Holly Black

[Xanthe]

I read "Tithe", by her, back in the day. I liked it, but I find that I'm really not interested in the YA characters in general. Too far away from my own age that their dilemmas and angst no longer resonate. So since Black seems to concentrate on YA, I haven't read anything else by her.

So my rule of thumb is that if a book's protagonist is described as being aged 16 or 17, I normally ignore it, even if it's written by a favorite author who's now trying to skim some of that YA cash.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

I read "Tithe", by her, back in the day. I liked it, but I find that I'm really not interested in the YA characters in general. Too far away from my own age that their dilemmas and angst no longer resonate. So since Black seems to concentrate on YA, I haven't read anything else by her.

So my rule of thumb is that if a book's protagonist is described as being aged 16 or 17, I normally ignore it, even if it's written by a favorite author who's now trying to skim some of that YA cash.

Well written analysis, you wrote what I secretly think.

[pwalker8]

I've long enjoyed YA books and it's been a long, long time since I been close to the target age. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I've long enjoyed YA books and it's been a long, long time since I been close to the target age. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

I don't know. Sometimes I feel like these things should be discussed, but don't look at me. I'm too dumb to debate. However, I do feel that the live and let live policy has gone very far. You are entitled to your informed opinions. Lots of platitudes out there. The most popular is that 'if everyone liked the same things, the world would be duller.'

[gmw]

I am a long way out of the YA demographic, but I like some YA works very much. Of course some other YA books I find quite annoying - not a lot of middle ground. But then I also like some younger-reader works, as there are talented authors out there that can satisfy kids and adults at the same time.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

I read "Tithe", by her, back in the day. I liked it, but I find that I'm really not interested in the YA characters in general. Too far away from my own age that their dilemmas and angst no longer resonate. So since Black seems to concentrate on YA, I haven't read anything else by her.

So my rule of thumb is that if a book's protagonist is described as being aged 16 or 17, I normally ignore it, even if it's written by a favorite author who's now trying to skim some of that YA cash.

To me, it depends on the YA book. Some do not feel like YA books. Age doesn't matter. The story matters.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

To me, it depends on the YA book. Some do not feel like YA books. Age doesn't matter. The story matters.

The books that don't feel like YA books have something in them that shelters the reader from the usually bad writing of YA literature.

The first The Hunger Games book is an example of that. I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads. But I no longer collect YA books because the odds are stacked against me finding a hidden gem.

I remember during a Book of the Month discussion 4 years ago, someone took The Iron King by Julie Kagawa to read. He made a mistake. The actual author was Maurice Druon. The reader was wondering how such a book could be so bad...then he realized his mistake.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Luffy

I don't know. Sometimes I feel like these things should be discussed, but don't look at me. I'm too dumb to debate. However, I do feel that the live and let live policy has gone very far. You are entitled to your informed opinions. Lots of platitudes out there. The most popular is that 'if everyone liked the same things, the world would be duller.'

I'm not quite sure I understand what you are trying to say. Are you decrying reading YA books, or are you decrying different strokes for different folks?

Certainly, everything is up for debate (i.e. you are welcome to express why you don't think YA books are enjoyable as an adult) and there are limits to what I think are acceptable, so I would not tell someone who is a cannibal different strokes for different folks. I don't know that I think that the question of whither or not adults can enjoy YA books approaches that limit though.

[Luffy]

I'm just saying that I'm finding my stance against the YA genre, difficult to reconcile with different strokes' mantra.

It's also true that YA specialist authors, not themselves adolescents, try to cater to the adolescent, in a way that to me is clumsy and cheap.

This is a nasty side of me that comes to life only when I'm online and refuse to see subjectivity in literature. In real life, I couldn't care less.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Luffy

I'm just saying that I'm finding my stance against the YA genre, difficult to reconcile with different strokes' mantra.

It's also true that YA specialist authors, not themselves adolescents, try to cater to the adolescent, in a way that to me is clumsy and cheap.

This is a nasty side of me that comes to life only when I'm online and refuse to see subjectivity in literature. In real life, I couldn't care less.

I suspect the Sturgeon rule applies to YA books, i.e. 90% is crap. I think the better YA writers (Rowling, Riordan and Stroud to name some of the more famous ones) are very good, but since the demographic group as a whole tend to read a lot of books and aren't exactly sophisticated readers yet, much of it is fairly putrid.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I suspect the Sturgeon rule applies to YA books, i.e. 90% is crap. I think the better YA writers (Rowling, Riordan and Stroud to name some of the more famous ones) are very good, but since the demographic group as a whole tend to read a lot of books and aren't exactly sophisticated readers yet, much of it is fairly putrid.

clap clap clap! Thank you.

These days the YA genre is dominated by even more dubious but just as successful authors as Riordan. E.g. Maggie Stiefvater, V. E. Schwab, and Sarah J. Maas.

These authors have all books on Goodreads with 4.00+ ratings! My blood boils whenever I see a young reader in denial about their quality. Typically they might rate their book 3.5/5, then round it up to 4 stars. I've seen stuff like that for other genres too, but it's festering in the YA genre specially.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Luffy

These days the YA genre is dominated by even more dubious but just as successful authors as Riordan. E.g. Maggie Stiefvater, V. E. Schwab, and Sarah J. Maas.

These authors have all books on Goodreads with 4.00+ ratings! My blood boils whenever I see a young reader in denial about their quality. Typically they might rate their book 3.5/5, then round it up to 4 stars. I've seen stuff like that for other genres too, but it's festering in the YA genre specially.

Why do you care so much if other people like things you don't like? Don't read it and move on.

Sturgeon's Rule is that 90% of everything is crap. It's not confined to YA.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Luffy

clap clap clap! Thank you.

These days the YA genre is dominated by even more dubious but just as successful authors as Riordan. E.g. Maggie Stiefvater, V. E. Schwab, and Sarah J. Maas.

These authors have all books on Goodreads with 4.00+ ratings! My blood boils whenever I see a young reader in denial about their quality. Typically they might rate their book 3.5/5, then round it up to 4 stars. I've seen stuff like that for other genres too, but it's festering in the YA genre specially.

I find some highly rated "classics" to be crap. Does that mean I want ot top anyone esle from reading them? Nope. Iy means I won't be reading them. I will not read something I do not like. But if anyone else wants to read what I think is dreck, feel free.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I find some highly rated "classics" to be crap. Does that mean I want ot top anyone esle from reading them? Nope. Iy means I won't be reading them. I will not read something I do not like. But if anyone else wants to read what I think is dreck, feel free.

Some highly rated classics are crap. But like I said before, I only like to vent online. In real life, I will see if a recent series in YA, having become extremely ubiquitous, is worth the trouble or not. I am willing to give YA a chance. So far, I've been disappointed.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by meeera

Why do you care so much if other people like things you don't like? Don't read it and move on.

Sturgeon's Rule is that 90% of everything is crap. It's not confined to YA.

Have you tried to read the acclaimed YA books that are printed these days? That's the trouble with YA. Its most visible books are thrash.