When we think of works of famous literature, we’re often likely to associate them with a very particular time and place. Something like Pride and Prejudice immediately conjures up the image of elegant balls and regency gowns, and Fifty Shades Of Grey triggers the memory of that one Tumblr daddy dom who made gifsets where he hit his poor furniture with a belt. 

No book is an island. Perhaps more so than any other time of cultural artifact, novels and other longform written works are heavily dependent on the context that their authors write into them. 

However, to set up all that background requires a lot of skill, and is never going to be to everyone’s taste. One of the most important experiences when reading is the feeling that you immerse yourself in the world of the characters with ease, and certain things can get in the way of this. When a reader has no idea what is being alluded to and it’s a major part of the plot, it can put a dampener on them connecting with the writing.

At least, this is what @prehniite seems to think. She caused some controversy recently when she requested that contemporary authors stop making pop culture references in their work. This bold statement seemed to split opinion on literary Twitter, with people taking bold stances on both sides.