Blogger confidential is a series of 12 questions asked to 11 bloggers about the nitty gritty details of blogging. Everything from what prompts a blogger to pick up a book, to what happens when a book doesn't live up to its hype. This series was inspired by Wastepaper Prose's Author Insight series.
If you feel inspired by any of these questions, leave your answer in the comments, or create your own post!
This week's question:
Fiction has become progressively edgier in recent years. Where do you as a reader draw the line?
"The best way I can answer this is that I don't really have a line. There's nothing that I will rule out really in a book as long as it's organic to the story and serves it well. Gratuitous violence and sex don't appeal to me and there are certain ideas I don't enjoy seeing, but if a story feels human and if it depicts life as it really is and is important to understanding the characters and the story, then it belongs in the book. I do think sometimes less is more, though. We have imaginations for a reason." Amy from My Friend Amy
"I honestly don't often put a book down but I do admit that when I'm considering a book to read the first thing I usually will do after getting my hands on it, is to flip through the pages quickly. I personally don't like books with an unusual amount of foul language or sex. If they pass the flip test without me noticing anything than usually I'm good. I have always liked "issue books" and I love that teens are able to find books that reflect their true lives. Where were some of these YA books when I was younger?!" Natasha from Maw Books
"It has. I recently read a book in which a minor is brutally gang raped and killed after having gotten drunk and drugged at an earlier party.
This was a young adult book. I understand the need to "relate" to younger readers, but I also feel there are quite a few topics better left for an older age or even just discussion within a family setting.
For me personally, it has more to do with my own morals and what I feel I can honestly read without being ashamed to have read it. For me, this means no erotica type books as well as books with too many intentionally violent scenes (ie. violence for the sake of having violence). There should be a purpose to have a scene in a book and a maturity accompanying it." Danielle from There's a Book
"I don't draw the line because I don't think I read particularly edgy books. I read what I like, and if that means it has cursing or sex or whatever, then I roll with it because I assume the author has put it in the book for a reason." Trish from Hey Lady! Watcha Reading?
"Hm. I’m not sure I agree that fiction in general has been getting “edgier” in recent years. Some of the grittiest, most avante garde stuff I’ve read was written back in the forties or the sixties, some of it even centuries before that. And, upon more recent re-readings, those books haven’t lost their punch over time. I often find myself amazed at the inventive and unprecedented things writers were doing before my time, before their own time, you might say. So I wouldn’t categorize today’s fiction as edgier than that of previous eras. Just different." Angie from Angieville
"I don't like to read books that have excessive cussing or teenage sex. I feel like it's distracting to the story, and often feel those books are lacking in actual storyline and have to make up for it by adding all of that content to make it appeal to teens." Andye from Reading Teen
"I’ve read many books that feature 'edgy' subjects that some say push YA’s limits, but, personally, I haven’t found my limit! I think it’s important to incorporate that edge because real life is not perfect and fluffy. There are sharp edges and pretending that they don’t exist doesn’t make them go away." Sara from The Hiding Spot
"I don't think there should be a line. Teens exist within a spectrum of experiences and behaviours. It doesn't cut off magically at one point because adults like to think it does. Cursing, drugs, sex, etc all happen in real life. If we draw a line then really important subject matter gets censored by authors or organisations with ulterior agendas. It's important to read stories about coming out, about teens breaking the law, of making mistakes and taking chances. We learn and grow from the mistakes we make - there's no line when it comes to mistakes. To only thing that matters is how well those stories are told." Adele from Persnickety Snark
"Umm, define "edgier"? I suppose more subjects are being broached in YA lit that were once taboo. I don't really have a problem with this, as long as the concept's done well; some of the edgy books strike important chords in some readers. I think I actually draw the line at the opposite end of the spectrum: trope-ridden, melodramatic, "tru luv" stories, usually of the theoretically gasp-inducing paranormal romance kind. *sigh*" Steph from Steph Su Reads
"I have no line, the edgier the better!" Pam from Bookalicious
"Honestly, I am not sure if I have a specific line that I draw. I personally do not mind sex, drugs, etc. in the novels that I read. However, for me, they have to have a point or a moral. For example, if I read a Young Adult novel and it has drug usage in it, I will not be turned off by the novel unless it is just there. Meaning the characters do Drug X for no other reason than they want to. But if the novel ties this usage into the story line somehow and makes it relevant, then as a reader, I understand why Drug X is being talked about. The same can be said about sex." Kate from The Neverending Shelf
