book for 13-year-old

[boxofdelights]

I decided against The Invisible Library for my 13-year-old niece. I just don't know her well enough to be sure that this amount of violence is okay. I think I'll give it to her next year, because it is really good. So I'm looking over my shelves for a replacement gift. I thought I had a hardcover of Flora Segunda, but I can't find it, and it doesn't seem to be in print. I have hardcovers of

A Great and Terrible Beauty,
Magic or Madness, and
Shades of Milk and Honey.

The first two I read long enough ago that I can't remember how age-appropriate they are. What do you think? And which of those is the best book?

ETA: also have Shadowshaper, which is a beautiful object but a bit slight as a story.

Comments

my vote

[bibliofile]

I adored <Magic or Madness, and so did a bunch of people with similar reading tastes. And it's definitely YA, where Shades of Milk & Honey isn't (necessarily). I haven't read the Libba Bray, but your niece may likely find those on her own? Also, with M or M, if the niece likes the book, there are two more (already out!).

[isis]

Personally I would not think A Great and Terrible Beauty appropriate for generic 13-yo, but I am not a parent and don't know what 13-yos are up to these days.

[boxofdelights]

Thanks! that is the kind of response I was looking for. She's very bookish, but I just don't know how well she can cope with violence. She hasn't mentioned any of the YA dystopias when I ask what she's reading.

Re: my vote

[boxofdelights]

I loved Magic or Madness too!

[mrissa]

I, on the other hand, thought it was more geared to 13yos than Shades of Milk and Honey by a long shot. So sorry if this is unhelpful.

[isis]

I haven't read that (or the other books mentioned) so I can't speak to this. And really my opinion should not be counted because it's been so long since I was 13 I don't remember what I was reading. (I take that back - I read Shogun at 13, because I complained that books for teens were boring, and my dad tossed it to me on my bed and said, "this should keep you occupied." I loved it - I named my brand new bicycle (which I got at 13, which is why I know my age here) Anjin, or "Pilot", which is what the Japanese people called the English protagonist.

[omnia_mutantur]

I too think that the Bray is more YA than Shades of Milk and Honey. but my feelings might be shaded by how odd I think the series gets in how it deals with pregnancy.

[lcohen]

the only one of those that i have read was Shades of Milk and Honey. it's not that i think it's inappropriate for a 13yo but it is that rare thing in a book, a book i like less and less as time goes on and not because it aged poorly--it's not old enough to have aged. but at first i liked it okay and then i thought about it some more and liked it less and then i thought about it some more, etc. so based on that plus reading the above i'd guess at Magic or Madness being the best choice. otoh, i bounced off of Flora Segunda, so what do i know?