Eugenides is a great example of someone who's probably MUCH OLDER than he should be in a YA novel by the time we get to the 4th book, but I don't think you notice aging characters as much in fantasy, either. Robin McKinley's books are often like that (the earlier ones are, anyway).
And that's another thing - the plausibility factor. That's the main reason I couldn't, and didn't, make the girls any younger than they are: I really wanted this to be as plausible as possible. I just didn't want them lying about their ages. So there was a lower age limit that I had to conform to.
I think that, were you to read it again (and I totally understand why you might not), you wouldn't really notice any difference. It would still feel grim in the grim bits and the characters would still be working in adult jobs.
But one of the things that gives this its YA feel is perhaps the lead characters' innocence - their trust in their superiors, the fact that ALL the people in charge are 20 years their seniors, and their relative lack of sexual experience or independent living (except for various barrack situations, both girls are still living at home) - stuff like that.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2012-02-04 08:38 pm (UTC)Eugenides is a great example of someone who's probably MUCH OLDER than he should be in a YA novel by the time we get to the 4th book, but I don't think you notice aging characters as much in fantasy, either. Robin McKinley's books are often like that (the earlier ones are, anyway).
And that's another thing - the plausibility factor. That's the main reason I couldn't, and didn't, make the girls any younger than they are: I really wanted this to be as plausible as possible. I just didn't want them lying about their ages. So there was a lower age limit that I had to conform to.
I think that, were you to read it again (and I totally understand why you might not), you wouldn't really notice any difference. It would still feel grim in the grim bits and the characters would still be working in adult jobs.
But one of the things that gives this its YA feel is perhaps the lead characters' innocence - their trust in their superiors, the fact that ALL the people in charge are 20 years their seniors, and their relative lack of sexual experience or independent living (except for various barrack situations, both girls are still living at home) - stuff like that.