message 1: by [deleted user] (new)
I'm not sure what age I need to bet to read this
I was when i read it, it seemed okay to me!
message 5: by [deleted user] (last edited Apr 30, 2013 12:25AM) (new)
Allwin wrote: "around 15 and above.. because of contents of incest, beheading etc."
i'm 14 so I am not sure. I have read books like the hunger games all Cassandra Clare books, the harry potters and twilight.
Should I still read the game of thrones series????
message 7: by [deleted user] (new)
Arienn wrote: "I've read hunger games too and that's not even near as crazy as game of thrones. Game of thrones is really graphic and it goes into detail. It's got incest-which scarred me for life! Other than tha..."
Would a 14 year old be able to handle the graphic and detail.
message 9: by [deleted user] (new)
Arienn wrote: "Hmm... Well I'm 15. I was...okaaay...with it. Personally, I dont think so, but try it out."
Thanks I have a whole pile of books to read anyway, I just wanted to know what other people thought of it and what age it's suitable for. I'll give it a try.
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Ashleigh wrote: "I agree with Arienn. Give it a go. I think if you feel ready you will be okay."
Thanks Ashleigh
i'm 14 so I am not sure. I have read books like the hunger games all Cassandra Clare books, the harry potters an..."
Lachlan wrote: "Allwin wrote: "around 15 and above.. because of contents of incest, beheading etc."
i'm 14 so I am not sure. I have read books like the hunger games all Cassandra Clare books, the harry potters an..."
Well more than age it is how you deal with it, if such topics doesn't offend you a lot. Go ahead and read it. At least you know what to expect.
I was surprised because Martin spent more time describing the honey dripping down men's beard's then the sex scenes. My son quickly informed me of the series on HBO.
So the book, I'm with 14 easily. The series...that's up to your ability to keep censorhip over what your kids watch! Good luck
Glad you agreed!
Should books have ratings like the MPAA film-ratings for movies?
I think if we applied the MPAA ratings to this book then I'd give it an R rating and the show would be NC-17.
It's different because of the structure of the books. The book has many POVs and several story arcs, not to mention lots of inner dialogues. There are just so many complex layers. I think the producers and writers did an excellent job with the adaptation and I'm glad the author picked them.
With LOTR, for example, it is much easier staying true to the books because all you have to do is show Frodo taking his ring to Mount Doom, on the way run into some orcs, elves, dwarves, a strange creature, a good wizard, a bad wizard, spend millions on special effects and... done.
PS Don't get me wrong, I love LOTR, but I had to straw-man it to make the point :)
This is an adult series, it's nothing like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. The sex compared to these books IS graphic. There are also many controversial themes like Incest, Homosexuality, Murder, Debauchery, and War.
Not to mention graphic detail of the creation of Eunuchs, rape (further into the series), sexual slavery, prostituion, and torture. Not to mention extreme mysogyny.
Beheadings are the most pleasent ways to die in this series.
I'm not trying to insult your reading level or comprehension, but as a former
14 year old, these novels are a bit much. The convoluted sexual themes alone would concern me at your age because it's a formative time for that part of your brain.
A good way to judge if you should be reading these novels or not is if you could openly discuss some of the more graphic content comfortably with your parents. If you feel at all awkward doing this, you're not ready to read these books, give it a couple years they'll still be here.
I'd recommend reading Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, Wizard of Oz, Charlie Bone series - any and all are safely suited to your age group.
as far as i can see if a 14 year old has the reading temerity to make it through a book of this length then they are likely ok to deal with it
as for discussing themes with parents, that seems like a very odd yardstick. the book is a fictional romp loosely based on the war of the roses - given we studied the war of the roses at school age 14 i can't see the harm if a 14 year old wants to give it a crack
i think i started on stephen king at 13, maybe 12
As others have mentioned, Chronicles of Narnia, LotR, Hobbit, Golden Compass, are all solid choices. But you really should read GoT later when you think you're ready, it's quite fantastic.
Who knows. Maybe just reading the Game of Thrones series may help you mature a bit faster.
message 28: by [deleted user] (new)
Kyra wrote: "Well, I started this series when I was 14, and I didn't have any trouble reading it."
Thanks I'll give it a go and see what I think. I was just worried because, a cousin said it was gruesome, and she also said it was an adult book so I wasn't sure whether to read it or not. But I think I'll give it a go.
message 29: by [deleted user] (new)
I'm reading it and I'm 16. But I think it would be fine for 14/15+ to read it :)
It happens before Feast of Crows as well and is more in reference to what I was talking about (view spoiler)
I mostly
said it was controversial, as in, controversial for american culture, we like to argue about the nature of other peoples desire for some reason like it affects all of us. (I have no idea why.) I have nothing against homosexuality, I quite enjoyed the books and thought, for a mature adult, they are excellent reads. I encourage everyone who is at a level to understand them to read them whole heartedly.
I just don't think the majority of 14 year olds would be able to fully grasp the concepts
presented. Especially if they cannot talk about those concepts with an actual mature adult. (Maybe not your parents, but someone of that level you respect or view as a role-model)
It's a 700 odd page book, a 14 year old without the will, ability and comprehension would not wade through a book of that length hoping to find lascivious material or shocking violence
It happens before Feast of Crows as well and is more in reference to what I was talking..."
It does. References are made regarding Renly's and Loras's sexuality (iirc) throughout. I actually enjoyed how that was treated in the later books, because it's quite parallel to society now, see: the BSA.
It's a 700 odd page book, a 14 year old without the will, ability and comprehension would not wade through a book of that length hoping to find lascivious mat..."
I waded through Lady Chatterly's Lover at that age, looking for sex and violence. Totally disappointing on both counts. *le sigh*
As for my two pennies, I think anyone who can read, who has the maturity to read this material, no matter the age, should read this. If an 8 year old has the mental capacity to read through this, without getting bored because something doesn't blow up every two minutes, good on you. Have at it.
message 44: by [deleted user] (new)
How is it too old for a teen? There are teens out there already having sex for god sake. It's not as if we don't know anything about that stuff.
I don't see the sex as a problem, but more the violence involving the younger characters. The younger characters are older in the HBO series than in the books.
There's:
(view spoiler) (Game of Thrones)
(view spoiler) (A Clash of Kings)
(view spoiler) (A Clash of Kings)
(view spoiler) (A Feast for Crows)
(view spoiler) (A Feast for Crows)
(view spoiler) (A Clash of Kings)
(view spoiler) (A Storm of Swords)
oh but yeah. there's sex and violence in there somewhere.
And I still stand by my stance if they can read it, they should read it. I'm no parent and have no say in when other peoples' kids are allowed to read/watch, but I'll tell you this. There are worse things this kid could be doing, than wanting to read a book.
Thank you.
It's also important to note that the OP seems to mainly read young adult and ASOIAF is definitely not young adult. So from what I can see, I don't think the OP is ready for ASOIAF.