Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
After the eclipse
Sarah Perry
After the eclipse
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Mother's Murder, a Daughter's Search
by Sarah Perry
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
What happens when the person you love most is taken away in the darkest way? Imagine growing up surrounded by questions and silence, trying to understand who your mom really was. Can you find hope and courage in the shadows of loss?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores the emotional journey of a young girl coping with the murder of her mother, blending memoir and fiction elements. It delicately addresses themes of grief, identity, and resilience suitable for readers aged 9-12, though parents should be aware of its mature subject matter involving loss and violence. The story encourages empathy and understanding while navigating complex emotions.
Why we rated After the eclipse 11IE
After the eclipse is written at a Level 6-7 reading level with a Lexile measure of 980L across 350 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, After the eclipse works for readers up to grade 8.5.
We rate After the eclipse as 11IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Murder, Loss.
Thematically, After the eclipse explores mothers and daughters, coming of age, grief, family, and biography — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about mothers and daughters, coming of age, grief.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11IE — Intense — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780544302655
- Pages
- 350
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Lexile
- 980L