The appeal?
Fear, fascination, and desire that includes elements of danger and sympathy. Their monstrous traits highlight themes of otherness, transformation, and redemption, while their romance often carries a sense of the forbidden.
Key characteristics of the monster romantic hero include:
1. Duality of Human and Monster
Often they represent both human and monstrous qualities. This creates tension between their darker, sometimes predatory side and their capacity for love, tenderness, and vulnerability.
2. Tortured or Tragic Past
These characters may carry the burden of a tragic past or trauma. This backstory evokes sympathy and can be used by the writer to demonstrate the hero’s journey toward love and redemption.
3. Dangerous and Alluring
The monster romantic hero is often dangerous, either physically or emotionally, though the danger is connected to his magnetism. Because of this the heroine (or other MCs) can be drawn in despite the risks.
4. Isolation and Loneliness
They are often isolated, either by choice or by circumstance, due to their monstrous nature. Writers can use that loneliness to show their vulnerability. The lonely monster craves connection and understanding from humans who fear him.
5. Moral Ambiguity
They often operate in a moral gray area. However, they may have a code of honor in spite of their actions. Monsters can redefine what it means to be “good” or “bad.” How humans judge them may not be based on what society considers “acceptable” behavior.
6. Desire for Redemption or Transformation
The monster romantic her may seek redemption through love. Their relationships are not just about desire but also about healing and becoming worthy of love.
7. Passion and Strong Emotions
The monster romantic hero may have intense emotions, especially passion and obsession. This passion can lead to dramatic, sometimes destructive actions in their pursuit of love, making their romance both thrilling and dangerous.
8. Forbidden or Taboo Love
Romance with a monster hero has elements of the forbidden or outright taboo. This could reflect the beliefs of the society the writer lives in and/or the story world the monster inhabits. Consider that the shifter usually shifts into human form, while the monster may always be in a form that is considered monstrous.
9. Protective Instincts
Monster romantic heroes often exhibit a strong protective instinct toward their love interest. Their love makes them fiercely protective, even possessive, willing to go to great lengths to shield their partner from harm, sometimes at the cost of their own safety.
10. The Struggle with Monstrosity
This internal struggle makes them more human and adds depth to their character. They may fear harming their romantic interest or wrestle with the desire to suppress their darker side.
11. Sacrifice and Selflessness
Their willingness to sacrifice their happiness, safety, or even their lives for their partner is a redeeming quality that shows their selflessness.
Photo by Loren Cutler on Unsplash
Want to learn more about monster romance and how to write a monster romance story? Check out my course, Writing the Monster Romance Hero.
