Last week I talked about a certain amount of prejudice that seems to exist in the minds of many adult readers when it comes to books written for teens. My complaint is that many adult readers of YA novels seem to either expect that the book will be flawed, or will readily excuse any flaws in the novel because of the target audience.
I will admit that not every YA book is a masterpiece. There will be books out there that do have their problems, and it's perfectly acceptable for a reader to voice their criticisms of the novel. However, we can very rarely can we chalk these flaws up simply to the book's target audience. It is important instead for readers to really think about and be able to define exactly what a book's problem's are when reviewing, discussing, or otherwise critiquing a YA (or any other) novel. This way they will not fall into the trap of immediately placing blame for a book's inadequacies on the perceived target audience.
Here are a few common critiques that I have seen made of YA books by adult readers. I will be attempting to define what is or is not productive about such comments and, if needed, explore alternative ways to more concretely express dissatisfaction with a novel:
"This book had its problems, but it's a YA novel so I kind of expected it."
Should you be making this comment: I hope not! I'm very sorry if you've had bad experiences with YA novels in the past, but please do not assume that all YA novels are poorly written. They're not.
Better ways to deal with this reaction: Unfortunately, there might not be a better way of expressing this type of reaction. But exactly why is it that you have such low expectations for this kind of book? If you find yourself making this comment frequently then it might be time for you to try some different YA novels. More on that to come in a future post.
"I was willing to let a few things go with this novel because it's a YA book."
Should you be making this comment: NO! It's perfectly fine if you decide to let a few minor flaws go with a book. Readers of all kinds - myself included - do this all the time. What is not okay with this kind of comment is the implied assumption that all YA novels will have problems or that it's somehow more acceptable for books written for teens to have these problems.
Better ways to deal with this reaction: "This book wasn't perfect, but I was willing to let the flaws go. Here are the flaws. Also, here are the things that I did like that really made this book work for me."
"Ugh, teenagers are so annoying. I hated the characters."
Should you be making this comment: NO! Teenagers as a whole should not grate on your nerves because no two teens - or teen characters in novels - are alike. This sort of broad generalization is a bit unfair to an entire demographic of very real people and fictional characters. It's fine if you didn't like the characters in one particular book. That happens. What's not okay is blindly assuming that all teen book characters are terrible.
Better ways to deal with this reaction: "I did not care for the characters in this book. Here's why."
"This book was nothing but teen angst."
Should you be making this comment: Probably not. Do you know what "angst" really is? It basically means that the character has an emotional situation that needs dealing with that is causing him/her some sort of duress, and it not exclusive to teenagers. Conflicts like this exist in books written for all ages, not just YA novels, and these sorts of concerns are necessary to drive the plot and create an interesting book. As with anything else there will be situations where angst is over or poorly used, but if you really try to put yourself in the character's shoes you'll see that most of the time their concerns have real foundation.
Better ways to deal with this reaction: Just be careful not to throw the word "angst" out there too readily. It's an apt word in some cases, but the phrase "teen angst" has such a negative connotation that it should not be used lightly. Try to understand the source of the "angst" before you critique it too harshly - a little understanding can make a situation seem more like "conflict" than "angst."
"I'm not a teenager, so I couldn't identify with the characters/plot/setting of this YA novel."
Should you be making this comment: I hope not! The vast majority of the conflicts and issues that teen characters are dealing with in YA novels actually apply to the adult world too - relationship woes, conflicts with family, dissatisfaction with the society we live in, trying to find one's place int he world, bullying, violence...the list goes on. Admittedly, a teenage character lacks the life experience that, say, a 40-year-old adult has when dealing with some of these problems, so they might go about it differently. This is an opportunity for the reader to really put on their empathy shoes and try to explore something that is unfamiliar. This should be exciting, not alienating.
Better ways to deal with this reaction: Before responding this way to a book, reflect on the situation that you had trouble identifying with. Really flex those empathy muscles and make an honest effort to try to understand whatever it is that initially seems so foreign to you. If you still feel alienated, then that's fine. It'll happen. But please keep an open mind and be open to discussion with someone who was better able to identify with the book.
The moral of the story: Be thoughtful. Be empathetic. Be open minded. If you've done all of these things and still find yourself unsatisfied with a book then that's fine. You don't have to like everything. But please make a sincere effort to try.
See also: Don't Discount YA Literature
See also: DDYL, Part III: Books to Try
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