July 5th: Books Without Romance
-- A few (very, very few) people complained about the "shipping" topics lately, so I thought it would be good to talk about books that don't have a romantic subplot! This is a really hard one, so if you can't find any, you can talk about some where the romance is super super minor. Like barely mentioned... at all...
1. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
There are no women in this, and there are no LGBTQ+ relationships. That's it. That's why there is no romance in this book. Let's move on.
2. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
I will admit I have not finished this, but if there is a romance in the last 75 pages or so, feel free to let me know. The Moonstone is considered one of the first proper detective novels. I first read it in college during my lunch breaks, and I adored the story. I will get round to finishing it one day.
3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
I will admit that there is a small hint of romance in the trilogy of five, but it never amounts to anything. The series is fabulous, as we follow Arthur trying to understand life and the universe.
4. The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
Another classic novel, this is a beautiful Gothic piece showing the beauty and horror of Victorian society. The prologue is possibly my favourite piece of writing I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
5. The Alphabet/Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton
I wrote a full on rant about this series. There are books with the odd romance, including the first in the series, but at its core it is about a detective. Be prepared for sexism, racism, misogyny, and other prejudices and discrimination. I cannot recommend this as an enjoyable read, but it has very limited romance, and I couldn't find anything else.
I hope you found that vaguely helpful. I'm taking this to mean that I need to read more, and that writers need to include less unnecessary romances.
E