I remember a Charlaine Harris series (a non-Sookie Stackhouse book) where she killed off a person who was very close to the main character. That death hurt me deeply, and I didn't see the point of it, unless she had wanted to cause her readers to sink into deep depression. I still read her books (she's my guilty pleasure!) but I don't trust her one bit anymore.
John Steinbeck was like that, too. In almost every one of his books, people have tragedies and die horribly. He used to be practically required reading for all middle and/or high school literature classes in the US. I was never sure why, unless the goal was to teach young, impressionable adolescents that the world was a horrible and cruel place, full of untrustworthy people who would lie to you (especially your parents!), or others who would hunt you down and kill your family. Or the next best thing, you could just live in unspeakable poverty, and then die young. (sorry for ranting, I dislike his work intensely, while recognizing his talent. My parents had all his books and they both liked him. I just wish he had used his powers for good, instead...)
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John Steinbeck was like that, too. In almost every one of his books, people have tragedies and die horribly. He used to be practically required reading for all middle and/or high school literature classes in the US. I was never sure why, unless the goal was to teach young, impressionable adolescents that the world was a horrible and cruel place, full of untrustworthy people who would lie to you (especially your parents!), or others who would hunt you down and kill your family. Or the next best thing, you could just live in unspeakable poverty, and then die young. (sorry for ranting, I dislike his work intensely, while recognizing his talent. My parents had all his books and they both liked him. I just wish he had used his powers for good, instead...)