Goodreads has launched the opening round for their yearly awards for the best books just recently. I skimmed through the categories myself, yet already saw quite mixed reviews about the suggestions for this year’s nominees.
Some categories like poetry and children books were removed (yeah, you can say that children ain’t a target audience for the Goodreads yet this platform always seemed to be well rounded).
Graphic novels is also something that was removed unfortunately. Although these ain’t my cup of tea, I’m almost sure it must be upsetting for a large group of people.
It’s obvious that this whole award thing targets almost exclusively younger women who are really into the currently social media popular books.
We have categories for romance, YA fiction, YA fantasy, fantasy and romantasy. They are all either exclusive to or heavily dominated by… essentially, books popular with Tiktok/Instagram/bookstube using women.
The changes in categories are obviously made so they can give an award (and nomination) to multiple books that are essentially the same. Like… Let’s be real, Leigh Bardugo, Rebecca Yarros, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Cassandra Clare, the 3 “mythology updated for 2013 sensibilities” nominated in fantasy, etc. are read by the same demographic. If they were all in the same category, only one would get an award and only a few would be nominated.
This way they can multiply that number.
There is no issue with creating an award for a certain demographic. Go ahead. But stop pretending that it’s a legit, all-encompassing award when it is obvious they are edging out everyone else.
I think it’s cause women are generally reading more than men and young people use goodreads more often than old people… so the group young women is a bit of the dominant group in the demographic… and indeed the popular books are popular
A lot of those books were the most read books on goodreads this year, so it’s not weird they are nominated
What catagories do you suggest be added to combat this?
Well, first of all, I think it’s criminal that they don’t have any category for books under the YA age group now.
Obviously it wasn’t 8-year-olds voting, but the fact that there is NO place for middle grade or lower in a SUPPOSEDLY all-encompassing award is just sad.
Then also, no room for anything other than novels now? No comic/graphic novel, no poetry? I would also have a short story collection category.
Then… now this is more tricky, but I would definitely divide the non-fiction/memoir/biogrpahy/history categories. I would have one award for more hard science topics, then a separate for more social stuff. Then a separate one that is biography and autobiography together.
Also, a lot of my issue is that I feel books are in the wrong category.
Cassandra Clare’s new YA romantic fantasy is in general fantasy, along with rewritten mythology? When we have whole separate categories for YA fantasy and romantasy? Why is she MORE fantasy than the others in those categories?
Talking about those mythology ones, I would possibly introduce a whole new thing for rewritten stuff. You know, fairytale and mythology and whatever retellings?
The groupings often feel so stupidly organised. Like a political fantasy, going against a YA romance, going against a middle grade, going against a feminsit retelling of ancient Greek stuff? With 15 awards already going out??? What’s the point??
Also, and this will not be popular. If we have multiple awards going for what is essentially paranormal romance and such, why can’t we actually have a specific one that is ALL hardcore, not romantic, not teenage girl targeted fantasy?
Cassandra Clares new book is adult and the romance is a subplot.