Chain of Gold
Simon and Schuster
Chain of Gold
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Simon and Schuster
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
Did you know that some monsters don’t hide in shadows but walk right in the daylight? Cordelia has trained all her life to fight demons, but when a new kind of danger strikes London, she must face secrets darker than any evil she’s battled before. And that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult fantasy novel follows Cordelia Carstairs, a skilled demon hunter navigating a dangerous world of supernatural beings and hidden threats in Edwardian London. With themes of friendship, loyalty, and romantic tension, the story includes fantasy violence and complex emotional challenges suitable for teens 13 and older. Parents should note the presence of dark fantasy elements and some intense moments of peril.
Why we rated Chain of Gold 12ME
Chain of Gold is written at a Level 8 reading level across 582 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Chain of Gold works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate Chain of Gold 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, thematic difficulty — 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, Chain of Gold explores fantasy world-building, adventure, romance, friendship, and coming of age — 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 fantasy world-building, adventure, 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781534452053
- Pages
- 582
- Publisher
- Margaret K. McElderry Books
- Published
- 2020
- Type
- Fiction