My Problem With YA Fantasy

I'm a teen librarian who is fed up with the state of YA fantasy - whatever that even is.

Also want to clarify that I'm a huge fan of Daniel's - just think that some of the commentary in his video missed the mark on what influences YA and why it has grown to have such a large, primarily female adult readership. I live and breathe YA as my job, so of course I have thoughts and opinions. It's impossible to talk about YA fantasy's hot mess state (who is this even written for?) without discussion of the roles of books like Twilight and ACOTAR. It also touched on my biggest professional pet peeve - YA is aging up to the point it's pushing teens out of YA.

Daniel Greene's videos I mentioned:

XOXO

[AlexaDonne]

Ahhh I love this video!!!! You said so much of what bugs me so perfectly. And you know your history, thank you thank you thank you. So many of the "arguments" I get into with people about YA are with people who, well, know nothing about the history of YA (and clearly haven't read enough of it). I actually cut out/didn't get into my salt, re: the adult fantasies by women that are seen as YA in my video b/c I knew I'd get SO ANGRY and probably incoherent haha. Not by a woman but also DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE BOOK THIEF. NOT YA GUYS. Thank you so much for making this!

[caitlinwhetten]

You are my hero. So well informed, well researched and well spoken. All of the points you brought up were things I was thinking while watching his video and it made me quietly seethe for a few days. I'm so glad you made this video and I hope it gets more attention and views. You are a queen!

[laurabarham]

All excellent points! As a 30-something fantasy enthusiast, I gravitate toward YA because I agree, it is difficult to find female protagonists in adult fantasy novels. But I have been surprised at what has become "permissable" in YA fantasy over the years, thinking "teenagers read this?!" I just don't understand why it is so difficult for these books to be marketed as adult fantasy. I appreciate your well thought out points and arguments and will have to check out some of the adult fantasy novels you mentioned!

[campwriter]

This! This! This! Thank you for this video! And Please do that video on trends in YA! Wow this was such a great video. I was a little annoyed by Daniel’s video, it seemed a definite choice that he chose not to talk about Twilight, which is such a disappointment because it was so paramount in creating and building the growing readership in YA. Seriously someone needs to direct him to this video!

[kelleyiswriting]

Oh!! I love how well spoken you are. I think you make very very valid points. Before reading ACOTAR, I had NO idea what the book was about (just saw everyone on Booktube gushing over it on their thumbnails) so when I finally picked up the book last year, I COULD NOT believe the book was marketed for YA!! I thought it was even too steamy for a 25 year old!! I couldn’t have imagined a 15 year old me reading it!! I hope we do see this older/mature YA becoming a valid concept. I think we all need it, especially me :p

[littlestpineapple]

All of this! I am a middle school teacher and it so so frustrating to feel like there isn't room in spaces for my kids in spaces that were supposed to be built for them. Most of my kids are very advanced readers but are not developmentally ready for things like graphic sex scenes. (I also think it feels very different if you are a teenager reading an adult book and something makes you uncomforable vs if something makes you uncomfortable in a book that is ostensibilty "for you" and you therefore feel you should be ready to handle it) It's particularly annoying because middle school is an age when we loose so many readers. Young teens need books!

I've read mostly adult fantasy and science fiction since I was about 13 and in recent years almost all of that has been by female authors. I find the perception that there just aren't women and diverse voices in adult speculative fiction to be deeply frustrating. While I know it's a reflection of the industry's legacy and often treatment of female authors (as you describe so well), it also often feels to me like these bookish proponents of diversity aren't bothering to look at adult fiction or FIND the amazing women doing work in those spaces. That said, what is being written and what is on the shelves in bookstores is often very different. There are generally way less women available on bookstore shelves in the SFF section and if that's where you find your books, I'd imagine it's harder to find female-centered fantasy. If I wasn't fairly plugged into the world of adult speculative fiction, I know it would have been harder to find authors I love.

I also wonder if some of the difficulty of finding adult female authors comes from readers focusing just on fantasy. I've read a lot more science fiction over the past few years because there is a lot of very excellent, queer, female centered stuff coming out of the genre. I don't distinguish much btwn fantasy and science fiction, but I wonder if you saw yourself as a strictly (or mostly) fantasy reader if those books would be harder to find. Like at the same time that I'm so frustrated about all of these excellent queer, female books out recently, I'm realizing the vast majority of the ones I'm thinking of are fantasy.

