MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Should threads in the recommendation forum contain spoiler warnings?

4691mls · 08-25-2021, 05:18 PM

I didn't want to further derail clopin2814's thread about The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The topic of spoilers pops up from time to time within such threads and I thought maybe it could use a separate discussion.

Someone in that thread asked for spoiler tags because they hadn't read the book yet. Someone else thought that since it's an old classic, spoiler warnings shouldn't be necessary.

I haven't read "Hunchback" and probably won't so I don't personally care about that specific thread - I just looked at it out of curiosity. However, I do think either "spoilers" in the title or spoiler tags within the thread would be useful. Otherwise, how would I know if it's going to be a detailed discussion of plot points, or just a more general recommendation for or against the book?

There are plenty of older books I haven't read. Maybe if someone on Mobileread wrote that they really enjoyed a particular book and gave some reasons why, but without any major spoilers, it would make me want to read the book (or not, if I didn't share the poster's taste.)

I'm curious how other people feel about this topic.

08-25-2021, 05:18 PM	#1
4691mls Wizard Posts: 2,776 Karma: 30081762 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: US Device: ALL DEVICES ARE STOCK: Kobo Clara, Tolino Shine 2, Sony PRS-T3, T1	Should threads in the recommendation forum contain spoiler warnings? I didn't want to further derail clopin2814's thread about The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The topic of spoilers pops up from time to time within such threads and I thought maybe it could use a separate discussion. Someone in that thread asked for spoiler tags because they hadn't read the book yet. Someone else thought that since it's an old classic, spoiler warnings shouldn't be necessary. I haven't read "Hunchback" and probably won't so I don't personally care about that specific thread - I just looked at it out of curiosity. However, I do think either "spoilers" in the title or spoiler tags within the thread would be useful. Otherwise, how would I know if it's going to be a detailed discussion of plot points, or just a more general recommendation for or against the book? There are plenty of older books I haven't read. Maybe if someone on Mobileread wrote that they really enjoyed a particular book and gave some reasons why, but without any major spoilers, it would make me want to read the book (or not, if I didn't share the poster's taste.) I'm curious how other people feel about this topic.