Tagged: romance
Some Thoughts on the YA Genre
Today I’m taking a break from book reviews so I can post this. But don’t worry, the daily reviews will continue running regularly on Friday again.
1) It isn’t only limited to teenagers.
Both tweens and adults read YA fiction as well as teenagers because some of its themes are universal: love, belonging and trust, to name a few. I mean, how many adults do you see reading Twilight, The Hunger Games or Harry Potter? A fair few adults read YA fiction because if it is written well, it can be enjoyed on many different levels.
2) When it’s bad, it’s really bad. Conversely, when it’s good, it’s really good.
YA fiction, to me at least, can be a genre of extremes. It is usually really good or really bad, with very few books falling in shades of grey. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. When a YA book is bad, it goes the whole nine yards: poor writing, one dimensional characters, a slow plot, you name it. But when a YA book is good it has excellent writing, three dimensional characters and an interesting plot.
3) It has so much romance!
Pretty much every single YA book I’ve read has had romance in it. But then, it sort of makes sense because teenagers deal with romance in their daily lives. Romance isn’t by nature bad (far from it), but it can get tiresome, especially when I read a book that focuses heavily on the romance while neglecting characterization, plot and world-building. Maybe this is just me, though.
4) It can be life-changing.
Books were no doubt my greatest influence. They brought me to new, exciting worlds; helped me escape into the skin of a braver character; taught me things I never would have known otherwise and most of all, gave me a more well-rounded view of life. When I was being bullied for being an above-average student (among other things), I could read Artemis Fowl and feel empowered. When I was fighting with my weight, I would read Uglies and feel good about myself. So many books have changed my life that it would take forever to list them all. Good YA fiction can help teenagers learn more about life, which is why I wish they would cover more of it in school. It would keep more people engaged than reading and over-analyzing Shakespeare or Chaucer.
5) It is one of the fastest-growing genres.
There are more YA books than ever out there! People have finally realized that teens actually, you know, like to read. The market for YA fiction is growing, as demonstrated by big publishers like Harlequin, Simon & Schuster and many, many more running specialized teen lines. This, of course, goes along with the general trend of marketing to tweens and teens specifically. But hey, at least teens are finally having a voice in literature that’s not about to go away any time soon.
These are just five things I’ve noticed about the YA genre in general. What have you noticed about the YA genre? Is its expansion a good thing? What are your favourite YA books?
Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
(Cover picture courtesy of On the Bookshelf.)
Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit in to Jessica Packwood’s senior-year “get a life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchanged student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But Jessica has never even been kissed—how can she possibly commit herself to a long-term relationship? Or an eternal relationship, for that matter?
When I first started reading this book, I thought it would be another YA novel that jumped on the Twilight bandwagon. Boy was I wrong!
Beth Fantaskey’s novel is the thought-provoking, yet semi-hilarious story of Jessica Packwood, a high school girl just starting her senior year. Her plan is to get a life and become popular, but things go horribly wrong when the European exchange student, Lucius Vladescu, shows up on her doorstep, bringing back dark secrets from Jessica’s past. Jessica is really a Romanian vampire princess who was betrothed to Lucius at birth. Throughout her senior year, Lucius helps Jessica build up her confidence and they slowly fall in love.
Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side is a wonderful novel that stands out from the hundreds of other vampire novels. My favourite part of it is when we get to see Lucius’s correspondence with his uncle back in Romania. They offer a great insight into his personality, especially his rapier wit. Although there are many great things about this novel, there is one thing I do not like. Jessica takes a very, very long time to believe Lucius is a vampire, even when there are huge clues all around her. Maybe it’s just me, but when someone shows you fangs that weren’t there before and the people who have taken care of you since birth tell you this person is a vampire, I would clue in to the fact that things are not all that they seem.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
(Cover picture courtesy of Glamour Glory.)
Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They ruled before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women.
The White Queen tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition, who secretly marries the newly crowned boy king. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become the central figures in a famous unsolved mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the lost princes in the Tower of London. Philippa Gregory brings the artistry and intellect of a master writer and storyteller to a new era in history and begins what is sure to be another best-selling classic series from this beloved author.
When I received The White Queen as a late birthday present from my best friend, I was a bit skeptical. Historical fiction had bored me up to that point, but Philippa Gregory’s amazing novel forever changed my attitude toward it.
The White Queen is the tale of Elizabeth Woodville, a woman who is recently widowed and fighting for her two sons’ inheritance. She meets the boy king Edward and immediately sparks fly. A whirlwind romance, battle and secret marriage later, Elizabeth becomes Queen of England. Philippa Gregory’s amazing novel chronicles the life of an extraordinary woman who was a secret force behind politics in the late 15th century England.
Elizabeth is a very believable, complex character who makes a wonderful narrator. Her motivations vary throughout the novel, yet she is still sympathetic and readers will root for her the whole time. She truly comes alive in Philippa Gregory’s vivid descriptions of life in 15th century England and the multifaceted politics of the time. There is certainly a reason why Philippa Gregory is known as the queen of royal fiction.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
(Cover picture courtesy of Kristin Cashore’s blog.)
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.
When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.
She never expects to become Po’s friend.
She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away…
Kristin Cashore’s debut novel is a well-written, emotionally resonant, fast-paced and surprisingly addicting masterpiece. Katsa is a strong protagonist who does not just live for romance, as many YA characters do, but falls in love with prince Po by accident. Even when she has to leave Po and go off on her own, she does not fall to pieces like a helpless damsel. Instead, she rises to the challenge and brings down the villain.
Graceling is set in a well-developed world of enchanting beauty and petrifying horror. It is full of light and dark and characters like Katsa, Po, Raffin, Leck and Bitterblue reflect this balance very well. They have realistic motivations and are three-dimensional, which is more than I can say for many characters in young adult fiction. Not only is the world believable and the characters are three dimensional, the plot is intriguing. Graceling starts out like a typical YA novel, but Kristin Cashore throws in interesting and unexpected plot twists that keep you hooked until the end.
If you’re looking for well-written and very interesting YA novel for slightly older teens, Graceling is certainly the book for you.
I give this book 5/5 stars.