Which 2021 Novel Became A Cultural Touchstone For Readers?

The phenomenon around 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' (2017) surging years later via TikTok in 2021 can't be ignored. It showed the power of digital platforms to resurrect a backlist title and turn it into a cultural moment. The impact was on the lifecycle of a novel—proving it could have a second, even larger, digital-first peak years after publication. This changed how publishers view the long-tail marketing of their digital assets. A novel's impact on reading trends no longer needs to be tied to its release year; it can be catalyzed at any time by a new wave of online community passion.

I'm gonna throw 'Fiona and Jane' by Jean Chen Ho into the mix, even though it's a linked story collection. It won the PEN/Hemingway. It's reshaping because its portrayal of a complex, lifelong friendship between two Asian American women feels so immediate and real, capturing millennial drift and connection without a hint of stereotype or sentimentality. It shows the literary novel's concerns expanding into the nuances of female friendship as a primary, epic subject.

Let's dive into some iconic hero quotes that have truly transcended their original stories and seeped into our culture at large. One of the most renowned is from 'Spider-Man': 'With great power comes great responsibility.' This simple yet profound statement resonates far beyond the pages of comics—it's a guiding principle for many. People often cite this quote when discussing ethics, responsibility in leadership, or even in everyday life. It's a reminder that our abilities should be used wisely and selflessly, which can inspire anyone facing significant choices. Another gem is from 'Superman': 'I’m here to fight for truth and justice.' It embodies the essence of heroism and has become synonymous with moral integrity. It evokes images of standing up for what's right, which many aspire to emulate in their own lives. It’s often quoted in speeches about civic duty, social justice, and personal integrity, showing its relevance in various contexts. Even a classic like 'The Odyssey' by Homer has influenced society with its themes of heroism and adventure. Odysseus’s cunning and resilience teach us about adaptability and perseverance, making his journey a metaphor for facing life's challenges. People draw parallels between his exploits and modern-day struggles, and the famous line, 'It’s not the destination; it’s the journey,' encapsulates that well. These quotes, along with many others, have seeped into our collective consciousness, becoming symbols of hope, resilience, and moral fortitude that we continually reference and cherish. Through movies, literature, and day-to-day conversations, they continue to inspire and unite us as they echo across generations.

I’m more interested in the books that influenced it. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Borges, the idea of the memory palace. It feels like a culmination of a certain tradition rather than the start of a new one. Its influence might be in reviving interest in those older, weirder roots of fantasy, steering people away from Tolkien-derivatives and toward more philosophical sources.

I feel like the 'best' often gets conflated with 'most important' or 'most discussed.' For sheer, unadulterated reading pleasure that made me forget the world for hours at a time, my pick is 'The House in the Cerulean Sea'. It's a warm cupcake of a book. The message about kindness, found family, and accepting difference was exactly what I needed. Is it the most complex or challenging literature? No. But did it deliver a perfect, heartfelt, uplifting experience? Absolutely. Sometimes the 'best' book is the one that makes you feel the best, and for a huge number of people, that was this one.

Catching the opening bars of a movie theme in a random place still flips a switch for me — that's how I know a soundtrack has become part of the culture. For me, the big ones are obvious: the triumphant brass of 'Star Wars' that gets played at graduations and sporting events, the gritty trumpet of 'The Godfather' that immediately evokes old-world melancholy, and the motivational brass of 'Rocky' ('Gonna Fly Now') that people blast before a workout or a big speech. Then there are soundtracks that changed tides — 'Saturday Night Fever' turned disco into a global lifestyle, while 'Purple Rain' blurred lines between soundtrack and the artist's cultural persona. I also love how 'Pulp Fiction' made surf-rock and retro pop feel edgy again; the film's playlist reintroduced whole generations to songs they'd never heard before. What fascinates me is the variety of ways a soundtrack becomes an anthem. Sometimes it's an original score — John Williams, Ennio Morricone, Vangelis — crafting a theme so simple and memorable that it takes on life outside the film: trailers, memes, national ceremonies. Other times it's a curated collection that taps into nostalgia or a scene's mood, like 'Dirty Dancing' or 'Grease' becoming the go-to playlists for adolescent rites of passage. Then there are cultural revivals: 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' single-handedly revived American roots music, and 'Trainspotting' and 'Pulp Fiction' recontextualized punk and surf music for new ears. I still get a kick out of hearing these pieces where they'd never belong — a supermarket, a wedding, a TikTok trend — and realizing the soundtrack now belongs to the people. On a personal note, I've had mini life-rites framed by these tracks: my first boxing class set to 'Gonna Fly Now', a summer of road trips with 'Saturday Night Fever' on repeat, and late-night writing sessions with Vangelis' ambient hum from 'Blade Runner' in the background. Soundtracks that become anthems often tell us who we were at a moment and who we've become; they travel with us, pick up new meanings, and keep looping back into culture. It's wild and a little beautiful to watch music outgrow its film and become everyone's soundtrack, not just the director's — and it gives me plenty of playlists to lean on when I need a mood boost.

For a novel that defined political and personal disillusionment, 'The Committed' by Viet Thanh Nguyen, the sequel to 'The Sympathizer,' was huge. It continued the story of the Captain in 1980s Paris, grappling with ideology and violence. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer and a brutal, brilliant read.