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)
Base Camp (3)
A Lesson Before Dying is a good story, well told. It is straightforward and fairly easy to understand. You might run across some pronunciations that are new or Cajun words that you haven't heard, but context clues will help you through the rough patches. The only sleuthing you might have to do is in the chapter that quotes directly from Jefferson's diary—his spelling and punctuation isn't MLA-approved. Try reading it out loud: it's way easier that way.