[richardvelez]

I appreciate your openness and respect your thoughts and opinions. I must say I agree with the stance you have taken. The lines have become blurred and it's time to bring the genres back into focus. While the biggest step will be authors creating new stories with strong protagonists for adults, having the discussion as you are is a pivotal step in getting the ball rolling.

Thank you, again, Samantha for this video. I really appreciate hearing your views and lending your knowledge & expertise on these subjects. Continue to stay safe and healthy. Take care!!
👍🤟📚🤗

[emilyparris]

Very well put! I think the fact that you are hopeful for the future of YA/new adult/adult was a very important point to add!

[booktea]

Love the video! Im literally in the middle of Priory of the Orange Tree as we speak...and I'm obsessed! I always thought I didn't like fantasy because I don't like the male centric, patriarchal GOT type series. I'll definitely check out the other books you mentioned :)

[MadeByElissa]

Loved hearing your thoughts on this! I'd love to see more videos like this in the future 😊 I'm 27 and I read mostly YA (contemporary as well as fantasy) and I do sometimes get frustrated at how blurred the lines are in the genre. I miss the early YA days because you could pretty much guarantee almost everything in the YA section was actually appropriate for that audience. There's been quite a few books I've picked up that should not be considered YA, even though the characters may be that age. (ACOTAR of course comes to mind. This is just my personal preference but I'm not interested in reading adult content, that's why I read YA mostly.) I also enjoy middle grade!

[Ericaaaaaaaaaa]

My local Barnes and Noble has moved ACOTAR to the adult section!

[clarekelsey]

Great video! I am in my 20s and don't really enjoy all the teen angst in YA fantasy or relate to the common theme of teens finding themselves. However, I enjoy reading fantasy books written by women and this is challenging to find in the adult fantasy section of the bookstore.

[charleeeeeeeettle]

This is so fascinating and informative! You're incredibly eloquent and made excellent points. Can't wait to hear more of your unique perspective.

[sweissara]

I wish more people would watch this video because I think you explain how YA came about, the impact of female readers on YA, and the issues that female authors face in fantasy really well.




If you have time, I would love to watch the video about trends in YA fantasy!

[stefanyocampo]

As a 7 to 14 year old I devoured Harry potter and Percy Jackson and the teen section. As a 13 to15 year old I was obcessed by Twilight. As a 16 to 17 years old I read everything YA and historical romance. Now at 24 I read fanfiction, and Adult fantasy/supernatural. But now when I look for a that type of book I'm recommended mostly YA or book where the girl is special and a man has to save her. Or I find a book that is classed as adult fantasy or adult sci-fi, but is clearly erotica. You highlighted most of my reading problems. That's why I read lots of fanfic, because the story is familiar, but the type can cange drastly.

[amy-suewisniewski]

This was so articulate and intelligent! Thank you so much for this video.

I personally want to see YA be split into an upper and lower YA over getting a new NA category because our teens are really hurting! I never thought about how the problem is the lack of diversity in adult until you outlined it.

We need to open up adult to more readers instead of continuing to put them at the "kids table". Coming up with another category for NA I think just adds to that problem by basically saying "you writers can't sit with us, you're books aren't mature enough to be adult". It trivializes the emerging adult experience by saying it doesn't count as "real" adulthood yet. An NA category would definitely make the books easier for readers to find as opposed to sifting through adult, but I think it doesn't help diversity. Those readers will continue to grow, and they're going to want diverse writers still at older MC ages. We have to make the Adult section navigable.

[hunterhatfield]

This was excellent and it was a quick subscribe to learn more from you. As an author, I've been really struggling with this on the lower end of age. I've been querying a novel with a 14yo female protagonist, and it feels like agents and publishers are really looking for the next Six of Crows when I query them as YA, which is just not what I have. My book is more about friendship and family, which pushes it towards MG. At the same time, the writing style is more adult. I feel like I've sort of created a Lyra in Northern Lights / Golden Compass, and my understanding is that people still can't decide if that book is adult, YA, or MG. But I'm trying to get a book for 12-15 year olds that's accessible out there!

[unprofessionalcritic]

Of all the videos I've seen in this topic, yours is the one I most agree with.

[row_berta_dee]

Eloquently worded and intentional! Thank you for your insightful comments. I hope Daniel sees this too!

[TheTexasgirl]

Loved the video! Please do some more book videos!