Urban Literature

Urban Literature tells the story of life in the inner-city, generally with a gritty, dark tone. The plot shines a light on the harsh realities of life in the city, including hard subjects such as drug use, gangs, sex, poverty, and violence. Stories are fast-paced and often focus on a young-adult protagonist overcoming adversity, surviving abuse and betrayal, and rising out of hard times. The writing often contains explicit sexual content and graphic violence. The setting is usually a large American city and the prose and dialogue reflect the language used in that area.

If you like this genre but are interested in stories that are largely told through pictures, remember that the graphic novel format can include ANY genre—not just superhero stories and manga. So be sure to check out that collection as well.