What makes compelling YA fiction for you as an adult?
Jun 3, 2019 10:46:17 GMT 10
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Post by Idleness on Jun 3, 2019 10:46:17 GMT 10
So I've tried reading a few really well reviewed YA books lately and just kind of lost interest in them really quickly. Obviously they do it for their target audiences, judging by the effusive reviews on Goodreads, but for me they were just missing something. So I started thinking about TP's works and why I keep coming back to them and keep enjoying them as an adult, apart from the comfort factor of the familiarity of well loved stories from when I was younger.
And I think I've hit upon it.
TP's works have such rich supporting casts of realistic adults, who who fill a wide range of roles from mentors and parent-like figures to antagonists. These adults seem to be missing from a lot of the YA I've attempted to read lately, where the main characters are young, the antagonists too are also often young or "youth-adjacent", and there are fewer adult characters.
The presence of the adults in TP's work just tempers some of the excess of youthful drama, particularly the adults who act as mentors and role models that help guide the young protagonists. Think Duke Baird patiently dealing with Neal's drama while tending to Kel's broken nose. Or Coram gruffly trying to tell Alanna that life will be easier if she accepts some basic facts after she has the meltdown over her budding breasts. Or Eleni helping Alanna dress up while keeping her opinions to herself about why she thought Alanna was all of a sudden interested in looking feminine. Everything Myles does for Alanna. Onua helping Daine see how selfish she was being by not letting her friends fight if that's what they really wanted to do. Raoul giving Kel advice about the best way to speak to the King after Joren's trial. They don't necessarily stop the youthful protagonists from making mistakes, but they're there with their experience to help them figure things out or look at a problem a different way, and to grow.
When I read TP's books when I was younger, I was definitely identifying with the younger characters. But now, I really, really appreciate the adults surrounding them and the mature perspectives they've been given.
What about you guys?
And I think I've hit upon it.
TP's works have such rich supporting casts of realistic adults, who who fill a wide range of roles from mentors and parent-like figures to antagonists. These adults seem to be missing from a lot of the YA I've attempted to read lately, where the main characters are young, the antagonists too are also often young or "youth-adjacent", and there are fewer adult characters.
The presence of the adults in TP's work just tempers some of the excess of youthful drama, particularly the adults who act as mentors and role models that help guide the young protagonists. Think Duke Baird patiently dealing with Neal's drama while tending to Kel's broken nose. Or Coram gruffly trying to tell Alanna that life will be easier if she accepts some basic facts after she has the meltdown over her budding breasts. Or Eleni helping Alanna dress up while keeping her opinions to herself about why she thought Alanna was all of a sudden interested in looking feminine. Everything Myles does for Alanna. Onua helping Daine see how selfish she was being by not letting her friends fight if that's what they really wanted to do. Raoul giving Kel advice about the best way to speak to the King after Joren's trial. They don't necessarily stop the youthful protagonists from making mistakes, but they're there with their experience to help them figure things out or look at a problem a different way, and to grow.
When I read TP's books when I was younger, I was definitely identifying with the younger characters. But now, I really, really appreciate the adults surrounding them and the mature perspectives they've been given.
What about you guys?