The evil guest
Sheridan Le Fanu
The evil guest
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Sheridan Le Fanu
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
The Marston family is barely holding on when a letter arrives from their rich cousin—rude, pushy, and completely unwelcome. Suddenly, their hopes for help turn into a nightmare they never saw coming. What dark secrets does this visitor bring to their doorstep?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This classic gothic tale follows the Marston family as they face unexpected turmoil after inviting a wealthy but unpleasant relative into their home. Suitable for middle-grade readers, it explores themes of family tension and the consequences of difficult choices, with suspenseful and eerie elements typical of 19th-century British fiction.
Why we rated The evil guest 11LE
The evil guest is written at a Level 6 reading level across 238 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The evil guest works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The evil guest as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, The evil guest explores family, british and irish fiction, suspense, and gothic — 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 family, british and irish fiction, suspense.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A 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
- 0405092067
- Pages
- 238
- Publisher
- Arno Press
- Published
- 1977
- Type
- Fiction