Fiction Books

Genre

Genre is a French word that descends from the Latin word ‘genus’, meaning ‘kind’ or ‘sort’

It is often used to categorise literature, but can be used for any artistic form (art, music, film etc...)

Within genres, there are usually sub-categories that divide the genre into more specific groups, known as ‘sub-genres’.

Many pieces of art cross over several genres.

Realistic Fiction

Stories are set in the real world.

Contains characters who seem believable.

The reader believes that the story could “really happen.”

Realistic Fiction

Realistic Fiction: The story usually presents a problem to be examined that could be from anybody’s life. They may cover such topics as family situations, peer relationships, and cultural differences.

(e.g. Jane Godwin’s ‘Falling From Grace’)

Historical Fiction

Stories set in times past.

Blends history with fiction.

Historical fiction helps us understand what life might have been like during a particular time period.

Historical Fiction

The story takes the reader back to a particular time period where they learn about the everyday life of a person. The character may interact with actual historical characters, but usually, the main character is not based on a real person. (e.g. Robert Newton’s ‘Runner’.

Fantasy

Set in a magical world where anything is possible.

Often animals can talk or have human characteristics

There many different sub-genres of fantasy, the most well known being ‘traditional’ fantasy and fairy tales. More recent examples of the fantasy genre are referred to as ‘modern’ fantasy.

Fantasy

Traditional Fantasy: When we think of this type of fantasy story, we often consider stories such as Cinderella. This genre includes folk tales, tall tales, fables, and myths. These are stories that have been told over and over, sometimes for hundreds or even thousands of years!

Fairy Tales: We often know we are reading or hearing a fairy tale with the words, “once upon a time . . .” Fairy tales often feature a fight between good and evil. Evil always loses to a triumphant hero or heroine. We also know it’s a fairy tale because most end with “and they lived happily ever after.”

Fantasy

Modern Fantasy: The events in modern fantasy are outside the realm of possibility. These stories cannot happen in real life, but even though we know the events can’t happen, they are very believable. These stories allow us to live in an imaginary world where anything is possible.

Science Fiction

Like the name suggests, is a genre that combines fiction with science

The reader must suspend belief.

Many times the story takes place in another world at another time (often the future)

May involve outer space or time travel.

Romance

Romance novels contain a central love story and deal primarily with emotion.

It is usually a positive story that ends happily, with the reader assuming the characters will remain together forever

Traditionally considered a ‘female genre’, although this is not always true.

Adventure/Survival

Setting many times in the wild.

Main character must make decisions that will determine if he or she will survive.

Main character usually grows and finds strength of character in the situation.

Exciting plots.

Mystery

Deals with a problem that must be solved.

Something or someone is missing.

Strange events keep happening.

A detective or main character looks for clues in order to solve the mystery.