Lila, pink, or pale turquoise. The bookshelf with the latest New Adult literature in the Altstadt Buchhandlung Wittlich looks like a cozy living room – complete with a reading corner. Bookstore owner Katharina Rodermund deliberately creates this atmosphere. The young women browsing the New Adult section should be able to do so in peace.
What started with a few books is now a whole wall in the Altstadt Bookstore in Wittlich.
New-Adult literature is booming: Books and Merchandise
Before the Corona pandemic, Katharina Rodermund only had a few New Adult books in her bookstore, maybe ten. Today, there are over 170 different copies displayed on the huge bookshelf. And that’s not all. Merchandise items like pens, hoodies, acrylic stands, and more are now available.
“It’s a little perfect world and an escape from everything happening around us,” describes one young woman in Trier’s city center.
Another loves the books because they give her butterflies in her stomach. But she finds it challenging to stop reading. “I find those ‘catch’ moments in the books super interesting. Then I sit there for two or three hours reading,” one of the young women shares.
Katharina Rodermund runs the Altstadt Buchhandlung in Wittlich.
Most young people browsing the New Adult section don’t want to be advised, according to Katharina Rodermund. They often come with a whole list and know what they want. “Young people are already so knowledgeable from TikTok. They are experts themselves. They also want to be left alone,” she says.
Dark Romance: Does it need age restrictions?
In the New Adult books, with their beautiful pink and lilac covers, the focus is on lovely relationships and difficult life situations – all with a happy ending. Dark Romance, however, is a different story. These books, often in black covers, mainly revolve around toxic relationships and stereotypes.
Many publishers label Dark Romance books with an age recommendation of “18 years and older.”
To address this, many publishers put stickers on their books with the recommendation “for ages 18 and above.” However, there is no legal basis like in movies or video games. Katharina Rodermund finds it not practical to check IDs for every sale. She doesn’t judge what people read.
But she also mentions, “The portrayal of women in some of these books may be easier to understand for older readers. It can be challenging to read Dark Romance at age 14 or 15. It’s not reality.” There is a risk that readers might not differentiate between fiction and reality and expect real relationships to be like those described in the books.
Not all bookstores sell New-Adult literature
The bookstore in Wittlich is not the only one embracing New Adult. Stores in Trier and Schweich are following this trend. However, other bookstores in Rhineland-Palatinate have different opinions. One in Mainz doesn’t sell these books at all, citing concerns about the portrayal of women in them. Similarly, a bookstore in Koblenz shares this view.
Katharina Rodermund in Wittlich believes that New-Adult literature is an important economic sector. She anticipates the trend to continue, evolving but not disappearing anytime soon. “Apparently, people need it,” reflects the bookstore owner.
