The Poison Daughter exemplifies the dark “romantasy” genre, a popular subgenre that fuses high-stakes fantasy plots with a central romantic storyline. Driven by its immense popularity on social media platforms like TikTok, romantasy became a dominant force in publishing in the 2020s. According to industry analysis from outlets like Publisher’s Weekly, this trend reflects a reader appetite for escapist worlds governed by magic and passion. While the romantasy subgenre blends elements of romance with fantasy, the “dark” element refers to boundary-pushing themes such as consensual rough sex, a possessive hero, or the edge between sex and violence. The fusion of dark romance and fantasy allows readers the escape of an alternate world where real-world concerns around limits can be temporarily suspended. The passionate, boundary-pushing sexual encounters also signify a passion so great it overwhelms the characters, forcing them to shed their façade of propriety.

The dark romance subgenre often employs a set of recognizable tropes, many of which are central to Harlow’s story. Her arranged marriage to Henry, heir of a rival power she initially despises, establishes a classic “enemies-to-lovers” dynamic, as well as elements like forced proximity. This trope is also a cornerstone of seminal romantasy works like Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series, where the protagonist develops a relationship with a powerful High Lord she originally fears and distrusts. Furthermore, the novel’s focus on a powerful female protagonist learning to wield her agency, its complex world-building centered on “The Seven Divine” (xi), and its backdrop of political intrigue are all hallmarks of the genre, echoing the success of books like Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing. By situating The Poison Daughter within the romantasy framework, readers can better appreciate how Sheila Masterson uses these familiar conventions to explore her unique narrative of vengeance, survival, and unexpected love.