badmanmadmansadman t1_ja78dy1 wrote
Reply to comment by 137-trimetilxantin in YA novels weak these days by [deleted]
Literally at the fault of Harry Potter. The whole market use to be just different bizarre fantasy novels all competing to be the next big thing. And I feel like when there was an influx and push for those books it was kinda fun. Yah you had your copy cats with witches or vampires to mirror twilight.. but there was a huge sense of being different and there where so many different Types of fantasy settings to be lost into. World building was a huge focus. High stakes with passionate characters. Who has unusual aspects of their respective worlds.
Griffen_07 t1_ja7e40j wrote
There still is on the adult side. The problem is that the YA side is more geared to simple and blunt. If you are willing to read older books most of epic and adventure fantasy used to be about the teen from nowhere that saved the world.
badmanmadmansadman t1_ja7eqou wrote
I guess I gotta grow up and check out some adult novels then.
Griffen_07 t1_ja7g13q wrote
It's not growing up so much as sidestepping. The space that YA now fills used to be a part of the adult section. It's just that Potter showed how much money you could make explicitly marketing to teens. Since most American adults read at around the 6th grade level the normal level of complexity doesn't change across age groups. All you are changing is the trope set.
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