You’re dead on, as always. This kind of thing goes way, way back, and flares up every time we go through a reactionary period. The fact that it’s becoming louder and more mainstream is never a good sign.
You've brought up so many things that I hadn't considered before. I actually found video essays about BookTok more annoying and more exhausting to watch and I couldn't put into words why.
I felt that a lot of the time they set up these stagnant ideas of what is an acceptable romance and what is not. They do their own version of "vibes only" when it comes to fiction that they accuse BookTok of doing and they don't realize it.
I like what you said about stagnant ideas about acceptable romance -- there's a large contingent of readers that can only critique a romance novel with thoughts like "This is not sexy to me" and "I wouldn't want my partner to behave this way." It's approaching romance as though every book is written with the intention of being didactic, and this is not a remotely interesting way to talk about art. This isn't something that just happens on YouTube, but because they're able to post longform videos where they splice in BookTok posts (about books they sometimes haven't even read!) to gawk at, it tends to irritate me more.
Excellent footnotes. Great discussion points. Made me giggle all the way through. Love pointing to the institutions that actually deserve the ire at the end.
HEAVYYYYYY on remembering this is an easy source of views on monetized content from people who just downloaded the app the day before with the intention of seeing the exact content they're looking to tear apart
yes! my substack is about booktok, and across the board the people who complain the most about booktok are the ones who have watched like 2 booktok videos ever. if they did watch they would know there is a thriving community of Rachel Cusk obsessives alongside people making edits about hot faeries in ACOTAR (both very valuable communities to me). criticism of booktok almost always feels like a regressive criticism of romance and women readers, just in a new form.
This was so funny and cheeky, and I really appreciate the points you made! I'm not an avid romance reader myself, but I have spent a lot of time trying to untangle the misogynist assumptions about the genre that I fear many people (myself not excused) have picked up at some point, whether in the classroom, from other readers, culture, etc. I think one of the reasons people get so fired up about BookTok and how it lends itself to romance or romance-adjacent novels is because suddenly the idea of being a "reader" is no longer niche. I've been challenging myself this year on the idea of a "reader" – what makes someone a reader? Does a person have to read a specific genre to be a reader? Are there genres that can exclude one from being a reader? Is there a number of BookTok books that would equate the "intellectual value" of one classic, if such a measure exists?
To add to the mix of ideas, I loved that you pointed out no one who considers themself an intellectual would discourage others from reading – so why do we care so much about what the BookTok girlies are reading? I remember having mixed feelings about Rachel Oates' video essay on BookTok when I watched it a few weeks ago, and I think it does serve as an important touchpoint for the conversation surrounding BookTok and literacy. At what point does the critique of BookTok become a weaponization of ideas and standards regarding the "practice" or reading?
One of my favorite Substack posts of 2024!!! There aren't too many writers who can make me laugh out loud and still back up their arguements with footnotes. Nice.
Disappointing to see Rachel Oates engaging in this -- her discussions of Christian fundamentalism are good, but she seems to bring the same traumatized vibes (which are well-earned in the first case) to her book "reviews" (which ???)
Choked on my water repeatedly throughout this essay -- excellent as always, Chels.
As much as I love being a hater, so many of the videos criticizing booktok books go so quickly into puritan territory its lowkey crazy. I love watching critical reviews. But there's a difference between criticizing a books writing and criticizing it because it has COOTIES
I came here to say something very similar! I have a friend who reads a LOT of booktok recommendations that I do not personally enjoy, but there’s a huge difference between talking about how when you think so hard at work all day you don’t have the energy to think as hard in your free time so you want something simple and easily digestible that’s entertaining even if it’s not necessarily “good”…and saying ‘ew there’s sex in there!!! Evil!!!’
Like I am self aware enough to say ‘this simply is not for me’ and scroll on. And sometimes I like trying something that isn’t normally for me to see what people like about it, even if I don’t read it constantly. And sometimes I like giggling with my friends over implausible positions it’s funny!
You’re dead on, as always. This kind of thing goes way, way back, and flares up every time we go through a reactionary period. The fact that it’s becoming louder and more mainstream is never a good sign.
