We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(6) Tree Line
The toughness of this book really lies in the allegory. Not only are characters themselves allegorical (which their names immediately tell us), but the dramatic action and description are as well.
Because Bunyan's allegory is so complex, The Pilgrim's Progress does take patience. However, there is genuine feeling and humor here, and Bunyan—as he says in the apology—is more interested in readers feeling the moral meanings of the book than simply getting it in a textbook kind of way.
That being said, this book is old. And it reads like it. You have to wade through a veritable Slough of Despond of "thys" and "thous" to get to the heart of the story. But once you do, you'll find that it has a very alive, beating, and blood-filled heart. There are passages here that challenge Game of Thrones for gore, and some really epically aww-inspiring bromances.