Odyssey Book BloG

I wish I could say I still love romantasy, but I think we might be coming to an end.

What even is romantasy? The way I see it, it’s a genre that exists somewhere between fantasy and romance novels. And while all fantasy can have romance in it, romantasy has a pretty specific vibe. The major plot point is the romantic element, think fae fated mates, vampire blood bonds, destined lovers, dramatic covers, and sexual tension. Books that look like these:

Disclaimer: I haven’t read all of these, but I have read a few and I don’t know what to trust anymore!!

Here’s the thing, I used to love it. My teenage binge-reading included authors like Cassandra Clare and Stephanie Meyer (no shade to those icons✨). They probably were to blame for some of my hopeless romanticism. But adult me is struggling with this genre. My pre-frontal cortex is fully formed now, and I think the things I used to breeze past as “romantic” are suddenly just cringey.

But why? I have some theories:

The patterns that are just unoriginal 👀

There are lots of TROPES in romantasy. Some of them are entertaining, but after reading your 3rd book in the genre, you start to realize they’re not entertaining ENOUGH to be repeated this often!! Here’s a few I sigh at now:

• Mean Banter ≠ Flirting
  Why do so many of these love interests…hate each other? Being rude and snappy isn’t flirting. To me, the whole “They’re mean to you because they like you” thing should’ve stayed in middle school.
• Fated Mates, But Make It Lazy
  Authors will slap “fated mates” on two characters like it’s an automatic relationship speedrun. Sorry, but “we’re destined lovers” doesn’t erase 300 pages of mutual disdain. Or does it?
• Horny ≠ In Love
  Just because two people can’t seem to fight the urge to constantly touch each other, doesn’t mean they’re meant to be. This just isn’t moving me.
• Plot? Never Heard of Her.
  So many storylines get half-baked or lost in the shuffle just to make room for smut and tension scenes that aren’t even that good. I’d imagine smut is hard to write well, at least for readers like me. But if you’re going to replace your entire plot with it, it better not be cringe!! Certain phrases and vocabulary (if you know what I mean) are just overused and uncomfy!!
• Trope Overload.
  One bed at the inn. “Who did this to you?” Fake enemies-to-lovers. Same horse. Same everything. Repeated to the point of exhaustion. Tropes are fun, sure, but can we get some inventiveness please??

Sarah J. Maas ✨

At risk of sounding basic, I have to say it. To ME, Sarah J. Maas is the exception. Somehow, she uses all these tropes and still makes them feel signature. Her characters have great depth and journeys outside their *fated* love interests, her relationships feel earned (I actually believe that her characters are falling for each other!!) and the romance adds to the story instead of replacing it.

She’s kind of cracked a code and I’m feeling like she tricked me into thinking I like the genre when really, I may have just liked her books!

Romantasy reads that fell flat for me:

Just having a very subjective opinion moment don’t kill me

Quicksilver: Didn’t get this relationship, Saeris and Quicksilver seemed to genuinely dislike each other, Saeris in particular, and yet that kind of disappeared just because it was revealed that they’re mates? Please. Also, Saeris’ character fell short for me. She began the story introduced as someone who was tough and feared and could hold her own and became a bit of a whiny baby when she entered Quick’s world. It was a little hard to swallow.

From Blood and Ash: This was just SO cringey. The banter was awful and had no substance. Not sure what it was that even made Poppy and Casteel start to like each other at all- couldn’t find it.

Fourth Wing: This series is getting progressively worse; the plot is totally getting lost for the sake of more pages dedicated to Violet and Xaden’s childish relationship (all they seem to do is argue, misunderstand each other, and have very hazardous sex). I spent most of Onyx Storm confused, like this lady:

The Serpents and the Wings of Night: My fave on this list but STILL it’s just okay. It’s good enough to keep me reading, but not amazing enough for me to rave about it, if that makes sense. The romance has more substance for sure, but the plot is a little bit confusing, and I find myself getting lost, wishing for more time spent giving plot context than scenes with uneventful (and sometimes uncomfy) sexual tension between Oraya and Raihn.

Final Thoughts

After four series that made me feel just meh, maybe it’s not the books. Maybe it’s the genre???

Romantasy, I thought I loved you. But it’s possible that you were meant to be a one-night stand for me. You may be a love affair that’s now overstayed it’s welcome. Maybe, I was meant to just find that one series that hits just right, indulge in it as a guilty pleasure, and then walk away fondly. Because chasing the high just keeps leading to disappointment. 💔