I always feel like rape is the first/most common answer to these things. And it’s such a complicated topic.

First and foremost of course, all readers should take care of themselves and no one should feel pressured to read something they think will be bad for them, or to read on in something that is bad for them.

Second, I think it’s precisely because rape is so common that depicting it in fiction is so important. Many sexual assault survivors, as well as loved ones of survivors and just people preoccupied with fears of rape, find these books incredibly important for healing, connection, and understanding.

Third, obviously none of those goals can be met if the author isn’t approaching the material respectfully, with the understanding that an appreciable portion of their audience will have been sexually assaulted themselves. I’m fortunate enough that I haven’t, and I don’t mind depictions as long as they’re done well, but I draw the line at writing that seems to excuse or glorify rape or use it as cheap titillation—at this point I’ll tend to avoid male authors depicting male-on-female rape altogether. It’s not that it can’t be done well, I’m sure, but I also don’t think I’ve seen it. With female authors I rarely see those problems.

But I’ll still generally put down a book on sample if it begins with the rape—there’s a sense in which, not yet knowing or caring about the character in question, it automatically feels like these scenes are there for cheap shock/titillation.