Can We Have Bad Taste in Books?

Is there such a thing as a bad taste in books, or are we just being book snobs?

A couple of days ago, I put out a poll on my socials and in my book community asking the question, Is there such a thing as a bad taste in books? I got over 100 responses and A LOT of spirited conversation around the topic. The larger question was what constitutes ‘bad taste. Is a bad taste in books any different from a bad taste in music? Or TV? Is reading not supposed to be subjective? Are there some books that simply tell us a lot about a person? Many questions with many answers and a very, very nuanced conversation. 

The poll results were telling: 60% of respondents said yes, 23% said no, and 17% said it depends. In other words, a clear majority believes that yes, bad taste does exist. So in this post, let’s break it down: how are we defining bad taste, what are the arguments for and against it, and what does this mean for the reading community?

Defining the Terms

The bigger question really is: What actually defines “bad taste”? 

As someone who reads a wide range of books – from light, easy reads to timeless classics- I’ve come to realise that some books simply stand out. Some offer more substance, some carry deeper weight, and others, frankly, just don’t. As I’ve grown as a reader and broadened my horizons, I’ve found that certain books no longer resonate with me. It’s not always about the subject matter; more often, it’s the quality of the writing, the depth, the craft, the literary skill that makes the difference. Still, I’ll never dismiss those books or the people who enjoy them; in fact, I still do from time to time.

We all know the stories of books like Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey, wildly popular and commercially successful, yet heavily criticised by literary circles. Now, I’m not saying these are literary masterpieces, but they do highlight how often mass appeal is championed over literary elitism.

But really, who gets to decide what qualifies as quality literature and what’s just “fluff”? Some would argue it’s the critics and experts, and that’s a fair point. But I’ve always believed that not every book needs to be a literary masterpiece. And what purpose does it serve, other than reinforcing a narrow idea of what “good” literature looks like?

A “bad” book can simply be one that isn’t written well, messy structure, grammar issues, poor character development, all the technical elements that fall under writing craft. These aspects, to some extent, can be judged objectively. But the reality is, when people talk about “bad” books, they’re rarely referring to books that are technically poorly written. What they often mean are genres like chick lit, romance, cosy mysteries, smut, romantasy – all the titles that fall under that broad umbrella.

There are many reasons people judge the content someone chooses to consume. But is it really any different from those who enjoy trashy reality TV or romantic comedies? To be honest, a lot of what gets judged tends to be genres that are loved primarily by women. There’s a whole discussion to be had about the role misogyny plays in this judgment. However, for now, I want to focus more specifically on reading and the book industry as a whole.

Reading and Intellect

Historically, social and intellectual status were tied to literacy, as lower socioeconomic status (SES) often meant limited access to education and books. While literacy rates have since improved, accessibility remains a key issue. Today, lower SES correlates more strongly with limited access to books, especially in childhood. Despite high reading ability, literacy levels are low, with the national average reading age sitting at 9-11 years.

Reading is then widely accepted as an intellectual hobby – it requires more active cognitive effort than other media like movies/TV shows. The burden of decoding and picturing is on the reader as opposed to with visual media where this is done for you. There is still a level of critical analysis that all these media require, but with reading, it works differently. 

Reading actively engages the mind by decoding words, analysing sentence structure, and constructing mental images, which stimulates imagination and critical thinking. It encourages readers to visualise scenes, characters, and events, creating a personal and immersive experience. Books also provide deeper exploration of themes and character development, fostering a more nuanced understanding of the world. Additionally, reading expands vocabulary and strengthens language skills, improving both comprehension and communication.

Our ability to think critically and read to understand is lacking in this day and age. Many would say the quality of books these days isn’t helping this phenomenon. The reality is that books require less and less of this cognitive action today. Some books are created to be easy to consume. 

