Into the Forest discussion

This is the spoiler free thread for the YA ( or Adult?) winner of our Fae themed group read, September 15-November 14, Except the Queen by Jane Yolen and Midori Snyder

I just started this morning. It's definitely adult and not YA, although a mature teen might enjoy it.

I agree, adult. I'm about a third in. Good so far.

I like the point of view structure.

Mary wrote: "I like the point of view structure."
I do too!
I also like that it's told from the point of view of the fairies and how they see our world. I am reading this right after Roses and Rot which is the opposite, from the humans point of view. The reader gets very little insight on the Fae themselves.

I like the switching back and forth between sisters. It must've been a lot of fun for the authors to exchange pieces of the narrative!

Margaret wrote: "I like the switching back and forth between sisters. It must've been a lot of fun for the authors to exchange pieces of the narrative!"

Good point! I'd completely forgotten while reading it that two people had written it! I wonder who wrote what?

Regarding the age for Except the Queen, I found an interesting conversation:
https://www.goodreads.com/questions/5...
A reader asked "Is there, or will there be, a sequel to Except the Queen? My 10-year-old LOVES it and is desperate to read more about these characters."
Jane Yolen replied :" I am worried that your ten year old has read it. It's an adult book, has sex and swearing and nowhere was there an indication it was for kids. Arrrrgh."
Yolen went on to say that "That said, Midori and I have no plans for a sequel because the book did not do that well and the publisher wasn't interested. Though if I could, I would write about the education of the Dogboy and much more about the three flying sisters. A prequel rather than a sequel. I did publish a short story about Dogboy and his father Redcap called "Dogboy Remembers" published in an anthology Unnatural Worlds from a small boutique publisher called Fiction River. But it is a very brutal story."

I am sorry to know that it did not sell well!

Wow, I would have never guessed that it didn't sell well. I bought my copy and I love this book.

Happens. Perhaps if you spread the word enough it will sell better. 0:)

Too bad about it not selling well.

It's interesting she took umbrage to a 10-yr-old reading it. While yes, it's an adult book, who cares if a child reads it? They know about sex and swearing at that point, haha, and at least they're reading! I was tackling Stephen King at that age, and this is far more approachable.

Margaret wrote: "Too bad about it not selling well.

It's interesting she took umbrage to a 10-yr-old reading it. While yes, it's an adult book, who cares if a child reads it? They know about sex and swearing at t..."

Well, to be fair, I've lost count of the number of fairy tale retellings that I've seen get 1* reviews here on Goodreads because they weren't appropriate for someone's middle school aged kids. So that could be what she's frustrated by - the inevitable parents that aren't going to pay attention to anything other than her name, and assume it's for a middle grade audience like many of her other books are.

That's true, but it just seems like an odd response to a parent who's happy their 10-yr old loved it.

I'm finding I'm enjoying the sister who lives in Baba Yaga's house the best. I like her archaic turns of phrase, which isn't as prevalent with the other sister. I'm forgetting their names right now, so sorry!

Melanti wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Too bad about it not selling well.

It's interesting she took umbrage to a 10-yr-old reading it. While yes, it's an adult book, who cares if a child reads it? They know about sex ..."

Margaret wrote: "That's true, but it just seems like an odd response to a parent who's happy their 10-yr old loved it.

I'm finding I'm enjoying the sister who lives in Baba Yaga's house the best. I like her archai..."

I found the various descriptions both sisters use to describe how the mail service works both hilarious and endearing!

About the intended reader's age .....well, let me put it this way, this is not a book I would go out and buy for a 10 year old, but if a ten year old found out about it on his or her own and absolutely wanted to read it, I would not forbid them either. I never "forbade" my son anything in terms or literature, but there were definitely books I would not have out in his lap so to speak or encouraged him to read either.
I am at chapter 59 and personally feel what happens in it would be a lot to process for a 10 year old, but we can discuss that in the spoiler thread!

So I do understand Yolen's reaction to finding out a mother had given this book to her 10 year old. She is an author who is known primarily for children's books. Children's books have to meet certain criteria to be allowed in schools or the children's section of the library. Some parents are so over protective. When my son was around 10 and his class was studying whales his teacher did not allow the film Free Willy to be shown because a few years prior some parents complained because there is a kissing scene!

The mail is interesting.

It's amazing how everyone logically manages to fit their comments into a coherent, fae-free world-view.