Essentially created as a counter of grimdark a sub-genre of fantasy fiction that emphasises the flaws in human nature and its capacity for cruelty (typified by books such as George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire), the term hopepunk was coined in a 2017 Tumblr post by American author Alexandra Rowland. Her post went viral, and in 2019 hopepunk entered the Collins English Dictionary, which defined it as "a literary and artistic movement that celebrates the pursuit of positive aims in the face of adversity".
In the midst of the present political, economic and environmental uncertainties, it is easy to feel weary and hopeless. However, works that come under the literary genre of hopepunk motivate one to work towards creating a better world and believe in humankind's capability to bring about positive change. Here are a few books from this genre to lift your spirit: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, and A Conspiracy of Truths by Alexandra Rowland.
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