Top 10 Genres of Books You Can Explore This Year

Literature and the literary world are filled with several genres. These genres have their separate set of audiences or readers and writers. In this article, we will read about the top 10 genres of books you can explore. We will read about the origin, some famous books, and writers that have made these genres popular and worth reading.

Romance

There are kinds of romance when it comes to literary genres – one kind that was frequently used by Sir Walter Scott could also be defined as historical romance as it was entirely based upon society or a historical incident. The other kind of romance is the mainstream sense of romance which is based upon marriage and love. This other kind was written by Jane Austen and we could also include Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre in the romance genre as it presented a strong sense of love. Some of the major writers of this genre are Jane Austen, Margaret Mitchell, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, Nora Roberts, Nicholas Sparks, and more.

Mystery

In this genre, the murder, crime, or suspense remains throughout till the end of the book. The central role is often a detective or the one who is supposed to disclose the mystery. This genre can also include supernatural in the plot. This genre began after the 19th century and the probable reason for not beginning earlier is because of having no policy guidance. After the Industrial Revolution the police, watchman, and guards came into action and that is where the stories of thieves, crimes, and murders started. Some of the best mystery writers are Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Gillian Flynn, and more.

Bildungsroman

This genre in literature focuses on the moral and psychological growth of the lead character from childhood to adulthood. The stories mainly cover the lead character’s struggles of self-realization, exploring and identifying the self. Some of the best writers of this genre are James Joyce, D. H. Lawrence, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Haruki Murakami, Toni Morrison, and more.

Science Fiction

This literary genre focuses on things such as technology, time travel, extraterrestrial life, and the parallel universe. The stories and books based on this genre deal with the consequences and side effects of inventions and scientific technologies. Some of the best writers of the sci-fi genre are Ray Bradbury, H. G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, Jules Verne, William Gibson, and more.

Children’s Fiction

Children’s literature consisting of books or short stories is for the kids and young readers. Mostly they are fairy tales, tales from religious folklores, or stories made up of animals as the characters. This genre is simple, easy-to-read, and optimistic, includes children as characters or lead roles, and does not pay much concern towards reality. Some of the best children’s fiction writers are Roald Dahl, Lewis Carroll, C.S. Lewis, Dr. Seuss, Enid Blyton, and more.

Young Adult

YA or young adult fiction is the genre targeted at audiences between the ages of 12 to 18, nevertheless,s most YA readers are adults. The story and plot are primarily based on the experience of the protagonist of the book. Some of the common themes of this genre are friendship, first love, new relationship, and identity of the self. Some of the popular YA writers are John Green, Suzanne Collins, J.D. Salinger, Stephen Chbosky, Marie Lu, and more.

Memoir

Any non-fiction writing that is based on the personal life of the writer is a memoir. Although it is considered as a subcategory of autobiography or biography the difference between that and memoir is biography or autobiography is about the life of a person but memoir deals with a particular period of their life when everything changed in the writer’s life or a turning point.

Self-Help or Inspirational

A self-help book helps the readers to solve their problems – personal issues such as how to become more social, how to not be an introvert, how to make genuine friends, how to utilize time, how to not waste time, and more. This genre focuses on the psychology of human behavior and discloses why you are reacting the way you are reacting and how you can be a better you from that point, creating self-awareness in you. Some popular writers of this genre are Brene Brown, Elizabeth Gilbert, Paulo Coelho, James Clear, and more.

Dystopian

This genre focuses on the political and social structure of a period. It is often found in sci-fi and other kinds of speculative fiction. If we think about its commencement we have to go back to the times of the French Revolution, this genre began as a reaction to the changes. Some of the major dystopian writers are E.M. Forster, H.G. Wells, Margaret Atwood, George Orwell, and more.

Supernatural Fiction

This genre contradicts the real world and focuses on supernatural themes. It overlaps with examples of ghost stories, vampire tales, fantasy, horror, and weird fiction. The primary focus is however not the magic or the monster but the happenings of the real world. Some popular writers of this genre are Mary Shelley, Patricia Briggs, Neil Gaiman, Roald Dahl, and more.

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