In December, we had an essay from Dove Cooper about cosy fantasy and whether a novel (specifically Deerskin) with difficult themes can “count” as a cosy. In today’s essay, E.D.E Bell looks at further genre descriptors and what they might offer readers. In particular, she looks at descriptors like gentle and quiet: what they mean, what they tell us about the stories they’re applied to, and how using descriptors like these can expand our understanding of genre and help readers to find the sorts of books they want.
I had not heard of ‘quiet fiction’ before, but having read Bell’s discussion here I know I’ve read it - sometimes enjoying it, and sometimes finding it hard to fit into my understanding of genres, which is something that Bell herself discusses here. I am intrigued by Bell’s suggestions about using a continuum (eg Hopeful to Grim) as a way of talking about different modes in fiction. I hope you’ll find it intriguing, and that it gets you thinking about what sort of fiction you enjoy reading (or writing).