You've brought up so many things that I hadn't considered before. I actually found video essays about BookTok more annoying and more exhausting to watch and I couldn't put into words why.
I felt that a lot of the time they set up these stagnant ideas of what is an acceptable romance and what is not. They do their own version of "vibes only" when it comes to fiction that they accuse BookTok of doing and they don't realize it.
I like what you said about stagnant ideas about acceptable romance -- there's a large contingent of readers that can only critique a romance novel with thoughts like "This is not sexy to me" and "I wouldn't want my partner to behave this way." It's approaching romance as though every book is written with the intention of being didactic, and this is not a remotely interesting way to talk about art. This isn't something that just happens on YouTube, but because they're able to post longform videos where they splice in BookTok posts (about books they sometimes haven't even read!) to gawk at, it tends to irritate me more.
this was my favorite thing i read this week
Excellent footnotes. Great discussion points. Made me giggle all the way through. Love pointing to the institutions that actually deserve the ire at the end.
Thank you for this - incredible work as always! 🙏🏾
HEAVYYYYYY on remembering this is an easy source of views on monetized content from people who just downloaded the app the day before with the intention of seeing the exact content they're looking to tear apart
yes! my substack is about booktok, and across the board the people who complain the most about booktok are the ones who have watched like 2 booktok videos ever. if they did watch they would know there is a thriving community of Rachel Cusk obsessives alongside people making edits about hot faeries in ACOTAR (both very valuable communities to me). criticism of booktok almost always feels like a regressive criticism of romance and women readers, just in a new form.
This was so funny and cheeky, and I really appreciate the points you made! I'm not an avid romance reader myself, but I have spent a lot of time trying to untangle the misogynist assumptions about the genre that I fear many people (myself not excused) have picked up at some point, whether in the classroom, from other readers, culture, etc. I think one of the reasons people get so fired up about BookTok and how it lends itself to romance or romance-adjacent novels is because suddenly the idea of being a "reader" is no longer niche. I've been challenging myself this year on the idea of a "reader" – what makes someone a reader? Does a person have to read a specific genre to be a reader? Are there genres that can exclude one from being a reader? Is there a number of BookTok books that would equate the "intellectual value" of one classic, if such a measure exists?
To add to the mix of ideas, I loved that you pointed out no one who considers themself an intellectual would discourage others from reading – so why do we care so much about what the BookTok girlies are reading? I remember having mixed feelings about Rachel Oates' video essay on BookTok when I watched it a few weeks ago, and I think it does serve as an important touchpoint for the conversation surrounding BookTok and literacy. At what point does the critique of BookTok become a weaponization of ideas and standards regarding the "practice" or reading?
Thank you for sharing!
One of my favorite Substack posts of 2024!!! There aren't too many writers who can make me laugh out loud and still back up their arguements with footnotes. Nice.
Ironic to read this (with this picture!) the day after I discovered that “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius is blowing up because of BookTok.
Disappointing to see Rachel Oates engaging in this -- her discussions of Christian fundamentalism are good, but she seems to bring the same traumatized vibes (which are well-earned in the first case) to her book "reviews" (which ???)
Choked on my water repeatedly throughout this essay -- excellent as always, Chels.
I laughed, I cried, I read the linked articles. Punk af, as usual!
love this analysis
“I will apologize for this, though: I’m sorry we staged a coup at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and demanded more on-page fondling.” Well I WON’T!!!!
As much as I love being a hater, so many of the videos criticizing booktok books go so quickly into puritan territory its lowkey crazy. I love watching critical reviews. But there's a difference between criticizing a books writing and criticizing it because it has COOTIES
I came here to say something very similar! I have a friend who reads a LOT of booktok recommendations that I do not personally enjoy, but there’s a huge difference between talking about how when you think so hard at work all day you don’t have the energy to think as hard in your free time so you want something simple and easily digestible that’s entertaining even if it’s not necessarily “good”…and saying ‘ew there’s sex in there!!! Evil!!!’
Like I am self aware enough to say ‘this simply is not for me’ and scroll on. And sometimes I like trying something that isn’t normally for me to see what people like about it, even if I don’t read it constantly. And sometimes I like giggling with my friends over implausible positions it’s funny!