r/YAlit • u/rosesrosae • 1d ago
Discussion Question?
Hear ye, hear ye! I have a question for yall because i am not so sure how to answer it. I was thinking about the common arguments now in booktok espicailly with the argument of dark romance in ya or romance simply. I love a good dark romance book, trust, but I feel like there's been some books that get judged as a whole due to another books poor depictions of the genre. I believe dark romance can be enjoyable and uncontroversial. I'm a lover of the cruel prince series and I'm not gonna lie I was skeptical at first. It wasn't until the 2nd and 3rd book was I not only liking how the narrative was moving but how the character's were portrayed and developed. I feel like there's more to dark romance than just dark romance.
So, as readers do you think it matters what books become popular and what books get dragged by the internet?
Do you feel less confident to argue against them or empowered to fight for them? What is the right form of book critism? What is the wrong form?
Do you agree or disagree that some people get judged too harshly on the books that they read? Does it matter what type of book a person reads or just the way they defend it?
Do you think it matters if someone likes a book that romanticizes dangerous or toxic behavior simply because they like the trope or aesthetics and as a book community does it matter how a reader interprets a book or judges a character? Does it matter the genre, gender, or race of the chadaxter or should all characters be judged the same? Is ignorance a commen theme in booktok or just an overused argument? (Example: lolita by Vladimir Nabokov or even it ends with us by Colleen hoover)
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u/AltaToblerone 14h ago
So, as readers do you think it matters what books become popular and what books get dragged by the internet?
Yes to half. I think it definitely matters what books become popular in general, because that's likely the formula to be followed by succeeding works. Whereas people have been shitting on all sorts of stuff for a long time and I don't think its effects are that significant.
Do you agree or disagree that some people get judged too harshly on the books that they read? Does it matter what type of book a person reads or just the way they defend it?
I do think people are judged too harshly, but the second question is more loaded. Like, if you said "I read X book" and it's more or less a "normal" book, then you don't really have to defend yourself against anything. But if you put a more thought-out and opinionated post out there, then yes, I think you do.
Do you think it matters if someone likes a book that romanticizes dangerous or toxic behavior simply because they like the trope or aesthetics and as a book community does it matter how a reader interprets a book or judges a character?
Very loaded again, but it depends; it's a story after all. The simplest way I can put it is that, if a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man did all those toxic stuff, then it's fair to criticize them for it. But if Dark Prince Charming who's characterized as morally gray did those toxic stuff, within the bounds of coherent storytelling of course, then I'd say it'd be dumb to criticize them for it since that's their character. Obviously the devil is in the details, but it's ultimately how the character relates to the plot.
Does it matter the genre, gender, or race of the chadaxter or should all characters be judged the same?
Probably differently, but again it all depends on the story being told.
For the rest, I don't really trust TikTok opinions, or Twitter/X for that matter, as I use them only for doomscrolling. In general I only trust Reddit for media discussions, and that says a lot, since I think it's more.... non-ragebait-y and not that bot-infested.
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u/roundeking 1d ago edited 1d ago
I think if a person reads the book, it is always valid for them to share their opinion of that book. Their opinion might not be popular or even founded in the text, but it’s not immoral to publicly express an opinion about a novel.
I feel less comfortable with people attacking strangers based on what books they read or enjoy. My opinion is that consuming media cannot be a moral or immoral act. It is never a form of activism to read a book, nor is it ever evil to read a book. I may personally decide I can’t be friends with someone who has certain book opinions because our values are incompatible. But ultimately it is the responsibility of authors and publishers to write books that do not negatively affect the world around them. It is not the responsibility of readers to police the reading habits of their peers, and there is much more important activism they could be spending their time on.
Although Lolita is not at all dark romance (nor is it YA lol). If we’re just talking about depicting dark themes, rather than necessarily endorsing them, then in fact the only way to discuss and ultimately condemn the evils of our world is to depict them in literature. To insist evil cannot be depicted in art is to give it immense power, and deprive ourselves of the power of knowledge against it.