Today’s question comes from a recent question on the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook group. A reader was asking for recommendations for a “three-tissue tear-jerker”. There were over 100 comments on the post. Most were recommending books—some I’ve read, some I haven’t, and some that are on my to-read or to review pile.
But one commenter said she doesn’t read tear-jerker novels.
I can relate! I’m not a fan, in that while I sometimes read tear-jerker novelss, I don’t go deliberately out of my way to find them.
I think one of the reasons I tend to steer away from tear-jerker novels is because I like happy endings … and tear-jerker novels don’t always have happy endings. They’re often emotional and even emotionally satisfying, but happy? Not always.
When I do read a tear-jerker novel, it’s often because I’ve been taken by surprise.
It might be that I offered to review the book without realising it was going to be a tearjerker. For example, I’ve agreed to review Hold the Light by April McGovern … which one Avid Reader recommended as a three-tissue tearjerker. (I guess now I’m prepared.)
Less often, I choose a tearjerker because someone—or many someones—have recommended the book for the great story or great writing. Great writing often hits at the emotions, and that often means tearjerkers. I suspect The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof will fall into this category (I’ve bought it … but I haven’t read it yet even though *everyone* tells me I must).
When I actually read a tearjerker I usually enjoy it—especially if it’s one of those books that’s been recommended to me because of the writing.
It’s hard to write strong emotion well.
Some authors fall back on the emotional equivalent of kicking a kitten to incite emotion. That incites emotion in me—frustration because the author is obviously trying to manipulate me.
I prefer my emotional manipulation to be more subtle, for the writing to draw me into the characters and the plot so deeply that I don’t realise when the tears start. That’s great writing. And that’s why these tearjerkers are often the novels that win awards.
