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I typically only read YA, but this book has me intrigued. How 'adult' is this book?

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Rodzilla Depends. Sex and language? None if I remember. But there is strong violence that gets much stronger through the series.

It's always struck me as weird that people worry about their little tween or teen angels encountering some mild swearing or sex, at a level they inevitably encounter in school or from friends, but are OK with horrific violence (we're talking vivisection).

My wife is a developmental psychologist: the research shows that exposure to serious violence isn't developmentally appropriate for kids younger than teens, and is controversial even for younger teens. Modest sex and language are harmless to the development of a tween or older. But I get that people with certain world views find sex and language horrific, and violence to be routine. I just question that, is all.

Remember folks, the biggest variable is your kids' development is the friends they hang out with, not some book they read.
Sarah There's no "adult" content - no sex, no swearing, no drugs... It's fine for a YA audience.
Mr. Gillis The society in this book has a practice of raping women in the working class and then killing them. It is never described, but it is talked about. It depends on how comfortable you are with the topic.
I'm Booked I read this and I loved it, which made me contemplate when would be the appropriate time to share this with my very own YA reader. I guess I'll be the one to state the apparently unpopular opinion; not anytime soon.

Another reader stated that there are no sex scenes. I would have preferred to have read a hundred consensual sex scenes than the pervasive rape culture found throughout the book. One of the opening scenes has a young girl being torn from her family to be raped and murdered by the skaa plantation master and our very own heroine relives her perpetual fear of rape by her "crew members". It wasn't shown in explicit details so that makes it ok? Not at all. There might not be sex, but the violence in this book is both epic and prolific and it will do far greater harm to an impressionable young mind than a sex scene or an expletive ever could.
Wayward Skyril Is this not YA? I would completely classify it as YA.
Nadine in NY Jones There's nothing objectionable in this book, but I listened to the audiobook and I found when my kids were with me, they were completely bored by it, it's a much slower pace and much denser than most YA books (and I do read a lot of YA books also).
Julia Hörmayer I'm 16 and this is the best book I've ever read. I also only read YA, usually. You should 100% read it.
Kylea Watkins I'm 14 and really loved it but I'll read about anything. I read the Stormlight books too and those were super good.
M It's a bit violent. The writing style is easy to understand. But, the pacing of the book is much slower than most YA fiction that I've read. The intrigue is more subtle, too.
Samantha Depends your/your family's standards. Mild Language and Adult themes.
Rape is commonly talked about, because of the noblemen's tendency to take a skaa (slave) woman, rape her, and kill her in one night. There is also some language, but it's not chock full of it. It doesn't drop the f-bomb ever, if that's what you're worried about. Adult in terms of the standards of my family, but it may not be viewed as an adult novel because of it's genre and their own standards. Just be careful.
Max Francis Although there is a bit of violence, but nothing that a Young Adult can't read.
Michael Baziotis This book is no more objectionable than an episode of Spongebob Square Pants would be. Nor is it any more violent than an episode of the Transformers. That being said, it is NOT a cartoon, comic book or your typical YA novel.

The Final Empire will delight, thrill, and deeply move anyone from age 16 to 60. (and beyond). It's more magical than Harry Potter, easier to follow than Game of Thrones, as satisfying as The Shawshank Redemption. IMO The Final Empire, and the entire Mystborne series, is a GREAT read and the perfect 'introduction' to the literary genius that is Brandon Sanderson.
Spetz I'd never say it's 'adult'. Yes, there is some violence, but there is violence in Little Red Riding Hood too, and no one would classify it as 'adult'.
This also applies to anything we may call 'mature'. It appears, but its made 'childish'.
Jeremy There is violence and that's about it. It's more that the violence in some parts is kinda dark and a little graphic. I just skipped over those parts and I was listening to it, so it's not like you'll miss anything.
KyraB Why???? What does it matter? Worried about offending your delicate sensibilities? if a book sounds good, read it.
Eragon I Have Read this and I think that the only thing that is adult is a conversation with vin and a few people about "bedding a women" In the first book...
Eowyn It's good for both adults and teens. I'm 14 and I love it. The two most important characters are teenagers. No sex, a normal level of violence. No problems at all.
Marina L Reed I don’t really think there is a great difference between a lot of YA adult books and adult books. In fact, I sometime think a YA book is more intricate. Adults tend to work harder at a book, but if you can grab and hold that attention of a younger reader...wow. That’s a book I want to read. If the subject holds interest...give it a try and see if it holds you.
Boy Blue It's not adult. Most definitely YA. Mainly in writing style. Some of the themes are probably quite adult but then children are exposed to so much more now than they were before the internet, smart phones, tv etc.
Elias It actually is YA now. The publisher reclassified it (here in America at least) for some reason.
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