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Tough-O-Meter

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)

(7) Snow Line

Faulkner is not famous for being an easy read, but The Unvanquished is not the hardest of his novels to slog through. That doesn't make it simple, though: the Southern dialect, both from white and black characters, is reproduced phonetically in the dialogue. This can be a little bit tough until you get the hang of it. Plus, you'll also need some context to understand what's going on, too.

Along those lines, it's Shmoop to the rescue: get your Civil War battles and people 411 right here.