In times of hardship, passion and whimsy flourish.
The literary landscape is currently facing some turbulence. Despite this, novels focusing on love and intertwined sexual encounters within the framework of an ongoing struggle between virtue and evil in fictional realms are drawing a significant audience. Critics in the literary sphere tend to pan these works, while young females, in particular, are the avid readers and ardent supporters of these stories.
Following the Leipzig Book Fair, esteemed German literary critics engaged in discourse regarding this controversial genre, named "Romantasy," a fusion of romance and fantasy. These narratives primarily revolve around young females navigating through invented kingdoms in pursuit of power, intrigue, vengeance, love, and romance, spiced with a touch of adventure and magic. These publications are rather conventional, adhering to a well-established formula, which explains why literature critics frequently turn a blind eye towards them.
Denis Scheck, the moderator of "Lesenswert," labeled Romantasy as "mental decay in literary form" and expressed disappointment in the revival of pulp fiction. Insa Wilke, a fellow critic, suggested a wait-and-see approach, suggesting that the trend will eventually fade. However, she also acknowledged the perspective of Ijoma Mangold, a literary critic from "Die Zeit," who argued against a wholesale devaluation of the genre and noted the youth's ongoing rediscovery of the joy of reading and the tactile experience of physical books. Scheck maintained his firm stance, labeling Romantasy as "the latest incarnation of horror."
Despite the scathing criticism, the novel's success remains unscathed, as it fails to register with its enthusiastic readership. Most information regarding the novels is disseminated virtually, primarily via social media. These novels routinely appear on the Spiegel bestseller list, selling in the hundreds of thousands of copies. In fact, their presence is considered instrumental in bolstering the sinking book market by pessimists. Publishers who invested early in the trend, which can be traced back to Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, are reaping significant profits. Others are following suit or expanding the category.
Skepticism is misguided
Droemer Knaur recently introduced the US imprint, Bramble, to the German market, which promotes its books as, "Everyone deserves a love story." Lyx, a publisher specializing in young adult literature, managed a staggering 72 percent growth in the first quarter of the 2024/2025 fiscal year - a spike following previously impressive increases in revenue. In response, Lyx is even organizing a festival that captured the interest of thousands of young individuals in August. Now, publishers find themselves in closer proximity to their customers, primarily young females. The hope is that this demographic will continue to appreciate reading and the physical experience of books.
"Anyone in our industry who still frowns upon Romantasy fails to grasp its significance," a publishing executive remarked during the Frankfurt Book Fair. The fair itself has taken notice, if not by choice. Last year, the German-language publisher hall was filled to capacity due to visitor congestion. Readers eagerly waited for hours to procure an author's signature or purchase a limited-edition book.
This year, publishers who rely on romantic, fantasy, or a mix of both have sandboxed themselves in Hall 1. Frank Krings, PR manager of the fair, described this as "a recognition of this genre." Astrid Behrendt, founder and CEO of the successful Drachenmond Verlag, which specializes in fantasy, spoke of the move as "great." She explained, "The fans discovered us before, but the extra space allows for a more rhythmic browsing experience."
So, what makes these books so popular? Behrendt surmised that "as the world becomes increasingly complicated, the desire to leave it all behind, immerse oneself, and disappear into fiction grows." The vibrant, captivating illustrations and design play a significant role in this genre, providing a respite against the uniform digital environment where touch is finite to smartphones and laptops.
A distinctive aspect of these novels is that the main protagonists are women. Unlike Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings," where men and male creatures are predominantly featured, they take center stage. This is likely why a majority of the book's patrons and festival attendees are females, mostly between 18 and 25.
Romantasy allowing for a strange duality: on the one hand, it showcases women's ability to excel in even the most challenging scenarios, such as war. On the other hand, it presents a traditional or reactionary worldview mired in militarism and totalitarianism.
"Here, women write for women about strong, resilient women," said Ralf T. Vogel, an honorary psychotherapy and psychoanalysis professor at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Dresden. His analysis suggested that escaping into fantastical realms offered a beneficial coping mechanism, conveying that "even difficult predicaments can be overcome."
Susanne Stark, handling New Adult at dtv, shared in "Börsenblatt," the industry's trade magazine, stating, "Authors relying heavily on cliches can still successfully portray an authentic emotional universe and emotion to readers. Readers crave to be moved by the narrative and have high expectations in this regard." This consistent success might be due to the intimate bond between popular authors, predominantly women, and their fans. They have an innate understanding of their fans' desires, dreams, and aspirations, which they then leverage in their books.
Ruby Braun, an author who publishes with dtv, opened up about her writing process in a podcast with "Diffus" magazine. She discussed her approach to tackling "painful life aspects" while instilling a sense of "healing, redemption, and hope, love, and friendship." To achieve this balance, she creates characters that aren't strictly good or bad. Instead, they grapple with their own flaws and scrutinize their actions, ensuring that readers remain conscious of the fact that "they are truly fighting to preserve their kind and noble hearts in the end."
Despite the criticism from literary critics, these Romantasy novels continue to thrive among their devoted young female readership. In fact, their popularity has contributed to a revitalization of the book market for some publishers.
The success of these novels can be attributed to their ability to provide escapism in a complex world and their focus on strong, resilient female protagonists, offering readers a beneficial coping mechanism and a sense of relatability.
