diff --git a/src/styles/route.css b/src/styles/route.css
index fdaf519..fe0f539 100644
--- a/src/styles/route.css
+++ b/src/styles/route.css
@@ -469,9 +469,12 @@
   .reading-stage .chapter-body {
     border: 0;
     border-radius: 2px;
-    background:
+    /* The plate's opacity lives in its background colour, so the reading
+       surface stays measurably solid; the gradients only tint it. */
+    background-color: rgb(9 4 22 / 94%);
+    background-image:
       linear-gradient(180deg, color-mix(in srgb, var(--chapter-accent, var(--accent)) 9%, transparent), transparent 140px),
-      linear-gradient(104deg, rgb(7 3 18 / 96%), rgb(11 5 27 / 94%) 62%, rgb(14 7 32 / 93%));
+      linear-gradient(104deg, rgb(4 1 12 / 40%), transparent 62%, rgb(24 12 48 / 30%));
     box-shadow:
       inset 3px 0 0 var(--chapter-accent, var(--accent)),
       inset 0 1px 0 color-mix(in srgb, var(--chapter-accent, var(--accent)) 38%, transparent),