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Ruin and Rising

Leigh Bardugo

Cover of Ruin and Rising

Ruin and Rising

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Leigh Bardugo

Reading Level 7 Unrated Ages 9-12

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 gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

See the Grishaverse come to life on screen with Shadow and Bone, now a Netflix original series. Enter the Grishaverse with book three of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by number one New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo. Perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Sarah J. Maas. Now with a stunning new cover and exclusive bonus material: The Demon in the Wood (a Darkling prequel story) and a Q&A with Leigh Bardugo. Soldier. Summoner. Saint.The nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army. The Darkling rules from his shadow throne while a weakened Alina Starkov recovers from their battle under the dubious protection of the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Now her hopes lie with the magic of a long-vanished ancient creature and the chance that an outlaw prince still survives. As her allies and enemies race toward war, only Alina stands between her country and a rising tide of darkness that could destroy the world. To win this fight, she must seize a legend's power - but claiming the firebird may be her ruin. Read all the books in the Grishaverse! The Shadow and Bone Trilogy (previously published as The Grisha Trilogy) Shadow and Bone Siege and Storm Ruin and Rising The Six of Crows Duology Six of Crows Crooked Kingdom The King of Scars Duology King of Scars Rule of Wolves The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic The Severed Moon: A Year-Long Journal of Magic The Lives of Saints Praise for the Grishaverse "A master of fantasy." -The Huffington Post "Utterly, extremely bewitching." -The Guardian "The best magic universe since Harry Potter." -Bustle "This is what fantasy is for." -The New York Times Book Review "[A] world that feels real enough to have its own passport stamp." -NPR "The darker it gets for the good guys, the better." -Entertainment Weekly "Sultry, sweeping and picturesque. . . . Impossible to put down." -USA Today "There's a level of emotional and historical sophistication within Bardugo's original epic fantasy that sets it apart." -Vanity Fair "Unlike anything I've ever read." -Veronica Roth, bestselling author of Divergent "Bardugo crafts a first-rate adventure, a poignant romance, and an intriguing mystery!" -Rick Riordan, bestselling author of the Percy Jackson series

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 7 book. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated Ruin and Rising Level 0

Ruin and Rising is written at a Level 7 reading level across 384 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Ruin and Rising works for readers up to grade 9.0.

We rate Ruin and Rising as Unrated because the content sits in the "Unrated" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the unrated intensity score.

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.

Maybe not for

  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

Level 0 — Unrated
Gentle Mild Moderate Intense Very Intense

This book has not yet been rated for content intensity.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Unrated" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

1/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
6
Theme Richness
1
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
4

Details

Book Length

384 pages
ISBN
9781510105256
Pages
384
Publisher
Orion Children's Books
Published
2018
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Fantasy FictionMagicOrphansFantasyLove StoriesLoveMonstersAbilityRomance FictionFirst PersonHigh FantasyImaginary Wars and BattlesParanormalRomanceYoung AdultYoung Adult Fantasy