by Tatum Bunker
BookTok is an online community based on TikTok that recommends, advertises, and discusses books. Many authors have successfully promoted their works and readers have found new book recommendations through BookTok. There are various ‘sides’ of this side of social media, but the overall community has unfortunately developed a reputation for books that showcase deranged and unhealthy relations.
Books of fiction aren’t real, that’s a fact. People write their wildest dreams, ideas that can take years to perfect. That being said, the popular and highly recommended books that circulate often objectify characters and set extremely unrealistic expectations of relationships. These can severely impact readers’ perceptions of healthy relationships, especially readers who haven’t been in a relationship yet. With the prevalence of these objectifying and unrealistic portrayals in popular books, a cycle of harmful stereotypes and ideals is created. Sam Bode, a young writer from The Dispatch agrees and writes that “Because TikTok is such a massive platform, untrustworthy, self-published authors are able to promote their stories to a much larger audience than they could before. Their unfiltered stories often strike the interest of young, naive teens who don’t know any better,” (Sam Bode).
Readers, especially those who lack real-life experiences and are potentially impressionable, may believe that these unhealthy narratives are normal. It's crucial to recognize the power of literature because it can heavily affect societal norms and to advocate for more diverse and healthy ways to represent situations that actually reflect normal relationships. By prioritizing stories that show respectful, consensual, and realistic interactions, we can include media representation of more positive and inclusive portrayals in literature. This will not only benefit individual readers' well-being but could also contribute to a mindset of healthier attitudes and behaviors.
Within these pages, you may read various toxic tropes and narratives that glamorize abusive behaviors and harmful stereotypes. Colleen Hoover is a great example of an author who romanticizes abuse. Lots of her writings are known for their plotlines that focus on toxic relationships and sexual themes, which are predominantly aimed at teenagers. This not only normalizes unhealthy behaviors but also reinforces damaging stereotypes about love and relationships. Consequently, the widespread consumption of such literature can have detrimental effects on the emotional and psychological well-being of young readers who can foster unrealistic expectations and normalizing toxic patterns of behavior. Olivia Pastrick, the managing editor of The Reflector, expressed her opinions on the topic by stating that “Young adults and other impressionable readers often lack the maturity to fully grasp what is and is not acceptable in real relationships, and BookTok makes it that much harder with the romanticization of toxic and harmful situations (again, think back to the mafia boss plus a vulnerable female victim love story trope),”. These young readers should not be reading Haunting Adeline, but instead Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. Reading adult topics affects how these minors see the world and the relationships they make with others. They may fall in love with horrible, toxic characters with the same characteristics as a man who should be placed in prison.
But these concepts can not only affect the younger readers, but all readers as well. You see, when reading a book with heavy topics, a reader may feel distressed. These pages can damage a reader’s mental health and could even cause them to actively seek similar situations as found in the books. Therefore, it's important for both readers and creators to recognize the potential consequences of promoting and consuming content that romanticizes or normalizes harmful dynamics. When you understand the importance of accountability and promoting diverse, inclusive, and responsibly crafted literature, we can strive to create a healthier and more empathetic literary landscape for all readers.
BookTok can be a wonderful place to promote various reading materials, but it can also destroy one’s view of relationships and social dynamics. “The romance novels BookTok promotes are convincing teens that controlling and isolating behavior means that your partner loves you an incredible amount and wants to protect you. In reality, it is a common method abusers use to emotionally guilt their partner into staying with them,” (Sam Bode). It introduces harmful tropes and concepts to easily influenced readers which can heavily affect their lives. The glamorization of problematic dynamics can encourage unhealthy ideals which could even lead to distorted perceptions of reality. As a result, it's imperative to use critical thinking when reading newer books and to promote responsible consumption of these reading materials to try to prevent the negative impact of BookTok. If you find yourself flipping through the pages of BookTok materials, try setting them aside and turning to Good Reads instead.
Olivia Pastrick: ‘BookTok’ Thrives on Marketability Rather than Artistic Integrity
Follow Tatum @tatum_tot24601 and at her literary magazine @thelettershomecollection
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