romantasy is the bane of my existence
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- Опубликовано: 1 авг 2024
- waiting for my letter to basgiath war college...
music: chill lofi type beat - "2 am" (prod. GhostNxtDoor)
timestamps:
0:00 intro
0:46 romantasy is the bane of my existence
3:09 the new ya-dystopia?
6:29 the yassification of fantasy
14:31 enemies to lovers is a joke
18:17 is there spice in it?
25:16 ya but with swearing
29:20 reverse-engineering fantasy
video-recs:
- a great deep-dive into the "feminism"-problems in the acotar-series:
• The Villain in the Sto... 
Развлечения
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Enemies to lovers went from being about two people who fall in love with each other despite their hatred and differences to an irritating, annoying privileged man forcing himself on a woman.
@@DarwinRoger893 very well put!
@@theatomicanniethank you, I'm so glad people understand my frustrations with how tropes are being written. Last week I saw someone call a book enemies to lovers between a victim of kidnapping and the kidnapper. Like that is not enemies to lovers. AT ALL
@@DarwinRoger893 oh god… 🫠
@@DarwinRoger893 that is stockholm Syndrom
This video was like a damn therapy session. 💀💀💀 I feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders bc all of my pet peeves w romantasy was touched on lmaoooooo
@@arizonaphied5427 trust me, it was also a therapy season for me to make it ✊🏼
this
The characters are supposed to be very not skin deep if they follow their life experience, but are always so shallow and obsessed with looks its just off putting. No progress just being for the sake of being. Its not believable. Also should be 500+ years old but think and act like 16. So irritating
when i see people only having sjm books in their bookshelves I get sceptical…
Instantly turn into a judgemental asian aunty😭
I started reading ACOTAR when I was exhausted and depressed and cannot be bothered to use my brain. It was fine as long as I do not question any plot points or character motivations. They are trash and majority of the people reading them know it. I am concerned about the actual young adults who read these solely however. Then again there is a positive about this genre. When I was reading classics and books with substance in them I was convinced I was never going to be a writer. This genre make me believe I can be a writer. Not a good one but maybe a popular one.
I definitely see the appeal of these books as well and feel like its always a win to get people into reading! But I am also a big advocate for diversifying ones reading taste. They won‘t ever know what truly good writing feels like 😬
From what I have seen a lot a looooooooot of the readers of acotar series think it is a masterpiece and sjms other series too
I'm a big fantasy fan and can honestly tell you that I don't enjoy most Romantasy books, they fail at the fantasy and they fail at the good romance building. But someone commented about how they don't think smut counts as reading and I just want to say reading is reading, let's not punch down and yuck others yums.
@@krishnahemminger thank you for pointing that out! You‘re right. The term ‚reading‘ should not be gatekept.
I'm just mad that my closest Barnes and Noble has a fantasy section that is literally half Maas books
I agree with a lot of what you're saying but a slight correction is necesary. Cruel Prince is not romantasy it's a political ya fantasy. And the enemies to lovers trope is only truly explored in the second and third book in the series. The entire trilogy had fallen to tiktok's false advertising when people started to recomend it as a romantasy when it's very much not that type of genre.
@@juliannakreft thanks for your comment. It is categorised as Fantasy Romance on goodreads at least and a lot of people also advertise it as such. But I wholeheartedly agree that tiktok markets things weirdly. Also, I see that the enemies to lovers aspect is explored further in the second book but with the constant attraction toward Cardin that jude is internally expressing and them kissing in the latter half of the book i feel like the boxes are checked for a YA romance already.
@@theatomicannie Goodreads categories are often wrong. The author herself wrote it only as YA fantasy not a romantasy despite what marketing say. Sorry if I'm coming out too strong I just saw a lot of people being dissapointed and rating it low because they expected it to be a romantasy when it was never written to be one in the first place. It's only confuses new readers.
Ah i can see that! But maybe some peoples expectations for what romantasy is might also be at fault. Maybe they want a very specific thing and the characters kissing in the first book is not enough for them? But I don‘t know. It is truly tricky with this book. And good marketing really is not a given these days! 🫠
Yes the Folk of the Air serie is not a romantasy. It has a romantic subplot but it stays a subplot. It is a political fantasy.
