Game of Thrones - suitable for 13 year old?

[louisea]

I know there are lots of threads about the books and I've watched series 1. DT2 told me the other day that he was going to get the book from the library. I told him that it isn't suitable. Too many beheadings/violence (gore doesn't' bother him) and far too much sex (he doesn't seem bothered either). I've not actually read the book so don't know how graphic the scenes are. I remember being forbidden to read Sydney Sheldon's Bloodlines as a teenager so went and took it off the bookshelf anyway.

Just want to give him a bit of guidance.

I would let a 13yo read it. The sex scenes aren't graphic and I think the gore is worse on the TV programme than in the books.

gah, no! Way too graphic imo. I can recall a rape scene, countless murders including child murders, scary ghouly things, and I've hardly read any of it!

YY, the tv show is worse. My DS1 was reading these (and loving them) at 10.

There's less sex in the books than there is in the TV show, but there is still a fair amount of it and not much is left to the imagination. It's also part of the political power struggles that are the core of the books, so sex as a weapon/political tool rather than in the context of loving relationships mostly.

IMO the themes are quite adult - politics, power, fear and how they can twist people's actions - and would require a lot of maturity to be able to take them in and appreciate the full picture. Depends on the maturity of your son, really.

Thanks. I think that I'll read the first book before he does so that I can discuss it with him.

No way appropriate for 13.

Not only the blood and consensual sex there is also rape and blurred consent sex as well as incest and implied incest feelings.

Excellent book but for age 15/16+ I'd say.

The books get more graphic as they go further along the series too. Torture and fully described rape etc.

I agree that it gets goryier as it goes on. I love the story but winced all the way through the torture bits in the last book (flaying!) I wouldnt recommend it for a 13 year old.