📚 Why Is BookTok Obsessed With the ‘Sad Girl’ Novel?

CREATOR ECONOMY NEWSLETTER

Issue 51 | July 19, 2022

It’s no secret that BookTok has a strong influence on consumers, but as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. One of the most popular genres is the sad girl novel, which coincides with the Fleabag era that was popularized on the platform last year. Both embrace a sort of nihilistic feminism that celebrates chaotic, imperfect, and often mentally ill female characters.

This has its positives—namely, these stories and characters provide an escape for young people experiencing the bleakness of our current world. However, some of the language used in TikToks about “sad girl” novels, as well as the romanticization of mental illness, can be problematic. Passionfruit contributor Kaiya Shunyata helped us break down the complex interest in this BookTok genre below.

– Daysia Tolentino, Passionfruit Editor

TOKWATCH

BookTok’s infatuation with ‘sad girl’ novels is as complex as the books themselves

Readers toe the line between commiserating with and romanticizing mental illness.

By Kaiya Shunyata, Passionfruit Contributor

→ READ THE FULL STORY

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