Exactly how steamy is this story?
PG-13
As Lucius's story is about his journey into the adult world, The Reivers is not without its lessons on sex. However, this isn't your typical lesson on the birds and the bees. No, no: Lucius's introduction to sex is far from that. In fact, it's not a very positive lesson at all.
He first learns about sex at the brothel and from Boon, which means that he comes to understand it as something that is expected from women and from which they receive payment. Worse, Lucius learns more about sex from Miss Corrie's nephew Otis. What the boy says makes Lucius very uncomfortable, and Lucius's moral compass tells him that he must stand up for Miss Corrie.
Lucius also learns about sex when Butch blackmails Miss Corrie. She is forced to cower to his lust in order to release Boon, Ned, and Lightning from prison. When Lucius finds out what happened, he becomes angry: he's angry at Butch for doing that to Miss Corrie, angry at Miss Corrie for submitting to Butch, and angry at Boon for failing to protect Miss Corrie.
But wow. What an introduction into a very adult part of being, well, an adult. Though everything is merely suggested and not explicitly detailed, we'll go ahead and give The Reivers a PG-13 rating for the ideas it brings up.