Another book haul. I’m simply gathering books for the winter.
So, in lieu of the “adults shouldn’t read YA books” nonsense that’s been creeping up on booklr lately. I have one question for the people who hold that erroneous opinion.
What exactly makes an adult book?
Is it the sex? The violence? The middle aged couple whose relationship is on a brink of collapse because of the husband’s alcoholism and/or infidelity?
Is it the way the story is written? Less simplified language? Layered complex themes? More nuanced problems?
Perhaps it is the age of the protagonist?
Because there are plenty of Young Adult (YA) novels that deal with sex, sexual situations, both good and bad kind. Sure most don’t go into the details of genitalia placement, but most “adult” books don’t either. Many of them, just like YA novels, don’t contain sexual situations at all. So, it can’t be that, right?
I can say the same thing about violence. Actually, plenty of YA novels deal with graphic violence. Plenty of adult novels don’t.
Same thing about broken relationships… there are a ton of of YA novels that feature broken parental relationships, that feature drunk parents, abusive parents, that deal with relationship problems of young people.
And if you say it’s the way the story is written, well did you know that Shakespeare wrote his plays mainly for the uneducated masses? Sure, he’s considered high brow now … it’s probably all the dick jokes.
And I’m sorry, but have you read Hemingway? The man’s writing is the epitome of simplified, to paraphrase the man himself, “do you really think big emotions come from big words?”
For layered themes, look no further than Harry Potter. More nuanced problems? Oh, I’m sorry, have you read The Book Thief? Or perhaps To Kill a Mockingbird? Oh, oh, I know: The Diary of Young Girl by Anne Frank. And yes, those are considered Young Adult books. x
It’s the age, you say. Well, actually plenty of adult novels are told from the point of view of a child. While we’re on the topic of protagonists representing literature, did you know that when Animal Farm by George Orwell came out, it was put into the children’s section of the book stores because it featured talking animals instead of people? [because talking animals were primarily ever featured in children’s books — not because they thought communism was for kids, come on now]. He actually went from store to store to get them to move it to the adult section. x
Well, you make some good points you say, but that still doesn’t mean Harry Potter compares to War and Peace. Well, neither does it compare to In the Arms of a Duke, or any of the novels written by the authors like James Paterson who write for the general public (the reading level of which is ninth grade) but people have no trouble believing that adults can read them if they wish.
But somehow Young Adult novels are not complex, not nuanced, not good enough because they are primarily marketed towards young adults?
I think we all know that’s bullshit. There’s a word for people like you: a snob.
