A Retrospective Look at Writing and Book Trends: From Magic Schools to Feminist Retellings

If you’ve been reading books for, well, any amount of time, then you’ve probably noticed that certain trends in literature pop up like clockwork—sometimes for a few years, sometimes a little longer, but they’re always there. And as much as we try to resist it, we find ourselves falling into the hype. We all know that one trend we swore we wouldn’t get into, and then suddenly we’re 200 pages deep into a series about people who can control fire and water and possibly have a secret underground society. It’s fine, it’s normal.

So, in the spirit of nostalgia and bookish trends that once ruled the shelves, let’s take a trip down memory lane. Here’s a look at some of the most notable writing trends of the past, separated by the years when they were super prevalent. Buckle up, it’s about to get trend-tastic.

2000s: Magic Schools & Faction Fandoms

Ah, the early 2000s. It was a simpler time, before social media ate up all our free time. But books—oh, books were living their best life. If you weren’t reading Harry Potter, were you even reading? Seriously though, J.K. Rowling kicked off the magic school trend, and the world fell in love with Hogwarts, wands, and wizarding wars. It was like we all went to school with Harry, Hermione, and Ron, even if we were just hanging out in our living rooms with a cup of tea. And don’t get me started on the sorting hat. Suddenly, was finding out what house they were (if you weren’t Gryffindor, well, we’ll talk about it later) along with their Patronus, their wand and… well.. you get the idea.

But Hogwarts wasn’t the only magical academy out there. And let’s not forget the “Team Edward vs. Team Jacob” phenomenon that was Twilight. Was it fantasy? Was it supernatural? Was it… a lot of emotional turmoil over the fate of Bella Swan? Whatever it was, it had people choosing sides.

If it’s not clear, The early 2000s were dominated by the rise of books where characters were sorted into distinct factions. Presenting factions based on personality traits became another way for readers to ask themselves, “Which one would I belong to?” and effectively engage the reader. These sorting systems didn’t just reflect different aspects of identity; they also gave readers a sense of belonging in the fictional world.

2010s: The Post-Apocalyptic Dystopia Takeover

Fast forward to the 2010s, and suddenly, we were all obsessed with the end of the world. Everyone was either fighting in a deadly arena or surviving some government-imposed dystopian nightmare. And honestly, who could blame us? The Hunger Games was literally all the rage. We couldn’t get enough of Katniss Everdeen, bow and arrow in hand, fighting for her life (and also fighting for her place in that love triangle that we didn’t need but somehow loved anyway).

But it wasn’t just Katniss—there was Maze Runner, where kids with amnesia were running from giant creepy monsters in a maze. And don’t forget Divergent (yes, it fits both categories. No wonder it was so popular), where people were divided into factions based on their personalities- wait I definitely talked about this already. These books sparked a whole trend of dystopian universes where our protagonists had to rise up against an unjust government, typically after some sort of catastrophic event. We were all about survival, rebellion, and… romance, of course.

Late 2010s: Fairytale Retellings, Because Who Doesn’t Love a Reboot?

Then, just when we thought we couldn’t take any more life-or-death stakes, fairytale retellings came swooping in. It was like, “Why read the same old fairytales when you could read them again—but with a twist?” Enter The Lunar Chronicles, which took Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and others, and threw them into a world of cyborgs, androids, and space missions. It was like the fairytale we kind of knew, but with lasers and intergalactic politics.

But let’s be real, it wasn’t just science fiction authors having fun with fairytales. Writers like Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black started blending folklore and mythology with darker, more adult themes, serving up stories full of magic, romance, and the kind of characters who may or may not have committed some morally questionable acts. I’m not saying we were all suddenly into faeries, but maybe we were all suddenly into faeries.

2020s: Feminist Mythological Retellings—Let’s Give the Women Their Due

Now, we’re in the age of feminist mythological retellings, and I’ve got to say, I’m here for it. Sure, Percy Jackson brought Greek mythology into the mainstream, but now we’re diving deeper into the stories of the women who’ve been left out of the traditional narratives. Think Circe by Madeline Miller, where we finally get to hear the story of the infamous witch from the Odyssey, and she’s not just some villain. She’s complicated, which (hopefully) makes her way more interesting.

And we’re seeing it everywhere, from Ariadne by Jennifer Saint to Lore by Alexandra Bracken, where the women in myth aren’t just being swept aside by the men—they’re fighting back. They’re reclaiming their stories, and it’s pretty epic. These retellings give the female figures of myth the depth and agency they deserve. Though whether or not it’s done effectively is up for debate in the reading community.

Honorable Mentions: Other Trends That Came and Went

Some trends were like that one hit song we all loved for a summer, but by next year, we couldn’t remember the lyrics. A few notable mentions:

• Vampires, Werewolves, and Supernatural Romance (2000s-2010s): The Twilight era sparked a frenzy over all things supernatural. Vampires, werewolves, and the eternal, beloved, and ENTIRELY necessary love triangle. It was a phase, okay? But also, apparently not, because love triangles would go on to become prominent plot point in YA media from thence forth.
• Grimdark Fantasy (2010s): If you wanted to dive into a world where everything was bleak, brutal, and morally ambiguous, this was your moment. Books like Game of Thrones, Six of Crows and The Broken Empire filled our need for complex, gray-area characters who weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. It was kind of like if your favorite character was a mix of a hero and someone you shouldn’t trust, but you loved them anyway. And probably hated them too. But in a good way.
• YA Thrillers (2010s): After the success of Gone Girl, and The Girl on the Train, the YA thriller market exploded. Suddenly, everyone was reading books about murder, mystery, and figuring out who was really the bad guy—which, let’s be honest, made for some super intense reading sessions. The most recent success in this genre that I can think of is Where the Crawdad’s Sing.

So… What’s Next?

While we can never be sure what trend will take over next, one thing’s for sure: books will always change and evolve. Whether it’s more retellings of ancient myths, something completely new, or perhaps another wave of dystopian chaos (honestly, who can say?), there will always be something to capture our imaginations.

What do you think? Are we due for a new trend? Or are we all just hanging out in the land of retellings and myth for the foreseeable future? Drop a comment! I’d love to hear your thoughts on this very important and pressing matter.