The soldier
Grace Burrowes
The soldier
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Grace Burrowes
The text is written at a 8th 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
What if a clever duke had to outsmart everyone around him to protect his family's future? Imagine a world where every decision could change who inherits everything. But what happens when the biggest challenge isn't the battlefields, but the tricky games of the heart?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in the Regency era, this middle-grade fiction explores themes of social customs, family inheritance, and the dynamics between men and women. The story follows a clever duke navigating complex social situations to secure his lineage, suitable for readers aged 9-12. Parents should note the historical context and mild thematic elements related to family and relationships.
Why we rated The soldier 12MS
The soldier is written at a Level 8 reading level across 410 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The soldier works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate The soldier as 12MS ("Moderate — Social") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from social complexity — 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 mild intensity score.
Thematically, The soldier explores social life and customs, man-woman relationships, inheritance and succession, soldiers, and fiction — 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 social life and customs, man-woman relationships, inheritance and succession.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12MS — Moderate — SocialLight 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
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781402245671
- Pages
- 410
- Publisher
- Sourcebooks Casablanca
- Published
- 2011
- Type
- Fiction