Ranking: Fictional Subgenres, Ranked

By Neha. Grade 10

Fiction is by far the most entertaining genre to read–in my opinion. However, the umbrella term “fiction” encapsulates so many subgenres, all of which are very distinct in style, trope, and content. This list is made up of my personal views of some of the most popular fictional subgenres in a ranking format. 

5. Romance 

Romance books have always been hit-or-miss with me. When executed well, romances are often sweet and fun to read, especially if they have happy endings. However, I often feel like romance can bring out the worst in characters, with protagonists sometimes becoming obsessive or sacrificing their own needs for relationships. In addition, books that focus on romance are often very illustrative, drawing out and building up to small moments throughout the novel, and they may lack the substance and excitement of other genres. Because I’m a person that likes to read fiction for action and excitement, romance falls into fifth place. Although it has a lot of potential as a side storyline, it tends to bore me when it’s the main focus of a book. 

4. Classics 

Throughout middle and high school, most of us will be encouraged or obligated to read classic literature. When I started reading my first classics, such as Little Women and Animal Farm, I remember struggling my way through the slower paced, wordier novels. However, after getting past the initial warm-up period, I started to enjoy classics for their ability to train my attention span and broaden the horizons of stylistic writing. Since classics are such a distinct and artistically unique genre, I am tempted to place it higher in this list. However, to acknowledge the initial learning curve one experiences when reading them and their tendency to be read mostly academically, fourth place seems reasonable. 

3. Mystery

Mystery is one of the most satisfying genres to read. Regardless of whether you guess the ending while reading the first chapter, or if there’s an unexpected plot twist, these books are always page turners and impossible to put down. However, mysteries are often one of the most difficult books to write well, because the whole story must rely on a strong plot. If the author isn’t creative enough, or if the plot has noticeable holes, the reader becomes less immersed in the story and cannot achieve that same satisfaction. Because of this factor, mysteries are often hit-or-miss as well, but if the author has skillfully layered enough subplots over the main mystery, they can be executed well even despite a below-average main plot. Because of their suspense and satisfaction, mysteries place third on my list, despite the time and dedication it takes to skillfully write one. 

2. Science fiction

Science fiction is one of my favorite genres of all time. In addition to providing highly entertaining plots and worldbuilding, I often finish science fiction novels having learned something genuinely interesting about science. For example, when I read The Martian for the first time, although I knew that not everything depicted in the book was completely factual, I still learned a lot of general knowledge about outer space. In addition, dystopia, a subsection of science fiction which is set in a hypothetical future world, is one of my favorite genres. I love the eerie, haunting settings that dystopias take place in, and I appreciate the commentaries that dystopias offer about the world we live in today. Overall, dystopias and science fiction offer some of the most engaging and action-filled plots I’ve ever read, all while taking place in the context of interesting and nuanced worldbuilding. 

1. Fantasy 

Taking first place and beating even science fiction, is fantasy! Akin to science fiction, one of my favorite aspects of fantasy literature is the worldbuilding. These stories are set in completely fictional worlds that often involve magic, leading the author to come up with intricate rules, social structures, and creative magical aspects. Unlike science fiction, which is often rooted in reality, fantasy often is very imaginative, testing the capabilities of the writer to create a well-designed world, and testing the imagination of the reader to visualize that world internally. In addition, fantasy novels serve as an excellent escape from reality, which we all need from time to time. Because they have so much contrast from real life, they push the boundaries of creativity more than any other genre, which puts them in first place!