Red Spikes (by Margo Lanagan)
common sense media says
Dark, brutal, otherworldly stories for mature readers.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is a very mature story collection. There is plenty of violence, including a horrifying scene of souls trapped in Hell, a semi-graphic rape scene between monkeys, portrayed with human thoughts and emotions, and a giant who makes his clothes -- and even new eyelids -- out of the bodies of kidnapped children. The language and ideas mark it for older teens as well. The stories do impart subtle messages about what it means to love someone or to do the right thing. And the author notes in her acknowledgements what inspired her stories, and some readers may be interested in following up on some of this source material.
Educational value:
The author notes in her acknowledgements what inspired her stories, and
some readers may be interested in following up on some of this source
material.
some readers may be interested in following up on some of this source
material.
Positive role models:
There are characters who accept their duty, stand up for bullied kids, or realize what it means to love someone.
Violence:
Plenty, including monkeys being raped by other monkeys, semi-graphically; an old woman is severely beaten; a man finds a dead baby in a bag; a man is knifed and killed; another is pitchforked.
Sex:
A scene of childbirth, sexual references, a teen tells another to grab a naked old man "by the nuts."
Language:
"Hell."
Consumerism:
Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Needle-injected drugs, a fairy smokes a pipe.
More on Red Spikes
Review It
There aren’t any reviews yet. Ask your friends to review this title.
An independent voice for families
Advice on the big issues
Already read it? What do you think?
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
