Red Rising - (R)

SURGEON GENERAL RATING - R

Set for publication at the end of January, Red Rising is a dystopian novel in the vein of Hunger Games. Although the advance reader copy (ARC) I received in exchange for a review may be subject to change, I've recorded all the material that readers (and parents) should be aware of. (And there is a lot.)

Language - Moderate

Sexuality - Moderate

Violence - Heavy

Adult Themes - Numerous

Red Rising tells the story of Darrow, a seventeen-year-old from a slave class that sets out to undertake his own brand of social reform. The result is bloody, disturbing, and strangely gripping. It's not to the level of horror, but more like a gritty war tale. Definitely not appropriate for younger teens. It makes Hunger Games seem like Saturday morning cartoons.

Red Rising gets an (R) rating for content.  

Two stars. 

The Star Ratings on this site are inversely based on amount of mature material found in the books. 

The less objectionable, the content, the more stars it earns.

All Our Yesterdays - (PG-13)

SURGEON GENERAL RATING - PG-13

ALL OUR YESTERDAYS is a YA time-travel sci-fi that reads more like a YA mystery with a heavy romance angle. I started it in September, (before the blog) so I although went back and skimmed, I may have missed some of the content.

Language - Heavy

Sexuality - Moderate

Violence - Heavy

Adult Themes - Many

All Our Yesterdays is about a pair of kids that go four years into the past to murder someone destined to be a villain. It's an interesting moral dilemma and brings up thought-provoking issues. Unfortunately, the plot isn't quite as thought-provoking.

All Our Yesterdays gets a (PG-13) rating for content.  

Three stars. 

(The Star Ratings on this site are based solely on the amount of mature material. The less objectionable the content is, the higher the rating.)

ENDER'S GAME (PG-13)

SURGEON GENERAL RATING - PG-13

With the movie opening Nov 1st, Ender's Game is the #1 selling book on Amazon. Although Orson Scott Card's breakthrough novel is relatively tame compared to other adult sci-fi, there are a few things parents should be aware of.

Language - Mild

Sexuality - Moderate

Violence - Moderate

Adult Themes - A Few

The first time I read this was in college. Card is a master storyteller if he can manage to keep his plot in a straight line. It's easy to fall in love with Ender and easy to see why this novel rocketed Card to fame and fortune. What's less easy to see is why an author so opposed to gay marriage fills his books with references to the male genitalia. This book is appropriate for most older teens. As for the rest in the series, they are less kid-friendly. Not because they have more adult content (although some do) but because the stories get more political, philosophical, and family-drama-esque.

Ender's Game gets a (PG-13) rating for content.  

Three stars.