1. Adam Bolander

    Adam Bolander Senior Member

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    "Older than they look" romances?

    Discussion in 'Discussion of Published Works' started by Adam Bolander, May 16, 2021.

    I was just thinking about the Powdermage trilogy by Brian McClellan today, and I was surprised that the thing I remember most about it is the romance between Taniel and Ka'Pole. For almost the entire first book, Taniel thinks Pole is a young teenager, fifteen years old at the very most. Then she reveals she's actually an adult like him, despite still looking like a thirteen year old. (SPOILERS!) By the end of the trilogy, they're romantically together.

    This bothered me. Not enough to ruin the story (it was kinda mediocre even without that) but the fact that I've forgotten almost everything else but can still remember that means it must have really hit a nerve. I mean, Pole *is* an adult, so it's not pedophilia, but the fact that McClellan still felt the need to point out how young she looked despite her age was just...yucky.

    What do you guys think? How would you react/have you reacted to a romance where the author has to reassure you that one of the characters is older than they look?
     
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  2. Madman

    Madman Life is Sacred Contributor

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    I personally find it a bit off. This is all a cultural thing. In some cultures there is no problem with older men marrying children. Even in our cultural past (western culture) child marriage was also a thing.

    I have a story where an immortal woman falls in love with a mortal man. Her age is... a large number... and his age is around twenty when she develops emotions for him. But somehow that seems more okay than if one of them was under eighteen. So I am also influenced by the moral standards of our society.
     
  3. marshipan

    marshipan Contributor Contributor

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    I think that's the same argument used in some lolicon. I generally dislike anything that describes a female love interest as child-like in any way. However, some women look youthful and they deserve love too, but playing up the "child-like" appearance is... not good. I don't know the book you reference so I can't say how I'd feel about that situation in particular but assuming someone is younger than they are wouldn't put me off on its own. Just depends on how its handled.
     
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  4. Adam Bolander

    Adam Bolander Senior Member

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    Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn brings this up once, how Vin looks young for her age and how "some men" like that, but it never gets brought up again and definitely isn't a factor in the romance.
     
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  5. madhoca

    madhoca Contributor Contributor

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    There's a difference in looking young and acting like a child, though. Even if someone looks like a teenager, a while spent in their company would usually be enough to make the other person realise they might be older.
     
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  6. hyacinthe

    hyacinthe Banned

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    well that's a big old yikes. no thanks.
     
  7. Catriona Grace

    Catriona Grace Mind the thorns Contributor Contest Winner 2022

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    My daughter looks ten or twelve years younger than she is, as did I in my long ago half forgotten misspent youth. Perhaps that's why I'm not getting creepy crawly vibes about this device in a story. I assume Pole had a reason to hide her real age and revealed it when the subterfuge was no longer necessary. As for the woman hundreds of years old being attracted to a twenty year old man: I suppose after one passes the three hundred year mark or so, there's not a lot of difference between a twenty year old man and a sixty year old man except stamina, good teeth, and wrinkles. They'd probably both seem remarkably naïve.
     
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  8. Adam Bolander

    Adam Bolander Senior Member

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    I know there are people IRL who are like that, but in the book the fact that he kept pointing out how young she looked, even after revealing her real age, kept me from ever seeing her as an adult. It was just being drilled into my head too often that she looked like a child.

    Not really, when I think about it. She tells him she loves him, he goes "No, you're just a kid!" And she goes "Nuh uh, I'm like 19!" And Taniel goes "Whaaaa?"
     
  9. Catriona Grace

    Catriona Grace Mind the thorns Contributor Contest Winner 2022

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    Hmm. I see your point.
     

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