Nuanced New World of Reading

#BookTok’s influence on the literature community

May 26th, 2021

_______________________
By Sam Jaffe

Sam Jaffe is a
Communications Arts
student and an avid
bullet journalist and
book reader.

_____________________________

“Kids don’t read anymore!” If you’re a

teacher, parent, grandparent, or any adult
over the age of 20, you’ve probably made
that assessment.

And if you’re under that age line, it’s safe to say you’ve heard those words as a passive
aggressive admonishment to get off that phone and do something productive with your
time.

It’s easy to assume that the overwhelming presence of technology is driving away all
print on paper or that mindless trends are replacing heroes’ journeys and epic tales.

Surprising as it may be, the two are not mutually exclusive.

In just a couple of hours, two of my teachers independently addressed my sophomore

class with disbelief that teenagers still read. Instead they presented the assumptions
that we were too consumed with social media, Netflix, or video games to take part in the
‘lost art’ of reading.

Entering high school, my free time and recreational reading decreased, not at the fault
of technology but at the demands of higher education and extracurriculars. The likes of
Orwell’s 1984 and Thoreau’s Walden consumed my weekdays and high adventure and
fantasy were slipped into the spare hours of weekends.
As someone who was fortunate enough to grow up with literature and technology, the
value of books was not lost on me. Nor was it forgotten by the millions of kids in my
generation who remember the wonders of stepping into another world.

Contrary to popular belief, technology does not thrive on the destruction of reading and
instead bolsters its reach and effect.

Over the past year, we’ve seen technology being used at unprecedented levels as the
coronavirus pandemic ravaged the world. Now more than ever, social media platforms
are being used to connect people globally and retain a semblance of human connection.

TikTok, an app where users share and view short videos, has become one of the most
popular platforms with 689 million monthly active users worldwide. The app is
algorithm based and allows users to find their “side” of TikTok: a section of videos that
best fits their interests.

Enter #BookTok.

Self-explanatory in title, BookTok is a side of TikTok where the reading community

unites. An instant book club, BookTok is a space for users to recommend books, share
their reactions, obsess over favorite characters, and overall bond over their love of
literature.

While relatively small to begin with, the 9.7 billion views of #BookTok tagged videos
proves that reading remains a popular pastime for the app’s majority-teen audience.

On any given day you can scroll through #BookTok and find visual aesthetics of fantasy
worlds, collections of heartbreaking quotes, and fangirling over fictional characters.

Although some readers simply post book recommendations, others dive deeper into
their favorite stories to create a multifaceted environment where all users can find their
niche.

Classic readers can analyze development and character arcs, appreciate astounding
writing, and record breathtaking lines by incredible authors.

Typically non-reading teens are drawn in by the allure of romance and fictional men,
often referred to as “book boyfriends.” Many readers have emerged from reading
slumps with the promise of action-packed romantic tropes that alienate the perception
of nerdiness from reading.
Artists, cosplayers, and amatuer actors can all find their place in Booktok as they
portray scenes and characters from their favorite books.

The outreach of the app and BookTok’s focus on several popular books has created a
massive boost in business for publishers and bookstores alike. Sadness sells like no
other - the tears of many TikTok creators over their favorite books has led to
skyrocketing sales.

Previously mildly successful books, such as Madeline Miller’s 2011 Song of Achilles, are
reaching new audiences and selling at over 250 percent compared to previous years.

The BookTok “starter kit” includes many of the following, and some bookstores have
gone as far as to create BookTok storefronts to encourage consumers to purchase these
well known books:

● Song of Achilles and Circe by Madeline Miller

● Shadow and Bone trilogy and Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo (recently
adapted into a Netflix series)
● They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
● Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
● A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

and several other popular titles.

Sales of Young Adult novels increased by 60 percent in quarter one of 2021 in

comparison to quarter one of 2020. Publishers are crediting the extreme increase to
#BookTok, citing it as “the largest growth driver in [the] young adult” category.

With more bookstores and authors taking to BookTok each day, it may prove to be a
new marketing tool that changes the business of publishing altogether.

As an avid reader who briefly lost connection with the reading community, I can
personally attest to BookTok’s influence in rekindling my love of literature. In the past
year alone, I’ve purchased and borrowed over two dozen novels at the suggestion of
users of the app. BookTok has provided myself and countless others the opportunity to
revitalize the world of reading and build invaluable connections with one another.
Author’s Personal Collection of #BookTok Books