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Andrea
I first read this book at age 12, and reread it every summer for many years. Certainly, the sex scenes caught my attention, but I think like many teenagers I learned about sex largely through books. Like others have said here, the answer to your question depends largely on the maturity of your 14 year old. I would tend to lean toward it being OK. Perhaps you could read it first/alongside your teen and answer any questions as they arise.
Crystal Balboni
I think 70% of this book is sexual. I found the adolescent sex topics and scenes terribly inappropriate and I am an adult.
Cvpakkē Burgess
Depends on the teen. I said worse at 14 than what is in this book. I'm sure your kiddo has said worse too. Teens are not as innocent as their parents think they are. I say go ahead and let your kid read it. If you'll let them read about violence(I'm looking at you Warriors), then why is sex considered worse?
Chessa
I would say it depends largely on the 14 year old. It's about different relationships women form throughout their lives, and the sexual awakening that people go through as teenagers is not a topic that is shied away from. It can be explicit, but not graphic. For example, both proper words and euphemisms are used throughout the novel, but the sex scenes are not anything like you would see in a Harlequin Romance type of book.
Cristina
I read this book for the first time when I was 13. Then, I read it a second time when I was 14, with a better understanding of what was happening. I think I learned a lot about sex through this book, but it certainly didn't have an impact on my behavior as I continued to grow up.
Had my mom known what this book was about, she probably would not have let me read it. But, as this book is much of a coming of age story, I look back on it fondly because I feel like it was a part of my coming of age as well.
Had my mom known what this book was about, she probably would not have let me read it. But, as this book is much of a coming of age story, I look back on it fondly because I feel like it was a part of my coming of age as well.
Melissa Archibald
It depends on your personal feelings regarding what sexual topics your child should be exposed to at what age. Sex and sexual exploration is in the book but it is there in order to reflect and discuss in an enlightened, thoughtful manner. I would say that the book handles the issues fo sex far better and more nuanced than anything available to a 14-year-old on television. I was 15 when I read it. While I was surprised by the presence of the material being in the book, the subject matter itself (sexual awakening, puberty, losing one's virginity) was not shocking at all. It spoke to me, and I suspect most teenagers, in a meaningful way.
Kerri
As a mom of a 15 year old, I would say absolutely not.
Iris
Yes totally. This book is simple and well written, and all of the sex scenes would definitely keep them interested. A book like this once in a while keeps the young-ins interested in the written word. Always a plus.
Dazedtrisha
It depends on the teen's maturity. There are some questionable bits in the novel but I probably would have read much worse when I was that age. It's all relative - there's mostly a sexual element that wouldn't be appropriate and the teen would likely not "get" it like an adult would.
Dorothy
This is something I would have enjoyed at fourteen or fifteen. Yes, there is sexual content, but there are also frequent emphases on safe sex, condom use, lube, etc. It's not inappropriate. As some of the commenters have said, fourteen-year-olds are often a lot less innocent than you think they are.
Shirley
I agree with Crystal. It is not appropriate for a 14 year old.
Laura
No. I first read it at 18. It definitely contain adult content. (As an adult, i love this book and have read it many times).
Vivian
I read this book for the first time when I was 15. My mom read it first to decide whether or not it was appropriate for me. It really depends on each individual teen. There's no real easy answer to this question.
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