February 22, 2007
Sex and Violence
Written by Shana in Jaunty PostRecently I was reading a book for a contest I’m judging, and I found myself having trouble turning the pages. Now, I like to read just about anything, and one reason I enjoy this contest is that I get to read books I might not normally pick up at the bookstore. Like most of the books I’ve judged, this one is good. The writing is solid, the romance is there, but the violence…
I’m really having a hard time with the graphic depictions of violence. Maybe the writer is too good because the description of these heinous acts get in my head and stick there.
Do you ever have this problem?
Maybe it’s just me. I have to tell you that I have a low threshold of tolerance for violence. I can’t watch boxing or boxing movies. It makes me wince and feel like crying to see those men or women get hit over and over. I don’t even like fake violence like what you’d see in professional wrestling or some action adventure movies. If I’m at a movie and there’s a violent scene, I often have to cover my eyes and have Ultimate Sportsfan tell me when it’s okay to open them.
And while I can tolerate some violence in a book, the graphic stuff really bothers me.
But I know tons of people love to read mysteries and thrillers, and some of those are pretty graphic. Hey, when I was younger, I loved Stephen King. Not so much now.
So is there anything in books that really bothers you? Are there elements you avoid when choosing which books to purchase?
And scroll down to read Jenna’s blog on Boston Rob and The Amazing Race.
P.S. Don’t forget that Kathryn Smith is our guest blogger this week. She hasn’t blogged yet, so you might want to check in tomorrow. Hint, hint.
10:42 am | Share This
Olivia Parker Says:
Hi Shana!
I am in totally agreement with you. Violence in movies/books just sticks in my head and repeats, bothering me for a long, long time. My husband loves those blow-up/murder/crash and smash guy movies so we almost NEVER watch tv together.
Recently, I bought The Girl From Botany Bay, a historical biography by Carolly Erickson and couldn’t wait to settle down to read, but I stopped at chapter three. I just couldn’t take it. I’d like to pick it up again–it was very interesting and full of historical details of prison ships and so on–but it really depressed me.
I loved Stephen King books when I was younger, too. My friends and I would rent every horror flick we could find at the local movie rental shop. Who was I? LOL! Can’t watch them now, especially war movies. My imagination just kicks in and doesn’t stop until I’m sick to my stomach.
It must be our “writer minds” that make us so sensitive.
Cheers,
Olivia
Kathryn Says:
Cruelty… cruelty to animals and to kids. I just can’t read about it; it makes me sick. I do support animal rights, but the posters they use to solicit donations make me nauseous. I can’t read about it in books either (murder suspense books with killers that started on animals when they were young). I cannot watch lots of blood and gore in movies or on TV either.
Shana Says:
Olivia, I am so glad I’m not the only one who did read and like Stephen King and now just can’t stomach it. I think he’s a fabulous writer, but some of his stuff is just yuck.
Kathryn, I feel exactly the same. Some rom suspense writers get mad because readers are more upset when an animal gets killed than when a person does, but I am upset either way. Maybe more so when an animal or child is hurt because they seem so much more defenseless. And I know what you mean about AR publicity materials. Often the stories they use to publicize an issue are too upsetting for me to read.
Kristol Says:
I totally agree!! I used to watch horror movies, I can’t anymore. It seems that since I’ve had kids I just can’t watch stuff like that. If my hubby and I are watching a movie and there is too much violence in general or even just the threat of violence with kids, I leave the room. Sadly most of the time when we watch TV or movies together it has to something I’ve picked out, not because I have to win, but he knows I won’t watch most of the shows/movies he likes. I can handle some violence in books but not much.
brownone Says:
Um, I’d have to say that in the “Outlander” books, it was the detail of medical procedures, etc. that kinda made me sick to my stomach. I’d just skim over the parts where Claire would be “healing” people. Ugh! And what is SO odd is that I LOVE Grey’s Anatomy, ER, and House!
