Judith’s answer to “hi! Are there any explicit (violent/sexual) scenes in this book? Thanks!” > Likes and Comments
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Sometimes people ask questions like these because they have to avoid reading about those types of activities for their own mental wellbeing. Everyone's journey is different.
Obviously, I get that, but isn't the Q&A section supposed to be for people who want to ask interesting questions & discuss the books, not to warn people who are afraid to even read them?
The OP asked a question and got an answer so seems like an appropriate use of Q & A. Your language suggest you find the question uninteresting and that the OP is "afraid" of something which comes out pretty condescending.
Also she asked about the content of the book, not about the overall appropriateness of the literary use of violence so you answer is actually out of place as it does not answer the question asked at all.
ok, you're right, I'm out of place not answering the question & judging the book as a whole on its literary merit. I see now how condescending that is to those who only wish to avoid anything "explicit" in adult fiction.
Hi James, Your comment is valid. However digging a little deeper, I work in a library and sometimes there is a fine line between what is "appropriate" for a teen who is certainly on an adult reading level but the content is maybe a few years beyond them developmentally. So, while any situations written are powerful and an amazing part of the story, a parent needs to be able to get a feel for what developmental level the content is for. Gaming is of high interest to teens but like the movie rating systems, it's helpful to know more than just the "summary" info on the jacket cover.
All true, but I don't think this OP is a teen or a parent asking about "appropriateness." My comments address adults reading adult fiction, & yes this book has some adult content but listing it out of context gives the wrong impression.
How incredibly rude of you James -- you have no idea about the person asking this question. She didn't ask for your opinion about making violence and sex a consideration in evaluating the book and it is none of your business why this might be a trigger or something she doesn't want to read.
All true. But maybe adults with triggers could do the legwork & research the book in question on their own, read reviews & articles, etc. Listing all of the adult events in a book on GoodReads is kind of a spoiler.
The OP's question is VERY common on GoodReads. James, part of "do(ing) the legwork & research(ing) the book" is posting a question to the GoodReads community! I am a high school librarian and, outside of GoodReads, it is very difficult to find the kind of info the OP is requesting by simply "reading reviews & articles." Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly all list the book as Adult (not YA), but that doesn't automatically mean that it is inappropriate for high schoolers. Nothing in any of their reviews tells me what I need to know, which is how graphic the violence/sex is. I know it is a very subjective question, but if a lot of readers reply that a book is extraordinarily graphic and absolutely not for anyone under 18, I tend to trust those opinions, and the same if the opinions go the other way.
It's just too subjective & creates a skewed impression when "adult" events are listed in isolation, but it persists, usually asked by "adults" screening books for themselves, not to determine age appropriateness
Yes! I feel like some people are just looking for bad words or sex/violence without considering context or literary value.
Context/literary value is of no interest to anyone who asks this question, but a yes or no answer is enough...we don't need people listing every event they deem explicit.
Yes or no is actually not sufficient. And if you don’t understand why these topics could be a dealbreaker for reading a book, good for you. But these answers and how much information is given in them should not be determined by you. Because you’re not somebody who needs the content warning. Yes or no answers are useless to me because everybody perceives heavy content differently and triggers vary. For instance, a consensual relationship between a teacher and student probably wouldn’t trigger me but full SA would. It was hard to discern that with a different book because everyone perceived it differently. Sometimes it’s impossible to fully understand without getting more information or even spoilers. But that’s the readers’s choice. Don’t speak for everyone. Especially when this topic obviously is not an issue for you. Also, my reading has not been “limited” because I choose not to read about certain topics that will cause me distress. But thanks for your unsolicited opinion.
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Aug 19, 2022 08:23AM
Sometimes people ask questions like these because they have to avoid reading about those types of activities for their own mental wellbeing. Everyone's journey is different.
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Obviously, I get that, but isn't the Q&A section supposed to be for people who want to ask interesting questions & discuss the books, not to warn people who are afraid to even read them?
The OP asked a question and got an answer so seems like an appropriate use of Q & A. Your language suggest you find the question uninteresting and that the OP is "afraid" of something which comes out pretty condescending. Also she asked about the content of the book, not about the overall appropriateness of the literary use of violence so you answer is actually out of place as it does not answer the question asked at all.
ok, you're right, I'm out of place not answering the question & judging the book as a whole on its literary merit. I see now how condescending that is to those who only wish to avoid anything "explicit" in adult fiction.
Hi James, Your comment is valid. However digging a little deeper, I work in a library and sometimes there is a fine line between what is "appropriate" for a teen who is certainly on an adult reading level but the content is maybe a few years beyond them developmentally. So, while any situations written are powerful and an amazing part of the story, a parent needs to be able to get a feel for what developmental level the content is for. Gaming is of high interest to teens but like the movie rating systems, it's helpful to know more than just the "summary" info on the jacket cover.
All true, but I don't think this OP is a teen or a parent asking about "appropriateness." My comments address adults reading adult fiction, & yes this book has some adult content but listing it out of context gives the wrong impression.
How incredibly rude of you James -- you have no idea about the person asking this question. She didn't ask for your opinion about making violence and sex a consideration in evaluating the book and it is none of your business why this might be a trigger or something she doesn't want to read.
All true. But maybe adults with triggers could do the legwork & research the book in question on their own, read reviews & articles, etc. Listing all of the adult events in a book on GoodReads is kind of a spoiler.
The OP's question is VERY common on GoodReads. James, part of "do(ing) the legwork & research(ing) the book" is posting a question to the GoodReads community! I am a high school librarian and, outside of GoodReads, it is very difficult to find the kind of info the OP is requesting by simply "reading reviews & articles." Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly all list the book as Adult (not YA), but that doesn't automatically mean that it is inappropriate for high schoolers. Nothing in any of their reviews tells me what I need to know, which is how graphic the violence/sex is. I know it is a very subjective question, but if a lot of readers reply that a book is extraordinarily graphic and absolutely not for anyone under 18, I tend to trust those opinions, and the same if the opinions go the other way.
It's just too subjective & creates a skewed impression when "adult" events are listed in isolation, but it persists, usually asked by "adults" screening books for themselves, not to determine age appropriateness
Yes! I feel like some people are just looking for bad words or sex/violence without considering context or literary value.
Context/literary value is of no interest to anyone who asks this question, but a yes or no answer is enough...we don't need people listing every event they deem explicit.
Yes or no is actually not sufficient. And if you don’t understand why these topics could be a dealbreaker for reading a book, good for you. But these answers and how much information is given in them should not be determined by you. Because you’re not somebody who needs the content warning. Yes or no answers are useless to me because everybody perceives heavy content differently and triggers vary. For instance, a consensual relationship between a teacher and student probably wouldn’t trigger me but full SA would. It was hard to discern that with a different book because everyone perceived it differently. Sometimes it’s impossible to fully understand without getting more information or even spoilers. But that’s the readers’s choice. Don’t speak for everyone. Especially when this topic obviously is not an issue for you. Also, my reading has not been “limited” because I choose not to read about certain topics that will cause me distress. But thanks for your unsolicited opinion.
