An okay book for adults that enjoy fantasy novels, but not for teens of any age. As a high school English teacher, I read a lot of YA and adult fiction and keep an extensive library in my classroom. I'm not squeamish about mature content in books, but this novel crossed the line and I will not put it in my classroom. It opens with a graphic, descriptive sex scene between a dwarf and the town trollop and within the first 26 pages features the repeated rape of a teen girl by her father, two graphic descriptions of the aftermath of forced abortions that her father performs on her against her will, and the gang rape of the same girl by a group of village boys. Later, the book describes a sexual relationship between a girl (the child born of the gang rape) and a bear (that is actually a teen boy that's been transformed into a lusty bear). Some of the descriptions are frankly as graphic as Anais Nin erotica. Yes, the source material s dark. Grimm is dark. We all know that - but Grimm does not feature long, explicit, heavily descriptive and detailed sexual scenes (both erotic and violent). It's not a bad book - it's just not a young adult book. This is easily as dark, difficult, and disturbing a take on a fairy tale as any of the adult feminist retellings of myth and fable that I have read.
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Tender Morsels
(2008, Fiction - Fantasy, Written by Margo Lanagan)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 17. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Graphic rape, incest, and more -- should be an adult book.
Themes in this book include: emotional abuse, family relationships, loss, physical abuse
updated 09.14.09
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 17–18
What to watch out for
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Role models:
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Tender Morsels
Parents need to know that this is not by any reasonable standard a book for children of any age. A teen is repeatedly raped by her father, then gang-raped by other teens who are then sodomized. Horrible miscarriages are graphically described. See the advisories for more horrifying details.
Read our full review by Matt Berman
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about why the publishers might have decided to publish this as a young adult book instead of an adult book. Do they hope to make more money? Do they think that any book with children should be sold to children?
- Why would it have been chosen for so many best-of-year lists? Does its literary quality balance its content? For what ages would you recommend it?
Our Members Say
See all 9 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
clean
- I rate this title on for age 15 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- My highlights are:
A great read for older teens
I loved this book and felt that while it may be disturbing for teens who aren't yet mature enough for it, most teens 15+ could draw some valuable implications from it. I also though that it was beautifully written with a wonderfully innovative story.
- I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
Not horrible but deffinetly not for tweens
It was an averag book but it had too many detailed sex scenes. It wasn`t very good and I would suggest it to experienced readers,older teens and adults.
I rate this title on for age 16 and give itMy concerns are:- Excessive violence
- Excessive consumerism
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
it is to nasty for to read and i very disgusting
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Ratings at a Glance
| 75% | of parents say the sexual behavior isn't age appropriate |
| 50% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 50% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
| 50% | of parents say it has language their kids can't use |
| 50% | of parents say it's too violent |
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For Your Family
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