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romantasy
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- 1
Dutch comedian Arjen Lubach is under fire after dismissing popular romantasy novels, including the ACOTAR series, as 'smut'. Fans say women are routinely shamed for what they enjoy reading, and a Dutch film figure also criticized Lubach, saying anyone with a fun chat apparently gets a theater show now. Lubach also drew attention for mocking regional Dutch newspaper coverage.
- 2New newsletter explores reading, democracy and post-literacy●My latest Things Friends Forward # newsletter is out on # Substack - listen or read along! Cognitive Resistance | 26 Oct
A new edition of the Things Friends Forward newsletter, Cognitive Resistance, covering 26 October to 1 November, is now available on Substack to read or listen to. It features writer James Marriott discussing reading, democracy and what he calls society's slide into a post-literate condition, along with items on romantasy fiction and a 'Wicker husband' story that has unsettled readers.
- 3Fans Can't Get Enough of the 'Queen of Fairy Smut' or Her Merch▼They Can’t Get Enough of the ‘Queen of Fairy Smut’ (or Her Merch)
The New York Times reports on the enormous popularity of fantasy-romance author Sarah J. Maas, widely nicknamed the 'Queen of Fairy Smut' for her steamy romantasy novels. Readers are not only buying her books in huge numbers but also snapping up related merchandise, fuelling a booming fan economy around her book series and characters.
- 4BookTok clashes over claims romantasy is 'killing literature'●wait, so allegedly # booktok grognards are bleating that the romantasy genre is killing # literature . my brother in eng
An online debate is underway over claims that romantasy, the romance-fantasy genre popularised by BookTok, is damaging literature. Critics of that view argue the real threat is declining literacy rates, not popular genres, pointing out that mass-market genre fiction has always drawn scorn, from Dragonlance in the 1990s onwards. Commenters are defending readers of popular romance-fantasy titles against accusations of lowbrow taste.
- 5Romantasy convention Fables & Flames returns with fantasy ball and mermaid pool party▼Fables & Flames, a romantasy book convention with a fantasy ball and mermaid pool party, returns
Fables & Flames, a convention dedicated to the booming romantasy genre, is returning, complete with a fantasy ball and a mermaid pool party. The event highlights the surge in popularity of romance-fantasy crossover books, which have become one of publishing's fastest-growing categories, driven largely by online book communities. Fans are celebrating the return of a gathering built around the genre's blend of romance, magic and costume-driven fandom.