Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review
No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden. In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive. Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other. With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between. Terrifying. Dystopian. Haunting. I have always been hesitant to believe people when they compare books to The Handmaid’s Tale, but if you said it about The Grace Year I would wholeheartedly agree. This novel is about survival, women’s relationships, and faith in one’s principles. It’s gripping, and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. I know this is an awfully short 5 star review, but I truly don’t know how to put into words the sentiments expressed in The Grace Year. You just need to go read it. Tierney James imagines a world in which she can be free of the constraints placed on her by her patriarchal society. She’s trapped. She wants to have real friends, and to not be the rough-and-tumble one. The one who’s unlikely to be chosen as a bride. The shamed one. But when Tierney goes with the other girls into the woods on her grace year, she discovers more about herself than she knew before. As a narrator, I liked Tierney. Her status as an outsider to the rest of the girls gave insight into the ways in which girls slight each other, hoping to come out on top even when there’s no competition. All of this is described in detail, and many of us can identify with Tierney based on the traits we might share with her: feminist, imaginative, problem solver. When she’s boxed out of the girls’ social circle, she still tries to help them survive the year. Liggett pulls no punches, and there are some deeply unsettling elements that come up as major events in the book. I was impressed by her dedication to rounding out the world, despite how uncomfortable of an experience it is. I’m glad that she didn’t soften the horrors of the girls’ life in the woods, as the realism added immensely to the atmosphere. I thought a lot about myself while reading, wondering what I would do in Tierney’s place and those very specific situations. I have come to the conclusion that I am perhaps not as brave as I would like to be. The Grace Year juxtaposes emotional violence between girls and women with the deep connections they forge with each other, painting a nuanced portrait of human connection and the goodness we can all show each other. 5/5 stars for incredible emotional depth, and all that I mentioned above. Go read this book.
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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