Exactly how steamy is this story?
R
There's a lot of romance goin' on in Beneath a Marble Sky, but that's not why this book deserves an "R" rating. The love that's shared between Isa and Jahanara is actually kept at a pretty basic PG-13 level, but the violence—especially the sexual violence—is what makes this a book that you shouldn't recommend to your pearl-clutching grandma.
There are several instances of rape between Khondamir and Jahanara that are graphically depicted, and they are not pleasant. At one point, it even happens right next to Jahanara's dying father.
So, yeah, we'd say that qualifies this book for an R.