Reclaiming the right to Escapism: The Rise of BookTok and the Romantasy Genre

For many of us millennials who were brought up on the now-iconic Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and even Twilight amongst many others, once ‘real life’ took over, our TBR (to-be-read) list vanished off the face of the earth, never to be seen again. Reading became more of a tick-box exercise as part of the constant strive for self-development (thank you, capitalism) and got pushed down on the list of priorities in exchange for career-building, family and social life. Books became home decor props and coffee table features.

There’s no surprise then that in our search of escapism from the daily grind, we may find ourselves at a crossroads. There’s the true and tested training for a marathon or triathlon (guilty as charged…), developing a mildly expensive obsession with plants and gardening, or - picking up a paperback with a sword or a dragon on the cover? 

Fantasy, both bookish and in film, has had its fair share of glory and continues to claim the hearts and minds of readers across the globe. Oftentimes though, we’ve seen it traditionally but not exclusively dominated by male characters on top of male characters (J.R.R. Tolkien, looking at you). While it’s clear these stories have delivered brilliant on-screen drama and significant commercial success, it seems we were in for a shake up.

A new genre has entered the proverbial chat. Romantasy - an eclectic mix of romance and fantasy, has been taking the BookTok community by storm. Most agree that we have author Sarah J. Maas to thank for its widespread popularity, particularly her series “A Court of Thorns & Roses’ (or ACOTAR, as many would refer to it) and Throne of Glass series. The first ACOTAR book was published over 10 years ago in 2015, but it wasn’t until 2019 and subsequently COVID times when it truly saw its international fandom rise. A grown-up retelling of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ fused with Irish and Greek mythology, the series is a world-wide phenomenon, with at least one more book expected to be published within the upcoming year. 

Since then, the likes of Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrian Series and Carissa Broadbent’s Crowns of Nyaxia series, among others, have taken over the hearts and minds of readers. Cue thousands of other series, duologies and stand-alones set in a mystical fantasy land or time, filled with otherworldly creatures, powerful sorcerers and blood-thirsty villains.

While the appeal of the otherworldly may be obvious for some, one of the main pulls of the romantasy genre undoubtedly comes down to what most of these stories have in common - a strong, passionate, relentless FMC (female lead character). Not a damsel in distress, but a sword-wielding assassin or an immortal fire-breathing queen ready to tear worlds apart for what they believe in. A character whose imperfections and downfalls make them that much more approachable - not unlike us mere mortals.

As with all new and trendy things, the new kid on the block has had its fair share of scrutiny as well. Most ‘high fantasy’ (a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting) fans critique romantasy authors for downplaying the genre as a whole, reducing it to “a few scales and fangs”, as one TikTok user puts it. Some go as far as discrediting it altogether on the account of weak world-building and too-predictable plot twists, usually regarded as the main ingredients for a classic ‘high fantasy’ story.

Others revel in it - there are countless TikTok and Instagram accounts dedicated to fan art, discussion groups in almost every language, and real-life events such as group readings and fantasy balls, all in the name of our newfound passion for the otherworldly. 

What’s more, never has it been easier for readers to approach their favourite authors and point-blank ask questions about the source material. Many writers have a cult-like following on social media, and have openly spoken about inspiration sparking from discussions amongst fans in the comments section.

It’s hard to say what may be next in store for bookish fans. Will social media further democratise the relationship between authors and fans? Are we ready for an AI-led narrative, and how close does that bring us to dystopian stories from the not-so-distant past? One thing is certain - immersing oneself between the pages of a fantasy book remains one of the purest forms of escapism, and a favourite pastime that has hardly changed for over three centuries.

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