Even if it isn’t categorized as such I think Cruel Prince feels like YA Romantasy but maybe its just me 🫣
Taking notes because I have a enemies to lovers sub plot ( my story isn't a romantasy btw) and I hope to do it justice.
How far we've fallen from romanasty like kushiel's dart. Jacqueline carey was too ahead of the time with her sex worker spy in a political web of a sex positive society. Her writing it top tier but because she added kinky sex the early 2000s were not kind. 10/10 recommend
I didn't like it because it seemed predatory to raise kids to be sex workers, it's the same issue I have with raising kids to be child soldiers. But I'm glad you liked it. The first person POV also threw me off, so I lost interest fast.
@@mittag983 those critiques are valid but when I read these, as they were being released, I focused more on the religion of love, sex positivity and queer acceptance over the sexually active teens but thats probably because I was one just trying to figure things out. Besides that I've read those two things done far worse in other books that dont get nearly the same push back.
Also the mc uses her power and privilege in later books to push for reforms in those practices
aaaa thank you for perfectly summarizing my thoughts!!! i've felt like the odd one out for a long time for being unimpressed with the endless procession of entitled dark-haired oh-so-handsome clones & their canned "you're *m i n e*, Y/N"-style dialogue.
recent romantasy is the written equivalent of zebra cakes-esque junk food slop & that's fine in moderation but i'm done pretending that it's anything more substantial than that.
also, at the risk of sounding like a "puriteen" or whatever, it kinda makes me uncomfortable how heavily this is pushed to younger & younger readers??? like i remember a librarian recommending SJM to me when i was 13 & my experience wasn't unique; the book club at my niece's school has a young fantasy reader's list & it's full of "spicy" romantasy titles.
Eeeyy fellow slow burn enjoyer 🙌
You’re my type of reader; subscribed
Yes, Acotar slander!
I appreciate how you articulated your thoughts. The only one that I've read to completion was The Cruel Prince, and it's not perfect, but I think it definitely deserves points for not being p0*n disguised as fantasy literature and having fae that are incapable of speaking lies (Mas got on my crap list FAST for that one, she basically just made abus1ve elves). Great video!
@@cookiescuentosandquejas5639 thank you! ☺️ thats true! The whole smut chapter in the video was just directed towards New Adult which Cruel Prince doesn’t fall under.
I don’t mind romantasy existing, I just can’t stand how it’s being shoved down my throat. It’s harder to find fantasy without romance in it. I found Fourth Wing independent of the hype, and I won’t deny that I had a good time reading it. But honestly, I think that’s because I truly didn’t care about whatever romance violet and xaden had; I was there for the dragons lol. All the sexual tension and stuff went in one ear and out the other, I was reading the non-dragon parts to get to the dragons lol. Iron Flame is definitely worse and the ending is incredibly stupid.
Also, I’m of the opinion that a person who truly cannot read a book without spice doesn’t like reading, they enjoy using books to consume pornography. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but I don’t think they’re readers.
I also think that the dragons were the strongest aspect of Fourth Wing. I need to read up on the Iron Flame ending I think. I am too nosy :D especially with the third book coming out soon. I can't wait to see the reviews of what is likely to be a total mess.
@@theatomicannie Xaden turns into a venin to save Violet for some reason, I think she was being threatened by a venin lord or something and xaden turned into one to save her? I don’t fully remember, I just remember hearing it through the audiobook and being like, “that’s… so dumb.” Especially since the reveal of it was cringy and melodramatic.
@@theactingfantasy honestly, it feels like AI was used to finish the book because the author couldn't hit her deadline without it. It just felt so... weird. And Violet's mother changed character so ridiculously fast from how she was described in the first book, it felt so out of place. I also feel like the whole thing with Andara is just a way for Yarros to get herself out of the "plot" with Xaden now by using Andara's ability to go back and change things.
