I'm not entirely proud of what I'm reading these days, but it helps that I'm not alone loving the futuristic dystopias currently dominating the shelves for Young Adult readers, even though I'm far, far older than the readers they're aimed at.
It started with the Harry Potter stuff, written for kids but devoured by adults, too. Twilight followed and created a phenomenon with girls of all ages, including those of us far too long in the tooth to be immersed in a high school romance, even if it includes hot young vampires. The Hunger Games are about to be made into movies, don't forget Divergent and its sequels still to come, and as of this week, I'm deep into Matched and Crossed and will wait with bated breath for the third in the series.
I'm not sure what makes novels that should be limited to kids so hot for adults right now, but it might be that a similar theme runs through these stories: girls fighting to make their own choices in a world not of their making.
While I would not take the Hunger Games or Twilight books in my purse to read at the coffee shop, there's another set of books I'm much, much less proud of reading. I certainly will never finish the "Pretty Little Liars" series. I tried, I really did, but none of the characters is likable in the tales of an affluent and overindulged group of girls tormented by the secrets they keep. A ten year old of my acquaintance loaned me the first and second in the "liars" series, and even my dog disapproves. She gnawed the books, forcing me to buy new copies for my young friend. I'm not willing to take a chance on having to spend another ten bucks on yet another replacement for a story I squirmed in embarrassment to read, even in the privacy of my home; it was hard enough trying to explain to Penny's helper at Crow's Nest why I was buying that dreck the first time. Not only is the writing less than stellar, the never ending references to luxury goods make me itchy. 'Liars' characters don't pick up their purse, they pick up their Vuitton purse; they don't get in the car, they get into the Mercedes. The series has been made into a very popular TV show, and that's where it can stay, as far as I'm concerned.
Yes, I think I'll stick with the freedom fighters, and stay away from the snobs.
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