Blog no. 6
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This blog is very different to my previous ones, as today I am going to turn down the heat and dive into my thoughts on the issues with the rise of spice and why it needs to be maintained.
This is also not me attacking authors or readers who enjoy spice every now and then, as it's focused on those who are responsible for moderating access.
Controversy of Spice.
Those who read spice sometimes can feel alienated by judgment or criticism because others, often those in power, call them out for it (I know I have in the past). The things they read or watch may be just as societally 'bad', but because of the role their gender plays in society, it is brushed aside, like the endless list of double standards that can exist in that hierarchical structure. But, at the end of the day, if you want to read spice, read it; I am not going to judge.
I do believe the modern demand for spice to be in books has definitely spiked. Unfortunately, with that comes cons, such as some books being so heavily focused on the sex that it completely takes away the realness of the characters by eliminating the way a reader can connect to the novel and feel seen. It can also take away the enjoyment of the scene, grow repetitive, and the plot can be completely lost between the pages. There are ways in which it can be done right, by sprinkling in the scenes for the characters' sake on their journey rather than for readers' demand. That way you are more likely to see the passion and yearning while not instantly getting bored. Personally, when characters sleep together early, it dissolves the tension and anticipation.
What I am really worried about is the desensitisation media has created for young readers under the age of fifteen, especially BookTok. In the UK, the government has blocked under-sixteens from the app, but they are always going to slip through the regulatory gaps by making fake accounts. There are so many books trending that are not appropriate for those younger readers that circulate on their fyp again and again. This is to the extent that there are fewer books online being recommended that only contain fluff. So this leads to many tweens who have not developed enough maturity to handle the material. I am not saying that if their parents have spoken to them about what is in the book and given them permission to read it, that they shouldn't have access to those books. I am highlighting that there are many children out there who are mentally not ready, and with their parents unaware of the content, it leaves a totally different effect on that particular child.
Here is why I am concerned due to how misleading the covers can be, especially for those who are not readers or new to reading. Many romance books are animated and look like sweet little stories, when what is inside is completely the opposite.
For example, I was out in my town the other day and chose to go into one of my local book charity shops. Once inside, the children's section was right in front of me, which had books for children aged between seven and twelve. What drew me to the section was the shock of finding two books by Anna Todd in her After series on the middle shelf. Obviously, I spoke to staff to correct their mistake, as those books were not only packed with spicy scenes but were also full of other topics that are not appropriate for young children to consume.
Sadly, this isn't the first time I've witnessed the mislabelling of adult books in charity shops; otherwise, I would have brushed it off. Clearly, those who volunteered there didn't put them there on purpose, but it made me think that content warning labels need to be more visible on books nowadays. I know some come with them and they are in small print at the back or inside the cover, but it evidently is not effective enough. So I do believe there should be stricter regulations on book content for those who sell them to customers.
Blog Wrap Up.
To sum this up, spice does not need to be extinguished from books; there just needs to be more awareness of when it stops serving its purpose in a particular story, so we can simmer it down a notch and not overwhelm readers. Followed by us being part of the reader society need to double down on protecting those who may accidentally find access to spice, unaware of the content they are about to read. It starts with educating those who work closely with books such as those who may not read the books targeted at 18- to 25-year-olds, followed by providing more awareness of trigger warnings and content on bookish social media platforms. Lastly, the big corporate publishing companies' marketing techniques are not always exposing their books to the correct age rating due to a lack of eye-catching age ratings on the covers (they can keep them in small font on the back; maybe they advise the bookshops to put age-rating removable stickers on the books as they put them out to stock). Thank you for reading. I would love to hear your personal good and bad experiences with spice in the comments.
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