It's kind of a guilty pleasure for me, but there are definitely better books out there.
i got so mad at 4th wing that i didn't finish it. It just felt like dragons were there to justify the mating bond bullshit between Xaden and Violet
It seems a lot of the dragon stuff might have been inspired by the Dragonriders of Pern series down to the telepathic link between riders and their dragons, although to be fair Dragonriders of Pern was like THE early dragon-centered fantasy series, it was very influential.
As soon as I seen you refer to romantasy as the "yassification of fantasy" I instantly knew I'd like this video 😆 the reason I hate romantasy so much is because it has so much potential to be fantastic. I love fantasy and a lot of them are lacking in the romance sub-plots and sometimes I do want something that balances the fantasy and romance plots but it's never the case, the romance always overshadows the actual plot (if there even is a plot) and authors are using revolutions as wars as backdrops for the romance/smut which. Just stop (never mind the amountof these books where the smut overshadows even the romance). They're always predictable and over-stuffed with tropes, and the fantasy itself is lacklustre with only surface level world-building, magic systems that never make sense, and the majority of characters are one-dimensional props. Oftentimes even the main characters are cardboard cutouts of tropes (FMC's whose only personality trait is #girlboss and MMC's who are "alphas"). I too could rant for ages about how disappointed I was with this genre because I want to love it.
I'd be more interested in this genre if it was Fantasy with hints of romance rather than romance books that read as though the author included fantasy elements so they could conveniently make these characters do whatever the author wanted them to do. There's very little world building, everything that happens is so the characters can win some kind of battle (with very little fight) or to get down to the sexy business. I like that there are people who find joy in them, but I'd be too pissed off reading about possessive hot rich kings who are 500 years old.
Great video! My thoughts exactly on ' romantasy ' / romantic fantasy. I used to love reading it but outgrown it because everything is the same. Love the break down you did. Wishing you more subscribers ! 🙂
thank youu for your comment 🥺🥰 happy you liked it!
@@theatomicannie 😊
For real, so many romantasy is 2 hot people who hate each other for seemingly no reason then bang because they made it to that page-count, with 0 chemistry. I got so annoyed i took the time to sit and write one i would actually like -- just 1 book, not a series, where the characters learn to communicate and understand each other's needs. The last 1/3 of it is literally the 2 of them just trying to be a good couple in a healthy and respectful relationship.
couldn't find it on the shelf, so wrote it myself 😅
probably won't get a huge readership, but at least i have it to go back to and read
anyway, love the video 💟 good to know i'm not alone in this sort of mindset
I enjoyed ACOTAR, but can't lie, I too was also a bit baffled by the age differences 😂
Actually there were a LOT of problems with this series, but it's definitely my guilty pleasure hahaha
I love the editing in this video so much its funny, just the right amount of cuts and memes!!!! Keep it going
thank you so much! 💕 editing these is so much fun as well!
I never know what to say when someone talks to me about books and they only read fourth wing, acotar and whatever is popular. Theres nothing wrong with liking these books but I think when these are peoples favourites that they don't read non-popular books or classics. I guess maybe we're reading for different reasons, I purposely try to read challenging books or books that are considered classics especially when exploring a particular genre. While people who only read popular books are probably just looking for something to do.
I was just forced into starting ACOTAR by my freinds after finishing The Hurricane Wars and I cannot agree with the title more 😂IM TIRED
Handsome squidward took me out 😂😂😂 accurate though 🤣
Haha, always fun to see Sophie's skinny jeans comment :D totally agree with you!
@@Flareontoast bookhater club rep 🫶🏼
My favorite ever Goodreads review
I love your voice so much! I honestly wasnt much into books but now I am intrigued by them, I've stuck till the end of the video because of your voice ♥
I didn't think I would hear someone say this! Thank you ❤
I love the memes you used😂
a compliment that i treasure highly!
16:05 whoops. The bitter truth 😂
This is giving me the idea to write a parody romantasy series.
I think it would be fun to parody the common tropes and writing style and try to sell it, but to be able to deconstruct it, I must read at least some of these books in order to understand them, which doesn’t sound like a fun time. I would probably get them at the library if I were so inclined to read them.
@@oneinathousand2156 I‘d love that!
Well, I mean, some of these really read fast I gotta tell you - but you‘ll also probably get really frustrated like me.
