One could argue that it was divine will, since religion is a big part of the novel and Jane’s survival strategy is ‘pray and praise God’ when walking around the countryside with nowhere to go and nothing in the way of resources.

Could’ve just been a coincidence but I choose to interpret it as an act of God.

I don’t think I ever had reading level restrictions growing up, but at home I read a lot of Jules Verne and HG Wells. Obviously all the symbolic and thematic content flew over my head, but I don’t remember ever having a problem actually reading it.

Kids will read just about anything if it piques their interest enough. I’m especially fond of the Canterbury Classics series, which compiles authors like the ones mentioned above into user-friendly and easy-to-read omnibuses. I read Verne and Wells through them and just last year I found one for Robert Louis Stevenson, who is another favourite.

What kind of lunatic restricts kids to reading at their grade level? I’d not only support but actively encourage reading above one’s own grade level. Not giving kids anything challenging or stimulating to read is how they end up not wanting to read at all.

Michael Ridpath isn’t an Icelandic author but he has a mystery series set primarily in Iceland.

The first one in his series involves a murder and the chase for a legendary ring, I’d give it about 7/10 stars. Not at all bad, but a bit generic and easily breezed through. It was about 352 pages, but to me it felt very short.