What is it about simple story lines, or tropes, that readers find themselves drawn to? Recently, many have read books by Colleen Hoover, especially It Ends With Us. Although people did enjoy reading it, many have found that it is too “simple” or “predictable.” 

“It Ends With Us is one of my favorite books, but I did find it predictable and cliche,” said Ryan Bess, a sophomore at Museum School. So if it is such an easy read, why does anyone bother to continue reading?

Although Hoover does provide insight on abusive relationships, romance also plays an important role in the novel, and it was predictable from the moment the reader met the character, Ryle, that there was going to be a love story between them. Most importantly, the book introduced a cliche when Lily, the main character, ran into Atlas, her boyfriend from many years ago, and suffered the difficulties of a love triangle. Love triangles are extremely common situations in fiction, as they are presented in not only books, but also many films and tv shows. 

“It’s more about the complexity of the characters and their lives, and even though it’s kind of cliche in a way, the book still addresses some really important points about domestic violence and relationships,” said Rachel Wang, a senior at Museum School.“When books are really predictable or cliche, that kind of formula doesn’t go wrong; it’s what people enjoy.” Rachel added. When someone knows that they enjoy these tropes in stories, they know that they will like other books with similar storylines. 

Kelly Dang, a freshman at Museum School, said (spoiler alert) “I like it because it’s predictable and more likely to happen in real life. I found the relationship between Atlas and Lily interesting, and I liked how they reunited in the end.” This was obviously an easy way to end the story, as well as it was pretty predictable when we first read the letters Lily Bloom sent to Ellen Degeneres. A conclusion we can definitely draw from this, is that some people actually enjoy reading these books; it is their “guilty pleasure”. Additionally, sometimes they can be educational and we can always learn something from a book no matter how simple or predictable it can be.  

People find comfort in these types of books, away from all the stressfulness and hardships they may have going on in their lives. “A lot of children today have divorced parents and so have unstable situations at home, hence really like the predictable plots. I enjoy reading simple books because when life is stressful at times, and even depressing, it’s nice to have a book I can pick up and not really think about,” Yuliana Rossi, a sophomore at Museum School, explained. 

Predictability gives one a sense of control; something teenagers often feel they lack in their lives. Similarly, cliches can serve as a pattern, or something someone can count on to find comfort in, despite the constant changes in their current life. When asked why people prefer predictable books, the librarian of LMU, Melissa Hohl, stated that “It’s definitely a comfort thing. I feel like there are less and less sources of comfort in our modern age and so when you find something that provides that for you, why not keep coming back to it?”

Some people read these books for the “hype” or popularity on social media. It Ends With Us was very popular on social media, as some verified accounts, or even influencers read it. Also, some book reviews came up on people’s “For You Page” on TikTok, which aided in the launch of the book’s popularity. “I usually read fantasy and utopian books. I sometimes read cliches for the hype. They are easy and fast to read. Simple books are more comforting,” said Saime Hoxha, a junior at Museum School. When people like something, they ‘advertise’ it in a way, on social media or to their friends, since they know it’s something universally likable, and they most likely cannot go wrong with the recommendation.

“Since last year, I’ve been reading ‘Rom Coms’ since that’s been the TikTok sensation,” Wang added. Being up to date with the trends and being able to be included in conversations about something popular is what encourages some people to read these books, even if they don’t particularly enjoy reading itself. 

Overall, people often indulge in lighter material with predictable storylines because of pure enjoyment and the sense of comfort they bring.