You might get an adaptation of most books lol.
I hate popular romantasy so much. I'm not a big fan of romance but I think it can be written well and I love fantasy. Unfortunately a lot of the romantasy books focus so much on the romance and have such mediocre writing that I can't handle it. I really wish that books in general became popular in the way they have from booktok because of their quality or stories or ingenuity. But of course we have this overconsumption fast food-esque thing with books now because the world is not fair and I hate it here. 😒
In theory romantasy sounds really fascinating. You could create so many interesting, unique, deep relationships with all the new social dynamics, magic systems, cultures etc. But that is just not done, at least not in the stuff that gets popular.
Haven't read many of them, but also from all I heard I would not like them. Maybe it is just me being bi, but as you said these characters are just so cliche, unattractive and gender existentialist. Big fan of fantasy, and while I don't like mainstream romance, I do like real feeling, original romances. Also love good (!) dystopias, and found the comparison interesting.
It is so frustrating to me how shallow romantasy books are. But I think the divide in opinion tends to be people who read more fantasy vs people who read more romance. If the people who enjoy romantasy are happy, that's great. I just hope they will be able broaden their horizons and read actually good fantasy.
I’m getting ready to query an epic high fantasy and I’m searching for comp titles and actively have to avoid romantasy because it’s like a plague in the industry right now. I do think it’s going to burn out though
I feel you! I am in the dire need of proper world building and good writing after reading all of these 😩
I also think the trend will eventually die down. But I feel like it will just get replaced by the next weird hybrid genre.
It’s definitely going to burn out. In 9/10 books of this genre there’s no substance no plot. Just smut. People will eventually get tired of this, even though it might take quite a while. Despite what we see on tik tok or instagram, there are many people who do want substance and depth and will find these sorts of books lacking. Are there quality romantasy books and stories with a message? Of course! They just get pushed to the side and drowned out by the series that are full of smut and therefore more popular 🫠😕
Ugh I'm overcompensating for my hatred of the overly hot pretty love interests in my personal projects by making them scrawny and ill 😂
I know you kind of touched on the male love interests being tanned but as someone who is male, PoC, and a reader I find it more problematic that these yt authors are making the love interest ambitiously brown for the sake of diversity, for that checklist. And when they say that "Yes, this [insert Romantasy Male Love Interest] is PoC" not only do they make him toxic as hell, they also add this whole problematic aspects of slavery allusions.
@@curtisdavenport2308 a very good point!
I need more well written romantasy! Contemporary romance just doesnt feel high stakes enough. Highly recommend Reign & Ruin by JD Evans, great world building, magic system and romance! S.E. Wendel also has some great romantasy
Teacher stutant trop should only exist in drama, horror, thriller or crime are a evil thing, not a romance.
The benfit of me reading these books, as a writer, is what and how *not* to write.
New subscriber!! I saw the title of this video and knew it would be good. Always up for some romantasy shaming 😂❤
@@saraferguson1156 united through suffering (under romantasy) 😌✊🏼
Romantasy can be good. It's just that for most, the "tasy" aspect is so useless. The fantasy is almost always lacklustre...the plot nonexistent, characters unlikeable
@@dannygoldson603 do you have some recommendations for good romantasy? ☺️
@@theatomicannie 😅😅 now I'm nervous, you might have heard of these...
Emily Wilde's encyclopedia of faeries; uses footnotes which may not be for everyone, no spice
Half a soul; cozy, low fantasy. I personally enjoyed the romance. No spice
Someone you can build a nest in: not sure if it can be classed romantasy. Queer/Sapphic. There's gore
Reign and ruin; I haven't read this yet
@@dannygoldson603 i have that book on my reading list already! I‘m gonna give it a go! It sounds like something I could like.
Bought a Thorn of Courts and Roses with one of the free credits on audible. How can a book be so boring? Look, I didn't expect a timeless masterpiece, but this book is popular, so I expected it to be somewhat good. I couldn't get past the halfway point. And I've read George Martin, Tolkien, Nietzsche, Dickens, Duma. I can get through difficult books. And finishing an audiobook is much easier.
