Quote:
Originally Posted by DiapDealer
As an Adult Adult, I've enjoyed many works that were labeled as YA, and I've disliked many works that probably should have been labeled YA and weren't (and every scenario in between). But unlike the other (sub)labels out there, never once have I thought to myself, "Hey, I think I'm in the mood for some YA."
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Do you often pick up a YA book on purpose, *because* it is marketed as YA?
The closest I've ever come is when the summary firmly establishes it in one of the classic genres.
Where I find the tag most amorphous is that something like John Ringo's early DARK TIDE RISING series ticks off enough of the standard marketing flags that if BAEN wanted to market them as YA for 16 year olds none could deny them. As in:
- dystopian post-apocalyptic setting? check
- unusual cute young female protagonist (tall gun-crazy 14 year old)? check
- abundant "fantasy" violence? check
- simple linear narrative? check
- teenager leads adults? check
It's only in the latter volumes that the narrative refocuses primarily on the parents.
BAEN is too honorable to market the series as anything but a post-apocalyptic technothriller but nothing prevents them passing it off as YA. I see that as an issue with the tag, not the books.
For that matter, the books that launched the tag, TWILIGHT and HUNGER GAMES, have nothing in common beyond a young protagonist and selling by the boatload, with one being a good thoughtful book and the other...
Anybody who picks up TWILIGHT expecting HUNGER GAMES depth is in for a shock.