ABSTRACT
The characteristics of literary fandoms have only sparsely been covered in academic discourse. Considering the vast popularity of some genres on the current book market, this poses a severe shortcoming. This chapter analyses chick lit reading experiences and fan practices as part of the strong-selling popular romance genre. In a qualitative empirical study, participants of a specifically founded reading group were asked to debate their experiences of reading two novels representative of the genre. The material was then analysed for themes and latent structures. The results indicate how chick lit readers as fans engage with their reading in a repetitive, critical, and emotionally engaged fashion, contributing to our understanding of the genre’s vast popularity.
