Gavin Abdollahi 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?

Gavin Abdollahi I'm 15, and my dad had been holding me back from this book until recently. I can definitely see why now.
The book is a horrific eye-opener, graphic and…moreI'm 15, and my dad had been holding me back from this book until recently. I can definitely see why now.
The book is a horrific eye-opener, graphic and brutally unforgiving, and the fact that its both well-written and at the same time real and true only increases these facts.
Female and, more graphically and commonly, male children are raped by men, varying in age from teenagers to adults. The book revolves around the narrator's guilt of watching his innocent friend held down by two teenagers and violated by another, and doing nothing about it. Thrusting, groaning and clenching buttocks are used to describe the scene. Afterwards, drops of almost black blood fall from the boy's pants.
A member of the taliban buys children of both sexes from an orphanage and sexually abuses them. He brings a boy that he has bought into the room and makes him dance, then stands behind him and does things like rubbing his hand up and down the child's belly and nibbling hos ear while talking to his guest. To make the scene more disturbing, the boy has mascara on and is dressed in certain clothes and has bells attached to him. While this time around, sexual activity isn't described, it's obvious what this boy's purpose is.
There's a public execution via stoning, a body hanging in the middle of town, a golden ball shot into a man's eye by a child. A father wails over his dead son and pops a pistol into his mouth, causing a splash of red. A depressed child cuts his own wrists.
There is also strong language, like f*ck and c*nt and sh*t, as well as brief mebtions to making love.
All in all, this is a mature book, and one that haunts you, at that. Heck, it even made me afraid when I closed my eyes, made me fear that when I opened them the taliban would be there. Be careful when deciding whether or not a teen should read it.
(less)

flag

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more