The term Romantasy has gained traction when it comes to marketing books, gaining popularity in 2022 with Bloomsbury using the word to describe Sarah J. Maas’s works. This seemingly new genre has covered bookstore displays, often with the sign “From BookTok!” right below it. But is this more than just a marketing buzzword?
Definition
The term began to describe this “new” genre, but it was a widely-encompassing term that confused some people and led others to develop negative connotations to it.
M.K. Lobb, from Writer’s Digest, helped shaped the definition, by clarifying, “Romantasy blends romance and fantasy in a way that incorporates what are widely agreed to be the ‘romance plot beats.’ It often requires that your protagonist’s characterization hinge upon their relationship with the love interest.”
This genre is meant to showcase that this particular fantasy has a main romance plot. Lobb continued to say, “romantasy has also become a sort of manufactured marketing tactic. A catch-all way to say, ‘This fantasy novel has a central romance, and you should read it.’”
Negativity
Because of this, negative connotations within the sphere of fantasy and even outside, have people stating that these books are “not real fantasy.” But what constitutes as real fantasy?
A Reedsy live event with Jennifer L. Armentrout and Rebecca Heyman brought up that “for many readers, romantasy offers an alternative to traditional high fantasy, which has historically been dominated by male authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, and Patrick Rothfuss in which romance elements were either sidelined or depicted negatively.”
Romance itself has been diminished as a genre. Armentrout noted, “Romantasy challenges this tradition by putting romance-driven fantasy stories in the spotlight. It also seeks to give romance the respect it has often been denied in the literary world. ‘It's taken a while to get respect for being a fantasy book that is also a romance.”
Women’s Pleasure
So what can learn about the negativity around romantasy? Sarah J. Maas has sold over 13 million copies and has even been optioned by Hulu for a televisions series adaptation, as reported by Dario Villirilli from Reedsy.
The New York Times reported that Rebecca Yarros’s Onyx Storm is the fastest-selling adult novel in 20 years, selling 2.7 million copies in its first week. I myself pre-ordered a copy.
Most book lists like this one on Goodreads lists mostly female authors. Is the problem female pleasure? There are plenty of TV shows with sex and politics that aren’t treated the same as the romance genre.
Regardless of definition, romantasy has garnered a lot of new readers, reviving my own personal fantasy-reading slump. It introduced romance and fantasy to readers who may not have picked up either.
Don’t Gatekeep
Is the issue with the books that romance is a center plot-point? Why shouldn’t it be? Relationships are important in life, whether that world is magical or not.
At the Storm Sets In: Wind and Truth Release Party, Brandon Sanderson said, “If readers are coming to science-fiction and fantasy because they love romantasy. well, this is a good place for them, isn’t it?… There are people who are discovering fantasy for the first time because they’re picking up ACOTAR or Fourth Wing, right? And that’s awesome! The fact that those fantasy novels are selling so much is so cool.”
As a prolific face of fantasy, it is so important to hear Sanderson defend readers of all kinds. His goal to bridge the gap between readers and have more people read more fantasy.
“Let’s not be the kinds of people who make you prove you belong by asking them a list of Cosmere questions about the nature of identity and connection… Let’s make sure we’re not gatekeeping who gets to be a fan because that doesn’t work anymore.”
Fantasy is for everyone and romance doesn’t make the story any less hard-hitting or magical. It’s the gateway to an even deeper dive into nerd culture, and if that is what you’re after, maybe stop bashing women’s interests and pick up a romantasy book yourself.
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