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)
(2) Sea Level
The narrator, Lily, keeps things pretty accessible. She's a fairly no-nonsense, straightforward high school student, and her language reflects those qualities. Her prose is notable for its simplicity, even while she's creating beautiful images. Even though she's writing aallllll the way from the 1960s (!), the divide between her era and our own isn't really that broad, at least in terms of language. (In terms of politics, well . . . .). You should find the book's language and themes to be pretty much smooth sailing.