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)
(7) Snow Line
Holy cannoli, this is a long book. We're not going to lie to you—the sheer size of Tales of the Madman Underground makes it a tough cookie to tackle. On top of that, the story itself is jam-packed with tangents, including a lot of side stories about Karl's memories and past experiences with the therapy group. Plus, there's seriously a ton of characters, from the Madmen themselves to the adults in the community to teachers to Karl's mom's insane friends.
This book is a tough read, so summon some extra concentration and grab a highlighter (to highlight the names of major characters), and we're confident you can conquer this climb.