Helen Sibbritt Says:
I don’t like violence either I have never read a Stephen King book but I do like something with suspense I loved all the Agatha Christie books as a young girl.I can watch movies like Lethal Weapon etc but I saw The Exorcits when it first came out with Linda Blair and never slept properly for weeks and will not watch it again or any horror movies.I don’t like cruelty to animals or children either.
Have fun
Helen
Dorothy Says:
Shana….completely off topic, but I wanted to let you know that ‘Miss Potter’ is going in wide release on March 9th and it will finally be coming to my area! I am SO excited now!! Thanks again for the recommendation.
Amanda Says:
I don’t mind violence in my stories as a whole, but sometimes a section or event will trigger something. I read a story with a blonde little girl named Jenny getting killed. My daughter, now grown, was once a little blonde girl, whose name is Jenny. Just toooo close to home to read.
Robyn DeHart Says:
I can’t say that there’s anything, in particular, that I can’t handle in books. I have preferences though. I still read some scary books (outside of genre) but I have to space them out b/c they will give me the willies after a while. I don’t love certain language in books, like curse words. They don’t bother me in movies, but for some reason in written form, they just stop me. It’s why I stopped reading Janet Evanovich. I don’t really like heavy angst either. I can put up with some, but after a while, I’m just like, “get a therapist and move on!” These days I read a lot more nonfiction than fiction, sadly enough, and those only bother me if they’re not well-written or if they sound like a giant infomercial.
Lois Says:
Most of the books I have are either romances or science books. So when it comes to reading, I really don’t read anything violent or such. But I do avoid rape scenes in romances. No, never happened to me, I just don’t want to read it. I remember last year I had a book on my TBR pile that I just never got around to, but when I saw someone talking about it on a list, mentioned that it had a hero/heroine rape scene, and I got rid of it. That’s just not somewhere I want to go in romances. Well, maybe between the hero/heroine. If it’s mentioned in the character’s past or something (can’t think of all the possibilities). But I guess I’m trying to say that I don’t want to read a full blown scene, most especially between the two main characters.
Lois
Jenna Petersen Says:
See, I guess I must be weird. Violence and sex don’t (generally) bother me at all. Okay, wait. That’s not true. I don’t like to watch anyone getting cut. No eyeball stuff or achilles tendon stuff. No vomiting. Why do they always have to show vomiting??? I don’t need to see that.
Shana Says:
Oh, Jenna. Good point. Vomiting can be shown off-camera.
Robyn, some curse words bother me, too, and I think this is also a more recent phenomenon because I have used them in my contemporary books. But now I would really try to avoid anything worse than damn unless it was totally necessary for a character.
Dorothy, so glad Miss Potter is opening in wide release soon. Go see it; I think you will really enjoy it.
Isabel Says:
If you don’t mind, Kathryn, I’d like to quote your entire comment. I agree wholeheartedly, a pamphlet was shoved in my face while walking around in Union Square in San Francisco. When I saw the pictures - front and center - of what is done to poor animals to make fur coats, I just broked down and cried. I can’t take it.
I’ve read one book where the author described how the hero’s horse was killed during a war, I cried for that horse. The description, the agony, and the heartbreak was just too graphic. I’d like to add that I enjoyed this book overall, and the author is simply amazing so I will continue to buy her books.
Rainy Says:
I don’t like graphic violence in books or movies. However, if it is necesary in the telling of a story to have violence, it is okay depending how it is written. Violence purely for a thrill, especially graphic, doesn’t cut it (no pun intended) for me.
For instance I read a book called A Boy Called It which entailed horrible things his mother did to him, but this was necessary to show how he survived. It’s not pleasant to read this kind of book, but books should not only entertain, they should pass on information and knowledge. I love escaping in a book that is pure entertainment, but I don’t want a steady diet. I want to learn new things and understand the people that share my world.
Most of all, it’s the poorly written book that bothers me.
Lacey Kaye Says:
I hate blood…however it gets on the page!