Bildungsroman
A novel of formation — the story of someone becoming who they will be, not merely growing older.
Full definition of Bildungsroman →:: COMPARE ::
BildungsromanvsComing-of-age
The short answer
The two overlap: reference works call Bildungsroman the narrower, more technical subgenre, and both are usually told from youth to adulthood. What the narrower term adds is a test — the experiences have to form a settled self, and Morgenstern built the reader's own formation into the definition as well.
Side by side
| Aspect | Bildungsroman | Coming-of-age |
|---|---|---|
| Defined by | Formation | Age |
| Endpoint | A settled self | Adulthood |
| Reader's formation | Part of the definition | No |
| Requires youth | No | Yes |
What each one means
Coming-of-age
The contrast above sets out how Coming-of-age differs from Bildungsroman on the points that actually matter.