“The John Green Effect” and “GreenLit”

I just finished Andrew Smith’s Winger, which last year had been given the title of GreenLit by New York Times.  “GreenLit” according to New York Times is a thing used to define writers that either write in the style of John Green or writers John Green celebrates (e.g. Rainbow Rowell, A.S. King, e. lockhart).  I’m not going to go into what I think of the whole “GreenLit” definition (some people even call it a “genre”!) too much, but BookRiot pretty much sums up my thoughts on the term.

I know Green really helped bring the realistic genre featuring smart, self-aware teenage narrators with witty dialogue back to life, but he did not invent the genre.  Anyone else remember Blume, Hinton, or even Salinger? (Okay, technically, The Catcher in the Rye (1951) was originally published for adults, but it has since become really popular with youth because of its themes.) …And can we just talk about the reigning queen of contemporary YA? Sarah Dessen, folks. Sarah Dessen.

To me, it is honestly kind of demeaning to the authors’ talents and accomplishments; I’m sure these other authors would appreciate their books being evaluated on their own merits.

I recognize the importance of John Green. In fact, my blog might not have existed without Green, because he really did help usher in the trend in the revival of contemporary, realistic fiction.

https://twitter.com/johngreen/status/467020907169738752

But even Green think it’s ridiculous to claim he is the sole reason for the contemporary YA revival.

I want to make it clear that this blog is not about GreenLit; it’s about emotionally intense contemporary YA of which John Green’s books belong.  As a librarian, I love read-alikes, which are so important in reader’s advisory, and therefore can appreciate the whole, “Oh, you liked John Green? You may like one of these…” But what I can’t get behind is the idea that authors’ books be generalized based on the narrative style of Green or that Green should somehow be placed on a pedestal for all other YA contemporary realism to be compared against. There is so much range and nuance in contemporary realism, and grouping them all into GreenLit (or not GreenLit) really ignores the innovation and brilliance of the other authors.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz

Technically, King’s books are classified as magical realism, a genre that walks the line between a number of genres and expectations (think Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel), but it is contemporary with realistic elements. Also, A.S. King is amazing.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz
by A.S. King
326 p. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers. October 2010.
Gr 9 Up

High school senior Vera Dietz knows more about the night her best friend, Charlie, died then she lets on.  Tormented by Charlie’s betrayal and the disintegration of their lifelong friendship, Vera’s not ready to face the truth about that night.  Yet she’s haunted by thousands of Charlies that she can see, hear, and feel—ghosts that seemingly steal the air out of her lungs.  The story unfolds from the varying perspectives of Vera, Charlie, Vera’s father, and the town’s landmark Pagoda thereby capturing a more complete picture of Vera’s plight.  This haunting, tragic, and ultimately redemptive book deserves a place among any YA collection.

The Feels

This is a gripping story, but it’s a hard one.  There’s a lot of bad things that have happened to Vera—a former stripper mother who left them, an emotionally absent, recovering alcoholic of a father, a neighbor who beats his wife, and let’s not forget the dead best friend—and initially Vera turns to alcohol to “cope.”  Watching the beautiful friendship of Charlie and Vera unravel through flashbacks tore at my heart, almost as much as the chapters from “the dead kid.”  But after I moved past the tears, I found Vera’s redemption powerful, leaving me feeling hopeful.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz won a Printz honor, which it rightly deserved; it’s a perfect combination of literary merit and teen appeal. I look forward to reading some of King’s other novels in the future.