What is a book ick I hear you ask?
Well, the word 'ick' was first used in 1979 in the American Newsweek magazine when the phrase 'The Ick Factor' was used in an article. Since then it has gained popularity as a general term to describe how it feels to have your emotions flip from love to disgust. Traditionally, the word ick was used only in the context of a romantic relationship but since the 2010s the word has been applied to more scenarios, more frequently.
In todays blog post, I will be exploring this phrase by ranking five common 'book icks!'
From the ones that bother me the least, to ones that make me physically recoil into myself.
You can also join me by voting whether or not you get the 'ick' in the interactive polls!
The book yucks that I will be mentioning are all ones that I have found on 'Goodreads' and I will leave a link at the end of this post for anyone who is interested in reading that thread.
So, without further ado, here is my official book ick ranking!
1. Modern pop culture references.
I actually don't mind this at all, but I know that it's a huge turn off for so many readers! For me personally, I think that if a book is set in modern day society then pop culture references can make a book more relatable and realistic. However, I totally understand that if it's not done right, they can make books feel cringey, dated and irrelevant rather quickly.
One example of a book that handles pop culture references well is 'Ready Player One' by Ernest Cline. The book made many references to real life (often 8Os references) such as: Stephen King, Tolkien, Ghostbusters and The Goonies! These references are not only nostalgic and fun, but they are actually also vital to the plot, as they act as little hidden easter eggs!
Do modern pop culture references give you the book ick?
Yes!
No!
2. Real world problems.
Here, the commenter specifically references Covid-19 and politics.
I actually have yet to read a book that is about or that mentions the coronavirus. I think that's only because the events of 2020 feel so recent that I don't quite want to rehash the past just yet, so in that respect I can totally see how that could be a book ick... I personally wouldn't avoid a book for this reason though, and if I find one that interests me I will definitely be picking it up.
As for political references in books, I love them. Usually I tend to reach for political fiction as opposed to autobiographical or non-fiction and I have found some of my favourite books within this genre.
In my opinion, politics does not by any means equate to boredom- despite this prevalent stereotype.
George Orwell is an author who managed to write about politics in a such a way that his literature has and will remain interesting and relevant to society.
Does reading about real world problems you the book ick?
Yes!
No!
3. Time skips.
To me, time skips are very hit or miss.
When executed well, they can be used as a really useful literary technique that can help immerse readers into the world of the book. Flashbacks and flashforwards are common uses of the time skip that can be particularly hard to pull off. This is because the author must consider multiple factors in order to continue the story in a way that is cohesive and fluid to the rest of the book. The writer must consider things like...
'How do I show the character growth?'
'How do I show the relationship changes?'
'How can I make sure that the progression feels natural?'
If these questions go ignored, the time skip technique can feel rather thoughtless and jarring for readers to consume.
So, whilst I don't get the 'ick' from time skips themselves... I get the 'ick' from poor execution. A book that I believe uses the time skip very well, is 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt... If you have read my blog before the you will probably know that this is my favourite book and I will do anything to bring it up!
Do time skips give you the book ick?
Yes!
No!
4. When there are people on the cover.
Okay, this one gives me the ick. I don't know why, it's not a big deal at all and it effects nothing in regards to the content of the book. But I hate it. Maybe it's because I like to imagine the characters myself?
I want to clarify, that paintings or drawings are not included in this at all. One of my favourite book covers is the beautiful penguin classics edition of 'The picture of Dorian Gray. But if there is an actual photograph of a person on a book cover, I am often filled with an unjustifiable hate. Especially if the lovely original cover was replaced by the faces of celebrities from a Hollywood adaptation (See Paper Towns.)
For reference...
This is good:
And this is less good:
Does seeing people on the cover give you the book ick?
Yes!
No!
5. Unremovable stickers.
Now maybe I'm just a critic, but unremovable stickers are the worst of the worst.
They add absolutely nothing to the book, in fact they block the beautiful artwork on the cover. Whilst I can quite easily look past an 'award' sticker, I can make no exceptions for advertisements. I always roll my eyes especially hard if it's to show off a television series or movie. I just think that if a reader was to really enjoy the book, it would take less than one google search to see that it is 'Now a hit Netflix show!'
It would be a different story if it was printed inside the book making no obstructions to anything, that would be totally fine!
Do unremovable stickers give you the book ick?
Yes!
No!
Thank you so much for reading todays blog post, if you enjoyed it or have any ideas for new posts please don't hesitate to let me know or leave a comment!
As promised earlier, here is the link to the original Goodreads thread- in case you want to read through some more common reader book icks!
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/22376365-what-are-your-icks-in-books
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