(Well, I suppose if I really wanted to I could force myself to finish it. But I really don't lol)
I agree. The pacing was so off - the middle part was very slow just for the ending to be extremely rushed. I found ACOMAF to be especially boring though (I think because the romance between Feyre and Rhys was kinda the only thing going on besides some war blabla and I did not enjoy it).
Maxton Hall pissed me off so much I couldn't enjoy it. He tried to balckmail her in any way imaginable but the moment she said anything against him, *she* had to apologize, kickstarting their relationship but never does he even apologize. Also, weirdly as a german I had trouble understanding them sometimes (especially the guy) due to the mumbling in conversations.
12:06 Aaron Warner and adam kent!!!😢
6:06 tools my profil picture 😂😂
Romantacy: A self insert of a teenage girl complaining about her life and wanting to magically be "special" and taken away by some random hot guy 20 meters taller than her. I don't see a lack of self esteem WHATSOEVER.
PD. I want the same as you: a well crafted world where happens to be people who may fall in love.
Spot on
I swear the moment i see a book/show/movie with the whole "enemies to lovers" advertising i inmidiately back away because it 100% translates to "worthless plot and characters with a lot of cringe inducing moments".
"Enemies to lovers", pffft, how about being a normal human being thank you.
Ayo, do you have a goodreads account or something that you're comfortable plugging? We have pretty similar takes and I'd love to see what else you're reading
Romance as a genre or even subgenre just seems watered-down if all it amounts to is just smut.
Can I ask something? Is your mouther tougue German? If yes, it would be easier for my to write my opinion in german
@@zwiebelkuss987 yes, i am German. Go ahead ☺️
That is me and stephen king abd onegaverse. I do not understand why they are loved. Ok i liked king un my Teens, but now i can not unsee the blain sexism.
What is wrong with enjoying something that is fun and makes you happy. I’m not going to act like I am above it.
They need to feel like they're special for not liking romantasy cause a lot of female readers do lol. It's so easy to keep one's mouth shut if you don't like something. Stop yucking someone's yums. I swear there's underlying tones of misogyny for people who like to make fun of these books and people who read them. Newsflash: some books don't need to be literary masterpieces for them to be enjoyed 🤷♀️ stop making people feel bad for enjoying something you don't like.
please turn down backgrond music, I'm struggling to hear what you are saying. and I really want to hear what you're saying.
Sorry, I am still a noob. I will turn it down a bit for the next video 😊
8:11 this is where I had to stop. I've recently finished the Cruel Prince trilogy, and not only is Cardan constantly drunk and not good with any physical activity (so, not really a typical romantic interest), but he also clearly stated that he didn't want FMC dead even when he was bullying her. I'm not even sure those books are romantasy. Sorry, it might be hard to take anything you say without a grain of salt from now on.
you shouldn't take anything any youtube random person says without a grain of salt - especially when they are voicing their opinions. Its fine to like Cardan - i still don't. I for one don't care if he retrospectively proclaimes that he never wanted her dead (Rhys and Xaden are the same in just acting like they want the mc dead and i find it old and annoying). I also don't care if he is drunk constantly. A lot of mysterious badboy love interests have that - he is not special in my opinion. Also, for me these books feel like YA Romantasy but everyone is very free to disagree!
@@theatomicannieit's ok to dislike a character, to misrepresent them in your analysis to prove a point is a different thing.
@@justwonder1404 wdym misrepresent? He is presented like that in the book - she simply stated how he bullies the fmc which is absolutely what happens 😳 And she thinks its stereotypical and you don’t.
the dont read them girl it's really not that deep
you don't understand - romantasy actually killed my entire family -.- its so sad and evil
People are allowed to dissect and critique things they don't like. Nobody made you watch the video, so why are you mad?
@@MykkiOnTheCusp RUclips keeps insisting on putting these videos on my timeline and I was having a bad day. And honestly a lot of people who criticize this genre are more than willing to let other authors get away with the same things they look down on this genre for, so I find it very hypocritical . I guess it’s easier for people to target writers who put out books for young female audiences
@@she5139 not our fault their tastes are so cringe