Why are some teenage books not YA?

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donut

donut

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As far as I can tell, the only real definition for YA lit is that protagonist should be a teenager dealing with the various problems of adolescence. However, I can think of a few recent books with teenage protagonists that were primarily marketed toward adults. I'm thinking specifically of Special Topics in Calamity Physics and Prep, although I'm sure there are others.

Can anyone here explain why these books are considered adult lit rather than YA?
 
OverTheHills&FarAway

OverTheHills&FarAway

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It's all about tone and pacing and um, tone. Voice.

The only one of those I've read is Prep, and I KNOW it's been discussed here before, so I might I'm just regurgitating what was already said, but that book has a nostalgic feel to it, it's slower, more introspective, as you'd expect from someone older looking back on their years in prep school.

Although she deals with all the things you typically find in YA: wanting acceptance, loneliness, finding love, oral sex and all that fun stuff, it's not...as immediate. It's slower, more dream-like. She's looking back. I don't think she really learned. While she WAS growing up at the time, I don't think it was *about* that experience of growing up. Even though it kinda was. (Notmakinganysense)

Okay, the way I see it, it's the act of remembering, and applying those memories to her current life. And how she's STILL struggling with those issues, as an adult. It wasn't about being a young adult. It was about never really getting over being a young adult.

Does that make any sense whatsoever? Did I answer your question??
 
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