This particular topic from Long and Short Reviews was fairly straightforward, as one plotline immediately leapt to mind. There may well be more if I give it some thought, but I think most will be connected to this one.
Rape.
I'm not saying it's impossible to include it in a story and have it be good, but all too often I've seen this lovingly lingered on by the writer and it drives me mad. I put down a historical novel once not because the heroine was a victim of rape, but because it was constantly mentioned in every chapter - her parents used it to blackmail her and her rapist was always hanging around her, and after four chapters of this I simply gave up.
Another instance was a TV drama about a couple who liked to spice up their sex life by typing up the wife in her underwear in a public place and have the husband pretend to find her there. According to the description in the Radio Times, the tied-up wife is horrified when her husband's car pulls up and another man gets out and approaches her. That may have been an excellent episode, but my immediate response was "Nope!" I don't want to watch it and I don't want to read about it.
So which plotline do you refuse to read or watch?
Yeah, that's pretty much a no-go for me too. Urgh.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it can be well done, but I don't like it.
DeleteIf rape is an integral part to the story and better done without great detail, I can go with it. I agree if its only to give the reader or viewer a thrill, no. If it belabors the point as you've mentioned again that damaging.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's often dealt with very badly.
DeleteI specifically talked about rape being a "no go" area for me too, in my post. It can be alluded to...'nuff said!
ReplyDeleteI think it works better if it happens offscreen, but that's just me.
DeleteThis is a topic that needs to be handle with care in any type of story. If someone is writing about it for the sake of writing about it then that big no for me.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've rarely seen it done well.
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