Long Read

All the world’s a page: How BookTok opened an exciting new chapter for authors

Reviews by ‘BookTokkers’ on TikTok have reached millions and influenced book sales worldwide, but the jury is still out on whether Irish book sales will benefit or suffer from the trend

Emma O’Reilly social media manager for Hodges Figgis: ‘I was like, oh my God, we have to get ourselves known in the BookTok community.’ Picture: Bryan Meade

It might be a far cry from the coffeehouses of the Enlightenment, but the latest burgeoning hub for the dissemination of literature can be found nestled among choreographed dance routines, trending “sounds” and video clips set to robotic voiceovers.

BookTok began in 2020 when young readers took to TikTok, the social media platform, to share content about their favourite books. Videos of carefully curated bookshelves, mood-board-style story collages, book reviews and more, were uploaded and ...