Readers' Advisory

1. ILS 205: Readers’ Advisory
Week 9

2. Romance
 Key elements:
◦ A central love story
◦ Predictable - an optimistic ending
◦ Descriptive language
◦ Range of historical settings
 Key subgenres:
◦ Historical/regency
◦ Paranormal
◦ Contemporary

3. Historical Fiction
 Key elements:
◦ Accurate depiction and details
◦ Accurate characters and behavior
◦ Not often quick reads
 Key subgenres:
◦ Classified by time period or location

4. Westerns
 Key elements:
◦ Revenge theme, importance of hero
◦ Historical details, description of landscape
◦ Individual/society theme
 Key subgenres:
◦ Western settlement, cowboys
◦ Contemporary
◦ Lots of genre-blending

5. Common Themes
 Romance, Historical Fiction &
Westerns
◦ Have spawned popular films & television
◦ Encompass many examples of literary
‘classic’ fiction
◦ Importance of language, description and
detail.