WEEKLY QUOTE: 

She reads books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live.

• Ann Dillard

Rants of A Bookish Kid: Rating Book Genres

ROMANCE: 7/10

The romance genre is a complicated one. No romance book, at least the ones I’ve read, have been 100% romance. Almost always, there is some aspect of coming of age, or drama, historical fiction, or any other genre. Whether you’re reading One Last Stop or The Song of Achilles, romance is never alone, always accompanied by some other genre.

What’s funny about the romance genre is that it is scarily unlike the fantasy genre, which ironically is probably the only genre it is rarely accompanied by. Some could argue that romance is exactly like fantasy- pulling the reader into a loving, daydream paradise world, where the protagonist lives happily ever after with their lover, etc. But a true romance book, not the watered down, cheesy teen beach reads, exaggerates and expresses the true world of romance. All the ups and downs and adventures and pain and love is right there, written with pure honesty, no matter how brutal the result. Because in real life, love is just as complicated as it should be written. What would you be learning if you read happy little bedtime stories every night? Isn’t reading all about educating yourself and living experiences along with the characters? Romance is the only genre that truly gives you an opportunity to do so, way more than other genres. It’s the perfect bridge between the average realism of everyday life and the escapism into another world.

So in all, romance is quite a beautiful genre, that comes with the opportunity to write more freely and beautifully then, say, in sci-fi. But it becomes tricky when you have to guess which romance books will really express that beauty, or instead express a tacky teen rom-com copied onto paper. But hey, if you need a change from your exciting and complex fantasy and sci-fi novels, pick up a romance novel and take a break from the thick plots and villains. They’re plenty of good romance novels out there, you just have to find them.

ROMANCE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

• The Song of Achilles (will make you sob)
• They Both Die at the End 
• One Last Stop
• Red, White, and Royal Blue 

MYSTERY: 4.5/10

Disclaimer: my opinions on the mystery genre are quite biased and very amateur. My review for this genre is based only on my opinion, not on facts or specific books, so beware, because this is admittedly a genre I rarely venture into. 

I will, however, give the mystery genre this: it’s very diverse. A mystery story could be based on true events, feature the horror genre, and can contain crazy plot twists. There’s so much freedom for what an author can include in a mystery novel, because the whole point of one is to shock (and sometimes scare) you. So if you have an out-of-the-box, original idea? Go for it. Nobody’s going to question your motives. 

I guess I just don’t read a lot of mysteries, besides the mini-mysteries containing broader plots in fantasy or sci-fi novels. To me, the mystery genre is very daunting. There’s a spooky feeling I get when reading or picking up a mystery book, and I think it’s because when reading the mystery genre, you know something you don’t expect will occur. The entire time you’re reading the book, you’re waiting for the huge plot twist or murder reveal to pop out at you. Just opening the first page starts building suspense, because you know what you’re getting yourself into – the reputation mystery novels have is enough to scare someone away from the genre in the first place, which, if I’m being completely honest, has happened to me several times. 

That suspense is also, however, what draws other people to the genre. There’s some scientific evidence on how some people actually like being scared because it gives them an opportunity to experience dark emotions, which is why some people are going to love watching horror movies and others are going to sit out. 

So in all, this was barely a review, but an uneducated opinion. Honestly, if you’re trying to go for a mystery/murder novel, just don’t. The only impact it will have on you is giving you nightmares for the next couple months, and let me tell you, that is not fun. Try a fantasy novel! Escape the world of death and muder and go prance around with some wizards and demigods or whatever. 

MYSTERY BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: 

• The Westing Game
• Holes (so good- probably because there’s no murder)
• Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (have not read, supposedly incredible)

Stay tuned for more ratings, recommendations, and reviews!

With love,

Your Local Bookish Kid