Love is in all great stories, be they romances, westerns, fantasy, or even action-adventure. And there is no greater riveting aspect of a great story than the plot device of a love triangle. Would Gone with the Wind be such a classic without the romance between Ashley, Scarlett, and Rhett? Without love triangles, would so many people have flocked to see Titanic, Hunger Games, Twilight, or even The Return of the King?
I remember many teen novels with love triangles from my youth. Usually there was an obvious choice: the good guy and the bad one. Both guys were generally handsome, men of means, and adept at physical combat, be it swords, guns or fists. The good guy was caring, stalwart, and often blond. The bad guy was aloof, sometimes cruel, and prone to rashness that he often apologized for later, as well as often dark haired. Our heroine had a much easier time of choosing in those days, and almost exclusively the good guy in the last few pages won her heart where he asked her to marry him.
Today’s novels are much more complex, …
Read More