Today I took my G2 Exit test. As I was waiting in the (very long) line to sign in for my test for what felt like an eternity (as it always does at Service Ontario locations), I tried to stand in the most comfortable way possible so I could read P.S I Like You–one of my latest book-shopping acquisitions.
The book’s premise is a familiar one—protagonist and unknown “penpal” begin exchanging emails, notes left under desks, or notes written onto a classroom desk, and thus their slow-burn romance begins (complete with the appropriate miscommunications, wrong guesses about identities, fights with best friends, everything these romances require to progress), reminiscent of other similar books such as Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda.
I didn’t think I would enjoy P.S. I Like You, but as I read in that painful lineup, I found myself enjoying the book, simply because it was a fluffy romance, and I was in desperate need of some good, quality fluff. The boy standing next to me asked what I was reading, and happily I showed him the book and explained it was a fluffy romance. His expression changed, and he mumbled a few incoherent things before finally responding with “Oh, fluff is okay, I guess.” He asked if I read any more actual books, and I told him some other more serious series that I read but I didn’t really understand his not-so-subtle disdain towards fluffy reads. What’s wrong with a little fluff?
Maybe it’s because I’ve had a long week, full of too many stresses and not enough sleep, but it bothered me that fluffy reads weren’t real books to him. After this past week (maybe even month), I really needed some fluff in my life. The book did its job well—after I ultimately didn’t pass that driving test, I was feeling incredibly crappy. I needed a pick-me-up, and I found that within P.S. I Love You. So maybe it wasn’t the most profound read, maybe it doesn’t make me think or want to change something. But in the midst of disappointment and exhaustion, it made me smile and laugh. That was enough for me.
I agree, we absolutely need to read the heavier stuff, the more profound books and articles. We should be paying attention to what’s going on outside of the little bubbles we live in; but at the end of the day, life is really hard sometimes. So if you need a little bit of fluff here and there during the tough times, go for it. Even if you don’t like fluff, don’t look down on the fluffy music or shows or books some people use to get through the day.
Therefore, I hereby pronounce fluff to be cool.