BookTok's Critical Language: Relatability Over Craft

An essay in The Point examines how BookTok, the TikTok subcommunity that drove 59 million print book sales in the U.S. in 2024, has reshaped literary criticism around emotional relatability rather than craft. The piece highlights the scandal of Shy Girl, an AI-generated novel self-published by Mia Ballard, picked up by Hachette, and canceled in March 2025 after exposure. BookTok reviewer Brandon Baker, whose blurb appeared on the cover, posted a video disclaiming AI support while admitting his critical failure. The essay contrasts BookTok's testimonial style—where a book's value is measured by its emotional impact on the reader—with traditional criticism. It cites examples including Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Mist and Fury (#ACOTAR has over 2 million posts), Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human (which saw a TikTok-driven resurgence, with #osamudazai at 241,000 posts and #dazai at 1.2 million), and Jacqueline Harpman's I Who Have Never Known Men (which sold 100,000 copies in 2024 and is Barnes & Noble's top BookTok bestseller). The essay argues that BookTok's focus on relatability flattens literature, rewarding books that reflect the reader's desires rather than challenging them. It notes that publishers now pay for viral promises before marketing, and large BookTok accounts earn $2,000 per video, or $4,000 with usage rights. The piece concludes that while BookTok can boost sales of great works, its critical language fails to convey what makes books worth reading.