Don't Trust BookTok
Content Warning: This article mentions sensitive topics such as sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.
BookTok serves up lies on an aesthetic background, pushing spicy books with awful plots and even worse characters. BookTok is the global sensation that exists on many social media platforms where people analyze characters, discuss plots, and review books. The title BookTok implies that it’s only a section of TikTok, but this phenomenon has spread to most other platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and even Facebook. All these platforms are subjective, meaning nobody’s BookTok looks the same when it comes to the “for you" page, and no person’s BookTok will look like another’s. Nevertheless, it’s fun to watch people recommend their favorite books as you scroll through your feed. That being said, BookTok is anything but wholesome when looked at from a different angle.
A huge worry of readers is that there is a consistent formula -- that there always seems to be the same kind of book that gets popularized on BookTok. Sadly for those who enjoy sci-fi and fantasy novels, this formula consists of smutty romances with an unbearable female lead next to a hilariously tall man with obnoxiously bright eyes. This formula is used over and over in various novels, leaving an avid reader wondering why people are content to read the same story over and over again.
Upper School Librarian “Frenchie” French said, “If there is some formulaic way to produce this best selling book, that makes me nervous for the future of book publishing going forward. Because if you can find this formula, right, can’t you just plug it into some artificial intelligence machine and publish a book?”
Expanding on cash grabs and formulas, the writing is notably juvenile. It’s the same formula when it comes to writing style, female characters, and plots following the same tropes. For example: one bed, enemies to lovers, chosen one, morally gray, and love triangles are all tropes that are a dime a dozen in BookTok books. After a while, it gets tiring to read books that feel virtually the same. All this to say, these tropes can be good in moderation and end up popular for a reason, but when paired with the same juvenile writing style and character archetypes, these tropes fall flat.
Another very notable problem of BookTok is switching fantasy and romance. Fourth Wing by Rabeca Yarros is marketed as a fantasy, as though the romance in this book is barely present. Despite the dragons and magic, the amount of sex and spice in this book should be noted, along with the immature fanfiction-esque writing style. Fourth Wing is formulaic and has the reader wondering what book the story was originally based on. The reverse of this is The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. This book is consistently marketed as a romance, but in actuality, the book focuses more on fantasy and political aspects. This switching of genres leads to a larger problem of misinformation. Romance books presented as fantasy end up being generally marketed towards young adults. This means that a 12-year-old might end up buying and reading a book that they are largely uncomfortable with because of its mature or adult themes. They thought it was about dragon riders and magic, but it was really about the appeal of the male body.
Then there are books that are clearly romance and yet still mislead on the actual content of the book. Some examples are Icebreaker by Hannah Grace, The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazlewood, and many more books with pastel covers and mature content. The descriptions of the plot have you imagining an innocent, cute, slow-burn romcom. These two books are fast moving, sexy, and spicy. This kind of romance might be typical of BookTok but still has an absurd amount of sex that takes away from the overall plot and genuine connection between the characters.
In discussing BookTok we have to acknowledge the abundance of explicit content. Most notably including It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover, Haunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton, and Twisted Games by Ana Hwang, all of which are nothing short of R-rated. These mature books can cover very triggering topics that never come with a warning. A good example of this is Haunting Adeline, a book that is as widely recommended and praised as it is ridiculed. This book is filled with Stockholm Syndrome and triggering content. It’s a dark fantasy hated by dark fantasy readers thanks to the lack of consent, the way it glorifies Stockholm Syndrome, and how the love interest is painted as morally gray but really has no morals.
Uma Raghavan, President of the Library Advisory Board and founder of the unofficial club Read It and Weep, said, “I think that the genre of dark fantasy has been blown way out of proportion. I read something pretty recently that dark fantasy requires the magical ‘c word’ known as consent. Haunting Adeline does not have that, so it’s basically just romanticized rape and so is a lot of the Dark Fantasy out there. The fact that it’s marketed towards teens is the weirdest part about it and something BookTok does a lot of.”
Despite the many crimes of BookTok, there is a positive side. Many readers have found amazing books that they’ve actually enjoyed. It’s a fun adventure to be had, and the platform brings lesser known authors and books to light, which in turn encourages more people to read. Another positive is how BookTok has created a community of avid readers, and it can be a safe community to talk about books. There are positives to the platform that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Yet BookTok is filled with a lot of misinformation making background research a must when looking for your next read.
The wholesome platform for recommending books has turned into something far more sinister. BooksTok is not all misinformation and smut -- if you have a discerning eye and the tolerance to sift through the formulas and phony information, you may find some hidden gems, as well as an active community of readers.