Arguments For the Idea of “Bad Taste”

Harmful Tropes

With the rise of Wattpad and online book platforms, writers were provided more agency to explore more diverse themes and characters that weren’t originally mainstream. While this is largely a good thing, there has been an increasing tendency to romanticise unhealthy dynamics such as manipulation and emotional/sexual abuse, passing them off as ‘tropes’. This is especially abundant in the romance genre.  While these narratives may be compelling in fiction, they have real-world implications, potentially influencing young audiences to accept dangerous ideals. Books with poor writing, harmful tropes and lazy stereotypes we can all largely agree aren’t considered good books.

Genre Fiction vs Literary Fiction

Over the last decade or so, there has been a drastic rise in genre fiction. Genre fiction is a lot of what we see today, books that are plot-driven. They prioritise entertainment value and are written to fit within a distinct genre, Romance, fantasy, science fiction, etc. This makes them appealing to fans of a genre and is more likely to guarantee commercial success. Romance novels for example are the largest category of fiction generating over $1.4 billion in revenue.

Literary fiction, however, is the opposite; it is character-driven rather than plot-driven, and includes books that delve deeper into and examine the human condition, or have more artistic merit. Many critics and readers believe the literary quality of books is declining, citing factors like shorter attention spans, the rise of genre fiction, and the influence of social media. The market for genre fiction is growing, while the market for literary fiction is declining.

Arguments Against the Idea of “Bad Taste”

Reading is Subjective 

All the arguments above hold merit, but one thing is undeniable: the quality of literary prose has declined, and literary fiction itself has diminished in prominence. Fewer books today aim for literary distinction, with most catering to genre conventions. But does this shift reflect a decline in taste? The truth is, taste is subjective, and reading is deeply personal.

People read for their reasons—some for entertainment, others for escape. Just because a book isn’t “literary” doesn’t mean it lacks value. Even works dismissed as poorly written or shallow can hold profound meaning for readers.

Book snobbery is a real problem. Who are we to dictate what others should enjoy? Gatekeeping only discourages new readers, and honestly, isn’t any reading better than none? Regardless of perceived quality, reading remains a more intellectually active medium than most alternatives.

Marginalisation

Finally, genre and style are not indicators of intelligence or worth. Enjoying urban romances or smutty novels doesn’t make you unintelligent; it just means you enjoy and are entertained by this content, and sometimes reading allows you to ‘turn your brain off’ for a bit. Assuming otherwise only deepens division. There’s a space for every kind of taste as long as it isn’t harmful or incites hate. 

Literary fiction has long been an exclusionary space, overwhelmingly dominated by white, male narratives that marginalise ethnic minorities and queer perspectives. This persists even as brilliant writers from these communities continue producing work that unquestionably belongs within the literary space. The most recent Nobel laureate for literature, Han Kang, is the first Asian woman to ever win in over a 100 years. What does that say about how we value those outside the traditional canon?

I’ve tried to lay out this argument as objectively as possible – what are the people saying on either side? I’ve always been an indiscriminate reader. I’ll devour everything from fluffy romance and sci-fi cosy mysteries to heavyweight classics with equal enthusiasm. I enjoyed Twilight as much as the next person, yet would happily turn around and digest George Orwell. 

However, enjoying a wide range of stories does not mean all books are created equal, and it would be disingenuous to say that. I can be a book snob myself sometimes, though I’d be judging myself just as harshly as anyone else – and that’s the height of hypocrisy. However way we slice it, taste is entirely subjective. Unless we’re talking about genuinely harmful content, all stories have value.

This conversation could easily spiral into countless directions, many of which I discussed with friends while writing this, but if I explored them all, we’d end up with a 10,000-word disso, and honestly, nobody has time for that. Maybe one day, but in the meantime, I’ve included the links to some interesting articles I used when writing this, so feel free to do more research of your own. 

Overall,  I think my stance right now is read what you like and enjoy it with gusto, but also leave everyone else who doesn’t like the same things you do alone. 

There is space for everyone and I might even do a ‘My guilty pleasure recommendations’ post just because !🤭 So stay tuned!

For now, I hope you enjoyed this post and that it sparks lively debates in your own book circles. Happy reading, judgment-free!

“All my works are literary, simply because they are written in words.”

john updike