Such Wicked Intent
Kenneth Oppel
Such Wicked Intent
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, Book Two
by Kenneth Oppel
The text is written at a 7th 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 cold, musty air of the old laboratory stings your nose as strange shadows flicker against cracked walls. Two brothers hold secrets darker than the night itself, and every whispered word could change everything. Could love turn into something terrifying when the past refuses to stay buried?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Such Wicked Intent is a Gothic middle-grade thriller that explores themes of devotion and the supernatural through the story of twin brothers entangled in dark secrets. Suitable for ages 9-12, it contains suspenseful and eerie elements typical of horror fiction but remains appropriate for middle-grade readers. Parents should be aware of its intense atmosphere and supernatural themes.
Why we rated Such Wicked Intent 12ME
Such Wicked Intent is written at a Level 7 reading level across 320 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Such Wicked Intent works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Such Wicked Intent 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, 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, Such Wicked Intent explores horror, twins, supernatural, gothic fiction, and family — 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 horror, twins, supernatural.
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
1/10A 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
- 9781442403192
- Pages
- 320
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction