Are ACOTAR and Romantasy Novels Appropriate for Kids?

With the rise in popularity of romantasy novels like A Court of Thorns and Roses, parents may find their teens asking to read them, or discover that they have already read them. Generally speaking, when we discuss whether books like ACOTAR and the subsequent books in the series are appropriate for their kids or teens, the answer is, probably not, but every kid is different.

As a foster parent to teens for several years, this kind of stuff was a constant discussion in our house. We considered several things before saying yes or no to whether they could consume certain kinds of media. 

The Driving Themes in Romantasy Books 

As adults, we can usually identify the main themes in books like ACOTAR as things like the weight of your duty to others. Feyra regularly sacrifices to keep herself and her family alive. When she’s sent away from the Spring Court, she feels the weight of her obligation to her new friends and returns to try to save them. 

We also often get to consider the duality of human nature and people’s ability to be both good and evil. The idea of the ‘morally gray’ MMC lets us really explore this. In ACOTAR, Feyra is forced to take action that she would never have thought herself capable of, and it leaves her constantly conflicted with the morality of her decision. 

When we consider these themes in appropriateness for our kids, the idea that love can be transformative is one that might require further supervision or discussion. As adults, we may realize that love can bring out the best in us, but it does not change who we are, and it will not solve all of our problems. 

Many of these themes can produce some incredibly insightful discussions for older teens who are still trying to establish what they believe and who they want to be.

Mature Themes in ACOTAR

According to common sense media, (and Tia and I agree) the mature themes in this series revolve around sexually explicit scenes, and violence, including torture scenes. This is where parental discretion becomes important. For the most part, in book one of the series, the sexual contact is consensual, between adults with a loving connection. 

If you are open with your kids when it comes to talking about sex and exploring sexuality, this may be okay for a 15 or 16 year old. They are likely to find much worse content exploring or discussing this stuff on their own or with friends. 

Particularly near the end of the book, there are several scenes that graphically depict torture and loosely hint at sexual assault or nonconsentual touching. As a parents, these are what I would be most concerned about when it comes to my kids. 

Consider Content Warnings 

Before you agree to any kind of romance or romantasy book, and even some YA books, consider the content or trigger warnings. While some people may not agree, this is exactly why they exist. Review the things that most people agree may be difficult topics, and consider how those may affect your specific child.

Romantasy is an Adult Genre

When it comes down to it, Romantasy is an adult genre. If you are not able or interested in reading the books before your teen reads them, then the safe bet would be to err on the side of waiting until they are older. 

However, every child is different, experiences and their general disposition should play a role in our decision. Ultimately, they may be able to gain benefits from reading these kinds of books (and they may  pursue getting them regardless), but they also aren’t missing anything by waiting a couple years.