Challenging the Love Triangle in Twenty-First-Century Fantastic Young Adult Literature

From Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight (2005-2008) to Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games (2008-2010), the love triangle is a controversial but pervasive feature of 21st-century fantastic YA literature. The setup and outcome rarely vary: female protagonist must risk souring friendships make final choice between two eligible boys, inevitably disappointing alternative suitor readers who favoured him. Drawing on theories triangular desire reader-response theory, this article considers factors governing YA’s continuing use triangle, its adherence choice, barriers polyamorous outcomes which can offer continuity friendships. Considering readers, writers, market, argues that resistance results from general anxiety about polyamory’s effect characters’ desirability reader’s perspective, society’s particular aversion male bisexuality. Meanwhile, constraints writers include logistical effort page space required develop satisfying relationship. Facilitated through discussion few triangles in mainstream fantasy science fiction, found Malinda Lo’s Adaptation series (2012-2013) Tessa Gratton’s Strange Grace (2018), proposes if popular negative perceptions polyamory be overcome, inclusion provide freeing possibilities for both genre itself.