Condominium
John D. MacDonald
Condominium
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Novel
by John D. MacDonald
The text is written at a 8th 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
The wind howls as waves crash against the crumbling walls of Golden Sands. Inside the shiny condo, secrets bubble up like a storm ready to explode. Suddenly, a hidden truth threatens to tear everything apart—what will happen next?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in a Florida condominium filled with secrets, this mystery explores themes of community, deception, and danger. Suitable for middle-grade readers, it contains some mature themes like family conflict and environmental hazards but is presented in a way that encourages critical thinking. Parents should note the presence of complex social issues and suspenseful moments.
Why we rated Condominium 12ME
Condominium is written at a Level 8 reading level across 447 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Condominium works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate Condominium 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, social complexity, 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, Condominium explores mystery, family, community, environmental danger, and social justice — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
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 mystery, family, community.
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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0397012039
- Pages
- 447
- Publisher
- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- Published
- 1977
- Type
- Fiction