Dance of thieves
Mary Pearson
Dance of thieves
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Mary Pearson
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is very intense with mature or graphic material.
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About This Book
A daring outlaw chief crosses paths with a once-thief seeking redemption, sparking a dangerous game of strategy and trust that pulls them closer amid high stakes. Their clash unfolds into a fierce struggle where survival and unexpected emotions collide, challenging everything they believe. Navigating betrayal, secrets, and peril, they must decide if love can emerge from a world of shadows.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with very intense content intensity. Note: content intensity (Very Intense) exceeds what the reading level might suggest. Content themes include child abuse, gaslighting, sexual assault. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Dance of thieves 10VE
Dance of thieves is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 508 pages (approximately 139,694 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.3 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Dance of thieves works for readers up to grade 7.3.
Read aloud, Dance of thieves runs about 15.5 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Dance of thieves as 10VE ("Vivid — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Very Intense" range — very intense or graphic content — peril, violence, trauma, or mature themes treated head-on. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Child Abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual Assault, Pedophilia, Rape Mentioned, Restraint, Bullying, Torture, Mutilation, Hanging.
Thematically, Dance of thieves explores thieves, adventure, romance, survival, and social justice — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about thieves, adventure, romance.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there is one more book in the Dance of Thieves series.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10VE — Vivid — EmotionalGraphic or sustained depictions of trauma, violence, or mature content.
Content Flags
Was our "Very Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
4/10A 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
- 9781250159014
- Pages
- 508
- Publisher
- Henry Holt Books For Young Readers
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 139,694
- Read-Aloud
- ~15h 31m
- Text Density
- Dense