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)
(3) Sea Level
The soldier characters in this book are everyday eighteen-year-olds who lived just forty years ago. They use plain…let's call it "colorful" language. Essentially, they swear a lot. It's not rocket science to figure out what they mean.
Where you might get tripped up, though, is the unfamiliar setting, and all the army talk if you don't know army. Myers includes no glossary, so you might have to look a few words up yourself. Our Images and Websites sections should help you figure out what they're talking about when they talk about hamlets and rice paddies.
Other than that, you're good to go.