Over the course of the recent past - roughly 15 years or so - the field of teen and young adult fiction has found a robust and growing audience. That being the case, this area of writing has blossomed demonstratively, ranking as well as (or better than) stalwarts such as thrillers. For instance, as its bestseller list began to brim over with children's novels such as "Bud, Not Buddy," the New York Times took the unusual step of creating a discrete list solely for material in this category.
It goes without saying, then, that teen novels have grown up, so to speak, not just as a category of fiction but also in terms of establishing a fan base. In addition, many of these novels have a tendency to lean towards ominous themes. The book "Beautiful Creatures," with its gothic overtones, is a prime example of this.
However, it is the dark subject matter of these novels that has given birth to a new sub-genre - that of teen and young adult horror. These are books that have teens facing not just difficult but often dire circumstances. In addition, they don't necessarily shy away from death, as children's books have done so often in the past.
The desire to unabashedly take on these taboo motifs - like death - that were typically sidestepped in fiction for young adults has had an unusual side-effest - basically, mature readers have embraced the genre. This is not, of course, an indication that literature without horror as an ingredient will not be as popular. Nevertheless, the inclusion of these components gives the writing itself a certain maturity.
In short, teen and young adult books have grown in terms of the scope of material that they now include. Therefore, topics such as horror are now included and accepted as typical teen fare in regards to reading material. It's a further sign of how society is growing and maturing at a faster rate than what was normal in the past.
It goes without saying, then, that teen novels have grown up, so to speak, not just as a category of fiction but also in terms of establishing a fan base. In addition, many of these novels have a tendency to lean towards ominous themes. The book "Beautiful Creatures," with its gothic overtones, is a prime example of this.
However, it is the dark subject matter of these novels that has given birth to a new sub-genre - that of teen and young adult horror. These are books that have teens facing not just difficult but often dire circumstances. In addition, they don't necessarily shy away from death, as children's books have done so often in the past.
The desire to unabashedly take on these taboo motifs - like death - that were typically sidestepped in fiction for young adults has had an unusual side-effest - basically, mature readers have embraced the genre. This is not, of course, an indication that literature without horror as an ingredient will not be as popular. Nevertheless, the inclusion of these components gives the writing itself a certain maturity.
In short, teen and young adult books have grown in terms of the scope of material that they now include. Therefore, topics such as horror are now included and accepted as typical teen fare in regards to reading material. It's a further sign of how society is growing and maturing at a faster rate than what was normal in the past.
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