The painted war
Imogen Rossi
The painted war
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Imogen Rossi
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
I have a secret: the magical city of La Luminosa is on the brink of disaster. Bianca's magical paintbrush might be the only hope as sinister water from the dark twin city, Oscurita, starts flooding her world. But that's only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
Set in a vividly imagined magical Venice, this young adult fantasy follows Bianca as she faces political intrigue and dark forces threatening her city. The story explores themes of trust, courage, and magic, with some elements of violence and suspense suitable for teens. Parents should note the presence of murder and magical peril within a complex fantasy setting.
Why we rated The painted war 11ME
The painted war is written at a Level 6 reading level across 211 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The painted war works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The painted war 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, physical peril, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Murder, Magical Peril.
Thematically, The painted war explores fantasy, magic, adventure, and mystery — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about fantasy, magic, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal 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
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
Darien and the lost paints of Telinoria
Jeanna Kunce
Darien and the lost paints of Telinoria
Jeanna Kunce
Painting
Elizabeth Waters
Painting
Elizabeth Waters
Magic Paintbrush
Kat Zhang
Magic Paintbrush
Kat Zhang
Paint Magic (Art Magic)
Diane Ridley Schmitz, Kathi Howard
Paint Magic (Art Magic)
Diane Ridley Schmitz, Kathi Howard
The undrowned child
Michelle Lovric
The undrowned child
Michelle Lovric
Painted Statue
Stephanie Claire
Painted Statue
Stephanie Claire
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781471402616
- Pages
- 211
- Publisher
- Hot Key Books
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction