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All parent reviews for Tender Morsels
Average rating based on 7 parent reviews:
- 43% say sexual content is an issue
- 43% say there are positive role models
- 43% say there are positive messages
- 29% say violence is an issue
- 29% say it's educational
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
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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