Slim’s Diary: I’m not gonna stop reading YA Anytime Soon.
Someone’s ability to take a complex topic and break it down into simpler language proves that they truly know what they’re talking about. It proves that they have the bandwidth to level with people to explain the complex to them.
YA is such a beautiful example of doing exactly this but in a longer format. There are a few YA fantasy series that I have read that unpack complicated themes like colonization. However, there are also YA books that unpack personally complicated things like emotions, trauma, and relationships.
Now don’t get me wrong like any tool, if it is not well understood then it can be misused. So yes, we can acknowledge that a lot of YA books tend to be tropey and repetitive. We can acknowledge that some authors misrepresent teens (especially teen siblings but I’m going to stay focused.)
Despite all of that when YA fantasy is written well it has the ability to engage the mind just enough to engage the soul. Hear me out! In my personal experience. When my mind is so focused on attempting to understand complex prose, jargon and intricate high fantasy world building it tends to take away from the emotional aspect of a book. Not that it necessarily means that the book has no feeling at all but it’s difficult to truly feel that extent of what the characters are experiencing if I have to flip back to the glossary or open a dictionary several times to make sure I’m understanding what’s happening, before I can experience what’s happening. If I already understand it there’s no need to flip back, but that’s not necessarily bad its simply engaging my thoughts more than my emotions. Sometimes my mind does need to be more engaged in that way to really grow and stretch.
To get back on topic though, this is why YA books are great for the age groups it represents (even though this is also controversial but were not discussing this right now). I’m not neuro biologist but if I’m not mistaken the amygdala develops earlier than the prefrontal cortex does. Meaning that the part of your brain that is responsible for your emotions is more active than the part of your brain that’s capable of reasoning before the age of 25. So, the fact that YA books tend to appeal to the ‘dramatic teens’ makes complete sense. Teens and teenage characters have a very good reason to be dramatic for biological reasons.
So why would I never stop reading YA if at some point I’ll outgrow the age group YA appeals to? Because it has a unique way of reaching the parts of a reader that will spark inspiration to strive for the futures that are tangible but unseen. Inspiration can come from intellect, but it also comes from your emotion, character, passion, and compassion. YA happens to be a really good way to receive both at the same time because it gets down to an accessible/ ‘easy to read’ level for everyone to understand the things that are difficult to understand. Especially for topics that are typically discussed in an academic world filled with jargon.
I’m not saying the adult books can’t do this. Nor am I saying that all of them should. I’m also not saying that authors aren’t already doing this (Gotta cover all the bases) I’m saying that it would be a great thing to consider when writing NA or adult books. I love when authors do that, when grown characters and adult books use plain language to explain their complex world, story, themes and characters. While the themes, events, plot, and relationships in these books are obviously going to be geared towards adults, it’s still nice to see these books use a tool that YA often uses to explain broad topics!
Lastly, we are never to old to read a story about young teens changing the world, in fact it could be inspiring! It also brings me back to my point about empathy in one of my older blog post. It puts you in the mind of the generations after you and reminds you what its like to have a teenage brain. Knowing this and empathizing with this could actually help us as adults engage effectively with the younger folks within our community, as mentors, educators, elder facility members, and even parents.