The Grace Year is dystopian fiction about a society that believes women have a powerful magic that they grow into when they get their first period and that they must be sent away for a year to burn off that magic before they can be welcomed back into the community as wives. It’s a total wild ride that had me enthralled from the very beginning. It’s a dark read with a lot of violence, but unlike some other books I’ve read, the violence achieves something. Liggett uses that violence to make powerful social commentary on the roles of women in society, the way we treat one another, and how things could be different.

The Grace Year refers to the year when the girls are sent away to live in the woods and burn off their magic. The society is very much controlled by men who believes women need to be punished for Eve’s original sins. The Grace Year is never spoken about in the community, but is a grim time in every women’s life. Many come back missing body parts or emotionally scarred, and that’s just the girls that return. Many never return and are instead taken by poachers who harvest their body parts because the community believes in the medicinal properties of the dead girls magic.

While all the other girls are concerned with landing a husband before their grace year, Tierney is perfectly content to labour in the fields when she returns, not wanting the be controlled by a man. But once the girls begin their grace year and discover the freedom they have for the first time in their lives, they start to turn on one another and realize the real danger is not the poachers, but the pain they will inflict on one another.

It’s a dark book and I did struggle with it at some points, but like I said, I think the violence serves a purpose in this book, which is why I was able to read through it. Liggett has an interesting writing style and the book itself has a really interesting structure. The girls take out their frustrations on one another because they’ve never been allowed to express emotion before or learned healthy ways to deal with their anger. They have allowed the men to control them for so long that they’ve completely lost any sense of compassion and have never experienced the beauty of female friendship and empathy.

Liggett keeps us guessing throughout the novel and I thought she did a great job with world building. At first things are a little confusing, but the confusion makes it more engaging because you don’t really understand the terrors lurking in the woods or why they exist. The narrative doesn’t follow the traditional storytelling structure, yet the concept of moving through the seasons of the grace year provides enough structure to guide us through the story.

I’m not sure if this is meant to be a standalone or not. I went into it thinking it was a standalone, but now I think it could go either way. It still works as a standalone, but I could also see the author expanding the story. There’s lots of room to continue developing the ideas of this book, but sometimes it’s not needed. The ending is ambiguous and I kind of like it that way.

This book was definitely a page turner. I couldn't stop reading it. The story had so much emotions. I didn't expect the plot twist but it was really good. I cried a lot. It was definitely a wonderful story to read. 4.5/5 stars.

My feelings about this book are mixed. There was so, so much to love about it, but definitely some parts that I felt made the whole weaker. The worldbuilding is incredibly confusing at times, there's an incredibly cliché insta-love story, and about halfway through the plot just sort of came to a drag. THAT BEING SAID, I adored the message at the heart of this. It's a clever reflection of so many aspects of our society today: the way it's structured to benefit a few, and disenfranchise everyone else; how women particularly are victims of this; and in particular, how society is desperate to make enemies out of women, and how their solidarity is the most powerful thing there is. The ending (which I won't give away!) leaves us not with a sense of everything being fixed—these things, as the main character frequently ruminates, will take time—but with an incredible, definite sense of hope.

Hey there, bookworms and dragons! I was lucky enough to snag a physical arc of The Grace Year as a prize for the summer learning program at my local public library and, since my semester ended last week, I was finally able to dive into it. Trigger/Content warnings will be at the end of the post, especially since one of them is a potential spoiler for a side plotline. Let’s dive right into my review!

Character development… I’m almost sad to start the review here, but I have trouble shaking things up sometimes and characters always come first in my reviews so I’ll just say it: there was little to no character development in all of the 400+ pages of this book. I honestly have very little idea of what any of the characters look like and I had trouble caring about anyone other than the main character. Other than Tierney and maybe three other characters, everyone was horribly flat. It was disappointing, but that’s honestly the worst thing about this book so take it as you will.

The Grace Year is set in an unknown time in and near a place called the colony. It’s a world steeped in religion that has been twisted so that women have become dangerous possessions for men to own and punish as they see fit. It really reads like a cult and it was just as creepy and disturbing as it sounds. The teenage girls are sent off into the woods to live in the encampment for a year to burn through their magic, which felt similar to the concept of concentration camps but where the ones with power over the imprisoned are the other imprisoned. It was an uncomfortable world to slip into, to say the least.

The novel is very plot-driven, which works out since the plot (and most of the side plots) are really interesting. I especially love the way everything pulls together at the end into something I was not expecting. There was a bit of the plot that I think the story could have done without, but overall the plot was extremely interesting and flowed somewhat well.

