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
Let's be clear: it's not the language that makes this novel so tough. In fact, just based on language alone, the Tough-O-Meter would probably drop to Base Camp level—no dictionary required for this read.
But there is a lot in the book that makes it more difficult for readers. First and foremost is the subject matter—the entire novel is about the sexual exploitation of a girl barely into adolescence, and this is a difficult subject for readers to confront.
More than that though, the style and format of the book takes some getting used to. McCormick writes the novel in pseudo-poetry, and while the language is both stark and poignant, readers have to fill in gaps in the story with inferences about characters, ways of life, plot points, background knowledge of India and Nepal, and everything that isn't addressed in the novel.
In short? There's more than meets the eye with this book, and while that earns it Tree Line toughness status, it's also totally worth it.