To answer questions about
The Goblin Emperor,
please sign up.
Mighty
I plan on giving it to my 11 year old, she would love it. I will admit that her reading level is beyond the 12th grade, which is why it is so hard to find good adult level fantasy novels that are appropriate enough for the lower maturity level. This is one that I find will work with her maturity level.
Carolyn
Agreeing with Sundayscat, it depends on the reading level of the child. I think especially for a tween, the plot of an 18 year old and 14 year old thrust into positions of responsibility for which they are not prepared and with parents on whom they cannot rely would probably be appealing. I know it would have been for me at that age. Actual violence is minimal and non-graphic, although the threat of violence and its ripple effects spread throughout the novel. Also, even though "maza" probably translates to mage, there is nothing of the occult in this book that can be so mentally scarring for a child. Honestly I think the biggest barrier would probably be some of the abstruse language, but older readers continually underestimate kids' abilities to pick up languages and write their own, so I really don't think that's any major concern.
Robin
Thank you for your feedback. I just finished it myself and I agree with you.
prcardi
Graphic violence is sparse, vulgar language is limited to an expletive or two, and there is no crude humor or overt sex. <spoiler> There is one scene where a female character offers her body to a male character. There is some discussion from the male character's point of view of his ignorance in the matters of sex and of a guardian's instruction to him not to make any babies. There is also a brief discussion of their virginity and the awkwardness it would have caused had they followed through with the experience. </spoiler> The main difficulty an advanced 11/12 year old would have in reading this is the proliferation of awkward and similar-sounding fantasy names. I'm not sure they could keep track of the characters without undue frustration.
Sundayscat
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Medford Book
I think it depends on the child. For mature children like my daughter who is 11, this book is the perfect fit. For immature teenagers the central theme of responsibility will be hard to grasp. I know it was for my 19 year old son at least.
Heather J.
The names and relationships are pretty complicated = a middle or high school student might find them too difficult. They're hard to keep track of - every name is four syllables long and appears in more than one form. It reminded me of various Russian novels. The family relationships and clans get pretty muddled, too.
Sidhe Prankster
This is an excellent book, but whether it would be a good fit for your young 11 or 12 year old depends upon his or her reading level and maturity. While there is no superfluous inappropriate content-- only a couple of mild swear words, and one scene with slight sexual references-- this is not what I would consider a juvenile novel despite some readers classifying it as Young Adult. The narrative revolves far more around court intrigue and sociopolitical issues than around adventure. The language is old-fashioned, similar to that of the early fifteenth century, and may be a little too hefty for most preteen readers. However, I am well aware that there are many advanced readers among young adolescents. If your 11 or 12 year old enjoys reading things such as historical biographies of royals like Queen Elizabeth I, classics such as the works of Jane Austen, and Shakespearean drama, he or she will enjoy this book. (In fact, in that case, I would certainly recommend it.) If, however, you are looking for something a bit more simplistic and filled with high adventure, this may not be the best choice. Percy Jackson this is not. I hope that helps!
Deanna
I think it's appropriate, but I agree that the names are confusing. The explanatory material at the back of the book is helpful, if you are aware it's there. If reading on Kindle, the X-ray feature helps keep the characters straight.
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