Things in literature they really annoy you?

[changing47]

For me, it’s when characters are referred to as the X girl or the Y boy by characters who are perfectly aware of their names.

Dumbledore in Harry Potter referring to the ‘Malloy boy’. He knows his name is Draco. Just say it. In Game of Thrones Lyanna is referred to as the Stark girl by people who know her name is Lyanna Stark. It drives me mad.

Also detectives who’ve got a tragic backstory. Cannot find a detective novel these days where the detective simply investigated the crime. They’ve either had their family killed in tragic circumstances or their marriage is falling apart.

I couldn’t give a toss about what you think is arrogant and I can’t be arsed to have the argument you’re after.

Give us your most disliked literary tropes or go away.

Don’t forget the alcoholic ones

Sure it does - if you know the family you might not know all their names. The older Smith boy indicates whom you are discussing, if you haven't paid attention to the Smith boy being Alan or Adam.

In the case of Dumbledore, he's been there forever and has seen many Malfoys come and go. He knows them and their affiliations. He's referencing that Draco comes from a specific tribe.

Ah yes! And those who’ve been forced to take some time off and there is concern they’ve come back too early.

Wow, that’s very rude for what I’m assuming is supposed to be a light hearted thread.

I think teachers did refer to children like that. As In, for example, Molesworth major or minor.

The OP specifically said where the speaker knows their name.

Dumbledore is speaking to Snape. They both know Draco’s name. They both know his family. Dumbledore can just say ‘Draco’. It is used purely to ensure the reader is following.

It’s very rude to run around calling people arrogant too. Never fails to amaze me how many posters on Mumsnet are rude and then absolutely outraged when posters are rude back.

The only thing that really winds me up is a cast of thousands.

Probably for the same reason that parents muddle up the names of their own children.

Especially when they add nothing to the story.

I also hate books in series’ where you have to read 10 pages describing the events of the previous book.

I like tightly written stories. That means not dropping a character or set of characters halfway through because the writer got bored of them or overpopulated the book in chapter three or four and now can't work out where they fitted in at the end.

No chapter that goes nowhere and doesn't contribute to the plot or subplot but is just there because the writer liked it. Take it out, keep it, save it for something else.

I’m going to answer the question in the OP! I really dislike it when authors write about children when it’s obvious they know nothing about them. I specifically mean developmental stages etc. Like a seven year old child reading the complete works of Shakespeare (unless their mum is a Mumsnetter, in which case …) Or using very advanced language. Or behaviour that simply doesn’t reflect the age of the character. I have noticed it particularly in Lionel Shriver’s writing and I absolutely love her. A couple of times I have Googled the writer to check if they have children. Yes I’m that sad🤣

Also way too much padding into and across rooms. Like wolves.

I can assure you they do.

Yes, 100%. And also men writing about women - ‘she gazed in the mirror and admired her ample breasts, and ran a slow finger along her curves’.

That said, I loaned my DP JK Rowling’s Strike books and he reckons she doesn’t understand how men speak when they’re together, so maybe both sexes are guilty of that.

Okay then, you are right and I am wrong. Let’s get back to the actual thread.

I’m pleased I don’t know them. It sounds so incredibly rude.

I am annoyed by books where you end up hating the protagonist.

I used to read Robert Goddard, who had some great plots - but in almost every one of them I ended up thinking that his main character was so wet and pathetic and damaged that I hoped the bad guys would triumph or that he would die.

I absolutely agree with all the alcoholic/damaged detectives, too. If I dislike the character then I'm not rooting for them to win!

I thought this when I read the Heart’s Invisible Furies. It had amazing reviews but I found the main character incredibly selfish, pathetic and irritating.

“She padded into the kitchen.”

Can’t explain why but as soon as the word padded is used to describe a woman walking, I am annoyed.

I think this was on another post I saw yesterday but reusing distinctive words. Someone used the example of everyone "padding" everywhere and I totally agree. I think I struggle not to get annoyed with the author and editor after 4 "beet red" or "machiavellian" references.

😂🙄 The little things.