Better as an adult book

Use this forum to discuss the February 2020 Book of the month, "Opaque" by Calix Leigh-Reign
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Fi Zoraa
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Re: Better as an adult book

Post by Fi Zoraa »

HusseinJ wrote: 19 May 2020, 05:45 This should have been more of an adult audience. The erotic scenes and themes of violence exhibited therein are not suitable for the young.
There was definitely violence but I feel like the erotic scenes were minimal. There were some scenes that were hot and heavy but they didn't lead to anything.
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Barbie_sidhu
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Post by Barbie_sidhu »

At Beginning i thought it to be an adult book too due to sexual desirability of Adam towards Jo but later on it was okay just like other usual YA.
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Post by Radhika_puri »

Yes, I felt it in between and at the end of the book as the ending lacked many things I wanted it to have. If it would not for a young adult then maybe she had added more to it.
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Post by engarl »

gilliansisley wrote: 07 Feb 2020, 14:08
AntonelaMaria wrote: 07 Feb 2020, 08:30 There is more to the book genre than the character's age. Just because they are what high school age that makes it okay to put this book in the YA category. I agree with you..topics in this book are better suited to be a sci-fi thriller more than anything else.
I couldn't agree more with you on this. The heavy sexual undertones, the themes of kidnapping, rape, murder, and such are wildly inappropriate. And while this may not be a popular opinion, as so many people are raving it's 4-star quality, but I really did not enjoy this book, at all. The best I can give it is a 2.

I think that the relationship between Carly and Adam is anything but healthy. He is an immature child, who attacks and screams at his loved ones, and is both obsessive and possessive of Carly. While his "character develops", I never felt he actually redeemed himself. And when Carly finds out Adam kidnapped, almost raped and facilitated the death of a young girl and it's like, "Yeah, okay, whatever. But we're in high school and in LOVE and I'm going to fix you and that's all that matters!" I wanted to chuck my eReader out the door and into the freezing rain, it was so cringy.

I imagine my young daughter reading this book thinking this kind of relationship is normal, and it truly disturbs me. A lot. I've been in an emotionally abusive relationship before, and have been sexually assaulted, and to me, Adam is not a hero-- he's a garbage human being, and I just could not get past what he did to Terry.

In no universe is this a YA fiction novel. Sexually explicit thoughts of f*cking his mom? What he did to Terry? Nope. Nopers. So incredibly wrong.
Thank you for sharing your opinion! I just started reading this book and had to stop for the very reasons you are listing! But then I went through other people's reviews and couldn't understand how I could be so wrong about the book. It's nice to know someone else felt that way too!
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Post by Yvonne Monique »

I agree with this topic. Some content was certainly more adult orientated. The language used also included many difficult words that young adults are not familiar with.
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Post by Samuel Okoye 2 »

In no sane universe will this book qualify as a YA material. Its sexual explicitness, and other disturbing scenes involving kidnapping, torture, e.t.c are suggestive of an adult material.
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Post by BHUMIKA D »

gilliansisley wrote: 07 Feb 2020, 14:08
I couldn't agree more with you on this. The heavy sexual undertones, the themes of kidnapping, rape, murder, and such are wildly inappropriate. And while this may not be a popular opinion, as so many people are raving it's 4-star quality, but I really did not enjoy this book, at all. The best I can give it is a 2.

I think that the relationship between Carly and Adam is anything but healthy. He is an immature child, who attacks and screams at his loved ones, and is both obsessive and possessive of Carly. While his "character develops", I never felt he actually redeemed himself. And when Carly finds out Adam kidnapped, almost raped and facilitated the death of a young girl and it's like, "Yeah, okay, whatever. But we're in high school and in LOVE and I'm going to fix you and that's all that matters!" I wanted to chuck my eReader out the door and into the freezing rain, it was so cringy.

I imagine my young daughter reading this book thinking this kind of relationship is normal, and it truly disturbs me. A lot. I've been in an emotionally abusive relationship before, and have been sexually assaulted, and to me, Adam is not a hero-- he's a garbage human being, and I just could not get past what he did to Terry.

In no universe is this a YA fiction novel. Sexually explicit thoughts of f*cking his mom? What he did to Terry? Nope. Nopers. So incredibly wrong.
I agree with all that you pointed out about the book. I was fuming for two days after completing the book. I had to reread the part of him being obsessed with his mother at the beginning, because I thought I might have read it wrong - What is this obsession doing in a YA book.
The only ever time I reread a part or chapter while reading a book was in Harry Potter and Order of Phoenix - the part where Sirius dies. I reread it multiple times trying to see if I missed something.
I can't believe the next time I would reread a book would be to confirm a disgusting dark topic.
The character development, I feel only went down from there. I would never want to look at this book ever again.
Also, having heard mothers being strong for their kids - so Carly's mom combining with just after giving her the information also did not sit well with me. No matter how much explanation the author gives about this and that - the sudden decision to fight started only after her husband was kidnapped. Ahhh - every plot line was frustrating.
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