Post
by Margaret » Wed October 29th, 2008, 11:58 pm
My mother hated Dr. Seuss. I loved him. Might be one of those authors who just plain appeals more to children than to parents.
I've thought about developing a ratings system for Historical Novels.info, but there were too many stumbling blocks. First of all, as others have pointed out, people have different levels of sensitivity to different types of sexual and/or violent content. I can't stand Clive Cussler's novels, because I feel the violent scenes are written in a way that encourages readers to applaud and celebrate the violence. Other novels that are equally graphic (or more so) don't bother me because the violent scenes are integral to a novel whose essence is to condemn such violence. Sex scenes, however graphic they may be, don't bother me unless the sex is violent or creepy (or clumsily written, but that's another issue entirely), and not always then, just as with violent scenes.
More important, for me, is that I'd be afraid one or another brief scene in a novel which didn't bother me but would bother others might slip my mind, so that I would give it the wrong rating. I don't want to start reading books with a sex/violence check-list in hand that would interfere with my understanding and appreciation of the novel's essence.
And finally, there are times when rating a novel might introduce a spoiler for some readers. (Does the guy ever get to bed the girl? for example.)
I do try to suggest the overall nature of a novel through the tone and content of my reviews.
Browse over 5000 historical novel listings (probably well over 5000 by now, but I haven't re-counted lately) and over 700 reviews at
www.HistoricalNovels.info