Every decade has its phenomenon. After the adaptation of illustrious universes such as those of JRR Tolkien, George RR Martin or even CS Lewis, the 2010s were marked by the omnipresence of dystopian sagas and programs devoted to witches, vampires and other fantastic creatures. In 2020, the trend is for romance tinged with fantasy and eroticism on the shelves of bookstores. It didn’t take very long for platforms and studios to look into these literary universes intended for young adults. If Prime Video was the first company to try the experiment, with My Lady JaneNetflix intends to take its share of the romanticasy pie.
The company won the battle for adaptation rights Quicksilver written by Callie Hart. According to information from Deadline, a seven-figure check was placed on the negotiating table. Number 1 on Amazon last summermentioned millions of times on social networks, the work which is still waiting to be translated into French does not have to make its reputation among the readers of romantasy. This victory for Netflix is reminiscent of the birth of other cinematographic phenomena, Twilight has Hunger Games passing through The Labyrinth.
Romance among the Fae
Like many other works, Quicksilver is based on narrative patterns that have proven successful with young readers. Described as a romance “ennemies to lovers addictive”the story follows Saeris Fane. At 24 years old, the young woman knows how to keep a secret. Nobody knows that she has strange powers. When she comes face to face with death, she inadvertently opens the gates between realms and is transported to a world of ice and snow. The first of her kind to set foot in the mountains of Yvelia, Saeris mistakenly becomes involved with Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior who has his own secrets and evil intentions…
With the project at an early stage, the identity of the main players remains a mystery. We also don’t know who will direct and write what promises to be a saga for the small screen. The author has already promised that Quicksilver would have a sequel on paper.
Why is romanticasy making headlines?
You couldn’t have missed the phenomenon, which is now taking over entire shelves in traditional bookstores. A palace of thorns and roses, Gild or even Fourth Wingthere are many sagas of the genre that are at the top of the sales charts. The recipe is often the same, a world in danger, a heroine capable of saving it and a plethora of male characters with whom to fraternize. While the monuments of fantasy are most often based on epic quests and a rich mythology, the emphasis here is rather placed on the romantic relationship.
To recognize the patterns they prefer, readers often refer to unequivocal designations, from “ennemies to lovers” to “fake relationships” through traditional ones “love triangles” and the “forced marriages”. But unlike works dedicated to young adults who experienced a golden age in the 2010s, the sex scenes are explicitly described here. The fact remains that the genre is a hit with young readers, an audience who logically should not have access to these stories halfway between eroticism and “young adult”. Some works do not hesitate to illustrate toxic romances or even sexual assault. It remains to be seen how Netflix will navigate with all the components of romance, and if the genre will find its audience. Note that adaptations of Fourth Wing et A Palace of Thorns and Roses are also in development, respectively at Amazon Studios and Hulu.
Subscribe to WorldOfSoftware
🟣 To not miss any news on the WorldOfSoftware, , .
