Any portion of any story can be ripped out of context to prove or disprove a given hypothesis.
My daughter is a very mature 17 year-old. She normally reads things like “Pride and Prejudice,” though she did find some light teen novels she enjoys.
She is an aspiring actress who is absolutely convinced that she will change Hollywood with her Faith and her conservative (and pro-life) beliefs.
When she turned 17, I decided to allow her more leeway in what she reads and watches. We still have firm guidelines and refuse to even consider most of what Hollywood or Barnes & Noble produce. I don’t let most of it into our home.
But, allowing her to be a more active participant in her choice of entertainment materials is part of allowing her to become a mature adult.
In 8 months she will be 18 and graduating from high school. I want her to know — now — that the world has nothing for her. She seems to be getting the message. In fact, of that I have no doubt.
BTW, when I was 13, my parents refused to allow me to see The Exorcist. So, I bought the book with my allowance and read it. Petty heady stuff for a 13 year-old, but it didn’t turn me into a devil worshiper or whet my appetite for the occult. Even a dull knife like me understood it was just a novel.
And, no, I wouldn’t allow my 13 year-old to read it now.
As I read this book, I recognized it for Satanic tripe midway through (& I bet you know the passage)...
...My skin crawled, and I tore this book into pieces!!
I begged my husband & family not to read it or watch the movie.
Some things are straight from the PIT, and this was one of them.
Guess it didn't affect you the same way, eh?
My daughter is seriously disturbed, but not because of books like this. She has a taste for the macabre. She watches movies I can’t stand to look at (like Saw), she was fascinated by the Bodies exhibit that kind of creeped me out.