeletePeople definitely think "fluffy" type of books avoid anything heavy, but you're right - that's not true. I like all types of books. Sometimes I'm fine with a heavier book with more difficult topics, but sometimes, difficult topics addressed in an overall lighter book is great too. You need both, for all types of readers.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
That's what bugs me, and I think some authors get hurt by that too. Thinking fluffy equals no substance, which is simply a misnomer. I am all for different books to cater to different tastes, I just get frustrated, when people write off lighter books as pure fluff and no depth
DeleteAnother great post, Sam!! I definitely tend to prefer the light reads, and I totally agree that they can have just as much depth and pack a serious punch. I can read the heavier books, but I can only take so much of them or they'll start bringing me down. I definitely prefer positive vibes and hopeful attitudes!!
ReplyDeleteBring the hope and the good vibes. I am here for that. I also want my issues handled. I have to know at the end of the book, that the character got some resolution or closure with respect to whatever they were dealing with, or at least be moving towards some resolution.
DeleteFor sure! I don't like open ends. I want the hope satisfied!
DeleteOpen endings make me nuts. I NEED ANSWERS!!!
DeleteI'm with you on this. Actually, I tend to enjoy books that are more character-driven. So, if the characters are well-written oftentimes THEY have depth even if the story is light and fluffy... And that's all I need to be happy!
ReplyDeleteGreat topic!
I would say the bulk of the books I read have little plot, and are mostly character driven. My enjoyment hinges on the characters for the most part, and I always like taking that journey with them.
DeleteYou are absolutely right Sam! The best example is The exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven! The humor in that book is amazing yet Izzy suffers a lot! And yes contrasting makes feelings and pain stand out more! Even if I do love an ugly cry from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI heard that book is actually funny. Is Steven a comedian or am I remembering that incorrectly?
DeleteI like books on both sides of the spectrum. Sometimes, I do prefer them to be heavier if a topic warrants it.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I feel, that even if the topic could warrant a heavy approach, it could also be handled with a lighter touch, and still be meaningful.
DeleteSome topics don't lend themselves as easily to a light, fluffly, or humorous touch... but that doesn't mean a book can't be light or funny (at least at times) AND have real emotion and depth. Some of my favorite historical romance authors pull that off very well. Julia Quinn, Sarah MacLean, and Tessa Dare have all managed it in a number of their books. On the other hand, some books are just light, without the depth, and there's a need for those too. Especially right now.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing Jesse Andrews at a BookCon panel, back when Me and Earl and the Dying Girl was coming out, and he said he set out to write a funny book about something that isn't funny. That comment has stuck with me for years, but I love the idea of it. That you can take those weighty topics, and approach them in an unexpected way. With YA, I have rarely seen a purely light book, though I have with contemporary romance (my other go-to)
DeleteI definitely believe that lighter books can be just as meaningful as more serious ones. I actually believe that the things the characters are dealing with in the "lighter" reads can be even more powerful.
ReplyDeleteThat's how I feel. When I am not constantly in the morose surroundings, I can see the topic so much better.
DeleteI love this. I think books that are "light" but still address "heavy" topics are great! Life (usually) isn't all dark and heavy. There are moments of great happiness and moments of sorrow (or whatever the person might be going through). It doesn't have to be all one direction to have an impact.
ReplyDeleteAnd, that's a good point. Most people aren't totally surrounded by misery (though it may be or seem that way for some). I think even some of the heavier books I have read had some moments of levity, but I personally always need more moments of light.
DeleteI really feel like people underestimate YA all the time because of this - it doesn't have to be a 500pg high fantasy book to get a reaction out of you!
ReplyDeleteSteph - www.nourishmeblog.co.uk
That's the truth too. I have read plenty of short books, which have felt more complete, than 500+ page books.
DeleteI actually most prefer books that are somewhere in between - books that have serious things going on but that aren't overwhelmingly heavy. I like a balance. I've read some extremely heavy and depressing YA books, so I don't think of the genre as light and fluffy. On the other hand, I've read some that were so silly I couldn't stand it. Balance. That's what it's all about!
ReplyDeleteI like balance as well, but I do like the over-all tone to be on the lighter side. Parts that are weighty, but mostly light is my thing. Most of my DNFs have been really depressing. I just can't push through that, and hope that it gets more hopeful. I don't do well with stuff like that. I would never any genre is all light or all heavy, it's the idea that some people think that a lighter book cannot have substance, because my experience is that it can.
