Dangerous Desirability

Sex. While it is a natural aspect of life, its portrayal has become repetitive and predictable in books. Too often, we see the same dynamic: a petite, delicate female protagonist paired with a powerful, dominant much older male figure.

This trope is not just overused; it also shapes young readers’ perceptions of relationships and self-image. Children as young as nine are exposed to these narratives, internalising unrealistic ideals about romance, power dynamics, and even their own bodies. If this pattern continues, what expectations will they carry into adulthood? Many of these stories present women as frail, submissive figures, subtly reinforcing the idea that desirability is tied to physical smallness and vulnerability.

More troublingly, such portrayals risk normalising relationships with stark power imbalances. While not explicitly problematic, this repeated aesthetic, where the woman is excessively youthful and tiny and the man is significantly older and dominant, edges dangerously close to the soft glamorisation of “certain illegal dynamics”. Even if unintended, the consequences of such storytelling warrant deeper reflection.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but it is one worth discussing. Literature and media shape culture, and we must consider what messages we are sending, especially to impressionable young minds.