Lucknow: Bright frames with funky quotes, handmade diaries, magnetic bookmarks, and shelves lined with anime book collections, this is the colourful world greeting Gen-Z at the ongoing Gomti Book Festival in Lucknow University.With a mix of pop culture and literature, the festival has become a hotspot for young readers who are as excited about Naruto and Demon Slayer as they are about Colleen Hoover’s romances or Franz Kafka’s classics. The posters of Messi, Ronaldo, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, The Godfather and many more add to the youthful energy of the stalls, drawing both book lovers and casual visitors. The stalls present a vibrant blend of frames featuring favourite characters, pastel stationery, self-help guides, fantasy series like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, and graphic novels such as Sandman and Death Note. “I came looking for Colleen Hoover, but the anime section blew me away. It feels like a cross between a book fest and an anime convention,” said Tanya Mishra, a B.Com third-year student. “Kafka’s Metamorphosis and Attack on Titan may seem different, but both speak of alienation. That is why I love this collection, it connects worlds,” said Ayush Raj, a visitor. “I could not resist buying a handmade diary and a frame with a quote that says, ‘Make it happen.’ These little things make the festival so engaging, especially for our generation” said Neha Verma, an MA English student. Organizers are thrilled with the response. “Young readers do not see boundaries between genres anymore. They want books, art, and culture together. That is exactly what we are trying to offer,” said Shubham Singh, a stall coordinator.
