February 01, 2024 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | By Greta Patterson
To preface this article, I would like to say that I think all reading is good reading. If you enjoy something, who am I to tell you not to. Some of the books mentioned in this article I have read and enjoyed, and there is no shame if you find joy in reading these texts.
A recent conversation has sparked on what is being called “BookTok,” a side of TikTok dedicated to readers sharing their recommendations, reviews and experiences with books. Certain influencers and individuals have made the claim that in the years since COVID-19, the quality of books has been compromised to meet the demands of consumers. This claim, typically specific to genres such as fantasy and romance, finds its evidence in the sheer speed at which these books get read, leaving the reader with no long-lasting impact. This is juxtaposed with the long-standing idea that a truly good book is something that changes the way you think and the way you view the world, literature and those around you.
The books that are being criticized with this argument do none of these things, but instead are read and forgotten. As new release after new release flood the market, it is a challenge to capture readers’ attention for an extended period. The characteristics found in timeless classics, such as a long writing period and meticulous editing process, are lost on books that are written, edited and printed within the span of a year.
One example that has received extensive criticism is “Iron Flame” by Rebecca Yarros. Yarros gained popularity last year when her book “Fourth Wing” received immense attention on BookTok, mostly due to its enemy-to-lover plotline and the use of fantastic elements such as dragons and magic.
“Iron Flame” was published Nov. 7, 2023 with “Fourth Wing” being published earlier that year on May 2, 2023. The mere six months between the two books being published left readers questioning the expected quality of the second book, and many were sad to report that “Iron Flame” felt forced, and the rushed nature of it was blatant in the writing. As I was reading both books, I personally found this apparent in the writing and lack of true character development outside of the events in the novel. It seemed to me that Yarros picked out a variety of tropes, such as jealous ex-girlfriend causing tension in the main female character’s relationship or want to be together but told each other they wouldn’t, and then based the book around these. This leads me to ask, how do they have a Julian calendar? The lack of thought towards the minute details was grating, and made the overall book feel careless.
The rise of influencers has increased overconsumption in every aspect of the world, reading being no exception. Much like how influencers dictate trends in the fashion and cosmetic industry, with hauls and “must have” videos leading to people purchasing beyond their needs, “bookstagrammers” and “BookTokers” have played a key role in shaping the public’s literary preferences. Many people live by the recommendations of certain influencers, leading a book to either be propelled into immediate fame or becoming an instant flop.
It is entirely natural to purchase items, including books, because of a recommendation from someone else. Plenty of the things I’ve read are suggestions from my friends or favorites videos from an influencer I enjoy. The issue occurs when people watch a video with 15 recommendations, drive to Barnes and Noble, purchase all these books, and then proceed to read and discard them with no additional thought.
A key difference many readers have noted in recent books is the shift in plot-based vs trope-based books. This may sound silly as virtually all books contain some form of trope at a very basic level, but there is an important distinction between a book that contains tropes and a book that centers tropes as the main plot. This is prominent in the rise of dark romance fantasy, where some brooding man with severe attachment issues treats the female main character terribly until they hook-up halfway through the book, fall in love and the female protagonist ignores the fact that he treats her so terribly.
Ultimately, the intentionality behind reading is believed to have become skewed as the phenomenon of fast fashion has integrated itself into the world of literature, changing the way that books are produced, consumed and valued. A challenge is posed to the enduring quality of literature, and what it means to create a “classic” today. With this shift in industry, it is imperative for us as readers to make thoughtful choices surrounding the type of media we consume to ensure that the art of storytelling retains its timeless essence amid the craze for the next big trend. The question that any reader should ask themselves is what they hope to get out of reading, and if this shift in literary standards is something that will influence the way they read day-to-day.