Is Romantasy Good for Feminism?

By Bella Buhari

Let's be honest: there's just something deliciously comforting about getting lost in a world of magic, danger, and swoony feelings. Romantasy books - think dragons & destiny with hearts on fire - have taken the book world by storm. But as a contemporary feminist reader, I don't just want escapism. I want agency, complex women, and love that doesn't erase autonomy. And thankfully, romantasy is serving exactly that.

Romantasy lets us feel - but also think. It's a genre that says:

"You can slay dragons and question how power works. You can fall in love and keep your voice."

Feminist Voices on Romantasy: On Why the Genre Matters

Feminist author and cultural critic Rebecca Solnit (paraphrasing her ideas about narrative power) reminds us that stories shape how we imagine the world. Romantasy gives us worlds where women aren't just love interests - they're plot drivers. They lead armies, wield magic, and sometimes refuse the prince altogether.

Another contemporary feminist voice adds that romantasy gives breathing room to relationship dynamics that aren't toxic by default - a huge shift from the "damaged male lead fixes everything" trope of old romance.

Terry Pratchett (beloved fantasy author) famously implied that fantasy lets us examine reality by taking it apart in worlds that feel different but reflect us anyway. Feminist readers apply this to relationship arcs in romantasy: it's not just about who ends up together, but how they grow together.

What Female Authors Are Saying

Romantasy wouldn't be where it is without female authors reshaping fantasy and romance. Many talk about how the genre lets them fight stereotypes from the inside out.

Sarah J. Maas (in general public interviews) often emphasizes that her female heroes are flawed, fierce, and fully human. That mental image - of a woman who can lead a rebellion and still feel things deeply - hits feminist readers right in the feels.

Naomi Novik (again, paraphrasing her known views) has talked about how romance doesn't have to undermine strength - that consent, respect, and partnership can enhance a fantasy story rather than diminish it.

These women - and others like them - write relationships where the characters have agency, growth, and mutual respect. That's a big deal.

Feminist Themes You Actually Find in Romantasy

Here are some of the things that make romantasy resonate with feminist readers:

Women as World-Builders

Not just sidekicks. Not just the chosen one's love interest. The heroine often holds the plot - and the magic.

Complex Relationships

Romantasy doesn't shy away from messy feelings, but many stories avoid glorifying control or ownership. Instead, they explore consent, communication, and equal partnership.

Queer and Diverse Representation

More and more, feminists love that romantasy isn't sticking to heteronormative rules. Love can be sapphic, queer, bi, poly - whatever makes the characters real and fulfilled.

Power Is Complicated

Romantasy worlds often involve organizations, governments, and magic systems that can be inherently oppressive. A feminist reader gets to watch women not only fight villains, but also dismantle unjust systems.

So Is Romantasy Just Escapism?

Here's the tea: it can be. And that's okay.

Escapism isn't inherently shallow. It's healing. But the best romantasy does more than whisk you away - it reflects real desires, real ethical questions, and real feminist hope.

As one feminist book reviewer once put it (paraphrased):

Romantasy gives us fights worth fighting - and loves worth believing in.

Is Romantasy Anti-Feminist or Pro-Feminist?

Well... It turns out that the answer is complicated. Bella Buhari has written a series of articles on this topic, including: