BookTok – the section of TikTok that promotes, reviews, and recommends ‘good’ books. Many would think this is a good thing, it is encouraging reading, after all.
It is not a good thing, believe me.
What started out as a way to interact with people with similar interests has turned into a judgemental, trope-obsessed, erotic literature minefield.
Publishing companies and authors utilise the platform to promote their work in a new way. Instead of promoting the synopsis of a book, or saying why people should read it, the promotion is simply a list of tropes that the author has jammed into their book in a desperate attempt to entice BookTok.
Too many times, I have seen an image of a book cover with arrows coming out, pointing towards tropes like ‘enemies to lovers’, ‘forbidden romance’, and ‘spice’.
‘BookTok Recommendations’
There is nothing wrong with romance books, of course, but it seems that that is all there is on BookTok. Falling for BookTok marketing and reading a mediocre book that has been heralded as the next Pride and Prejudice is devastating. Now I’ve spent ten pounds on a book I couldn’t be bothered to finish, it was so bad.
BookTok flooding to the comment section of any attractive person on TikTok is equally painful to see. The community is more about ‘spice’ ridden books and hot men at a first glance.
Branch Out
The encouragement to read is wonderful, and in fact the community has gotten a lot of people who had no previous interest in reading to pick up a book. I will always encourage new readers to find a genre they love, but please, if there is anything to take from this, do not go straight for BookTok classics.
There are so many incredible authors out there who need the interaction, and they are much better than the trashy romance novels found on BookTok.
Featured Image Credit: Pexels.com
Braw Magazine co-editor for Stirling University’s Brig and a third year English and Journalism student.
