The boys
Henry de Montherlant
The boys
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Novel
by Henry de Montherlant
The text is written at a 6th 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 a friendship at school felt so strong it made others jealous? Imagine walking the halls of an old boarding school, where secrets and feelings swirl just beneath the surface. When a teacher starts watching too closely, what will happen to Alban and Serge's special bond?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in a Catholic boarding school in early 20th-century Paris, this novel explores the intense friendship between two boys and the complicated emotions it stirs in their environment. Suitable for middle-grade readers, it touches on themes of friendship, jealousy, and self-discovery within a historical context. Parents should note the sensitive nature of the boys' relationship and the historical attitudes surrounding it.
Why we rated The boys 11ME
The boys is written at a Level 6 reading level across 281 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The boys works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The boys as 11ME ("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 — 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, The boys explores friendship, coming of age, family, historical, and literature & fiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, coming of age, family.
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
11ME — 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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780297994176
- Pages
- 281
- Publisher
- Weidenfeld & Nicolson
- Published
- 1974
- Type
- Fiction