# What's the name of this literary genre; and a few questions for parents of teen girls **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 5, 2005, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-literary-genre-and-a-few-questions-for-parents-of-teen-girls/306987 "2005-06-05T09:01:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-literary-genre-and-a-few-questions-for-parents-of-teen-girls/306987/21 "2005-06-06T21:02:50Z")
Sorry-apparently I cannot tell the Italics button from the bolding one. Stupid. But it lets me say this in addition: I think these books(the ones in question) are more in the vein of Austen–her heroines are usually a bit distant from the other characters, and certainly more sardonic or biting about those characters. Lizzy Bennett springs to mind, as does Eleanor from _Sense and Sensibility_. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-literary-genre-and-a-few-questions-for-parents-of-teen-girls/306987/22 "2005-06-06T22:18:02Z")
> [@etmiller](#): > > I don’t have a copy of _Catcher in the Rye_, and it’s been years since I’ve read it, but I wonder how it would compare. Well after reading the OP my first (and so far only) reaction was “Sounds like Holden Caufield with a vagina. This isn’t a new genre; it’s an old genre with femle protagonists.” –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-literary-genre-and-a-few-questions-for-parents-of-teen-girls/306987/23 "2005-06-06T22:27:47Z")
I love it! But it’s a bit vulgar for discussion purposes… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-literary-genre-and-a-few-questions-for-parents-of-teen-girls/306987/24 "2005-06-07T04:32:41Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > Well after reading the OP my first (and so far only) reaction was “Sounds like Holden Caufield with a vagina. This isn’t a new genre; it’s an old genre with femle protagonists.” Could be. My recollection is that there’s something different about it. Wasn’t part of Holden Caufield’s problem the fact that he was at some rich boarding school? Actually, I remember finding _Catcher in the Rye_ to be very underwhelming. I don’t know why it’s supposed to be so great. Anyway, what would you call the genre? ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-literary-genre-and-a-few-questions-for-parents-of-teen-girls/306987/25 "2005-06-07T21:55:04Z")
I’d call it coming of age. It sounds to me very similar to what you’ve described. Such differences as exist are, it sounds to me, not really things that make a new genre, but are just the relics of the fact that not every book in a genre is the same book. –Cliffy [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-name-of-this-literary-genre-and-a-few-questions-for-parents-of-teen-girls/306987.md?page=1)