Ever scrolled endlessly through Instagram or TikTok and kept seeing those same five books a million times? If you mistakenly picked one up in the last few years and decided to immerse yourself in a new world, you probably found yourself cursing at the writer for their lack of creativity, or, even at capitalism for publishing it in the first place. BookTok might as well be the new kid experiencing the rags-to-riches story, with it dominating far corners of the book community, but this very kid is serving problematic writers to the young adult demographic for breakfast. Needless to say, the image of the current book community is incredibly different from the lively, introverted book community of the near past; where obsessions were solely with the book itself and not its popularity.
BookTok, since the COVID-19 pandemic, has been in the spotlight for being influential and sparking an interest in books among young social media consumers. On this side of the platform, readers recommend and review books, and while many people converted to the dark—ahem—BookTok side overnight, a big battle with the pre-existing book community sprung.
Reflecting on the bookish community and its cult practices (no, seriously) from the 2010s, I can see a clear contrast with the modern-day reading community; reading now is more about “the aesthetic” and being perceived as a reader than actually reading and loving the art of it.
The magic of social media can be seen in making the books famous; many people share their reviews and recommendations, resulting in a chain reaction of other people reading it. Undoubtedly, it can be tempting to delve into something to discover the reason for its popularity. However, some curious readers might be in for a disappointing read.
TikTok recommends a limited assortment of books, with these novels having near to no outstanding literary aspects. Plots of fantasy-fiction novels are now worryingly similar (and, thus, predictable), and young readers are skipping the golden age of fantasy (the middle-school-obsession starter-pack: Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Hunger Games, Lord of the Rings, and the list goes on) where the plots and characters were one to remember for a lifetime. Such books were famously valued for their diverse writing styles, captivating story arcs and touching character developments. Moreover, the unforgettably unique worldbuilding of each had readers finding the warmth of a home in the universe the writer constructed. While TikTok-famous books could be considered top-tier by modern-day standards, the effect that these books have had on individual life has been unmatchable.
The influence of BookTok has even reached some of our much-loved local bookstores; they now have allocated “TikTok Made Me Buy It” shelves (if you know, you know). I walk past the same shelves in the stores, only now certain of what most of the books entail: a dramatic start, a layer of an engrossing build-up, a slab of inapt romance, a drizzle of an underwhelming climax, inadequate character growth, a satisfactory resolution, repeat. These days, writers overwhelmingly focus on superficial characteristics, like the moral grey-ness of the male character or the overly explained inner dialogue. As aforementioned, reading used to be about discovering the beckoning plot, resonating with the characters emotionally, daydreaming about the fandom (read: cult), and being left with your jaw on the floor. Now, it’s mainly just about romance.
Notably, books that don’t have hints of romance are not usually as popular on TikTok as other books. Of course, if that is a personal preference, then TikTok-famous books are right up your alley. But it’s also the misleading content labels of genres by authors and reviewers that is upsetting. An infamous example is “It Ends with Us” by Colleen Hoover: while the author’s effort in promoting the conversation on domestic abuse is commendable, the mentioned abuse and tragedy were extremely romanticised, resulting in the author being labelled as problematic.
Authors have every right to their creative freedom, but the problem arises when their books get promoted for all the wrong reasons—when they change their writing according to consumer demand, resulting in the formation of like-story patterns. Even though the percentage of readers has increased, is the content they are consuming really worth it?
Nevertheless, it is undeniable that BookTok has increased sales for authors and publishing houses. Novice authors are using the platform to advertise their books and some underrated ones are receiving much-deserved attention, but since book popularity is now vastly correlated with sale objectives, TikTok might just be converting the much-adored book community to consumer culture (insert a cry for help), thus the lack of care for a curated plot.
At the end of the day, the popularity of a book doesn’t determine its literary value, and it definitely doesn’t mean it will cater to your tastes. While this online community may be a good guide to begin your bookish journey or to simply hear book lovers babble about their favorite pieces of literature, there is still a wider world of diverse genres and narratives to explore that could suit you more.
By Hiba Ahmed
Writer (Team 2023-2024)
Note: the views expressed in the article solely belong to the writer and do not reflect TLC.