I guess maybe to some people it’s vapid and has no substance. The genre is sort of like candy. Fun for a while but there’s no real nutrition. I don’t necessarily think that about all chick lit. Besides, I read for sheer entertainment so not everything I read is going to be heavy lol
@Amanda, depending on where you look, it is kinda defined as ‘A trashy novel, alot of fluff, little to no plot.’ so basically they are saying romance novels.
It is almost the same thing as the words “Mommy Porn” WHICH I completely HATE definition.
I think as readers we tend to enjoy things that are thought provoking and intelligent, so reading anything that is lighter or just for entertainment can feel “less serious” and maybe even embarrassing to admit to other readers. (is Crazy Rich Asians ‘chick lit’? That one felt like a guilty pleasure to me, it was just fun to read about fashion and drama wrapped up in a lavish storyline, with a sort of satirical play on the whole lifestyle. And I’m normally a sci/fi-fantasy type of girl)
@Lysa I call it dick lit. If “chick lit” is written by women, mostly about women, and focuses on human relationships, then “dick lit” is written by men, mostly about men, and does NOT focus on human relationships. Think James Patterson, Tom Clancy, etc.
@Sibyl Ah. But, I feel Stephen King does write about human relationships… Maybe not romantic, necessarily, but how people come together or fall apart in various situations.
I guess I like dick lit haha. Don’t care for mushy relationships
Lysa Patti I feel the same way about Stephen King! I left him off my list of “dick lit” authors, I have only read a few of his books, maybe 5, but I loved all of them. I actually don’t read much of what is considered “chick lit” either, or romance. Lately I’ve been reading mostly nonfiction, actually.
There are some very good romance books out there, even written by serious writers like Sebastian Faulks. Although Bird Song is often marketed as a book about the Great War it is really a romance. His book On Green Dolphin Street is wonderfully romantic and very moving, yet not promoted as a romance but as ashy thriller. The historical background to the books is substantial and serious whereas from the promotion of so called chick lit, the context as related on the back cover appears to be superficial and uninteresting to me as apotential reader. I would be interested in any good recommendations for chick lit, our book club has avoided it as a genre so far.
I used to be snobby about books but I truly believe now that anything you enjoy in life, if it isn’t harming anyone else, you should enjoy it and be happy and never ashamed.
I read so many genres. Some are fluffy and some are classic.
I do think because chick lit often focuses on “women’s problems” it gets unfairly belittled.
because sometimes we self judge ourselves too much! if a pleasurable choice breaks our standards on healthy habits or intelectual/nerdy levels, we feel guilty about it but still doesn’t stop being enjoyable
I listened to a podcast with Marian Keyes talking precisely about this! She said that as her books are primarily about women, they are often dismissed as being ‘chick lit’ like it’s a bad thing. Pretty annoying really, as it takes an incredibly brilliant writer to cover issues like that while still making us laugh out loud.
Because books for women by women are often considered subpar and not good literature. They are rendered as chick lit or romance and this deemed less than. If the same book hand a masculine name on it, it would get an automatic uplift. Similar problem with women writing fantasy. Their books are often deemed as ya and “not proper adult fantasy” despite the context not being ya suitable at all.
Let’s dive into the etymology, shall we? ‘Cause it’s /chick/ lit! “Literature” (pfft) written for women! Not just women, but the lowest class of female netizens: teenaged “women”. Yes, that angsty sub-species of the human race obsessed with Taylor Swift, Avril Lavigne or One Direction, vapid gossip about hawt celebs, Twilight, hot pink, fashion and tabloids. The group most other respectable (ahem, snooty and pretentious, ahem) writers choose to largely ignore because who honestly cares about their voices? Of /course/ you should be embarrassed of your identity as a female in today’s world! If you have somehow been cursed with two X chromosomes, fear not: all isn’t lost. You can always fake it by claiming you “aren’t like other girls” till you make it. We’ll all continue to assume that all women can be fit into neat, pretty lil’ pink packages and require a separate genre of fiction just for themselves (a notoriously bland, tasteless genre shining a spotlight on “dull” women and focussing on their mundane lives and romances in favour of a more dignifiable plot), using that as a fine excuse to under-represent them in almost every other field of literature. Not to mention degrade that genre to the least respectable form of literature that no one, least of all an adult male, should ideally want to be caught dead reading in public. Because anything classy or respectable has to be derived from toxic masculinity.
Forgive me but what qualifies as chick lit?
@Amanda it’s like book equivalent of a “chick flick”
I guess maybe to some people it’s vapid and has no substance. The genre is sort of like candy. Fun for a while but there’s no real nutrition. I don’t necessarily think that about all chick lit. Besides, I read for sheer entertainment so not everything I read is going to be heavy lol
To me it isn’t.. I just avoid it.. it dulls my brain ?
As long as you are enjoying what you are reading you should never feel guilty for that nor be shamed.
^^ THIS ^^ mad love for this comment ❤️
??
@Amanda, depending on where you look, it is kinda defined as ‘A trashy novel, alot of fluff, little to no plot.’ so basically they are saying romance novels.
It is almost the same thing as the words “Mommy Porn” WHICH I completely HATE definition.
