Bloodtide (Blood...)
Melvin Burgess
Bloodtide (Blood...)
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Melvin Burgess
The text is written at a 8th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
What if the fate of an entire kingdom depended on one brave hero's battle with a terrifying dragon? Imagine Sigurd, the new hope of the Volson clan, facing a powerful, gold-hoarding beast that sends him plunging into the mysterious underworld. Now, with his true love Bryony by his side, the real quest to reunite England begins—can Sigurd fulfill his destiny before it's too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult fantasy novel follows Sigurd, a young warrior from the Volson clan, who battles a fearsome dragon and is cast into the underworld. Alongside themes of adventure, love, and destiny, the story explores mythic elements and survival challenges appropriate for teens aged 13 to 18. Parents should note the presence of fantasy violence and intense action scenes typical of the genre.
Why we rated Bloodtide (Blood...) 12ME
Bloodtide (Blood...) is written at a Level 8 reading level across 416 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Bloodtide (Blood...) works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate Bloodtide (Blood...) as 12ME ("Moderate — 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, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Bloodtide (Blood...) explores adventure, fantasy world-building, romance, survival, and myths & legends — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, fantasy world-building, romance.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781416936152
- Pages
- 416
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- May 22, 2007
- Type
- Fiction