In this blog, our TAB explore perceptions and expectations around genre by answering two questions.

Do you think all book genres and readerships are treated the same, or are some viewed as more worthy of our time and attention? Do you think as a society we value the right kinds of books?

Anahatt Kaur: As a society on the whole, I feel that we’ve stigmatised certain genres as 'trashy' or 'mind-numbing', while placing other genres on pedestals for their 'literary genius'. This forces many to feel ashamed of what they read and in turn creates a divide amongst the reading community. Nowadays youth have become more self-conscious of their reading habits which drives many to stop reading completely. I’ve experienced the praise and approval from both teachers and peers alike when seen with my classics, and found the reactions to be quite interesting in comparison to the evident distaste people display when others read romance or manga. It’s that constant judgment that I think as a society we must steer clear of.

Aalia: I think there is a difference and stigma attached to some categories such as romance and self-help books in society because of who the target audience is. Women's fiction and romance for example is often targeted towards women and seen as frivolous or not as important, due to lighter themes and main characters who are often women and whose emotions and thoughts are the first to be considered.

Stella: I think people perceive classic books as more complicated and worthy of studying. In school we study classic books more often than contemporary novels, because it is thought that older books might have more of a message or deeper meaning. In my opinion, both classic and contemporary books are worthy of study, especially since newer books might have more relevant themes. Also books set in more recent times might be of more interest to the students reading them, unlike older books which are mainly set in different times and societies.

Navya: I don't think all book genres are treated the same. Some of them are easier for general readers to get into such as romance, action, sci-fi, crime. Whereas there are other genres that the general public might not be as inclined to read as they are more niche and do not have the same target audience. Romance is definitely more easy to read as it's something that is part of most people's lives and is more realistic compared to fantasy and sci-fi. Graphic novels are getting more popular by the day, especially online graphic novels! It's an easier and faster genre to digest than traditional novels, and more accessible than say a 400-page book. People may also prefer graphic novels to traditional novels as it's more visual. We probably study more classics as they have made an impact on society in the past or was something new for that time. In our current times, it is much easier and faster for people to write and publish books, hence why it is also quite competitive to get exposure and make it your main career, I think.

Charlotte: I think there is definitely a perception that some books are more worthy of our time than others. In the same way that society dismisses children's and teenagers' ideas in favour of adults', contemporary novels and YA don't seem to be valued the same way that the classics are. I don't agree with this way of thinking, as while there is certainly value in reading older books that have continued to be relevant, this doesn't mean there is no quality in modern books. I can also say that for the first time this year I have studied a book in English that was not published before 1950. Between more contemporary books, I feel as though genres like romance or sci-fi are definitely viewed as inferior reading for pleasure. It is almost as though the only contemporary books truly valued are (heavy) books dealing with serious issues, and anything lighthearted is less worthy of accolades.

Olivia: We respect novels written by people who, within society, hold positions of respect. Shakespeare, Dickens, Steinbeck, all the Russian authors whose names I can't pronounce ... Since we have read these books in school, we consider them to be marks of the educated. We think that these books (and only these books) can be annotated, have notes scribbled in the margins, and have essays written on them that compete with them in length. We also think that these factors are the mark of a good book. It is worthwhile if it is long and difficult. Genres such as romance and 'women's fiction' (whatever that might mean) are often written by young women, enjoyed by young women, and centred on young women's experiences. Even today, that is considered by broader society to be a strike against them. Science fiction books are also genre fiction, but they are often written by middle-aged men – solitary geniuses with university degrees – and they have fancy words like 'hyperspace'. They are about young men who embody the pinnacle of manhood, and are enjoyed by slightly older men who like to imagine themselves in that light. For example, Children of Time is 640 pages, written by (someone named) Adrian Tchaikovsky. Romance books have block pastel backgrounds and simple illustrations on the cover, and that is enough to hold them in contempt. People are under the misapprehension that a 'good' book must offer some new philosophical treatise; be unreadable without the complete Oxford dictionary; reshape the reader's mind. I do not dispute that these books are good. They are my favourites, in fact. But a good book can also be one that entertains, or provides an escape, or simply makes the reader laugh. And a good author doesn't have to want to start a revolution (not to say that women cannot start revolutions, just that historically they have been dominated by men). A good author is anyone who writes.

