When C.S Lewis wrote to his goddaughter Lucy, “But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again,” I'm not sure if he knew that those words would ring true for readers everywhere for eons to come.
The Magic Of Books
Books themselves are undeniably magic. They have the ability to transport you to magical worlds that feel so real that for a moment there, you convince yourself that you will find a Kingdom in your closet or stumble upon magic at a club or my personal favourite, get dragged away by a satyr to a camp full of demi-gods. But then, when you flip to the last page, and the story inevitably ends, you close the book, close your eyes and watch, as the magical water-colour world slowly fades away into a distant memory that was never yours to begin with.
As you grow older, you realise that there is no hidden Kingdom in your closet, that you will not get a letter to a school for witches and wizards, that your satyr is never coming, and that no matter how hard you wish it, they are fictional. But those feelings you felt, as you flipped through the pages, are real. The tears you shed, the anxiety you felt, and the giggles that slipped past your lips, were all real.
As you grow older still, you lean away from the mystifying and hypnotic genre of fantasy. Because somewhere between believing in magic and growing older than the characters that raised you, you grew up. You move on to the classics, fall in love with the nuance of literature, and study the rules that writers created only to break. Then, you consume murder mysteries faster than you can blink. You follow murders all over the world, and eventually, start solving them quicker than the characters themselves. Soon, you read for fun and pleasure, and you wander through the light and highly consumable world of romances. You become highly invested in relationships that are real to you, and raise your standards when it comes to love. Finally, you read to improve yourself, grow, learn and prosper.
Things turn full circle, here. Eventually, when you grow older still, and realise that no one can ever really grow out of fairy tales, because they grow with you, and soon, before you know it, you live a thousand lives, each more vibrant than the first, and once again, lose yourself in water-colour memories that were never yours to begin with. But what is it that draws us back to the genre?
The BookTok Boom
Over the lockdown, and way before for that matter, the book community on social media had a new life breathed into it. The ‘Massverse’ swept everyone away into the dark and magical world of faeries and readers were sat. Suddenly, the niche interests in books were given their own spotlights and everyone was quoting Aaron Warner and fawning over Kaz Brekker. What was once deemed as a relatively uncool tag of being a reader, suddenly became the norm.
I spoke to book club enthusiast Janiece Arethna Khanna about her insights about the same. She explained that as a child, she fell in love with reading because of classic fantasies but now, she calls herself a romance reader (a regency romance reader to be more specific), but since she is a member of many book clubs, she would inevitably read an array of genres. Eventually, on Bookstagram she, like everyone else, was flooded with raving reviews of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. So, she took the leap and never really looked back.
Escapism
The charm of fantasy is undeniably the escapism of it all. The idea of flipping through pages can transport you to another world all together is magical. Someone could call it mass-hallucination and to them I say, you are right, but give it a try join the dark side Percy, we have blue cookies.
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Our very own Beauty Editor, Kannagi Desai, explained that she has always been a reader and will continue to be one because she finds that imagining all those magical things that happen in a story more appealing than watching a film about the books (flashback to 2014 Tumblr, the book was better).
Janiece, explained that escapism is arguably the most appealing thing about reading, and I find that all those children (and adults) waiting to be called away on an adventure would very much agree with her. Because sometimes, running through woods with magical creatures and taking part in life-threatening trials is just what you need after a long day of dealing with the mundane. But do not trick yourself into thinking that the reading your reader friend is doing is relaxing or unwinding.
Relationships & Smut
Fictional men. Need I say more?
The charm of fictional characters is undeniable. Their power, their personalities, their flaws, their entire being is just *chef kiss*. Moreover, the rise of the genre of romantasy, has led to romance readers also joining the fantasy train. May it be enemies to lovers (with the knife to the throat scene!), slowburn relationships, the classic friends-to-lovers trope or even found families or friendships that turn into sibling-like dynamic, there is something for everyone.
Fantasy Lovers' Community
Janiece and Kannagi shared the same sentiment. Kannagi said that reading just gives you an 'in' with people (it was through books that she befriended Ekta Sinha), and Janiece explained that it was through books that she spoke to people she would have never otherwise met. The community is an undeniable force.
I remember back in school, when my friends and I would read a book, we would all read that book – and by that I mean, the same book would be passed around. We would read series together, spend days discussing the plots, speak about the characters as if they were real, as if they were people who we walked past on the streets. We would sit in corners at parties and discuss conspiracy theories, and run to the bookstores when the newest addition to a series dropped.
Books, quite frankly, are magic, and reading them, gives you the ability to believe.