Discussion The standard for ML's is in the gutter

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by shinyeevee, May 22, 2022.

  1. shinyeevee

    shinyeevee Active Member

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    It's honestly sad that readers will praise the ml for doing the bare minimum of communicating and treating the fl with respect. I'm just reading the comments like "Pls have higher standards. This should not be praiseworthy." Readers are so used to the 'walking red flag who is angsty and brooding with daddy/mommy issues and uses the fl as a surrogate therapist' ml that they're hyping up what should be the standard.

    This is why we need more himbo ml's. Morosexuals rise up!
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2022
    Karionte, Rika77, teargrants and 2 others like this.
  2. Accismus

    Accismus Icarus

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    Omg yes.
    It's so so so hard to find a decent ml (like one in lovely allergen)
    Most novels are technically saying go with the kid who pulls your pigtails but not with the one who gave you handmade bracelet because abuse is the way
     
  3. Amaruna Myu

    Amaruna Myu ugly squid dokja (●´∀`●)

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    I need to Google what a himbo means, I've been seeing it much too frequently
    back from a Google search
    the sabbath has a himbo-like mc and an op mc-like ml
     
  4. Tafyunn

    Tafyunn Gimme your recommendatio- *yawns*

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    My image won't upload lol, but yeah its true. Like how come authors create such perfect husband material second MLs yet make the FL end up with the edgy, red flag carrying ML with a tragic backstory that definitely doesn't only exist to justify him being a complete ahole? Readers are so accustomed to it now that even a single act of respect from MLs will hype them up sheesh :blob_zipper_mouth:
    [​IMG]
     
  5. Anra7777

    Anra7777 All powerful magic grammar hamster queen pirate.

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    This hamster agrees!
     
  6. Greater thunder

    Greater thunder Well-Known Member

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    There is no standard for webnovels.

    You are still reading fanfictionnet's equivalent from the chinese speaking side (except they make more money off of that).

    Aren't domineering female leads similar as in getting backstory and enemy side characters as to merely justify being raging bitches to everyone they meet through the story?

    But what do I know? My romance reading is shallow and best romance genre kdrama I found and watched is main couple of "Melo is my nature".
     
  7. Esha07

    Esha07 ☄your favorite meanie࿐ྂ

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    Pffft....so true
    Nowadays peeps be walking through the definite red flags as if they are colour blind.
    Haha we need romance with Himbo MLs
     
  8. Rika77

    Rika77 Well-Known Member

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    B-B-But sad back story::blobcatsad::
    The problem with romance novels right now is that the 'abusive ml- emotional punching bag fl' trope sells really well. Writers know that they can write the the thinnest of plots and package it off with great art and people will still buy their books. I love Himbo Ml, but they are no cold northern Duke with black hair and red eyes:blobsweat_2:

    I believe that people are free to like the tropes the want. I like anti heros like Light Yagami, that doesn't mean I'm going to eat potato chips and go on a killing spree. But I want the same courtesy to be extended to me too. I can't count the number of times people who don't support scum mls are called heartless and unforgiving. Most fans keep talking about how you should analyze the story to understand the Ml's nuances and to not be influenced by outside opinions. But they are allowed to do all the influencing themselves. There are so many spoiler pages these days where the spoiler curator now carries links to how exactly you should read the ml's character as well google links to help you psychoanalyse the Ml to understand him. I mean atleast try to act a little less hypocritical:blobcat_rawr:
    Of course arriving at a different conclusion after all the analyzing ( because you are a human who can have a different opinion) means you will be accused off being biased and cursed to hell. There is no way you will win:blobflag:
     
    ToastedRossi likes this.
  9. AliceShiki

    AliceShiki 『Ms. Tree』『Magical Girl of Love and Justice』

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    I dunno, I mean... If a character is doing the standard things that I like, why can't I be happy about it? Much better than a character doing stuff that I dislike, yanno?

    This feels like a really weird complaint to me...
     
  10. teargrants

    teargrants Well-Known Member

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    If you don't see the issue of praising the bare minimum, then this topic isn't for you.
     
    shinyeevee likes this.
  11. AliceShiki

    AliceShiki 『Ms. Tree』『Magical Girl of Love and Justice』

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    I'm happy as long as the characters I'm reading about are doing things that make me happy~

    If they make things that bother me, then I'll complain about it~
     
  12. ToastedRossi

    ToastedRossi Well-Known Member

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    You can't exactly blame the writer when readers eat this stuff up! Hell, there's a good chance that the writer is also a fan of this kind of thing. I think that the best thing we can do as a community is to point out all the books where this happens. The biggest problem (at least on NU) is that the ratings for these problematic books tend to be very high and it's rare for anyone to point out just how awful these male love interests are. I even see these books get recommended all the time and this just perpetuates the cycle of disappointment.

    Here, I'll go first. "The Rebirth of the Malicious Empress of Military Lineage" is one of the top rated books on NU, and it's one that I see gets recommended all the time. Now, the male love interest in this book is far from the worst I've come across; he's mostly just a stalker (one who is attracted to 14 year old girls mind you) who has a really bland personality. The problem with the book though is that all of the praise for it comes from the first third of the book, and that first third is good mostly because he's barely in it. The protagonist has to fend for herself and so she gets to do a lot of cool things. The male love interest gets more and more involved as the story progresses, and it also takes away more and more of the cool things the protagonist gets to do. I don't think it's wrong to recommend this book if you like it, but it's super unfair to hide how this story works.
     
  13. MidstNost

    MidstNost 【 Reigen's Saltshaker 】【 Lingtian Raider 】

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    Finally someone who thinks that novel is overrated. It was so good until the ML starts hogging the story as if he's the protagonist (Saw this in too many romance novels) Massive turn off. Dropped it halfway.
    It will probably be my favorite historical webnovel if there was little to no romance in it