The debate between literary fiction and genre fiction is a long-standing one. Genre fiction is accused of being insignificant and shallow while literary fiction is called pretentious and boring. There is a perceived hierarchy between the two, where literary fiction is considered superior. But what’s the difference? Literary fiction is classified as novels that have literary merit. Examples include “To the Lighthouse” by Virginia Woolf, “Beloved” by Toni Morrison and “1984” by George Orwell. Genre fiction is known as popular, commercial or category fiction. Examples range from “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins to “A Game of Thrones” by George […]