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)
(5) Tree Line
While the plot moves along in a linear fashion, the structure is more complex than that of the average young adult novel. Forbes breaks the chapters into sections, and the sections don't always flow seamlessly from one to the other. Also, it can be tough to keep track of how much time has passed, though the narrator occasionally mentions what month or season it is, so keep your eye out for those signposts. This is the type of thing we'd expect to see from an author used to writing adult novels and histories, and given all the crossover between the young adult and adult markets today, we think it's pretty timely.