Most follow the same plot and have nothing really happening, they all end the same and are full of cliches
I think as readers we tend to enjoy things that are thought provoking and intelligent, so reading anything that is lighter or just for entertainment can feel “less serious” and maybe even embarrassing to admit to other readers. (is Crazy Rich Asians ‘chick lit’? That one felt like a guilty pleasure to me, it was just fun to read about fashion and drama wrapped up in a lavish storyline, with a sort of satirical play on the whole lifestyle. And I’m normally a sci/fi-fantasy type of girl)
Is there no guilty pleasure for men lit. Like Stephen King or Tom Clancy, don’t they all end the same way?
Men don’t feel guilty about reading dick lit! But it is definitely the same type of thing.
What the hell is men lit?
@Lysa I call it dick lit. If “chick lit” is written by women, mostly about women, and focuses on human relationships, then “dick lit” is written by men, mostly about men, and does NOT focus on human relationships. Think James Patterson, Tom Clancy, etc.
@Sibyl Ah. But, I feel Stephen King does write about human relationships… Maybe not romantic, necessarily, but how people come together or fall apart in various situations.
I guess I like dick lit haha. Don’t care for mushy relationships
Lysa Patti I feel the same way about Stephen King! I left him off my list of “dick lit” authors, I have only read a few of his books, maybe 5, but I loved all of them. I actually don’t read much of what is considered “chick lit” either, or romance. Lately I’ve been reading mostly nonfiction, actually.
I think that chick lit and romance are two genres that get a bad rap because they’re primarily read by women.
@Christine that kinda sucks and that what i was think christine sadly
There are some very good romance books out there, even written by serious writers like Sebastian Faulks. Although Bird Song is often marketed as a book about the Great War it is really a romance. His book On Green Dolphin Street is wonderfully romantic and very moving, yet not promoted as a romance but as ashy thriller. The historical background to the books is substantial and serious whereas from the promotion of so called chick lit, the context as related on the back cover appears to be superficial and uninteresting to me as apotential reader. I would be interested in any good recommendations for chick lit, our book club has avoided it as a genre so far.
Alsion i dunno if this considered chiclit but it is defently a story featuring a strong set of women https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40968318
I used to be snobby about books but I truly believe now that anything you enjoy in life, if it isn’t harming anyone else, you should enjoy it and be happy and never ashamed.
I read so many genres. Some are fluffy and some are classic.
I do think because chick lit often focuses on “women’s problems” it gets unfairly belittled.
I’ve always wanted to read chiclit wanted to see the world from a women’s point of view
Side not as long as people are reading that all that matters
I don’t exactly know what chick lit is?
because sometimes we self judge ourselves too much! if a pleasurable choice breaks our standards on healthy habits or intelectual/nerdy levels, we feel guilty about it but still doesn’t stop being enjoyable
Right? I’m a sucker for chick lit. And it’s so “not me”.
It doesn’t tend to be written by people who are good writers.
I listened to a podcast with Marian Keyes talking precisely about this!
She said that as her books are primarily about women, they are often dismissed as being ‘chick lit’ like it’s a bad thing.
Pretty annoying really, as it takes an incredibly brilliant writer to cover issues like that while still making us laugh out loud.
Jessica Wellham tbh tho i still chic lit shouldn’t it be woman’s fiction? (Beut then i am not fan of the phrase chiclit). That really sucks tho
Because it is aimed at women and we live in a world that typically infantilises or snubs things that women enjoy.
So yeah… Don’t feel guilty about it
@Jodie agree
Because it can get steamy/sexy.
Because books for women by women are often considered subpar and not good literature. They are rendered as chick lit or romance and this deemed less than. If the same book hand a masculine name on it, it would get an automatic uplift. Similar problem with women writing fantasy. Their books are often deemed as ya and “not proper adult fantasy” despite the context not being ya suitable at all.
I don’t like the term guilty pleasure, if you like something, as long as it doesn’t cause any harm, then you have nothing to feel guilty about.
Let’s dive into the etymology, shall we?
‘Cause it’s /chick/ lit! “Literature” (pfft) written for women! Not just women, but the lowest class of female netizens: teenaged “women”. Yes, that angsty sub-species of the human race obsessed with Taylor Swift, Avril Lavigne or One Direction, vapid gossip about hawt celebs, Twilight, hot pink, fashion and tabloids. The group most other respectable (ahem, snooty and pretentious, ahem) writers choose to largely ignore because who honestly cares about their voices? Of /course/ you should be embarrassed of your identity as a female in today’s world! If you have somehow been cursed with two X chromosomes, fear not: all isn’t lost. You can always fake it by claiming you “aren’t like other girls” till you make it. We’ll all continue to assume that all women can be fit into neat, pretty lil’ pink packages and require a separate genre of fiction just for themselves (a notoriously bland, tasteless genre shining a spotlight on “dull” women and focussing on their mundane lives and romances in favour of a more dignifiable plot), using that as a fine excuse to under-represent them in almost every other field of literature. Not to mention degrade that genre to the least respectable form of literature that no one, least of all an adult male, should ideally want to be caught dead reading in public. Because anything classy or respectable has to be derived from toxic masculinity.
Bottom line: Good ol’ fashioned misogyny.