Question by Onℓy gravity hoℓds me down: Is Anna Karenina an appropriate book for a 14 year old?
Comprehension isn’t a big deal.
And I don’t judge the level of appropriate material based on maturity level, some things I just find things degrading to the well being of my mind. Such things would be a sex scene described in detail, foul language or intense violence and gore.
Feel free to leave your comments and opinions.
Thanks!
Answers and Views:
Answer by Alice
Wow, you sound EXACTLY like my older brother when he was your age… just the way that you talk…word-for-word. It’s downright bizarre. 😀
Well, I’m sixteen now, and I read Anna Karenina two years ago, same age as you. From what I recall, there was some vague sex desriptions but nothing terribly explicit. Nothing that you’d recoil from while reading, anyway. Just some vague references.
As for gore or violence, there is a little. There’s some moderately detailed descriptions of death… and the story itself is extremely depressing… but well worth reading.
You should definitely read it. Yes, it’s a little thick comprehension-wise, but as you said, you’re all right with that. The sex shouldn’t be a problem, and while there’s one or two scenes that do describe death with some violence, you can skate over that. A few violent parts aren’t enough to stop you from reading the book itself.
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Catch a Falling Star says
Honestly, if you were my kid-sibling, I wouldn't let you touch it.
Sure, the comprehension is a little intense and the story very long and quite dragging, but its more or less one of the most traumatic books I ever read. It just… got to me. Like in a mental state, I felt all down and depressed after reading it for days, and then spending weeks analyzing it in a class room…sort of killed the book for me.
However, there aren't any sex scenes in detail or bad language or intense violence or gore etc. It's a pretty placid book…maybe too placid.
Of course it's up to you if you read it or not, but to be honest, I'd wait a few more years for maturity to kick in a little more.
It's the sort of book that I'd label a "grown up book" because of the emotion-weight that the writing style brings.
As a 14 year old wanting to read something a little outside their 14 years, I'd start with some trashy but older-person set novels such as the Jodi Picoult books or something like that.
Hope this helps 🙂