SIrDuncan the Tall Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I depends I've seen some 12 yr olds that are more mature then others as their parent you can tell if they were ready. I would introduce them early to HP, the hobbit etc. If I did have kids that were borderline ready to begin aSoIaF now I would have tough decision. To introduce now or wait for GRRM to finish. That way they don't have suffer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wight nr 121 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Personally, I don't recommend anyone to start reading the ASOIAF series until the series is finished... My own children are 3 and 5, and one of my greatest hopes for the future is that my children will become grown-ups in a world where the ASOIAF series is finished :) And that I can tell them horrible stories about how it was back in the days, when their dad was young, and had to wait forever before the next book came out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentwanderer Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I would say the kid should have to be old enough to comprehend the concept of incest between twin siblings, infantice and the brutal reality of the most devious grey characters "winning" over the less devious ones before he'd even open the first book....and then I would still keep him away from the Red Wedding for a couple of years after that.The fact that some of you are saying 16 is crazy to me. If they cant handle rape and brutal violence at that age that is a issue.I would say instant gratification would be the main issue: a reader has to accept there's no larger-than-life-vengance at every corner of the next page, and handle the events accordingly in each and every case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oxgirl Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 My sister just started 9th grade and I'm 33. We often talk about what we're reading. I told her I was reading ASOIAF and she said that her teacher had recommend the books to her and asked me if I thought she would like them. She's smart and introspective although not particularly worldly and I was like ... uh ... rape ... gelding ... flaying .... sacking ... incest ... um .... After some thought I said - "well, I think they're awesome. There is some sex and quite a bit of violence in them, but they story is wonderful. You could start the first one and see what you think." I do recall that I read The Thornbirds when I was in 6th grade and that sometimes stuff that you aren't ready for in books just goes over your head. I asked her if she read any later and she said that she had read most of the first book but found it over descriptive and hard to follow and had decided to leave it for now. ( ) So ... while I think 11 is kind of young, it might be a self censoring thing. P.S. Hi. This is my first post. I do love these forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteWalder Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 The fact that some of you are saying 16 is crazy to me. If they cant handle rape and brutal violence at that age that is a issue.It is one thing at 16 to know what rape is, be able to handle reading about it, and know that it is awful and that it can really mess up somebody. It is another issue to realize at 16 what something like rape or torture does to one's psyche, the damage it causes for the rest of the victim's life, and the trickle affect of how it can damage entire families years down the road. Yeah, I think it would probably be okay for somebody at 16 to read the series and be able to handle it, but it is going to be a much better read in your 20's - when you are more educated and can better grasp the totality of some of the issues. Some get it at 16, but I would say most wouldn't.Besides just the mature content, as others have been repeating - the emotional maturity. At 16, most are not going to be able to imagine what it would be like to have children, have a true significant other, or have any idea what it would feel like. Like when Cersei says she doing things for her children - I can relate to the fact I would do anything for mine. It's hard to grasp emotional issues like that at 16. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentwanderer Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Yeah, I think it would probably be okay for somebody at 16 to read the series and be able to handle it, but it is going to be a much better read in your 20's - when you are more educated and can better grasp the totality of some of the issues. I'd say comprehend better than grasp: one could grasp the concept of religion but to truly understand the books one has to comprehend religion the way the characters do,One could grasp the concept of a bastard son, but to truly understand the books one has to comprehend what a bastard child is and what it means to the characters and their society.One could grasp the concept of arranged marriages, but to truly understand the books one has to comprehend a loveless dynamic and why the characters would rather stick to it and so on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Greg of House House Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Not that you can't. But there are better books for this age. Harry Potter etc. I don't think you can fully appreciate ASoIaF at this age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxpey Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I don't know, 11 might be too young.Come to think of it, I started the series at 41 and I am wondering if I was too young. :drool:Seriously though, my son is 11 and is an avid reader, especially young adult fantasy novels.But is he old enough to read such intense material?I look at it this way. I don't let him watch the TV series with me because of it's content, so I am not going to let him read the books.That having been said, I can't wait for him to read the books, because I know he would love them as much as I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alhazred Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I'd wait until 2042 to hand a child the first book. That way, the child may still be alive when the final book is released. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TORMUNDSMEMBER10 Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 He will have to see one day, and winter is coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Nomad Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Well i started reading when i was 14, and i'm not completely mad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alhazred Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Well i started reading when i was 14, and i'm not completely mad.That's what YOU think!I was warned not to start the books until I was at least 50 years old. I ignored the warnings. I am now an inmate on a locked ward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheZone Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 My sister just started 9th grade and I'm 33. We often talk about what we're reading. I told her I was reading ASOIAF and she said that her teacher had recommend the books to her and asked me if I thought she would like them. She's smart and introspective although not particularly worldly and I was like ... uh ... rape ... gelding ... flaying .... sacking ... incest ... um .... After some thought I said - "well, I think they're awesome. There is some sex and quite a bit of violence in them, but they story is wonderful. You could start the first one and see what you think." I do recall that I read The Thornbirds when I was in 6th grade and that sometimes stuff that you aren't ready for in books just goes over your head. I asked her if she read any later and she said that she had read most of the first book but found it over descriptive and hard to follow and had decided to leave it for now. ( ) So ... while I think 11 is kind of young, it might be a self censoring thing. P.S. Hi. This is my first post. I do love these forums. Welcome ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheZone Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 It is one thing at 16 to know what rape is, be able to handle reading about it, and know that it is awful and that it can really mess up somebody. It is another issue to realize at 16 what something like rape or torture does to one's psyche, the damage it causes for the rest of the victim's life, and the trickle affect of how it can damage entire families years down the road.Yeah, I think it would probably be okay for somebody at 16 to read the series and be able to handle it, but it is going to be a much better read in your 20's - when you are more educated and can better grasp the totality of some of the issues. Some get it at 16, but I would say most wouldn't.Besides just the mature content, as others have been repeating - the emotional maturity. At 16, most are not going to be able to imagine what it would be like to have children, have a true significant other, or have any idea what it would feel like. Like when Cersei says she doing things for her children - I can relate to the fact I would do anything for mine. It's hard to grasp emotional issues like that at 16.Its not like its explicit, none of the sexual situations are explicit. The will not be traumatized, and IDK if you were under a rock, but a whole lot of 16 year olds have children themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alhazred Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Its not like its explicit, none of the sexual situations are explicit.Compared to what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Nomad Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 That's what YOU think!I was warned not to start the books until I was at least 50 years old. I ignored the warnings. I am now an inmate on a locked ward.Well i just asked the two-headed beaver that lives in my toilet, and he said that there is nothing wrong with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alhazred Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Well i just asked the two-headed beaver that lives in my toilet, and he said that there is nothing wrong with me.I've met that guy. You can't trust him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikkel Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Well i just asked the two-headed beaver that lives in my toilet, and he said that there is nothing wrong with me.I've met that guy. You can't trust him!Man, he told me we were exclusive, and I come here to find he's been seeing both of you guys?...what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheZone Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Compared to what? Every other sexual novel, ever read a Nicholas Sparks book, or any romantic novel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stark Revenge Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Well i read the books when i was 14 and i didnt find anything disturbing really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.