TikTok's Dark Affliction: Dark "Romance" Fiction and "Haunting Adeline"

In the vast realm of TikTok, one can find a variety of niches and communities celebrating specific interests. One such niche is the aptly named community of "booktok," where readers and writers alike can collectively discuss, recommend, and otherwise support new and upcoming literature, as well as popular contemporary series such as Sarah J. Mass's high fantasy series A Court of Thorns and Roses (or ACOTAR), Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing, and many more.

One genre of literature that is currently receiving widespread popularity through "booktok" is the intriguing genre of dark romance. Typically, books in this genre deal with a wide range of topics that provide a dark element to coincide with a romance subplot. Many of these dark elements include the addition of mafia bosses, gangs, serial killers, and other tropes that would suggest heightened violence.

Enter H. D. Carlton's Haunting Adeline. This book, with a cover suggesting something more paranormal and gothic, has recently gained shocking notoriety, riding the wave of TikTok recommendations and securing best-seller success for the author known for works like Satan's Affair and Shallow River. However, the novel and its sequel, Hunting Adeline, fail to live up to the hype, as they grapple with significant inconsistencies in character development and problematic themes that continue to leave readers questioning the true nature of these books.

The central character, Adeline, is portrayed as "The Manipulator," a writer capable of, as she claims, emotionally manipulating her readers through her words. Ironically, she seldom engages in actual writing throughout the narrative, despite constant references to looming deadlines. This inconsistency in Adeline's character development creates a dissonance that may leave readers questioning the authenticity of her identity as a writer and the relevance of her proclaimed manipulative abilities. Readers also lay witness to Adeline's severe lack of self-preservation, self-respect, and self-love, as she continues to stay in her home after she confirms that she has a stalker. A stalker who is simply known as "The Shadow" until midway into the first novel, and whose only "saving grace" is his intent to track down and dismantle sex trafficking rings while doing unspeakable things to Adeline.

Possibly the most glaring issue with this two-part series is the mishandling of trigger warnings. The narrative delves into dark themes, including violence, sexual violence portrayed as "dubious consent," stalking, mafia activities, and sex trafficking. These elements appear to be gratuitously thrown into the storyline, giving the impression that the author incorporated them for shock value rather than meaningful exploration. As a result, the novels struggle to categorize themselves as romance, and the excessive use of dark themes may alienate readers seeking a genuine romantic experience. There is also a minimally-explored and seemingly quickly forgotten supernatural subplot that suggests to the readers that the manor home Adeline lives in is haunted, which could have given us the "haunting" aspect alone, and been sufficient. However, as with other elements, it feels thrown in to create a weird, nonsensical subplot with no further development.

A significant concern arises from the target audience of these books, primarily young adult readers who are drawn to smut fiction, or fiction that includes descriptive sex scenes. The narrative's exploration of sensitive topics without proper context or consideration for the emotional well-being of readers raises ethical concerns. The gratuitous inclusion of explicit and potentially triggering content suggests a lack of responsibility on the part of the author and the publishers in catering to their intended demographic. The smut that is present in the books is decidedly more akin to graphic sexual violence than it is romantic, passionate, lusty sex.

Furthermore, the accessibility of these books through the choose-your-own-story app Moments adds another layer to the concerns surrounding their content. With the potential for younger readers to stumble upon explicit and distressing scenes without proper guidance, the ethical implications of offering these novels for free on such platforms become more pronounced.

In terms of storytelling, the novels fall short of providing a compelling narrative. The focus on gritty themes seems more like an attempt to be edgy rather than a sincere exploration of complex relationships. Readers expecting a genuine romance and the supernatural and gothic aspects suggested by the cover art may instead find themselves disappointed as the narrative prioritizes shock value over meaningful character development and relationship dynamics.

In conclusion, Haunting Adeline and its sequel Hunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton may have gained popularity through TikTok recommendations, but they ultimately fail to deliver a satisfying reading experience. The inconsistencies in character development, mishandling of trigger warnings, and gratuitous use of dark themes detract from the potential of these novels to be engaging romances. Readers, especially those in the young adult category, are advised to approach these books with caution, considering the potential impact on their emotional well-being and expectations of a fulfilling romantic narrative. Ultimately, these novels may be better suited for comparison rather than genuine enjoyment.