12 year old insisting on reading war and peace

There is a graphic novel version of was and peace which is very good

It's not really unsuitable in that it isn't full of overt sex and violence. He'll either read it and like it or start and put it down.

My dd tried Great Expectations at a young age because she wanted to emulate Matilda but she didn't get very far!

There are loads of historical novels which might be more suitable (though W&P won't corrupt him!)

Cynthia Harnett can be tricky to find, though some libraries have them - fantastic historical children's books

Colonel Shepperton's Clock (and subsequent books) by Philip Turner

Ramage books / Hornblower / Bolitho - all well written books about naval historical times - Nelson etc.

then all the Philippa Gregory type books

If he wants to read War and Peace these may not be up his street, and not sure how you feel about crime fiction, but the Berlin Noir crime books are supposed to be good reads and set in 30s/40s Germany.

www.amazon.co.uk/Berlin-Noir-Violets-Criminal-Requiem/dp/0241962358?tag=mumsnetforum-21

Ds is 11 and he is similarly fascinated with history, especially WWII and planes. He generally chooses fact books, but does enjoy a good historical fiction as long as it's accurate.

I'd let him, but say that he doesn't have to finish it if he gets bored.

I was a precocious reader myself as a kid, often reading things WAY beyond my years. I didn't always understand the context.

On one hand, it's great that your son has an interest in reading and learning, but on the other hand you're worried about what he might be exposed to through reading adult books.
Have a look at the plot summary of War and Peace to determine whether you think it's appropriate, and encourage your son to talk to you about what he reads.

As for suggestions, I quite enjoyed the following historical fiction as a kid:

• The Silver Sword (about 3 children escaping from Poland during Nazi occupation, and Russian occupation)

• The Diary of Anne Frank (not fiction, but a real girl's diary during hiding out from Nazis).

• The Book Thief (about a young girl in Germany during ww2, very moving).

• Hitler's Daughter by Jackie French (who has a whole range of historical fiction your son might enjoy).

He might enjoy any of the Horrible Histories books about those countries or eras too.

War and peace is quite readable in terms of language and it's not particularly gruesome. He will get through it provided he can put up with the insufferable Pierre Bezukhov/ Count Tolstoy. Some passages are hopelessly woolly but that's the overrated Tolstoy for you. It might put him off historical fiction forever, or he might be a lifelong convert