 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Tender Morsels
- By Margo Lanagan
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
Intense, award-winning fairy tale for mature readers only.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this award-winning book has garnered criticism
for its intense material, including a protagonist who is repeatedly
raped by her father and gang raped by other teens. There is also
sodomy, bestiality, and graphic depictions of a miscarriage, a mauling,
and more. Yet this book has also earned a great deal of praise for its
masterful writing. Mature readers who make it through will have plenty
to think about, including whether any topic is ever off limits for
children, teen, or adult readers.
What's the story?
This book is a mature retelling of the Snow-White and Rose-Red
fairy tale. After being repeatedly raped by her father and gang-raped by
local teens, Liga escapes -- with her baby daughter and another on the
way -- to a magical world where she's safe and everything is perfect.
But soon others from the real world find their way into hers, and then
her younger daughter finds her way back to the real world, eventually
forcing Liga and her older daughter to come back and learn to deal with
reality.
Is it any good?
It's no wonder this book has earned so much attention, including both awards and sharp criticism: It's both an amazing work of literature and incredibly intense. In an interview with suite101,com, the author says that the book would be too much for adults who are feeling fragile ("You need to be feeling resilient to take on the first part, particularly," she said).
Still, mature readers up for a challenge will find a complex but expertly constructed novel that's highly emotional and thought provoking. Parents and teachers guiding older teen readers could talk to them about a wide variety of topics, from the psychology of survival to book censorship and more. Our discussion guide can get you started, or look at Random House's Teacher Guide for ideas about delving more deeply into this often dark book.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about this book's controversial content. When asked about this book,
author Phillip Pullman told The Observer, "I don't think there
should be areas that children's books can't deal with." Do you agree?Are books judged more harshly than other media? Should they be, or do they deserve more slack?
Families may also like to look at all the different editions of the book and talk about which take seems the most appropriate given the material. Is there one that marks it most clearly for an older teen audience?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
clean
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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AGE
it is to nasty for to read and i very disgusting
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AGE
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.
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AGE
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.
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AGE
Brutal and graphic
The cover attracted my eye in the Young Adult section of the library so I read it to see if it would be appropriate for my daughter. Thank goodness I previewed it! This is in no way suitable for teens. While the time travel and fantasy elements are interesting, the graphic depictions of rape, incest, miscarriages, bestiality, etc. is enough to give even a mature reader pause. There just isn't enough of value here to recommend it even for and older teen.
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AGE
Well written, but iffy for younger-mid teens
I read the book when I was about 16, and it was definitely not easy to get through. I finished it because I wanted to know if there was a happy ending, and because I didn't want to leave off in the middle of the uneasy feeling. The book has a few sweet parts, but there are quite a few parts that deal with rape, molestation, and unpleasantness.
The book does show the main character learning to move through life, despite her past (in contrast to her mother's decision to hide her girls away), and it shows a man who is kind to the main character and seeks to rescue her.
Parents who are uncomfortable exposing their teens to material like may want to avoid this book. I definitely recommend that you read it first. This may be a good medium through which to ignite discussion of difficult topics, but only if the readers are old enough to handle the material.
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AGE
An adult book with more in common with Anais Nin than Grimm.
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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AGE
For mature teens
I advise this book should only be for mature readers only as the book contains rape, abortions and other content which may not be appropriate for some teenagers. This book is very emotionally intense and is a heartbreaking read and will make you feel for Liga, the girl the book is centred around. This fairytale deals with damage and healing and is filled with important lessons to be learned.
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| Author: | Margo Lanagan |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Publication date: | October 1, 2008 |
| Number of pages: | 436 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.99 |
| Paperback price: | $11.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 14 - 14 |
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