Skip to Main Content

Rampant Reading: Wide Reading Genres

Wide Reading Genres

Adventure

A suspenseful story in which a mission involving risk and danger forms the primary storyline. The protagonist, who is typically operating outside the course of his or her daily life, embarks on a journey to confront obstacles and prove worthiness. Action sequences are frequently featured, especially those involving chases, explosions, and attacks.

This genre has its roots in Greek and Medieval literature, including Homer’s classic epic poem, the Iliad, which tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles. Common elements: likeable hero, unlikeable antagonist, physical action, fast pace, violence, changeable setting. 

Definition source: Genre Definitions - action/adventure (nycmidgnight)

Horror

A story intended to provoke an emotional, psychological, or physical fear response in the audience. Horror stories frequently contain supernatural elements, though not always, and the central menace may serve as a metaphor for the fears of society.

Common elements: eerie atmosphere, morbid themes, heightened suspense, focus on death and evil, uncanny situations and persons. 

Definition source: Genre Definitions - Horror (nycmidgnight)

Realistic Fiction

Books in the realistic fiction genre are made up of stories that could really happen to real people and animals. The realistic genre plots involve things that could have taken place in real life, with the character reacting in the same manner as real people might react. There is less dramatisation and stretching of the truth; the fantastical elements common in other works of fiction are somewhat suspended. 

Stories that are classified as realistic fiction have plots that highlight social or personal events or issues that mirror contemporary life, such as falling in love, marriage, finding a job, divorce, alcoholism, etc.

Common characteristics of realistic fiction include: 1. stories tend to take place in the present or recent past; 2. characters are involved in events that could happen; 3. characters live in places that could be or are real; 4. characters seem like real people with real issues solved in a realistic way; and 5. the events portrayed in realistic fiction conjure questions that a reader could face in everyday life. 

Definition source: The Book Genre Dictionary - Realistic Fiction and Realistic Fiction (McQuade Library - Merrimack College LibGuide). 

War

Books in the military fiction [or war fiction] genre are made up of stories involving war or battle. They contain a lot of action and often take place in a field of armed combat. The characters in the military genre are either making preparations for war, dealing with war close to their home front (domestic setting), or are recovering from war. Most stories are set in a period from the past, crossing them with the historical genre. 

Military genre books can also be about a character that is a soldier, who might be joining a military force and/or fighting for a cause. 

Definition source: The Book Genre Dictionary - Military Fiction Genre.

Animals

Animal Fiction is a type of fiction in which the story, characters, plot, the end, all involve animals. Animals can be active or passive characters. An Animal can be the central character, a narrator, a villain, a hero etc. Mostly an Animal fiction would be entirely based on Animals, human characters may form important components of the story. 

Generally, the animal story genre is split into two categories—the animal fantasy and the realistic animal story. In the former, animals are often presented anthropomorphically, walking, talking, and living as almost exact analogues for human characters. In more realistic animal texts, the animals retain their bestiality, remaining in their less-fantastic normal roles as either pets or wild creatures.

Definition source: LibraryThing Discussion Thread and Encyclopedia.com - Animal Stories.

Humour

A story that typically maintains a light, satirical, or familiar tone and features amusing characters and situations. Humor is the fundamental driving force. The word “comedy” comes from the Greek word komos, which means revelry or merry-making--and indeed, comedy has its origins in ancient Athens, where it was used in celebrations dedicated to the Greek god of wine and revelry.

Subgenres of comedies include screwball comedies, which derive humor from improbable situations and characters, black comedies, which have darker undertones, and romantic comedies, which focus on the antics of lovestruck characters.

Common elements: love..., stock characters and situations, everyday speech, puns, and cheerful endings. 

Definition source: Genre Definitions - comedy (nycmidgnight)

Romance

A story that typically revolves around two people as they develop romantic love for each other and try to build a relationship. Romance stories may explore love at first sight, forbidden love, or love triangles.

Common elements: a central love story and a complex and emotionally satisfying ending. 

Definition source: Genre Definitions - Romance (nycmidgnight)

Dystopian

Dystopian literature is a form of speculative fiction that offers a vision of the future. Dystopias are societies in cataclysmic decline, with characters who battle environmental ruin, technological control, and government oppression. Dystopian novels with a didactic message often explore themes like anarchism, oppression, and mass poverty.

Definition source: What Is Dystopian Fiction? 20 Examples of Dystopian Fiction (MasterClass, 2022). 

Fantasy

An imaginative story that typically weaves magic or other supernatural phenomena into a self-coherent plot or setting (e.g. magic spells, mythical creatures, fabled kingdoms, witchcraft, wizardry, medieval universes). Unlike science fiction and horror stories, fantasy stories usually avoid deeply scientific themes or macabre plots. They tend to take place in imaginary worlds where magic and magical creatures are common, and they may serve as a bridge between medievalism and popular culture.

Common elements: magic, mythological undertones, internal coherence, adventure. 

Definition source: Genre Definitions - Fantasy (nycmidgnight)

Science Fiction (Sci-Fi)

An imaginative story, usually set in the future or in an alternative universe, in which new technology, scientific principles, or political systems are developed or applied. Science fiction frequently explores the potential consequences of scientific, social, or other innovations, and has been called a “literature of ideas.”

Common elements: futuristic technologies, outer space, alternative visions of earth and society. 

Definition source: Genre Definitions - Sci-Fi (nycmidgnight)

History

A story that takes place in a setting drawn from history. Historical fiction is usually presented from the perspective of the historical characters, whose behavior is consistent with the manners and social norms of the time. Scenes and dialogue are well researched and imaginatively reconstructed to be as authentic as possible.

Common elements: believability, historically-accurate detail, authentic dialogue, historical settings and persons. While there are no rules on how far in the past a story must be set to qualify it as a historical fiction piece, many are in agreement that the story must be set at least 25 years or more in the past. 

Definition source: Genre Definitions - historical fiction (nycmidgnight)

Mystery

A story that frequently involves a mysterious death or a crime to be solved, though not always. The main character is often a detective who must consider a small group of suspects--each of whom must have a reasonable motive and opportunity for committing the crime. The detective eventually cracks the code by logical deduction from clues presented to the reader or filmgoer.

Common elements: overt clues, hidden evidence, inference gaps, suspense, foreshadowing, red herrings. 

Definition source: Genre Definitions - mystery (nycmidgnight)

Sport