Trends sometimes draw a variety of positive and negative opinions, but most people would not question someone’s intelligence for wearing trendy clothes.
But in the reading community, fans of the popular genre of romance fantasy are judged and often called less intelligent than readers of other genres.
Romance fantasy, also called romantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy fiction focused on romantic stories. Readers online have been promoting many books in this genre, such as Fourth Wing and Powerless, both of which have large fanbases of mostly teenage girls and young adult women.
Because of the genre’s popularity, bookstores like Barnes & Noble have created display sections entirely for romance fantasy, making a large profit from the growing interest in romantasy.
But some readers have become annoyed with the demand for these books, feeling that authors are becoming lazy and only writing romantasy to make money quicker. Fourth Wing and Powerless, which still receive appreciation from fans, have been heavily criticized for their storylines and have caused many online debates.
Some readers of romance fantasy are frustrated with authors as well, but the online reading community in general has been quick to blame them for enjoying the genre – even though romantasy has gotten many more people interested in reading and has helped bookstores increase their sales.
Videos and comments online recently have been mocking romance fantasy readers, labelling them as simple and ignorant just because of the genre they choose to read. These people often say that romance fantasy books are garbage, and the readers should find a new genre that is more respectable.
Trending book genres are nothing new. In the 2010s, dystopian fiction novels, mostly aimed toward young adult readers, became incredibly popular.
The treatment of dystopian novels and romance fantasy novels has been majorly different, though. While dystopian fiction is still largely considered a respectable genre, romance fantasy is treated like a joke.
Reading is an activity many people already find difficult to have fun with, especially younger people. There are few students who read in their spare time, so it is important for readers to feel comfortable with each other.
Insulting teenage girls on the internet for their taste in novels ruins what could be a welcoming environment.
