The assassin's curse
Kevin Sands
The assassin's curse
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Kevin Sands
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
What if every step you take leads you closer to danger? Christopher Rowe's latest adventure throws him into a whirlwind of secrets, deadly traps, and shadowy enemies. Can he solve the puzzles and stop the assassin before it's too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This thrilling middle-grade novel follows Christopher Rowe and his friends as they navigate a perilous quest filled with puzzles, codes, and encounters with assassins. Suitable for ages 9-12, it combines elements of adventure and supernatural fiction with some suspenseful moments. Parents should note the presence of murder and peril, which are handled in an age-appropriate manner.
Why we rated The assassin's curse 12MP
The assassin's curse is written at a Level 8 reading level across 532 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The assassin's curse works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate The assassin's curse as 12MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril, Fantasy Violence.
Thematically, The assassin's curse explores adventure, mystery, supernatural, and friendship — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, mystery, supernatural.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12MP — Moderate — PhysicalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781534405233
- Pages
- 532
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction