MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Why are YA novels immediately recognizable as YA novels?

haertig · 06-02-2019, 03:07 PM

What makes YA (Young Adult) novels immediately recognizable?

I don't mind reading them - I'm reading one now. But I was just pondering, what is it that defines these novels? When you start reading, within the first paragraph, you can usually tell it is YA. Why is that? Is it the wording? The tone? The characters? I can't put my finger on it. All's I can say is that when you start reading one, you definitely know you are reading one, right from the very beginning.

It's kind of like in decades past, if you turned on the TV and happened across a soap opera, you immediately knew it was a soap opera and not some other drama program. Something about the set lighting, the way the characters interacted - something that you "just knew", but couldn't necessarily describe.

I feel the same way about YA novels. You "just know", but I can't tell you why you just know. Has anyone been able to put a finger on it?

06-02-2019, 03:07 PM	#1
haertig Wizard Posts: 1,897 Karma: 31522252 Join Date: Sep 2017 Device: PW3, Fire HD8 Gen7, Moto G7, Sansa Clip v2, Ruizu X26	Why are YA novels immediately recognizable as YA novels? What makes YA (Young Adult) novels immediately recognizable? I don't mind reading them - I'm reading one now. But I was just pondering, what is it that defines these novels? When you start reading, within the first paragraph, you can usually tell it is YA. Why is that? Is it the wording? The tone? The characters? I can't put my finger on it. All's I can say is that when you start reading one, you definitely know you are reading one, right from the very beginning. It's kind of like in decades past, if you turned on the TV and happened across a soap opera, you immediately knew it was a soap opera and not some other drama program. Something about the set lighting, the way the characters interacted - something that you "just knew", but couldn't necessarily describe. I feel the same way about YA novels. You "just know", but I can't tell you why you just know. Has anyone been able to put a finger on it?