Emma’s answer to “How old are the characters? (Yelana and Valek mainly)” > Likes and Comments

You say "predatory, illegal, and bordering on pedophillic."

As for illegal, I've just gone hunting and found https://www.ageofconsent.net/highest-..., which tells me that Bahrain's age of consent is 21 and South Korea's is 20. In any other jurisdiction in our early 21st c., 19 is old enough. As also, clearly, in the novel's civilization.

Moreover, up thru most of the 20th c. in America and England, thirties for the man and later teens for the girl (the word we used then) was absolutely unexceptionable. Of course "high-school sweethearts" and "going to college for her M R S degree", with little or no age difference, were also common models.

Even ignoring all that, "bordering on pedophilic" is just silly. That word applies to PRE-pubescent or barely pubescent children. The word you want is the less-used "ephebophilia"--attraction toward mid- to late teens. The psychiatrists don't consider that pathological, which is why the term is a lot less common. Given that in most of recorded history it's been societally appropriate for marriages in most if not all places, their position seems appropriate.

As for predatory, I haven't read the book yet. But surely it's a judgment that depends on Valek's actions, not on the age difference.

(Personal disclosure: I believe the above is affected little if at all by my own proclivities. I'm a gay man, and age dynamics work very differently between two guys.)

A thumbs up for George.

People have relationships 14+ years apart in modern times too, if it works for them, what does it matter? It's just 'age'. People who are in these relationships don't deserve any stigma nor your consternation -- whether it's a girl or a guy or a nonbinary that is younger. I get Yelena being 19 might make one take a little pause. It is young, but by no means too young for it to be illegal etc.

but why does it bother you so much though? @Emma. Yelena wasn't underage so.... I for one love Valek and Yelena.