What I like most about The Grace Year is how it examines human nature. It’s bold and honest and it doesn’t shy away from the darker sides of us. It highlights the power of belief. It shows humanity at it’s most caring and at it’s most violent. While I’m not sure how I feel about the ending, I definitely enjoyed reading The Grace Year enough that I had trouble putting it down. I definitely agree with the comparisons I’ve seen to The Handmaid’s Tale, Lord of the Flies, and The Hunger Games and I honestly think it’s a modern combination of the three. I hope to read more of Kim Liggett’s work in the future.

TW/CW:

• Suicide Attempt
• Suicide
• Stalking
• Stockholm syndrome
• Blood

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

Wow. This was one of the better feminist dystopian novels I’ve read (and I’ve read a lot in the past few years). Plot, characters, narrative pacing, ambiguous ending. A pleasure and a horror to read

I received this e arc from net galley in exchange for an honest review. Ummmmm WOW! I saw a fellow net galley user gush about this book and I had to read it and it was phenomenal. It was different and while it told a story of a more primitive society the parallels that can be drawn about the objectivity of women in today's age is spot on. I felt for these girls who have been told what they are and how they must live but then to question and want to break free from those "truths". The peer pressure that influences and magnifies these behaviors and keep the status quo. This book is real, it's raw, and it isn't about happy endings. It's about how women and their bodies and their strong wills are ostracized and tried to be pushed into these subservient boxes. Please add this to your TBR, it is brilliant.

[reviewed from uncorrected galley]
teen/adult fiction/dystopian fantasy suspense with romance and minor lgbtqa interest (Handmaid's Tale meets Lord of the Flies meets Mean Girls meets Hunger Games meets Girl on the Train)
Wow, these 16 year old girls can be awful! This was a page-turner, and though the romance isn't as well developed as other YA pairings, I think it will definitely be a hit with the teens and even adult readers.. I can't wait to put it into the hands of the next reader I see. All the stars!!!!!!! ************
Parental notes: horrific violence/torture happen 'off-screen' and there are two love scenes (that are not explicitly described).

I was blown away by this book! This is the first book I’ve read by Kim Liggett and now I want to devour everything she’s ever written.

Tierney Janes was a fantastic heroine and by far my favorite character in the book. She dreams of a better life and marriage is the last thing on her mind. But as her grace year approaches, she realizes that there is much to fear outside of the county. There are poachers waiting for their chance to grab one of the girls, and the brutal elements alone will test their will to survive. But their greatest threat might be closer than they think.

It is believed that girls have magic within them that can lure men away and drive women mad with jealousy. This is why they are sent away for their sixteenth year (the grace year)...so that they can release their magic and return purified for marriage. But as soon the girls begin their year away, it is clear the only way to make it back home alive is to work together. Tierney is such a strong-willed character and it comes as no surprise that the other girls aren’t her biggest fans. As their “magic” begins to take hold of them, the ties between these girls start to unravel and suddenly it’s every woman for herself. But when Tierney is forced to navigate her way through the wilderness, struggling to survive outside of the gates on her own, she finds there is more to the story of the grace year...they year they are forbidden to speak of.

I really enjoyed reading The Grace Year! The writing drew me in right away and flowed so well. I was immediately immersed into the world Kim Liggett has created and found the relationships between the girls so relatable. This is definitely a must-read for 2019!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2903201574

Unfortunately not for me. While I was intrigued in the premise, I found that I wasn't a fan of the prose, or of the slightly heavy-handed nature of the themes. I just wasn't engaged enough to keep reading, and didn't fully connect to the characters.

Overall, I enjoyed this book for its suspense, setting, and message of female empowerment and unity.

Negatively impacting the book was the uneven pacing. It takes place over the course of a year and while some days were highly descriptive, there were months that would go by with hardly any detail, which made it a little difficult to follow at times. There is a large cast, so not all secondary characters are fleshed out and to me, the romance felt rushed. Also, besides being a misogynistic society, it appears to be homogenous as well.

However, the first person narrative is strong and engaging and the mystery behind the grace year is compelling and horrifyingly fascinating. As the main character, Tierney makes shocking discoveries, and over the course of the year, finds her assumptions and attitudes altered. This is the rare book that I thought could have been even longer, delving more into the practice of the grace year, its history and impact over the generations. The language of flowers is a nice touch to a story so immersed in secrets. Comparisons to the Lord of the Flies, Handmaid's Tale, and even Mean Girls are certainly apt.

