Poster for Across the river and into the trees

Across the river and into the trees (1950) Parents Guide: Is the book OK for kids?

Name: Across the river and into the trees
Rating: 4.5 (2 reviews)
Author: Ernest Hemingway

Age Rating, Sex, Violence & Language

The story of Richard Cantwell, a war-ravaged American colonel stationed in Italy at the close of the Second World War, and his love for a young Italian countess.

Adult • 1950 • 224 pages • High School/College

by Ernest Hemingway

4.5

Average rating by Bontent members

Age

16+

This late-career novel by Hemingway follows a dying 50-year-old American colonel in Venice as he reflects on his wartime trauma and conducts a final, bittersweet romance with a young Italian countess. The book earns its adult rating through heavy alcohol consumption, mature reflections on death and war-inflicted physical damage, and various instances of strong language. It is a contemplative, melancholic work intended for mature… Sign up for the full guide

Unlock ratings, reviews, recommendations and guides for all content types

Is Across the river and into the trees appropriate for kids?

Content severity in Across the river and into the trees

Sex Strong 5/10

Violence Strong 6/10

Language Moderate 4/10

Substances Moderate 4/10

Themes Strong 6/10

What happens in Across the river and into the trees, moment by moment

p. 12 🍷 Substances 3/10
p. 24 🔥 Mature Themes 2/10
p. 35 🔥 Mature Themes 5/10

Unlock all 19 flagged passages — free account →

Sex and nudity in Across the river and into the trees

The relationship between Colonel Cantwell and Renata is deeply romantic but largely focused on intimacy through dialogue and physical affection. Throughout their time in Venice, they share numerous prolonged kisses and embrace frequently while discussing their love and the Colonel's impending death. There are descriptions of lying together under a heavy blanket in a gondola, where the text uses heavy double entendre and implication regarding their physical acts to bypass direct narration. While explicit anatomical…

Read more — free account

Violence and gore in Across the river and into the trees

Violence is primarily presented through the Colonel's memories of World War I and II, including descriptions of battlefield casualties and the cold mechanics of killing. Cantwell reflects on the loss of his regiment and the specific, visceral ways men die in combat, often describing his own numerous scarring injuries and a hand mangled by bullets. In the present-day narrative, there is a brief, semi-graphic physical altercation in Chapter 23 where the Colonel strikes two sailors who insulted him, showcasing his…

Read more — free account

Language in Across the river and into the trees

The novel contains frequent use of profanity characteristic of military dialogue, including multiple uses of 'son of a bitch,' 'bastard,' 'hell,' and 'damn.' The Colonel often uses these terms to describe people he dislikes or to emphasize his frustration with the bureaucracy of the army. Some editions and specific character dialogues contain period-typical derogatory terms used in a military or regional context, reflecting the mid-century setting. The language is consistently gruff and masculine, with the…

Read more — free account

Drugs, alcohol, and smoking in Across the river and into the trees

Alcohol consumption is pervasive throughout the narrative; characters drink gin, Campari, Valpolicella, and Martini cocktails in almost every scene. The protagonist uses alcohol as a coping mechanism for his heart condition and the psychological pain of his memories, often drinking early in the morning. Detailed descriptions of the quality, temperature, and mixing of drinks like the 'Montgomery' Martini are frequent, treating alcohol with a level of connoisseurship. The Colonel also takes mannitol hexanitrate…

Read more — free account

Mature themes in Across the river and into the trees

The primary themes are the inevitability of death, the psychological burden of leadership in war, and the search for beauty and love at the end of one's life. The protagonist suffers from severe heart disease and PTSD, leading to a fatalistic worldview that permeates his final days in Venice. The narrative explores the contrast between the decay of the human body and the enduring beauty of the Venetian landscape. Themes of regret and the 'lost generation' are revisited as Cantwell attempts to make peace with his…

Read more — free account

Bontent Member Reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Across the river and into the trees appropriate for kids?

Bontent's parent guide suggests Across the river and into the trees is best for ages 16+. This late-career novel by Hemingway follows a dying 50-year-old American colonel in Venice as he reflects on his wartime trauma and conducts a final, bittersweet romance with a young Italian countess. The book earns its…

What age rating does Across the river and into the trees have?

Books don't carry official age ratings. Across the river and into the trees is shelved by its publisher as Adult, but that's a marketing category, not a content rating — Bontent's own review of what's actually on the page puts it at ages 16+.

What reading level is Across the river and into the trees?

Across the river and into the trees is 224 pages and its reading level is High School/College. Bontent recommends it for ages 16+.

What is Across the river and into the trees about?

Is there sex or nudity in Across the river and into the trees?

How violent is Across the river and into the trees?

Is the language in Across the river and into the trees appropriate for kids?

Are drugs, alcohol, or smoking depicted in Across the river and into the trees?

What mature themes appear in Across the river and into the trees?

Where can I read the full Across the river and into the trees parent guide?

Create a free Bontent account to unlock page-level notes, filter by your kids' ages, and save titles to your watchlist.