Young Adult Genre: Not just for young adults?
This is my first guest post ever and before I get started on my topic of the day, I just want to thank Ashley from Truth about Books by A Fae for inviting me to write for her blog!
So. My topic is actually a question that I’m going to answer: Why are so many people who aren’t young adults, reading the Young Adult genre?
Well, the answer that comes to mind first is that the Young Adult genre has a little bit (or a lot of bit) of what we’re all looking for. If you’ve ever branched out and read middle school grade books or New Adult or even Adult books, you might see what I mean.
Middle School grade books usually don’t have the substance that older people are looking for. They can be funny or enjoyable, but kind of like tea that just isn’t hot enough.
In my research (meaning books I’ve (tried) to read), New Adult and Adult books usually consist of two things: sex and unrealistic reality. If you don’t enjoy that kind of thing, good luck. It’s rather difficult to find a book in New Adult or Adult that doesn’t have x-rated scenes in it and crazy occurrences like seeing a man/woman/alien for the first time and falling in ‘love’ (translated to ‘lust’) immediately. You either get a book that makes you want to take a shower or a book that has you thinking Am I reading about nuns?? (No offense to nuns) The sweet spot in the middle, where the book is sweet and cute with some kissing and genuine love, is a challenge to find. But with Young Adult?
The Young Adult genre has everything. Romance that most people can enjoy, fantasy that makes you forget that you have to leave the clouds when the book ends, science fiction that explores more than just wink-wink-biology, adventure that makes you wish you lived on the edge a little more, dystopian novels where you’re suddenly leading a rebellion, and so much more. Even though the Young Adult genre is technically for young adults (who knew?), it really can speak to everyone. Plus, Young Adult books are basically the link to time travel: who doesn’t want to put themselves in the shoes of a teenager again?
Written by Paige Turner @ Between Reality
We wanted to take the time to thank Paige for her guest post with us. We encourage our readers, especially those who enjoy YA fiction, to also visit her site for more reviews. Thanks Paige!
It’s so true! YA is more escapist whereas Adult Fiction feels more like an exploration of the art of writing. I love YA. It’s just SO FUN!
I think you’re right on the money, Paige. During my senior year of high school I tried to get into “adult” books, because I thought that’s what I was supposed to start reading at age 18, and ran into a lot of the things you mention.
I’d also argue that a lot of “adult” books don’t offer a lot of character development or change. Most of the characters are set in their ways and aren’t really challenged to grow. They just have to survive the book, which makes it hard to invest in them. (I think Romance is often an exception, but I have a whole article on the way about that.)
In addition, with the acceptation of what might be considered classical literature, most adult books don’t challenge readers very much. They’re just a break from everyday life and not much else. The books that have engaged my brain the most have been young adult, most notably Neal Shusterman’s “Unwind” series and the “Hunger Games” trilogy.
Not to say all YA is awe-inspiring, because I’m sure there are plenty of bad YA books, but as a genre, I feel like it has more potential to push the envelope and create memorable stories and characters.
Great debut article, Paige. I hope to see more of you around “Truth About Books.” 🙂
Thank you again for the chance to write a guest post for your blog! I appreciate you reaching out to me and I’m glad we got to work together! Don’t hesitate to contact me about anything else!!