Opposites attract. Ah, that cliché that never grows old when it comes to teen romance…you can’t go wrong when sticking to the classics, right?
Most forgettable young adult romantic comedies revolve around jocks getting together with the nerdy girl who suddenly becomes beautiful when she takes off her glasses or the cheerleader locking lips with the dorky kid who favors chemistry and Star Wars figurines. The rich mean girl takes up with the scruffy boy from the wrong side of the tracks, the popular BMOC finds himself falling for the quiet, shy girl who loves to read, etc.
Such attachments rarely last or outlast high school. So we’re fairly certain Cameron’s affair with the dazzling Karla is doomed from the start. Not only are they polar opposites, she’s made it clear she won’t acknowledge him in public much less let anyone know they’re dating. That sort of behavior is going to chafe anyone with an iota of self-respect.
Cameron doesn’t even know how the whole thing started. Neither does the reader, in fact. Maybe Karla saw something special in him. Maybe she liked the naughty thrill of being the popular white girl dating a solitary black boy. Maybe she was bored.
We can see that this whole thing is headed for disaster…and that is what provides the thrill for the reader. After you’re past a certain age, reading about adolescents groping around in corners has all the thrill of watching goldfish mate. Who cares? But the drama that’s certain to erupt when others find out? Well, that might be worth the price of admission.
There are hints that another romance may be in the offing, adding the tension of a love triangle to the mix. That too is a staple of YA books. However, Cameron is an interesting enough teen that we remain invested in him apart from his jumbled, fumbling romantic endeavors.
Most forgettable young adult romantic comedies revolve around jocks getting together with the nerdy girl who suddenly becomes beautiful when she takes off her glasses or the cheerleader locking lips with the dorky kid who favors chemistry and Star Wars figurines. The rich mean girl takes up with the scruffy boy from the wrong side of the tracks, the popular BMOC finds himself falling for the quiet, shy girl who loves to read, etc.
Such attachments rarely last or outlast high school. So we’re fairly certain Cameron’s affair with the dazzling Karla is doomed from the start. Not only are they polar opposites, she’s made it clear she won’t acknowledge him in public much less let anyone know they’re dating. That sort of behavior is going to chafe anyone with an iota of self-respect.
Cameron doesn’t even know how the whole thing started. Neither does the reader, in fact. Maybe Karla saw something special in him. Maybe she liked the naughty thrill of being the popular white girl dating a solitary black boy. Maybe she was bored.
We can see that this whole thing is headed for disaster…and that is what provides the thrill for the reader. After you’re past a certain age, reading about adolescents groping around in corners has all the thrill of watching goldfish mate. Who cares? But the drama that’s certain to erupt when others find out? Well, that might be worth the price of admission.
There are hints that another romance may be in the offing, adding the tension of a love triangle to the mix. That too is a staple of YA books. However, Cameron is an interesting enough teen that we remain invested in him apart from his jumbled, fumbling romantic endeavors.