This Week's Topic
A Recent Reading Surprise
Every once in a while, I will read a book that surprises me. It can be one that I think is good or bad, or something I am indifferent towards. I have been simmering on this for a while. In the past two weeks, I read at least four (maybe five?) books where the characters made a point of letting me know they never wanted to have children.
These were all romance books, and I suppose I found it interesting that they needed to make it known. For one book, it was part of the plot, but the others it was a random announcement. I know it's becoming more common for people to elect to have no children. Heck, I even saw this map showing birth probabilities, and though I have seen some variability in versions of this map, it essentially shows that birth rates are low in the west which is the target audience for the books I read.
So, I wonder, are authors including these wannabe childless couples to match their audience or is something else driving the mention of no children all of a sudden? I don't believe I have seen mention of it often enough in the past to leave an impression, but it sure keeps popping up lately.
Have you noticed any spikes in themes or anything in your reading lately?
Now it's your turn!
Have you been surprised lately?
Let us know in the comments!
Let us know in the comments!
"So, I wonder, are authors including these wannabe childless couples to match their audience or is something else driving the mention of no children all of a sudden?"
ReplyDeleteProbably the first one? It can still be a coincidence, but four/five books in two weeks where there used to be none seems suspicious...
The only spike I've noticed lately is the one of YA books set in the '90s...which I don't think can be explained with the targeted audience LOL. And I don't even think it can be explained with the authors being teen in the '90s, because some of them are much too young for that.
Just read ANOTHER one where they say they want no kids. Kind of sad to see this is so popular. I have noticed a lot of 90s nostalgia as well. It's a thing right now, 90s throwbacks even for people who were very young during that time.
DeleteI haven't been reading a lot of romances lately, but that is a surprising trend. I think it'd be hard to pair with someone who didn't want kids if you really wanted them. In real life. It be a deal breaker for me if I was looking for someone and still wanting kids. You never know what'll happen in a relationship and if, as a woman, you forgo having kids because the guy you're with doesn't want them you're screwed if you break up and then you're out of the age range of having kids! Not such a big thing for a man because heck, he can sow his seed forever! :(
ReplyDeleteAnd I have seen THAT play out in real life and in books, interestingly enough. It's just an trend that took me by surprise and worries me that the younger generation doesn't want to be part of creating a new generation.
DeleteMaybe it's their own feelings towards children that has changed? I confess that if I was at my kids age now with all the climate change and wars I don't know if I would make the same choices.
ReplyDeleteI always wanted to be a mother. My father was born while bombs were being dropped on his town. His mother still wanted children. I supposed it's a mindset.
DeleteThat's not something I've noticed in books lately, but it also doesn't surprise me. It does feel like with the poor economy and bad things happening with the planet, fewer people seem to want to bring a child into that or think they are able to take care of a child properly. It does seem like a strange thing to bring up if it doesn't matter to the plot, though! I agree that it could be trying to relate to the target audience. and maybe a lot of younger people don't want children "right now" but may change their mind in the future. I was kind of ambivalent about becoming a parent when I was younger, in that if it happened, it would be wonderful, but if it didn't, I was also ok with that. But now that I have a child, I can appreciate how great it is.
ReplyDeleteI read another one the other day! Some things may be more perception than fact. For example, I saw the numbers for percentage of household income for food, and it's at its lowest compared to past years. I also taught climate change for a topics in science class back in the day, and you have to know your sources. Everything is a mindset, and being a mother was the most rewarding experience of my life. Glad we have Henry in the world and that you are enjoying your experience.
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