[Mini Reads Post] From the time I started the book, I had an issue connecting. It boiled down to the characters and the overall setting. In the book, we are at a time where women are considered the weaker sex, they are tools, they are only as good as their "magic". Granted this sounds like the world that we are in now but my issue with connecting was what I came to figure is the lack of diversity.

I was speaking with someone about this book and they made mention of "The Handmaid's Tale" and everything made sense. This is exactly what the author was trying to do. The horror isn't horror but more of a feminist look what can happen thing, what is happening and why women should be stronger and together.

I could not finish this book.

Other readers are calling this book Handmaid’s Tale meets Lord of the Flies. I would say that is a pretty good description. The setting is Garner county, which seems quite similar to The Handmaid’s Tale, where women are subservient to men and not even allowed to dream, literally. Once girls turn 16, there is a ceremony where unwed men can select who they want to be their wife. Then, all the girls are sent away, whether selected for marriage or not. The girls travel to an island and are left to survive on their own with some meager supplies for one year. If they live, they come back to become wives or are assigned to work in labor houses or the fields. If the girls don’t come back and there is no body, then the girl’s family is punished. The book reminded me of my love/hate relationship with American Horror Story, in that sometimes I am horrified by what I’m watching, but I cannot stop watching. It was the same way with this book, I could not stop reading it. Just when you think things are going smoothly, something else unexpected happens. It did a great job of holding my interest, but I do have a few issues with the book, which is why I’m marking it as 4 stars, instead of 5. One is with the formatting. The book is broken up into sections (seasons), so there are no chapters. <SPOILER-Also, it didn’t make sense how Tierney could run back to Ryker, when the fence was fixed. And why didn’t they have a plan to run off together, when the girls left the camp, rather than a day or two before? It seems like that would have made more sense and been less risky. Finally, the baby bump wasn’t ever noted until Tierney was back in town. I know that was a supposed to be a big twist, but it seemed so out of place. However, the ending at the birth did make sense.-SPOILER>

4.5 ⭐️’s

“They call us the weaker sex.”

The Grace Year is the book every angry feminist needs. The Grace Year is the book that every person who thinks feminism is stupid or unnecessary needs. The Grace Year is the book everybody needs. This book is The Handmaid’s Tale meets Lord of the Flies meets a The Hunger Games vibe, all tied together with a feminist bow. In a world where the men make all of the decisions, where sons are the child everyone wants to have, the girls have magic. When every girl turns 16, they enter their grace year, a year where they are sequestered far away from the county and have to get rid of their magic.

“We are the only Gods here.”

This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I would come up with a theory that I was sure had to be correct, and then I would keep reading and it would later turn out to be dead wrong.
While it took me a while to finish reading this book, every time I sat down to read I would be absolutely sucked into this terrifying and all too possible world.

“[S]he shouldn’t have to feel grateful for this - for being treated like a basic human being. None of us should.”

This book is dark. This book is gritty. This book shows the absolute worst in people.
But it also shows the best. It shows girls banding together, realizing that they are better than what men tell them they are. It shows girls realizing that with each other, they can do anything they put their minds to.
It shows why women standing together and supporting each other is so important. If we are loyal to each other, we can get through anything. Even tyrannical men who think they own us and our bodies.

“They can call it magic. I can call it madness. But one thing is certain. There is no grace here.”

I thought the way this book is set up is so neat. Instead of having chapters, there are five sections. While at times it was annoying not to have a chapter break, it fit the feel of the book. There are no breaks in this hell the girls are living in.

“I only feel tired. Tired of hating each other. Tired of feeling small. Tired of being used. Tired of men deciding our fate, and for what?”

The reason this book didn’t get 5 ⭐’s from me is because I wish that there had just been more clarity in certain events. For example, the ending. I buddy read this with my friend Sydney, and we both have different interpretations of what happened. [BEGINNING OF SPOILER]⚠️⚠️⚠️I thought Tierney had died after giving birth, but Sydney did not get that from the ending. ⚠️⚠️⚠️[END OF SPOILER] If that is what the author meant to do, I applaud her. The end is extremely thought-provoking and had me doubting myself and what I thought I had read. [BEGINNING OF SPOILER]⚠️⚠️⚠️However, if Tierney is supposed to be dead or alive, it should be clarified.⚠️⚠️⚠️[END OF SPOILER]

“We all play a part on this earth. And however small, I intend to play mine.”

Overall, The Grace Year is one of the best books I have read this year. It’s terrifying. It’s inspiring. And can I just say, I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE THIS IN MOVIE FORM. It’s sure to be fantastic.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an e-ARC to read and review!

