Far from you
Tess Sharpe
Far from you
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tess Sharpe
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
Sophie stumbles through the dark woods, heart pounding as a masked stranger appears. Her best friend Mina won’t make it out alive, and the police think it’s just another drug deal gone wrong. But Sophie knows the truth is far more tangled—and she’s the only one who can uncover it.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores complex themes of grief, drug addiction recovery, and mystery through the eyes of Sophie, a teenage girl coping with the loss of her best friend. It contains mature subject matter including drug use and murder, suitable for older middle-grade readers (ages 9-12) with parental guidance. The story sensitively handles emotional struggles and the challenges of trust and recovery.
Why we rated Far from you 12IE
Far from you is written at a Level 7 reading level across 341 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Far from you works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Far from you as 12IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Drug Use, Murder, Grief.
Thematically, Far from you explores mystery, friendship, grief, addiction recovery, and lgbtq+ representation — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about mystery, friendship, grief.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 9-12 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! 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
12IE — Intense — EmotionalHeavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.
Content Flags
Was our "Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781423184621
- Pages
- 341
- Publisher
- Disney-Hyperion
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction