Esteryn answers “Is this a YA book? If not is there...”

B asked this question about The Kite Runner:

Is this a YA book? If not is there anything in it that makes it inappropriate for teens?

Esteryn As people said, it mostly depends on the reader's sensitivity and personal background.

It IS graphic and disturbing but maybe the best thing to raise …moreAs people said, it mostly depends on the reader's sensitivity and personal background.

It IS graphic and disturbing but maybe the best thing to raise awareness (and thus prevent teenagers getting abused) and care / respect (between teens and towards victims of abuse) is to talk about these things to teenagers rather than to hide them.

There really should be some talk with young readers though because some elements (child sexual abuse, domestic almost treated like slaves, racism, sexism etc) are very chilling and realistic and it is best to talk about these things in order to fight them. And honestly, though the book is sold as a beautiful friendship, i saw no friendship in this story, on the contrary, i was most shocked by this supposed friend's attitude toward Hassan than by his haters, because well, he trusted his friend. It's more an abusive relationship throughout with just a bit of brightness at the end but imo, it does not make up for all the horror before. And that is something that would deserve to be underlined, that it is not a right way to behave (treat people as inferiors, abuse them and so on as teenagers are often confronted to bullying, either as victims or perpetrators)(less)

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