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)
(2) Sea Level
The Spectacular Now is like a cross between the internal monologue you've got running in your head and an SAT vocab test. (Unless you're an SAT whiz, in which case it should sound pretty familiar. Aside from the alcoholism, we hope.) Most of the time, it's totally conversational and understandable most of the time—until it turns around and packs a wallop. Sutter himself says that he studies new vocab words to be able to keep up with his best bud, Ricky.
Now that's peer pressure we'd like to see more of.