Crazy for Chaos Walking! discussion

just curious if anyone can comment about the suggested reader's age for these books. i have read varying degrees of commentary on this subject, ranging from late teenager to early adult.

Honestly, I don't think age matters all too much. I read it at... what? 14? And then I read it to my little brother... he was 10. My mom read it, too... she was 38 or 39. We all liked it. See, it's hard to put it in a certain age-range because there are adults that read YA, too.

I'd call it a YA novel, personally. The inside cover says '14 and up,' but I could read it to a ten year old if I were so inclined (As, evidently, I was). So... ages 10-20 maybe is what it's intended for... but anyone can read it.

I think it really depends on the person. I would have been fine for it when I was 8, but I know a 13 year old who asked me if the chaos walking series were as scary as Harry Potter. I told her not to read them too soon.
Personally I am not bothered by gore and violence in books, and I do not notice any of it, but the way Ness writes is quite frantic and scary in the battle scenes, and it would really only be properly perceived while reading, rather than listening.
I would say young adult, myself, but some younger kids might enjoy it just as much.

Thanks you two. People are saying its much better than hunger games so I'll check I it out. Not one who reads a lot of YA stuff. But this seems great

I think it's worse seeing violence (say, in a movie) than it is reading violence for children. My cousin Jacob had read all of the Harry Potter books by the age of nine, but can't yet watch the fourth movie because it scares him. Just saying... It doesn't tend to scare younger children when it's just words on paper, it's the movies that really scare them.

I was more concerned that, at thirty this book would be too young for me

No, I doubt it would be. My mother's older than thirty, and she liked it. :) it's a great book for all ages.

Thanks. I read a bit of the first. I heard it was better than hunger games. I liked the first hunger games, but the other two in the series had that mass marketed feel

I agree. I didn't like the third especially. It seemed like Collins was hurrying to finish up the series so she didn't have to deal with it anymore.

The who hunger games series fell flat after the second one. This series tends to get higher reviews, but I don't know of it will ultimately be too young for me. Im going go give it a shot, though

chaos walking is great for 12+. i think you need to be a bit older to get the most out of it. some of the themes are harder to understand.

i will def pick it up.im reading a monster calls now

I was twelve when I read it so probably 12+. Monsters of men you might need to be a little older though for because there is some parts that are harder to understand.

I was 11 :P

Its weird how adults also read his stuff

13+ i read it when i was 12. i think you need to be around this age to truly appreciate the book

Wasn't much of a reader then. Making up for time now

Nice.

I suppose lots of adults read these books as well because lots of adults have read Harry potter and hunger games and stuff even though they weren't exactly directed at adults.

I agree that it is better than hunger games. I liked hunger games but I just think that Patrick ness's writing is so much better!

Don't worry about being to old for it, me, my brother and my mum all love it!!

I would definately recommend it to adults: its one of the best YA novels I have read. It has teen protagonists but the book is very well written. I read this with my Carnegie group. Personally I would have a guideline of 14+ partly because of the style and complexity. But it depends on how strong a reader you are. 12 yr olds at my school found it a challenge, though my son read it at 11, my daughter at 13. Younger than 11 I think you would miss too much of the politics. Some books are just better if you have more maturity.

I think violence in books depends on your imagination and cultural experience. Unlike film you can control what you 'see' and young people often 'see' violence diffently to adults.

I found Siobhan Dowds Bog Child a really traumatic read- it was set during the 1970s violence in Northern Ireland. My Carnegie group didn't bat an eyelid! I kept envisioning knee cappings and abductions, the students didn't have that cultural reference and just read what was there!

Anna wrote: "I would definately recommend it to adults: its one of the best YA novels I have read. It has teen protagonists but the book is very well written. I read this with my Carnegie group. Personally I wo..."

ill def get on it... right after kafka on the shore or around there.

I started reading them when I was 13, but personally I wouldn't recommend them to my 10 year old brother because of the violence. I might just be being over protective of him though so if you're ten and don't mind a bit of violence then I think I'd definitely recommend them.