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)
(4) Base Line
The Knife of Never Letting Go isn't tough to get through, per say, but it definitely takes some getting acquainted with in order to get into the groove of things. After all, we're in a completely made-up place, and the way things work can take a little getting used to. For instance:
Cuz you can lie in the Noise, even when everyone knows what yer thinking, you can bury stuff under other stuff, you can hide it in plain sight, you just don't think it clearly or you convince yerself that the opposite of what yer hiding is true and then whose going to be able to pick it out. (2.21)
See what we mean? This take a bit of sorting: People can hear your thoughts all the time, but they also can't because you can still hide them… It's nothing like the way thoughts work in our real world. And, of course, there are some spelling liberties taken, too.
This said, once you get the hang of things, this book is pretty smooth sailing. So just bring a little patience with you at the start, and then get ready to be rewarded as you find yourself completely caught up in this strange new world.