Great expectations…or not
Subverting expectations and getting meta in the genre sandbox! Books that play with genre, subvert the traditional, switch things up with language and form, offer a new angle for a retelling, or mash and mix things up before spitting out a brand new tale. Includes works that are mainstream now but were considered a subversion of the familiar in the time period in which they were published. Suggestions always welcome!
created by ayzrules
last updated December, 2025
Comments
i totally read what this list was about before deciding i wanted to read the books, and totally did not decide that just because it had a Gail Carriger book. (but the theme of the list is also really cool too!!! super excited to read these books and see what else gets added!!)
❤️❤️❤️ I’m so glad you like it! I am forcing all my friends to give me suggestions as we speak 🤣 but also, Gail Carriger is the blueprintttt the way the finishing school series blew my fuckin MIND at age 15. Bladed fans and exploding hats and everything ahhhh what a dream!
Suggestions: Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson Maze Runner by James Dashner Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean Lacuna by N.R. Walker
ayzrulesOP
oooh yay - thank you for the suggestions, I'll look into them! appreciate you dropping a comment!