Poppy: I do think there is a difference between certain genres. Many are thought of as 'better' books or more 'intelligent' reads. However, at my school, I think they're trying to lower those stigmas by including more modern novels and graphic novels in our curriculum. This year in English we had a choice between 100 Days and Ghost Bird. They presented the books as of equal difficulty and it was interesting to see them trying to make reading more enjoyable for students by making us read something that was written in a decade we were alive.

Ione: It's often assumed that some genres are less sophisticated than others. For instance, a popular crime novel may not be deemed as good as a renowned classic. Often people would rather be caught reading something literarily significant than a book considered tacky or mainstream. As much as I love classics personally, I get a lot of joy out of reading recent YA and contemporary books. Perhaps as a society, we feel comfortable with books we know and love – novels that time and time again have been proven to be insightful, intelligent and beautifully written. Maybe our apprehension towards more recent books has to do with not knowing what's inside them. I think that by expanding the range of books we study/read, we can positively influence society's perspective on various genres.

Jasper: I think in the past decade the cultural attitude to towards graphic novels has shifted to become more positive, however that attitude generally only applies to stand-alone graphic novels, ongoing comics published in issues still don't seem to treated with the same merit as regular novels. Genre-wise I do not think fantasy gets the credit it deserves. Firstly, while many fantasy novels or series do get considered as classics or to be of merit it is generally for grand worldbuilding and not themes. This brings me to my second point, that generally speaking traditional high fantasy is seen as the only sub-genre worth talking about when at the current moment the best fantasy currently being released tends to be urban or historical fantasy. I also believe that due to the fact that we as a society are still very much living under patriarchy traditionally female-oriented genres such as romance tend to be viewed as lesser literature.

Saira: That depends on who you ask, for example I read a lot of Shonen manga, which translates to boys comics from the Japanese. In Japan these are marketed towards male audiences between 13-20 while many series such as Chainsaw Man and Sakamoto Days are classified as adult graphic novels in bookshops and libraries within Australia. Besides that I don't really take into account the target audience when deciding to read anything, just whether or not it seems appealing to me. I would say that I read an even mixture of both YA and General fiction leaning one way or the other depending on how who I am talking to wants to classify Shonen and its female equivalent Shojo.

Alina: The literary canon is predominantly Western, androcentric/male-predominant, and with authors of an older or deceased demographic. Popular icons of the book realm such as Shakespeare, are coined to be the great writers of the age, however are still dubbed the great writers of all time. This emphasis on the literary canon, particularly in educational environments, raises the authors within it on an unreachable pedestal. It positions contemporary literature and commercialised genre fiction to be subordinate to all this 'greatness'. This hierarchy creates performative reading. Readers who wish to be viewed as intelligent and of higher standard, read classics and books of the literary canon. Readers who wish to be viewed as more niche, read abstract adult fiction. Readers who wish to be more worldly, consume more graphic novels. Social media influences boosts this performative reading. Social media can also influence how popular a book is, how good it will sell, how great it looks on your shelf, how many likes you will get if you talk about it online. Suddenly reading has gone beyond just pleasure or self-enriching. These are the reasons why I believe books considered 'guilty pleasures' are actually the books which are separate to this performative reading. Schools indulge in the performative side as it promotes how good an education it provides. Social media exists on promotion inherently. Genre fiction has always existed, yet not ever to this commercial degree. Therefore, no, books and genres are not treated the same. That's why instead of asking what is someone's favourite book or what they consider is the best book, people should ask about 'guilty pleasure' reads instead!

Caspian: Great books come in all ages and genres. Some people say romance is bad because it’s 'girly' and some people say fantasy is bad because it’s 'not serious enough'. Everyone has their own opinions on what’s good and what’s bad, but books are books and I like books.

Over the last few years there has been a subtle shift in the way we talk about certain types of books; 'guilty pleasure' reads are now commonly referred to as 'comfort reads'. This seems to send a less judgemental message about attitudes around reading. What, if anything, do you think could be shaping this change?

Anahatt Kaur: I think that youth have become more accepting and inclusive on the whole, actively acknowledging the diverse reading preferences and understanding that books serve different purposes to each individual. This was driven primarily by the rise in conversation of mental health over the past couple of years and the positive influence of social media too. Overall a more inclusive and positive approach to reading preferences is gaining traction, as evidenced by the widespread use of the term 'comfort reads' and the overall discourse surrounding reading enjoyment instead of 'guilty pleasures'.

