We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(6) Tree Line
This book is challenging, but don’t let that scare you off. Eliot’s writing style can take a little while to get the hang of. Her sentences are long, she uses some pretty big words and makes a lot of historical references, and her narratives tend to jump around some. Scenes often start in media res, which means in the middle, and there are some time gaps and flashbacks in the narrative. But once you get used to how it’s written, The Mill on the Floss goes by faster. The characters are really interesting, lots of chapters end on fun cliffhangers to keep you reading, and the style becomes much less confusing once you get to know everyone. This book isn’t easy or even particularly fast to read, but it is really interesting and entertaining once you get going.