Howard_Samantha_Reading Reflection_ Blog #5

 

While this week focuses on nonfiction stories, I want to craft my blog post around next week's final section of reading. The final week of our course focuses on science fiction and fantasy stories which are my favorite and most comfortable. I have loved fantasy and science fiction stories since I was a child and still stick mainly to the genre in my adult reading preferences. Of course, I am a product of the Harry Potter age and grew up attending midnight premieres for new book releases. The phenomenon of the Harry Potter craze has been theorized to be caused by a multitude of reasons including “the ability of marketers to turn the characters and plot into a brand which sells movies and tie-in merchandise” (Patel, 2006, p. 7). However, I argue that the craze lies in the magic and fantasy world where the ‘normal’ character suddenly finds himself thrust inside, which appeals to every child wishing to have more adventure in their lives.

The desire to escape our mundane world is felt by readers of all ages who seek out stories that are not rooted in contemporary realities, even if they are fiction at heart. In fact, psychologist Dr. Christine Gockman explains, “Escaping harsh realities through fantasy is a healthy way of managing the stress of everyday living” (Thornton, 2018). Storytellers and writers who craft literature based on either science fiction or fantasy often create whole new worlds for their characters, and subsequently their readers. These readers find themselves momentarily transported to another place, time, or even dimension and they get to experience the wonder of these places without their dangers or consequences. It is a way for readers to get to live a completely different life!

While both fantasy and science fiction offer escapism for readers, they do have very distinct differences and a person does not have to enjoy one genre to enjoy the other as well. These types of literature can be for completely different types of readers.

Let’s start with science fiction, which is a broad umbrella term for any type of fictional story that goes beyond our world’s laws of reality. Children’s librarian Amada Pagan writes, “Works of science fiction use scientific fact and theory as the basis for their plots, world building, etc., and this is what separates it from other genres” (2019). I personally enjoy futuristic science fiction that explores what our world might be like hundreds of years from now. Again, this might stem from my love of Star Trek as a child, especially the logical and unemotional science officer Spock. My number one recommendation for science fiction storytelling is “All Summer in ADay” by Ray Bradbury which paints the picture of life on Mars where the sun only comes out for one hour every seven years. The imagery is beautifully crafted, and it forces the reader to think about if harmful behaviors can be excused just because a child committed them.

Moving on to fantasy, which is “a genre of literature that features magical and supernatural elements that do not exist in the real world” (MasterClass, 2023). This is my home, my happy place, the genre I most want to read over and over again. I firmly believe that fantasy is where storytellers express the most creativity and can fully capture their audience. I think back to most fables and folklore that gets orally passed down through generations that have grand fantastical elements like magic to explain natural phenomenon. More so, the focus on powerful gods, mythical beings, and fierce creatures allows for every other genre such as adventure and romance to play out in a fantastical world.

While fantasy storytelling and literature can be quick oral renditions or short stories, my love for fantasy lies in the world building which usually takes place in long novels or series. Since the genre of fantasy focuses so much on the writer’s imagination, it can take long pieces of prose to fully convey new worlds, creatures, and magic systems. For example, for my reading log I read “Forth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros which is a highly popular fantasy novel right now focusing on magic and dragons. Yarros carefully explains a multitude of different dragons, magical powers, and political strife in the course of her 528 page novel, she has admitted that she has plotted out the storyline for a full five books!

Side note: If you love full-bodied fantasy storyline and want to get lost in a completely different world, I fully recommend BradonSanderson’s Mistborn series. The initial trilogy is captivating and then he takes it a step further by writing a second trilogy sets years after the first so the reader can see how his fictional world and magic system continued to develop.

Overall, I believe that every librarian should be well versed in both the genre of science fiction and fantasy even if they do not personally love it as much as I do. These genres can be found in literature ranging from children’s picture books, teenage titles, to adult novels and therefore can provide amazing opportunities for storytelling events in the library as well as great conversations with patrons.

I leave you with a short clip by popular fantasy author Neil Gaiman who talks about the three books that changed his life and ask you to think back on some of your favorite books you’ve read. I would bet that there is at least one fantasy or science fiction title on that list.

References:

MasterClass. (2023). What is the fantasy genre? History of fantasy and subgenres and types of fantasy in literature. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-the-fantasy-genre-history-of-fantasy-and-subgenres-and-types-of-fantasy-in-literature

Pagan, A. (n.d.). A beginner’s Guide to Science Fiction. The New York Public Library. https://www.nypl.org/blog/2019/01/02/beginners-guide-science-fiction

Patel, S. (2006). Harry Potterization: The Global Phenomenon Explained (thesis).

Thornton, M. (2018, February 5). The Psychology of Fantasy. Medium. https://cosgrrrl.com/the-psychology-of-fantasy-b871f29b3ef5

Week 5 and 6 Reading Log:
Nonfiction Stories	Pierre the Penguin: A True Story	Jean Marzollo
Nonfiction Stories	The Man Who Walked Between the Towers	Mordicai Gerstein
Nonfiction Stories	Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear	Jan Carr
Nonfiction Stories	If…: A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers	David J. Smith
Nonfiction Stories	The Water Princess	Susan Verde
Nonfiction Stories	Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas	Gwendolyn Hooks
Nonfiction Stories	Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad	Ellen Levine
Fantasy or Science Fiction	Fourth Wing	Rebecca Yarros
Fantasy or Science Fiction	All Summer in a Day	Ray Bradbury
Fantasy or Science Fiction	These Hollow Vows	Lexi Ryan
Fantasy or Science Fiction	The Lottery	Shirly Jackson
Fantasy or Science Fiction	The Last Dog	Katherine Paterson
Fantasy or Science Fiction	Examination Day	Henry Slesar
Fantasy or Science Fiction	A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings	Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Fantasy or Science Fiction	The Monkey’s Paw	W.W. Jacobs