Follow-up: Polls series no. 2

All right!! We're back... well at least I am LOL :) So sorry for the long delay! I wish I could promise it won't happen again, but I can't. But finally, here I am with the follow-up post.

The results have been up and you've been able to see it on the sidebar, so I'll skip the graphs :P

Originally, this post about the Hero and his physical attributes was going to be a rant. The whole idea started from the Dark-Hunters series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this series very much... at least, in the beginning. However, one thing annoyed the hell out of me and it was that all of her heroes were very similar in looks... almost as if they call came from the same mold. Sure the eyes and hair color changed, but they were all very tall (more than 6 feet) with long hair (sometimes too long *shudder*) and had Artemis' tattoo. I can't remember if they had chest hair or not, but all I know is that after a number of books, it just becomes annoying and tedious. Also, it seems to me that there's been a trend in romance novels about long hair and height... I don't know if it's because there's a lot more of paranormal books and so the heroes have to appear alpha and all, but there's been a lot of heroes with height of >6 feet. So I've started wondering if these characteristics were the authors' ideals or they were actually trying to please their readers... problem is those are not my preferences... and so I started wondering if others share my preferences or it was only me. So that's why I made this poll. Thank you to everyone who has voted!

So here are the results...

Hair: 24 votes total

Long - 3 votes = 12%
Short - 10 votes = 41%
Either way - 11 votes = 45%

So it seems that for most readers, either way - short or long - is fine with them... and to an extent, it is with me too because time period does play a role in the length of the hair. For example, Ames likes her contemporary heroes to have short hair and long in historicals so they can have queues. For others, like Chantal, it's about feel and look. She likes long hair because she can run her hands through it and short hair, because it looks good... and that's the thing. To me, I think that short hair makes a man look more clean-cut and better. I have to agree with Bridget who said that most men cannot pull the look with long hair. Especially if their hair is past shoulder-length. Most don't seem to take care of their long hair and it just looks dirty and careless. LOL, not everyone with long hair has a stylist like Hugh Jackman in the picture above... and I'll venture that many think like me since those who chose preferred short hair over long hair.

Chest: 25 votes total

Chest hair - 8 votes = 32%
Smooth chest - 17 votes = 68%

Wow, I think this is the poll which outcome has surprised me most. I've already mentionned somewhere that I preferred smooth chest and I thought that it was my "Asian" side. Asian men are less hairy - actually, my dad has no chest hair at all and only 1 on his legs ( how unfair is that?)... and so for me, chest hair is just eek ^_^; So I thought it was a culture thing... now I know better. I've always found it strange how the male models on book covers have smooth chests, but the heroes are always described with chest hair... Do authors put chest hair because it's more close to reality, since most heroes are caucassian, while the book covers catter to our preference?

Also, I have to ask... LOL, Ames chose smooth chest, because she said that guys with hairy chests usually have hairy bums... is it true? LOL :P Also, does it bother you to think that a man has to shave or wax in order to get his smooth chest?

Facial Hair... : 25 votes total

... is sexy - 6 votes = 24%

... is a no-no - 19 votes = 76%

This result didn't come as a surprise. I think it has to do with the current trend and era. In the 21th century, we go for things with clean lines, modern and edgy and same goes for men and heroes too. I say a century or two ago, it was probably the opposite :) However, we all seem to find the stubble/5 o'clock shadow sexy :P Probably because it adds an air of nonchalence? Goatees also seem to be an exception and I think it's because there isn't that much facial hair involved LOL :P


Height: 24 votes total

>6 feet 5 - 1 vote = 4%

Between 6 feet and 6 feet 5 - 14 votes = 58%

At least taller than me - 9 votes = 37%

I think this was the trickiest of the poll, because it depends on our own height. I'm only 5'2"... therefore, I find >6'5" way too tall for me and really dislike it. On the other hand, someone over 6'5" is probably perfect for Bridget who is 6'1". My main issue is that lately, heroes in romance novels just seem taller and taller. Seriously, how many men do you encounter that are over 6 feet? Not that many... so it's even rarer to meet men over 6'5"... I don't know if it's because there are a lot of paranormals out there and so, authors can explain their tall physics easily. However, for me, it's just too much. Especially when the heroines are short... Best example would be Danger and Alexion in Sins of the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Danger is tiny and Alexion is well over 6 feet. It's just odd... I'm not saying that I don't like men over 6 feet or that I wouldn't fall in love because of their height. However, I prefer them just a couple of inch taller than me :P Chantal thinks that the ideal height should be the top of herhead reaching his shoulders. To me, as long as I don't get my neck stiff just looking up into his eyes, I'm fine LOL :P


Enhancement: 24 votes total

Scar - 7 votes = 29%

Tattoo - 7 votes = 29%

Piercing - 1 vote = 4%

All of the above - 6 votes = 25%

None of the above - 3 votes = 12%

Pretty self-explanatory right? Scars and tattoos are hot LOL :P I like scars... especially if they're small and in the face. I guess it adds characters and a certain toughness. Tattoos are pretty, and I agree with Bridget once again, as long as the hero is not totally covered with them. I think that no one really appreciates piercings because it's a bit juvenile no? and I'm not talking about ear piercings or somewhere naughty.


So what are your thoughts? Are you surprised at any of the results?