Very interesting read. Not like anything I’ve read in the past. Thanks for the opportunity to try something new. Recommended read.

Really well done! Reminded me of Handmaids Tail (in a good way) normally not a fan of this type of genre but i was invested the entire time

**FULL REVIEW**

"We all play a part on this earth. And however small, I intend to play mine."

What a whirlwind of a story. As compared to other books of this genre, I can understand the appeal. A dystopian YA with a strong female focus is exactly what I was hoping for...and I wasn't disappointed.

A little difficult to follow, this book is written in seasons rather than a point of view, although there is a distinct voice...

I'm just about finished with the story but wanted to get this review out now.

Absolutely enjoyed this book, and would recommend to anyone who has loved other fantasy, dystopia-based, storylines in the YA or NA category. The Grace Year is a great addition to your imaginative collection.

**4 Which Ribbon, Stars**

Wow! This book was a combination of the Handmaid's Take and the Hunger Games, but so much more intense. It pulled emotions out of me from start to finish. Thank you!

Thank you to Netgalley for the Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was absolutely terrific. One of my favorite of 2019.

I'm really torn on my feelings about this book.

Like almost everyone else who's reviewed this, yes, it reminded me of The Handmaid's Tale and Lord of the Flies. And I think if it hadn't been so evocative of those two books I might have enjoyed it a lot more. Unfortunately, it was a first person narrative, which I don't usually care for, and even outside of that, I wasn't nearly as taken with the prose as other people were. My ARC was also formatted strangely, which didn't stop me from reading it, but I was desperate for some line breaks along the way.

There were so many moving parts in this story that were confusing at times and overwhelming at others. I wish some of it had been done away with. Like, the underdeveloped second love interest and a lot of what was done with her parents. So much happened that I was having trouble keeping track.

That said! I read this in basically one sitting. I stayed up later than I would care to admit to finish it because I was drawn in enough to keep reading and I was curious to see where it went. I really feel like I was taken somewhere else by the narrative, which I always appreciate. I want to like this more than I did, but it definitely grabbed me and I like that about it.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

Genre:
Young Adult + Dystopia

Synopsis:
Every year the girls who turn 16 years old are sent to the wild to expel their magic. When they return they are expected to be purified & ready to go with the husbands who chose them just before sending them to the wilderness area. The year that a girl turns sixteen is her Grace year and she will have to participate in the event. Tierney James just turned 16 and we follow her story in this event.

Book Structure:
The book is around 416 pages. There are no chapters, the whole book is divided into five sections. Four sections are the seasons of the year and the last chapter is "The Return" when the girls who made it return from the wilderness area. The narration is told from a first person's perspective.

Pros:
- An interesting and appealing theme to the young adult section. The book has apparent themes taken from The Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tale. If you loved the dystopian stories in those books there is a chance you will enjoy this one too. I have read both, I like them (Gave them both 4 stars) but they are not my favorites.

Cons:
- I feel the biggest disadvantage of this book is the lack of character development. The characters were just names, there was hardly any physical description to the girls who joined the Grace Year event or even the love interests of Tierney James. There were many girls in the event with no backstories. In addition to the protagonist, I only think Kiersten and Gertrude will be remembered and are significant to the story. All the other girls were just names with no character at all which is a big bummer. From Nowhere a girl suddenly talks and as a reader, you wonder who is she?? Why the author did not at least tell us about these girls before participating in the event? Rachel, Ellie, Molly, Helen, Nina, Tammy, Hannah, Meg, Lucy, Becca, Patrice, Martha, Vivian, Dena, Jenna, Jessica, Amy, Katie etc! phew! they are many, I am sure I must've missed more. All these casts were just props with no colors!

- A book more than 400 pages and yet feels lacking in terms of character development is not something that one can overlook. Better editing would have removed all the unnecessary parts and added something for the reader to root for. I personally did not feel any emotion to any character in the story. I was indifferent to whatever was happening. The author decided to make the event itself the core of the story forgetting that a field without strong playing characters will hardly standout.

Final Thought:
There are aspects I like about the book. The premise is somehow interesting and the great reviews on Goodreads were the reason why I picked up a free ARC copy when this was made available in the "Read now" section of NetGalley. My opinion might be among the minority but to me, The Grace Year does not live up to the hype and does not elevate more than being an average book so I'm going with only 3 stars out of five. The book will be released on October 8th, 2019.

Many thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for providing this free ARC in return of this honest and unbiased review.