Hi Y'all!
I did my paper on the popular, relatively new genre: Romantasy! I personally love the Romantasy genre, with most of my top books from the last couple of years being from the genre, such as Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco. Some of my favorite queens (otherwise known as authors) write in this genre, so I wanted to talk about what actually makes up a Romantasy book and why it's so popular.
Romantasy is not just a genre for women or a meet-cute of Fantasy and Romance, but a melting pot of different troupes, opinions, and cultures. It incorporates well-known aspects such as a central romance and adventure but with unique twists highlighting the actions and the relationships involved. The emotional journey that the characters must deal with is as vital as the adventure aspect of the storyline. Both aspects are required to be considered Romantasy, but it also does not mean that the whole book is an action-packed journey with minor bits of romance or the opposite, where romance dominates, but there are only a few action scenes. They have to be equal in the story to be considered a Romantasy; otherwise, it is just a Romance or Fantasy.
While not required, most Romantasy books have some High Fantasy aspect, meaning that the books are world-builders (which you all know I love). The world will center around mythical or paranormal aspects/individuals with their own system in place. Another possible feature is that the characters will struggle with a cosmic force, and since it's also a romance, that force might also be their love interest. Spice or sexual content is becoming more common in Romantasy books. Another significant aspect is that their immediate love interest might not be their final love interest. Growth and change are welcomed in Romantasy, especially if it adds more emotional baggage for the main characters.
Romantasy can thank social media and book-tracking sites for its popularity. Sites such as TikTok and Goodreads have prompted Romantasy to become one of the top genres in the world. While it is female-forward, it can appeal to any reader since it contains both emotional and adventure aspects. Romantasy not only creates its own troupes but also embraces other troupes, requiring two factors: a romantic relationship and an adventure/action storyline. Books can be retellings of popular fiction, fairytales, and folklore; nothing is off limits. With unlimited story types and storylines, readers flock to Romantasy to experience incredible stories that transport them to a whole new world. After all, everyone needs some magic and love in their lives, and Romantasy gives it to them.
References
Maniscalco, K. (2020). Kingdom of the wicked. Jimmy Patterson Books.
Sager, C. (2022, April 1). Living the romantasy: Genre tropes in romantic fantasy. Indie Author Magazine. https://indieauthormagazine.com/living-the-romantasy-genre-tropes-in-romantic-fantasy/
Yarros, R. (2023a). Fourth wing. Entangled: Red Tower Books.
Hi Sydney! I have to admit I was a bit miffed when Goodreads axed their children's category and added Romantasy in their reader's choice awards, but it is a strong indicator of the popularity of this new genre! I even picked Fourth Wing as the winner on my bracket for our March Madness book tournament! I wonder if it's here to stay or a passing trend?
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love these kinds of books! I am currently reading a book that I think fits here called Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent. It may be me hoping for more in the book, but based on what I have read so far, it seems to be headed this direction. I love how you described it, and that I agree that it has become commonplace due to so many people loving either the romance or the fantasy part, but coming to enjoy the other side as well. I wonder how long that this is going to hold as a trend, and when it may change in the future. Until then, I will be enjoying every one of my romantasy books!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, yes! I love these books! Also, I love it when the authors keep it fresh by switching up the love interests. I usually have trouble with world-building books where all of the main characters are men, but I do not seem to have that trouble in romantasy.
ReplyDeleteI looked at that article that you quoted. I am a little confused by Sager (2011) saying “Romantasy is often confused with its sister genre, Fantasy Romance. While the Venn diagram of their readership does overlap, distinct expectations mean readers of one may not choose to read the other.” I guess one is a sub-genre of fantasy and one is a sub-genre of romance?
References
Sager, C. (2022, April 1). Living the romantasy: Genre tropes in romantic fantasy. Indie Author Magazine. https://indieauthormagazine.com/living-the-romantasy-genre-tropes-in-romantic-fantasy/
Great summary and discussion in the comments!
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