The new adult literature became recognized after the sudden success of 50 Shades of Gray, by E. L. James. The book is surrounded by criticism for several reasons, but it charmed, mostly women, by its engaging narrative, well-marked characters and intense descriptions of the sex between the couple. However, those more inserted in the literary universe constantly complain about the elements of this literary genre.
To begin with the plot, it seems to repeat itself in every book. The shy girl starting a new life meet that handsome boy, they fall in love, go through problems and mess it up, but in the end, everything turns to be fine. On this way, the stories end up being predictable and without major actions. They usually involve elements like love at first sight, emotional dependence, love triangle and sex. But that may be the main point to get the attention of a particular audience, because the public will buy more books for identifying themselves with the story and enjoying the narrative.
Beatriz Tonnetti, who studies RTVI at Cásper Líbero College and read these books, says “because it is so cliche, people (including me) read and like it”. An example of this is Jamie McGuire’s series of books that began with three and now has almost eight publications ranging from the Beautiful Disaster Series to The Maddox Brothers Series. Cásper Líbero’s journalism student, Larissa Bomfim, sums up all these books very well in a few lines: “boy meets girl, he falls in love, she does not want anything with him, he insists, she realize that really wants to be with he, they get together, fight, almost die and realize that they can’t live without each other.”
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However, Bianca Briones, author of the NA series Batidas Perdidas (Lost Beats, free translation), considered one of the first Brazilian authors to publish the genre, doesn’t believe all these stories are the same. “I think some features look like the same, but the same storyline would give them very similar stories, right?.” According to Bianca, her books will always have some characteristics of their own, no matter the genre: romance, drama and a bit of humor are always present.
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How are women and relationships portrayed?
The women in these books can be shy, considered weak, depending on the man as soon as he appears in her life. In others, she may have suffered too much because of love and now she only wants casual relationships, or she can also be a strong and bold woman.
Nevertheless, when any of these characters lose their freedom and independence because of the new great love, we found a problem. People may end up confusing relationships of domination, involving a sexual part, with abusive relationships, surrounded with unhealthy jealousies and serious assaults.
The author of 50 Shades of Gray says, in interview to Books and Review, that calling her characters’ relationships “domestic abuse” is to relativize women who have suffered it and to take the empowerment away from those who like that kind of relationship. Women who want a dominating relationship with their partner have the right to choose and know the consequences, while women who are abused have been raped and had no rights. However, the critics about the book series go beyond the sexual relation of the couple.
Beatriz says that “what I see the most are clearly abusive relationships being sold as ‘relationship goals’.” It is important to differentiate these types of relationship, however, the student believes that things are changing, that the and authors began to write more about empowered women, who know what they want. Bianca, for an example, says that the women she creates have weaknesses as any human being, but they’re strong and intense, “and if I ever put one them on a lower level, they’d get out of the book pages and punch me”, she completes.
Stamps of the New Adult Fiction
After a heavy subject, let’s have some laughs. The hilarious descriptions of the sexual relations of the characters are another point addressed by readers. The language used in the NA books turns out to be funny by using different words to designate the acts themselves.
So we can also explain the name of the genre. The NA eventually distances itself from what we call BDSM literature (bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism), which are books that have the sexual relationships as a basic plot. New Adult books carry this name because they explore a world apart from intense sex, as it isn’t an erotic novel. They talk about the transition from adolescence to adulthood, the first job, the overcomings and the relationships that came with all that change.
Larissa says, “In the end, NA is about that: this phase of discovery that everyone goes through. There are many books about teen drama and adulthood. What about the middle ground? That’s exactly NA.”
This genre can be confused with Young Adult, but the difference is simple: although the plots of both are mainly cliché, the YA books deal with an age group of approximately 14 to 18 years, when the main character, a teenager, goes to high school, might suffers bullying, finds the first great love and sometimes needs to face the separation of parents. The NA is 18 to 27, when the teenager grow up and leaves the parents’ house, goes to university, find a job and starts living on his own.
This is the charming universe of New Adult books that fill your heart with romantic stories, tear your eyes with lovely relationships and complete your bookcase with beautiful covers. Now, get to know some of the most famous NA books we separated for you.