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)
(5) Tree Line
You may trip on a branch or two, climbers of Shmoop Mountain, but just barely. Mostly, Ann Patchett's prose is easy to follow, and there's not a lot of complicated historical information to absorb. The characters speak different languages and talk a lot about various operas.
But no need to despair: Patchett is good about translating other languages into English or giving the reader clues about what they mean. Basically, if she's asking you to climb a little high, she's also handing you a backpack full of chocolatey trail mix and equipment to make it easy.
And the view's not so bad: the language is beautiful, the characters are compelling, and the fairy-tale quality of the book makes it a striking experience.