Alice Oseman is fast becoming a household name in Young Adult Fiction. Noted for her inclusivity and representation, Oseman recently entered the spotlight when her Heartstopper graphic novel series was adapted for television by Netflix.
Has Colleen Hoover Murdered Intellectualism?
Isobel Webb-Pratt If you have spent even a few minutes on BookTok it’s highly likely you will have come across some content related to Colleen Hoover and her works. There have been […]
It’s BookTok’s World and We’re Just Living In It
Megan Stoker writes about the impact of social media on reading.
In Defence of the Romance Novel
Marti Stelling From Jilly Cooper to Colleen Hoover, it’s time to stop calling romance novels lowbrow. Romance novels are relevant at any time of year. During December, bookshops are lined with festive […]
Farewell to the Young Adult Dystopian Era… Or Not Just Yet?
The dystopian genre has been around for nearly a hundred years. Suzanne Collins’, bestseller The Hunger Games, not only had a major influence on the rise of YA dystopian literature sales, but more importantly, it brought a new genre to Hollywood. A genre that disappeared as swiftly as it appeared.
To what extent should we have a creative licence?
‘Public Domain Day’, otherwise known as New Year’s Day , marks the expired copyright on texts entering the public domain. A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh, Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises and Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd to name a few released in 2022. The significance of giving way to creative licence can be seen in the development since The Great Gatsby’s release in the US in 2021, with 34 new print editions published in the past year and the development of a television adaptation by Michael Hirst.
The ‘David Walliams Phenomenon’
If I could recite a list of celebs-turned-children’s-authors, we would be here all day. From actress Julianne Moore, to footballer Frank Lampard, there are no limits as to who can give it a go. But what are the downfalls of this? And is it always ethical?
Queer YA and the Rise of ‘BookTok’
Growing up, I didn’t come across any LGBTQ+ representation in literature until I was fourteen years old. However, in the present age of ‘BookTok’, young adult fiction is changing for the better.
The Brave New World of Cover Design and Audience
We are living in an age of book covers that pander to social media users, viewing their prospective purchases on small smartphone screens. Publishers have to know their particular audience, and their books must be able to catch your eye immediately. But must universal success always come in the form of bold strokes of bright colour and block titles that swallow up the page?
The Resurgence of the ‘Cosy Crime’ Genre
When the dulcet tones of Boris Johnson graced our screens in March 2020, we gathered anxiously around the television, waiting for the grim truth that we all knew was coming. Rolling out before us was a weary drain of time – weeks and months of uncertainty, wandering around the same muddy field, dreading the unrelenting enthusiasm of Joe Wicks, glancing at one another as if to say is it too early for a glass of wine?. As doors locked and days opened up, we settled onto our sofas and looked for something to do.
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