Aalia: I think sharing what people are reading can help shape a less judgemental attitude, as many people believe reading is only for intellectual people with wire frame glasses carrying around copies of Dante's Inferno. Also encouraging people to read whatever they want and whatever they feel like reading, whether it be a YA or romance book.

Stella: I think many people see reading as an escape, and a sense of comfort. This is probably part of why the world of reading is becoming less judgemental, as more people read what they feel like not what is expected. Also, with more contemporary novels becoming increasingly popular, younger people especially are starting to view books in a different way.

Navya: Reading is very much encouraged in school, and schools want students to read more and learn. Not only that, but there are more ways to read now! You can read from your phone, your kindle, your laptop, a paperback, or listen to an audio book. As the world is more focused on entertainment, this form of entertainment is also very popular and will probably be encouraged a lot too.

Charlotte: I have been encouraged to read since before I can remember without limits or judgement. My school has also been a very accepting environment, with clubs where we talk about what we've read and make recommendations to each other. I'm sure the sharing of books on social media has also made reading a more positive thing. I know this is not necessarily shared by everyone, as people I know still view reading as a 'nerdy' or 'cringy' thing to do, but there has definitely been a development of encouraging spaces to allow reading to be approached with a more positive attitude.

Olivia: People are acknowledging that, for example, middle fiction books can sometimes transcend age. And even if they do not, young people matter, and it is not shameful to resemble them in some aspect. The same goes for books by and/or for people of any historically marginalised group. And compounding that, through social media, people are not just highlighting the 'worthiness' of books from an intellectual standpoint, but also celebrating them for things that can provide joy.

Poppy: I think that most readers understand that if someone enjoys a book, then it was a good book. I also think more previously 'looked down upon' books and categories are becoming more mainstream like Heartstopper. These graphic novels are just one example of changing the way people view books.

Ione: Although everyone has their own book preferences, it seems that we're becoming more accepting and increasingly respectful of one another's tastes. I don't think people should feel guilty about reading and a 'guilty pleasure' implies that it's a book you shouldn't be reading. However, the notion of a 'comfort read' implies that it's a book you find solace in. Maybe society is growing to understand that we all have books we love and return to. I think this is a much nicer attitude towards reading books that are meaningful or special.

Jasper: The increasing influence of online anonymity where for the most part people can express whatever views they hold without anyone knowing who they are and a such reducing any real backlash one may face. The internet has also led to unprecedented democratisation of culture as while critics still exist they are no longer the gatekeepers and sole arbiters of what is and isn't good/high art and as such the generally popular art people would have been afraid of expressing an admiration for due to someone like David Stratton giving it a bad review no longer exists. As a society we also continually have more and more history to look back upon and we can see that people calling stuff bad a lot of the time wrong. For example, Twilight while hugely popular when initially released was seen as not proper literature due to its association with teenage girls but now is seen as somewhat of a cult classic.

Saira: I think that it depends on who one is talking to, but I do feel there's starting to be a little bit of a shift in mindset. Even just 5-6 years ago, there used to be this very elitist mindset to reading and I remember that there was so much shame about reading books like romance or sci-fi. It's such a relief that these days there are less judgemental attitudes about reading, especially compared to past years. But, I do wish that people wouldn't take the attitude of 'let people enjoy things' to mean 'you cannot criticise any aspect of the (book/movie/TV show/etc) ever'. We can love something and still be critical of it.

Alina: I think this push for more positivity and being more open in how every reader is individual and different, stems from Gen Z. We have grown up on the internet, and so we are aware of how every one has their own internet bubbles. That reflects into reading culture, and now the current generation has more of an understanding how readers have their own internet bubbles. And we share these bubbles, or don't, or we compare these reading bubbles, but there is solidarity and respect now in reading culture. There seems to be a dismantling of the reading hierarchy. And that dismantling is through language. Just like how language develops to be more politically correct or inclusive, language also adjusts to embrace what you like in reading, and being inclusive of every reader.

Caspian: I feel like recently reading has become cool again. People like to share what they read and listen to what others are reading as well. We’re getting to hear others opinions and recommendations maybe of things we’d never pick up on our own. It’s exploration, trying a bit of everything.