Pop culture fiction is a genre of fiction where stories are written intentionally to be filled with references from other works and media.[1][2][3] Stories in this genre are focused solely on using
popular culture references.[4]
Criteria
Some works in the genre use pop culture references to elicit
nostalgia among its consumers, while other examples have the whole setting and universe themselves built upon and revolves around pop cultural references (sometimes even relying on well-known and/or obscure pop culture references as humor as in the case of the cult TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000).[1][5][6][7][8] Pop culture fiction doesn't just reference one or two titles, but works under this genre reference several titles across different genres and media.[9][4]
Many types of
postmodern works and modern-day
homage,
metafiction,
satires and
parodies fall under this category.[1][4] But unlike more typically comedic satires and parodies, pop culture fiction contains depth and serious themes, with many even garnering critical acclaim.[9] Many stories inspired by
games and
geek culture have also been examples.[10] According to author
Gary Westfahl, works under this genre demand an "aura of immaturity, of incompleteness, while projecting no pretenses."[11]
This genre should not be confused with Pop culture non-fiction, which are researches,
encyclopedias, and other academic works focused on the study and analysis of pop culture, rather than stories centered around pop culture references.[12][13]
Examples
Notable pop culture fiction books
One of the oldest and longest-running example is Anno Dracula by
Kim Newman, which takes place in an alternate history where
Count Dracula became the King of Great Britain. Over the years, the series began to incorporate or reference famous fictional characters from
Spider-Man to
Scooby Doo.[9]
Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho (both the book and
film) became one of the earliest examples of this genre with its endless use of
brands and criticism on business and mindless
consumerism.[2]
Gideon the Ninth by Tansyn Muir is a science fantasy book that had references taken from popular internet memes and quotes.[9]
Fangirl by
Rainbow Rowell is a coming-of-age novel featuring the relationships of the Avery siblings, two individuals who are writers and fans of fantasy books. The book known for its use of references from the fantasy genre, such as bookending chapters with the titles of many famous fantasy series.[16]
^
abcdefghKidd, Dustin. Pop Culture Freaks: Identity, Mass Media, and Society. Routledge; 2nd Edition (Updated: August 2020). pp. 143–145.
ISBN978-0813350875.
Excerpt
^Westfahl, Gary. Science Fiction, Children's Literature, and Popular Culture: Coming of Age in Fantasyland. Praeger; 1st Edition (April 30, 2000). pp. xi–xii.
ISBN978-0313308475