This week, I found myself in a Victorian mansion in Chicago - now a coffee shop. In this romantic setting, I overheard an interesting “first date” conversation. The couple launched into a rant about *smutty books* (like ACOTAR), bonding over their mutual hate for it, while I was shamelessly eavesdropping, holding a smutty novel in my hand. I was instantly curious. Why does smut earn this reputation, and, does it deserve it?
After a little bit of digging, I was able to conclude that the below are the biggest themes that drive this.
Smut isn’t “literature”
The biggest flaw with this argument is that it assumes that there is only one type of reader: the learner. It erases readers who read for escapism and pure joy. The prose may not look like The Great Gatsby - but these books carry their own depth in character arcs, fae politics and bedroom adventures that are worth engaging with.
The second biggest flaw is that it assumes readers learn nothing from them.
One may not directly argue what true love means but can bring diverse viewpoints as to why two characters should (or should not) be together. Similar realm - different lens. In that spirit, dismissing an entire genre simply because it doesn’t align with one’s preferred way of interpreting the world, engaging in justice, or shaping beliefs comes across as narrow-minded.
A lot of it is just “trash” writing
Fair. Some are cringey, poorly written, and kind of trash. What annoys me isn’t people calling out bad writing, it’s the superiority complex that comes with it. There’s this caste system in the reading world: nonfiction readers walk around like philosophy lords, literary fiction readers are the middle class demanding respect for their literary choices, and smut/romantasy readers get shoved to the bottom of the pit as the “addicted-to-trash” peasants. But here’s where it gets interesting. The so-called peasants are still debating philosophy, just in the form of fae lords and demons, questioning the morality of each character, and wrestling with the same overarching questions everyone else does.
It’s just…. “porn”.
Another common critique of these novels is the argument that it is porn and its readers are addicted to it. But this isn’t a valid one because it reduces 800 pages of high fantasy court intrigue, conflict and explosions of magic to a handful of sex scenes. And honestly, if someone were looking for a quick fix to their addiction - there are quicker ways besides rummaging through 800 pages of war.
They promote unrealistic standards of men
Another one against smut is that the main male characters are always High Lords or Kings with extreme amounts of power, bearing an equipment that’s of immeasurable length, and devoting unlimited amounts of time from their immortal lives to their women.
It’s hard to argue against this one because a part of it is true - it does promote unrealistic standards for men especially when it romanticizes shadow daddies who can conquer a kingdom, their deepest darkest fears, and also, the sheets!
But it isn’t fair to isolate this problem to romantasy/smutty novels when this is a problem that originated from Disney and Hollywood - who introduced tropes where women need to be saved by their charming Princes. And for every Disney movie (or Hollywood romcom) that reinforces this narrative, I can argue there are romantasy novels where the opposite is true. Where the woman saves herself as her mate stands by her, cheering her on. Or where she isn’t with a high lord. Or where she has multiple love interests and is just living her best life.
A lot of the critiques often miss the bigger picture here. Even if smut and romantasy have their flaws, they offer some healthy benefits. Beyond escapism, they offer hope, reignite romantic desire and offer a space to process emotions and heal. Book boyfriends like Rhysand aren’t just fantasy - they highlight what qualities we crave in a partner (human of course!), what we are secretly yearning for, and yes, even what new ideas we might want to try out in the bedroom. In that sense, these stories mark a step towards women reclaiming their sexuality, letting their imaginations run wild and explore a phase of life that isn’t overtly encouraged.
But let’s also be fair - there are some serious problems with some of these books. Many romanticize stalkers and abusive men under the guise of “morally gray” when in reality, these characters just morally black and belong in prison cells. Personally, I haven’t really dabbled in this kind of romance and do not intend to, but would like to call out that this is a potential threat when it influences the wrong kind of behaviors.
Conclusion
Romantasy and smutty books don’t deserve the hate they get. I can agree that some cross the line by idealizing the wrong type of hero or recycling harmful tropes. But at their best, these stories are far from harmless and can be hopeful, affirming and healing. They let their readers escape, feel seen, and imagine better versions of love for themselves.