DeleteI think you make a really good point here. Because you're right, no one's pain or lack thereof should make a book (or any story) "worthy" or not. I DO fully admit that I gravitate toward the heavier books though. Not that I don't see value in the lighter ones, because I absolutely do! I daresay I even have a few lighter faves! But sometimes I do worry about what that says about me, the fact that I like darker fare more. But I also DO need lighter moments in books. If it's all heavy, that gets really tough to read too.
ReplyDeleteI guess it just bugs me, when I see people dismissing a book as "fluffy". I don't think you need to go all the way dark to dig into a topic. I also don't think there is anything wrong with those heavy books. Just because they aren't for me doesn't mean they don't have their place or their audience.
DeleteI like it when the lighter books also have depth. I'm into character driven stories and that's how most of them are.
ReplyDeleteSame. I would say most of the books I read are light on plot, heavy on character. So, if there was nothing of substance, it would be hard to figure out what was keeping me reading.
DeleteI love this post so much! Everything you’ve said is so true. For me, it’s so important that a book has a hopeful ending otherwise I can feel so bogged down after reading it - and that’s not what I personally want out of a book.
ReplyDelete- Sabrina @ Wordy and Whimsical
Let's be honest, I always want happy, but if I can't have that, hopeful is my second choice. I am willing to be put though great amounts of pain, if the ending makes it worth what I had to endure.
DeleteI like both kinds of reads, but I'm growing especially fond of books that have a nice balance of both. It's like the best of both worlds for me as a reader.
ReplyDeleteLife is all about balance for me - some heavy, some light. I know I am not a super fan of all heavy, all the time, but I am not sure if I would like a completely fluffy, light book either. I have yet to read one, which was good times, all the time, so I cannot say for sure, but I think I would need to experience some emotion as I read
DeleteI completely agree, just because a story has a more upbeat tone, doesn't make the issues or even turmoil that a character experiences any less significant. I think it's more realistic because life in general has its high and low points and it's wonderful that books depict that too. It's hard to consume so many heavy narratives and now more than ever, we need those fluffier reads with happy endings.
ReplyDeleteExactly! I am sure there are some people, who have tough lives, but for most of us, it's a mix. Why shouldn't a book be that way too?
DeleteTotally agree, for a book to have depth does not mean it needs to be heavy on the angst and make the characters go through hell to get there. Do I enjoy reading books like that? Yeah, sometimes, but I like lighter fluffier reads as well and those characters have just as good a journey they just take a quieter one. I mean, I kind of want all characters to have growth and to have gone through something in a book, no matter what book it is, otherwise why would we bother reading if they're exactly the same as when they started?
ReplyDeleteThere are certain romance authors I avoid, because I have to be in the proper headspace to read their books. I can do gut wrenching, angsty, and emotionally draining, but like I said, I have to be in the right place, otherwise those books destroy me
Delete"Do we really have to suffer an emotional overload for the character's journey or situation to be meaningful? I would hate to think, that any of my suffering was deemed inadequate to "count". [...] It's not the misery Olympics."
ReplyDeleteI loved how you worded that! I read very little contemporaries (though I do read a number of magical-realism books, and they still qualify as contemporary), so I'm not the best judge, but instinctively, I agree with you. Also, in YA contemporaries, characters should be allowed to "simply" suffer from typical teen problems, without those getting discounted as "teen angst". Those issues are still real, and heaven knows even us adults can break up over less momentous things occasionally. It doesn't mean someone has a right to call us *yuck* WHINY.
It's true. I know there are many teens, who deal with some really tough situations, but there are many, who are just struggling with the more mundane parts of being a teen. We need books that show all of these situations.
DeleteI can't read really intense books (unless the pay off is VERY happy). those books stay with me for a long, long time. I can't even sleep sometimes because I get too depressed after a book like that.
ReplyDeleteBut I think most books have some sort of conflict to drive the plot. Just because it's surrounded by fluffy doesn't mean it's not real pain or have an emotional impact.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
I have suffered through super depressing/heavy books, but when that payoff isn't big enough, I want to throw it out the window. It has to be worth my emotional pain. A week or two ago, I read Jennifer E. Smith's debut. I expected something like all her other books, and it was not. It gutted me, and the ending was not enough to make up for the pain. I was crying the next day, and I had a headache from crying as I read it. (I still gave it 4.5 stars, but would have given 5 had the ending lifted me up a bit more)
DeleteI have to admit I am one of those morbid readers who love heavy and dark books, the more angsty and feeling related the better. One of my favourite things to read about is grief, if that is not heavy enough :P But I do try my best to mix up my heavy reads with light hearted books as well, just to maintain some balance.
ReplyDeleteHey, that's why those books exist, but I think I can also get a substantial emotional experience from a lighter side book.
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