What are Genres?
Genres are categories of artistic composition generally characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.
Types of Genres In Literature
For arguments sake let me tell you that there are dozens of genres and sub-genres out there! A few examples of these are: classic, drama, graphic novels, narrative nonfiction, biography/autobiography, crime/mystery, fantasy, historical fiction, horror, folklore, fairy tales, mythology, romance, tragicomedy, science fiction, thrillers, etc. Truly the list goes on and on!
I don't know how many genres we will end up discussing over time, but here are a few to start us out.
I don't know how many genres we will end up discussing over time, but here are a few to start us out.
- Classic:
A common form of fiction literature. This one is widely taught in schools because of the complexity of the literature and the layered issues they deal with. A few examples of classic literature are: Pride and Prejudice, Moby Dick, The Scarlet Letter, Wuthering Heights, and The Call of the Wild.
- Graphic Novels:
Graphic novels are book-length comics. They can be one continuous story or simply a series of mini stories. And not all graphic novels are works of fiction. Some examples of graphic novels are: Scott Pilgrim, Epileptic, The Walking Dead, and pretty much ANY superhero comic series. - Fairy Tales:
Fairy Tales are generally short stories featuring fairies, elves, goblins, mermaids, witches and creatures like those. Another way these stories are categorized is as stories that contain an extremely happy ending or a "fairy tale ending". Now Fairy Tales, Legends, and Folklore are all very similar. When I do reviews on stories under these genres I will so my best to explain the difference, but they will probably be found on the same page. Examples of Fairy Tales are: Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Chicken Little, and Jack and the Beanstalk. - Fantasy:
This is personally one of my favorite genres to read! Stories that fall under the Fantasy category have a magical or supernatural plot, theme, or setting. Often these stories take place in a fictional world. The beauty of Fantasy is that it is one genre that basically makes up its own rules for what can/will happen. A few examples of Fantasy are: the Harry Potter series, A Wrinkle in Time, and the Chronicles of Narnia. - Historical Fiction:
In this literary genre the stories take place in the past and settings are drawn from history. (I know, what a crazy concept, right?) These stories may even contain famous historical persons such as presidents or kings. The attention to detail is a necessity for historical fiction authors. It is the knowledge and details of the past that truly portray manners and social conditions of time periods. When an author knows their history Historical Fiction can be truly captivating! A few examples of Historical Fiction are: Pillars of the Earth series, The Lady Julia Grey series, and The Book Thief. - Biography:
Simply worded a bio is an account of a person's life. There are various genres of biographies such as Historical Biographies and Modern Biographies. (However, when I actually review biographies, which probably won't be too often, they will be found on the same page as the other.) Examples of biographies: The Diary of a Young Girl, Benjamin Franklin: an American Life, and I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings.
- Romance:
Romantic novels focus on the relationship and romantic entanglements of two characters. It is a general belief that these types of novels must have an optimistic or emotionally satisfying ending. But this is not always true. There are sub-genres of romantic novels, including: Historical, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Paranormal. Some examples of Romance Novels are: Shiver, The Princess Bride, Beautiful Creatures, and Into the Dreaming.