My Favorite Tropes in Books

The word "trope" is thrown around all the time in book reviews as if it's a negative thing. Some people tend to think it's something synonymous with the words cliché and unoriginal, like tropes are the sign of a lazy author. However, I do not think this is the case at all. There's absolutely nothing new under the sun. Every act of creativity is simply building off the work of the hundreds of thousands of other creatives that came before it. Tropes are a natural occurrence in the world of literature.

There are established rules for effective storytelling that have been built off of the trials and errors of other writers. With those rules come popular tropes that can be utilized in many ways to tell different stories. While there is nothing unique about certain tropes in and of themselves, the ways in which authors can use them as storytelling tools is what can really make or break their own interpretation in their book.

There are tropes in every single genre and every single demographic. They're unavoidable. Every book utilizes some type of trope in one way or another. Like with every aspect of a book, there's some personal preference over which tropes a reader enjoys, and which ones seem overdone to them. Knowing which tropes and themes you personally love can really help you understand your own reading taste so that you can discover new amazing books.

For me, there are several distinct tropes I love. Sometimes I will put a book on my TBR just because it has one of these tropes without knowing anything else about it. In this post, I'm going to be highlighting eight of my all time favorite tropes. 

1. THE OUTCAST THIEF WITH A SECRET

This is very much a common trope in the fantasy genre, and I absolutely love it! I've read so many books with this specific theme: the Seven Realms series, The Lies of Locke Lamora, and Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, and I loved them all! I love all the mischievous, sneaky aspects of thievery in stories, but when there's a deeper underlying secret about the thief or gang of thieves, I think it's such a good set up for an incredible fantasy plot.

2. DARK FAMILY HISTORY

I love books about family in all forms, but sometimes there's a family secret that a main character discovers that sets the trajectory of the plot. I think this trope sets up intrigue so well and can go in so many different directions. Little Dorrit, Little Fires Everywhere, and Tuck Everlasting are some great examples of this trope done well across several genres.

3. FRIENDS TO LOVERS

I do love me a good romance plot line every once in awhile. My personal favorite type of romance story to read is one when two people who have been friends their whole lives discover they are harboring romanic feelings for one another. When romantic interests already have an established love for one another as friends I find it so much easier to fall for their romance. I can't share too many recommendations of this trope without spoilers, but there are so many examples that I loved. 

4. COMING OF AGE

Coming of age stories are some of my favorites. I love being able to watch a character truly grow into themselves. It's inspiring and can help you look at your own life and find reassurance that you aren't alone in your struggles. I'm almost always brought to tears when I read a good coming of age book. My all time favorite coming of age stories are The Book Thief, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Where the Crawdads Sing.

5. EPISTOLARY

I've always thought that books told through letters have such a unique narrative style. I feel like I'm reading the intimate, authentic thoughts of the characters, and I fall so easily into the story. I've also read so many incredible examples of well done epistolaries, such as Last Christmas in Paris, Les Liaisons dangereuse, and Ain't We Got Fun.

6. FOUND FAMILY

This trope may be my most favorite trope of all time. I love the journey of a lonely, broken character finding a new family through a group of friends or other impactful people in their life. It's so moving to see how important community can be to someone and how they can overcome obstacles together. Most of my favorite books incorporate a found family concept: The Lord of the Rings, Watership Down, and The Outsiders.

7. REDEMPTION

I really appreciate a character arch that ends in a redemption moment. I love seeing the resilience and goodness in people shine through in the end, even after a character goes through unimaginable circumstances. Some of the best redemption stories I've ever read are Unbroken, Daisy Jones & the Six, and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. 

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What are some of your favorite tropes in literature?