J.K.Rowling's lst "adult novel"...anybody read it?

DDD

Well-Known Member
I only read one Harry Potter although many in the extended family read them all, went to the movies, etc. Although I admired her creativity Harry's life was too far out for me, lol. This week I checked out The Casual Vacancy, her first adult novel. I enjoyed the weekend read BUT I was surprised by how many four letter words and adolescent sexuality isues were included in the storyline.

Even tho the book cover has an X on it, I keep wondering how many youngsters will pick up the book at the library when they see the authors name and then be exposed to inappropriate knowledge. I am assuming the the Harry Potter series was devoid of sex. Then again, lol, I didn't read the series. Very interesting. DDD
 

Dixies_fire

Member
Hmm of two minds about your post.

I'm a big reader.
I didn't read Harry Potter so I can't comment on that but I'm sure you are familiar with the size of those books I only ever saw one child actually read those books. And she was close to 12. I saw teenagers read them and adults but not kids. Of course I saw kids at the movie theater.

I don't think sex or four letter words are much mystery to even the earliest teenage. Even if they don't have direct experience there is probably someone in their peer group that does.
Cable is often much worse them what you will find in a book. If you stay up past 10pm channels like Comedy Central and cartoon network get very graphic with their language.

As a reader and as someone who began devouring adult books at 10 or 11. One of the reasons I read so much is because no one fussed at me about what I was reading within limits. I'm sure someone would of said something if I was reading mein kampf or the joy of sex. I was extremely sheltered and pretty much was dragged into church four days a week and was only allowed to watch Disney or the family channel. My books weren't censored and I gained a better grasp on what real life was about.

I understand that it hurts many parents hearts to get that their child is growing up but I'd rather them find sex in a book then the tv screen and I'd rather them hear curse words while wading through a 500 page book than hearing it on cheap reality tv.

Just my two cent
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
Interesting, Dixie. The adult novel has 503 pages, by the way, and my view likely is a little strange since I am older than dirt.
on the other hand, the television programs have changed radically in the past twenty years and I do honestly think it is a shame. The kids were not limited to Disney (both generations included) but to this day we don't "do" HBO etc. because I am not comfortable with watching or listening to people do/say things that I would not be comfortable with in person. All eight children understood sex, birth control etc. etc. by middle school BUT also knew that people who used vulgar words were usually ignorant and those who did vulgar things were to be pitied. LOL!

I'm not heading a committee to burn the author at the stake (so to speak) but I just think it's weird that adolescents in heat are entwined into her first novel. She's obviously talented, gifted AND dedicated to causes that benefit children...even so, LOL, I think it's strange. DDD (Dixie born and raised, by the way)
 

Wiped Out

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Haven't read it and don't necessarily plan on it, however, I loved the Harry Potter books. I saw many children read them-lots of my 4th and 5th graders read and loved them. My easy child/difficult child loved them and started reading them in the 3rd or 4th grade.
 

Dixies_fire

Member
I think it's kind of odd since it's purported to be an "adult novel" but it seems like everyone wants to follow the party line these days in books. Started with Harry potter went to twilight which is young adult fiction hunger games another young adult fiction there's a whole section of books that are pretty much carbon copies of any of those books. Teen females seem to be driving the market. Also 50 shades of grey was fan fiction of twilight. Was horribly written and had very little value jmo but it was a major seller and they are supposed to be
Making it into a movie. The very fact that they can make a movie that is totally about sex and not call it porn seems a little ridiculous to me.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
Totally agree on 50 shades. I did read it and truthfully I didn't find it titalating or memorable. To me Forever Amber was more exciting, lol. DDD
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
I read all of the Harry Potter series and really enjoyed them. I was very pleased that she kept the foul language and sex out of them. Tbh, I think she started writing the last several books with the adult in mind, since we were all reading them.

OTH, 50 shades was irritatingly juvenile, considering the content. I never got past the first half of the book. Bleh.
 

muttmeister

Well-Known Member
I read all of the Harry Potter books. As a retired teacher, I can tell you that there were a LOT of kids who read all of them. Not all teenagers either. She did a great service in getting kids to READ an actual book with no pictures and more then 50 pages.

Also read her new one for book club. It was OK but not wonderful.

I don't think that, just because you've written books for kids before, that means you have to always write for kids. Many authors have done both. Frankly, having read the new book, even though there is some stuff in there I wouldn't recommend for younger kids, they are exposed to much worse if they watch TV or play video games or even listen to a lot of music.
 

SuZir

Well-Known Member
I haven't read a new book yet. May read if I happen to see it on one of my library visits. I have read Potters so have both of my sons as have most of their friends. With difficult child I read two first for him (he already knew how to read, but those times before his bedtime and him sitting on my lap and me reading to him were far too precious for me to stop just because he learned to read himself ;)) and rest he read himself. I think that Deathly Hallows was the first book he ever read in English. Made really a difference to his English skills at that time. He was 14 and it was still quite a challenge for him to read something like that in English. easy child is that much younger that he only read translations, but difficult child didn't want to wait with last one.

I enjoy fantasy literature a lot, but Potters have always been just okayish for me. Especially with later ones I thought they could had used some serious editing. Victim's of their own popularity i guess. That is why I'm not too interested about Rowling's new book either.

I don't mind coarse language on my books or tv. Neither sex, if it is not boring. I do get bored if it seems that only thing they try to do is faze you with those. I mean, I know quite a many worse words than f*** or c***. I'm not entertained by someone just saying that. Also sex for sake of sex is something I enjoy when I'm having it, not when I'm watching or reading it. I haven't read 50 shades at all. I mean, I read Marquis de Sade's books when I was thirteen or fourteen and was bored. I somehow don't think I'm going to be too entertained by badly written (what I have heard) modern version of soft porn now in my early forties.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
the author was Kathleen Winsor or Windsor??? It is not a new book but I enjoyed it decades and decades ago. DDD
 
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