@falcoskywolf
All of this is really well said. I wish more people understood there's a difference between types of "bad boy." Are they "bad" in the eyes of the law or tradition, "bad" according to bad people who dominate the world, or are they bad in how they treat other people? More lovable rogues who actually try to treat people well. We're not asking them to be perfect people who never have moments of anger, but we WOULD like them to at least be decent and not over-the-top when it comes to their anger. Can they back away from an argument before they melt down? Can they explain what's wrong? Can they give their partner autonomy and dignity?
@morwen1031
I think the biggest red flag in any of these books is whether they use male/female instead of just men/women. The former is almost always a precusor for an eventual DNF for me.
@Law1107
My bookstore co-worker told me that all romantasy is written by Mormons and all hyperbole aside, it all suddenly made sense.
@MarcelleLeiturasPreguicosas
The problem with the conservative lazy romantasy is not all readers have discernment to separate the propaganda from reality.
@MoranaMorena
Acotar series is such a big example of conservative propaganda disguised as feminist story. First book is the least offencive since it's more of a retelling of several irl fairytales. From the second book onward, however, we see how the relatioship between main character and her second love interest becomes more and more conservative. With FMC who wanted to be independent and free, leaving her first love interest due to his controlling behaviour, to becoming stay at home trophywife who loves to be dominated and humiliated in public and is not allowed to make decisions about her own body and pregnancy. It's insane to me that it's presented as romantic in the story and that some women actually enjoy it
@toyosibee
The fact you brought up the "using males/females" thing for Romantasy IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME because even if it's not meant to come off as TERF-y......uh, it does! Every single time it's used in stuff like ACOTAR. Not only does it add a weird tinge of gender essentialism into an escapist novel, but those words really hit the ear so wrong in a literay context, too.
@SarahBullard-c4l
The use of male and female in Sarah J Maas' novels drive's me insane. I'm an alcoholic and have been to several rehabs. At every single one a woman (or several women) will say "I don't get along with females.". This statement is usually delivered with absolute contempt. I hate that female is almost a slur to these women. I'm AFAB non-binary but not out of contempt for women or femininity. I find it disturbing how many CIS straight women I've encountered who hate other women.
@TristinCastiglia
One thing that is interesting, to me at least, is how i hear alot of alien/ monster writers typically have romances that value consent and the stories/ worlds are alot more fleshed out, than romance fantasy involving human counterparts. Some women will admit to only reading monster romance because of that reason. Something to think about really!
@danielbroome5690
The sad part is it's not even conservative propaganda most of the time, it's weird centrist-liberal fetishization of toxic BDSM relationships. Many of the women writing these books aren't consciously creating rightwing propaganda, they're writing a fetish they have that is encapsulated in the culture where these toxic relationships exist.
@gabz49242
Thank you for making this. The most tired defense of romantasy that I hear is that it's a feminist genre, and I don't think some people realize that a.) non-intersectional feminism doesn't really help everyone, and b.) the "badass" women hit a lot less hard when they melt at the sight of a mean shadow daddy. And while I do understand your final point, I also think that saying "It's not really that deep" as a society is kind of how we got here. The language we use matters, especially if that language coincides with that used by hate groups.
@user-ny1wo1vp9r
I have so many thoughts about this......I really like the idea of romantasy but I'm really frustrated with how almost every other romantasy book pushes traditional gender roles in one way or other. I love seeing strong powerful female characters but it frustrates me how they're almost always paired with a way more powerful male character, like why can't we have a romance between characters who are equals, or even a more powerful female character? This isn't even going into the toxicity. The thing is, I actually don't mind dark themes or even explorations of toxicity but seeing an 'alpha male' being relentlessly toxic to a woman without pushback is just the most boring way that can be done.
@queen-monarch
Here's a hot take; women being the main demographic for romantasy doesn't make it feminist and I think people who think that are the kinds of people who think that choice feminism and girl boss feminism are more valid than they actually are. Because here's the thing, women are the main demographic of ALL books. Women read more than men do and are the main demographic for mysteries, horror and pretty much every genre. Trying to shut down criticism of romance books with a thought terminating cliche like "Romance is primarily consumed by women so you're not allowed to criticize it otherwise you're bullying women" It's just giving a bunch of people (usually incredibly privileged white women who don't actually have to go through the scenarios described in the book) A free pass to never critically consume anything ever.
@SophiaRavenna
No, see, it's escapism because the toxic abusive men are HOT, rich, and probably have magic, a dragon, or wings. It's really depressing that the best thing some women can fantasize is men that are just as toxic as RL men, but they can solve all of your problems because they're a prince or something and they just throw money and power at it.
@lucario719
thank you for providing a valid criticism of Romantasy. Literally every time I see men talk about Romantasy online, they just say "It's porn (for women). that scares me"
@Dizzintegration
May I add it is common for this men to be dark skinned, like Xadan and Rhysand. It adds a whole new layer in how they are depicted as sexy cardboard cut outs and savage lovers.
@Set666Abominae
Romantacy, to me at least, just seems like a cynical reskin of misogynistic romance novels that have long since existed. The sort of crap that, in the past, would be joked of as airport fodder. Publishers have very cleverly found that ill-fitting fantasy skin suits work to make this kind of novel appeal to a much wider audience. All they needed to do was get it over the pop cultural line so that movie deals, fandoms etc. then sustain the momentum.
@TheeObscure
I can understand romanticizing a Mr. Darcy-badboy, but so many of these romantasy dudes are Mr. Collins.
@RebeccaSmith77
A booktuber I follow just talked about "Quicksilver" recently. She talked about how her and her friends call it "Cumsilver" because of that cover, and it made me glad that Romantasy is not my thing. lol
@mandarina4157
I hate it when people say "it’s just for fun, it’s unserious etc". Even when I read "just for fun", there has got to be a modicum of quality there, like??? How do yall just disconnect your brains like that and just go and consume this kind of tra$h??
@WillowTalksBooks