Tag: Let's Talk Bookish

Let’s Talk Bookish: How do you deal with problematic books?

Published on by Aria4 Comments

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly discussion hosted by Rukky @Eternity Books where a bookish topic is discussed each week. This week’s topic is: How do you deal with problematic books?

I don’t really have a lot of experience with problematic books, but here’s how I’ve dealt with one in particular.

The Little House books, by Laura Ingalls Wilder are classics. So many people have read them, and they are considered to be really sweet stories. Until you look at them a little more closely…

For those of you who don’t know, the Little House books are the story of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family’s journey west. The books show what the journey west could be like for some people, and tells the story of a family of pioneers and homesteaders.

One problematic part: Ma is really racist! They all are, in some way. Laura realizes it, and through her writing shows that her family’s ideas on Native Americans were wrong and very racist, but it is still shown.

When I first read these books, I was really little and didn’t recognize this. I recently reread a few of the books, and was astonished at how awful some of their ideas of the time were.

I don’t hate these books now; they are still some of my all time favorites. However, now, I can see the problems, and move past them. Just because parts of them are seen as problematic, I’m not going to get rid of them, completely remove them from their place on my bookshelf!

Personally, I don’t have to agree with everything the author writes in a book to make it a good book, or even one of my favorites! I hope that you enjoyed reading about how I feel about problematic books, and I’d love to hear your opinions, so feel free to chat with me in the comments!

Happy Reading!


Let’s Talk Bookish: Plot or Characters: Which is more important and why?

Published on by Aria1 Comment

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly discussion hosted by Rukky @Eternity Books where a bookish topic is discussed each week. This week’s topic is: Plot or Characters: Which is more important and why?

Both plot and characters are essential to a story. Plot, of course, is really important. Without a plot, there wouldn’t be a story and everything would be really boring. Characters are also really important. Characters make stories personal, and relatable.

A very good plot, however, can make mediocre characters look better, and the overall book pretty good. I don’t think that it works the other way around. A book with amazing, detailed characters is amazing, but if the plot is only okay, the book isn’t that fun to read.

So, in conclusion, while character development is important, I think that overall, a good plot is more beneficial to a good book.

What do you think? Which do you think is more important? Chat with me in the comments below.

Lets Talk Bookish: Should readers read books that aren’t for their target age?

Published on by Aria

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books discussing a bookish topic each Friday. I know that this post is almost a week late, but this week’s topic is super interesting, and I suggested it, so I have a lot of opinions on this, so without further ado; Should readers read books that aren’t for their target age?

My short answer: YES! Don’t just stick to books that are for your age group. Personally, I read lots of books that some people would say are definitely not targeted for my age group. I’m 13, but I still enjoy reading books that were my favorites when I was a lot younger. Pippi Longstocking, for example will never get old. That series, by Astrid Lindgren, is hilarious, and I’ve reread it so many times!

I’ve also read books that are most likely aimed at much higher age groups. This happens way less now, but there were times when I was younger when I read books that were definitely not for my target age. There is some stuff that I learned, mostly historical content, because I love historical fiction, that was shocking that I didn’t necessarily know, well, existed.

One of the most drastic examples of this is my first experience reading The War that Saved my Life, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. I got this book from the library when I was 8 or 9, and while it is now one of my favorite books, it took a while to process it. The story is about a girl named Ada, who was born with a clubfoot, and is treated very harshly by her mother who is ashamed of her because of her disability. The book is set during the second world war, a short time before the battle of Britain, where London was bombed 57 nights in a row. Ada is kept locked up in their London flat, and is very harshly abused and mistreated. She escapes that when her brother is sent to the countryside because of bombings, and she runs away with him. They end up living with a woman named Susan Smith who cares for Ada and Jamie, and is very kind to them.

When I first read this book, it was the first time that I’d really been exposed to what the harshness of child abuse can look like, but I don’t see that as a bad thing. Reading has taught me about countless things, and I know that I would not have been exposed to or learned about many things I now know if I hadn’t read books for all different ages.

That said, there are good things about reading for your age level. It can be a good way to find books you’ll enjoy, but you should never feel pressured to read books for your age group.

What do you think? Do you think that readers should read books for their target age, or that they should read whatever they want? Have you had experiences with books like I did with The War that Saved my Life?

Chat with me in the comments below!