Bodice-Ripper Defined

While writing and perfecting my first book, Savage Grace, I participated in several peer-review author websites as well as some local writers circles. While I was submitting it for peer-review, I received several comments along the lines of "be careful, this [insert section here] could make people think this is a bodice-ripper" (or some variation thereof).

It could be that I was born in the wrong generation, but I wasn't quite sure what defined a "bodice-ripper". I gathered from the comments I received that it was considered a bad thing. So I relied on my old friend google and came up with several definitions. Starting with:

"a romantic novel containing scenes in which the heroine is sexually violated"
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Okay, definitely not any of the books I have or every would write. Kind of offended that people would even think my books would be classified as such. Moving on to the next definition:

"The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. ..." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodice_ripper

This is a very good description of my books. I call it romance, but some apparently consider it a bodice-ripper. Let's move to the next:

"A sexually explicit romantic novel, usually in a historical setting, especially one involving the seduction of the heroine" en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Bodice-ripper

Sure, that one works for me as well.

Of these four definitions, the only one I take issue with is the first about the heroine being raped by the hero. After reading these, I must say I am a bit offended by the term "bodice-ripper". It seems to imply that romance books have less merit than pieces of literary fiction. If I enjoy writing and reading romance some people might think that I am something of a mindless drone. Just because I enjoy Eloisa James and Julie Garwood doesn't mean I can't enjoy W. Somerset Maugham or George Orwell (two of my absolute favourite authors, by the way).

Think of it this way. There are thousands of movies in existance. Some of them are very important movies. Schindler's List, The Last King of Scotland or Hotel Rwanda, to name a few. But I have no desire to only watch these serious, important (and sometimes downright depressing) movies. Sometimes I just want something that is fun and emotionally satisfying. Something like Never Been Kissed, The Proposal or Singing in the Rain.

There are many very talented, intelligent people who write romance. Julia Quinn is an ivy league graduate with a post-graduate degree on top of that. I enjoy philosophy, history, psychology and politics. I read the NY Times and the Wallstreet Journal cover-to-cover on a daily basis. I am a subscriber to the Economist. I watch Charlie Rose and C-Span. I also enjoy "chick-flicks" and, apparently, "bodice-rippers". Does that make me a mindless drone? If it does, then I am remarkably comfortable with that determination. The world would be a better place were there more such "mindless drones" in the world.