Reviews on Goodreads are outrageously enthusiastic.
At least the ones I saw.
So when I received a ‘Read Now’, notice from Netgalley - I thought - what the heck ...
Personally- I’m less enthusiastic about this book - than the reviews I’ve read - yet I can understand the book’s appeal.

This is a quick read: A Young Adult dystopian novel. It’s been compared to “Handmaid’s Tale”, and “Lord of The Flies”, and “The Hunger Games”.
Fair assessment.

Sixteen year-old girls spend a year in the forest in order to rid themselves of magic before marriage or entering the work force. Some interesting camp scenes. Obstacles include keeping inner thoughts at bay.
Hard work - rebuilding rain barrels, clearing the trails, weaving rope are less an obstacle than one’s own thoughts.

“All the Women in Garner County have to wear their hair the same way, pulled back from the face, plaited down the back. In doing so, the men believe, the women won’t be able to hide anything from them - a snide expression, a wandering eye, or a flash of magic. White ribbons for the young girls, read for the grace year girls, and black for the wives. Innocence. Blood. Death”.

Tierney is the main character. She is one of five girls born into her family..
the closest to the boy her dad never had. We quickly learn, that Tierney is not a girlie-girl. She’d rather work than be a wife.

Complexities of female relationships are at play....with a message that society will flourish if women band together.

Every woman that I know has experience how cruel other women can be to one another with petty jealousy - envy - cattiness and cruelty.
Women connections can break us to the core -
or they can fill our souls in ways no other type of relationship can.

Teen girls might absolutely love this book. I felt a little old for it - but the author opens up an emotional world showing ways to navigate confusion, anger, empty and guilty feelings - ways to deal with our inner rebel - and the value of women empowering women.

I guess I’d conclude that this book is a combination of the fierce and tender... taking us, the reader, on a daunting journey inviting us to look at the brutalities and beauty for both men and women.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Kim Liggett

I am a huge fan of The Handmaid's Tale from when I had to read it for me English Lit class in college. I am a huge fan of dystopian novels and The Handmaid's Tales was right up my alley. The moment I learned about The Grace Year and that it was pitched for fans of The Handmaid's Tale, I knew it was going to be a must read for me. I've read Kim's previous novels and loved them so I knew this one was going to be for me. I want to say that loved The Grace Year, but I sadly didn't. The Grace Year wasn't a horrible book, it has The Handmaid Tales vibes and a strong feminist message that I did enjoy, but other then that there really wasn't much more that I loved.

My English professor once said that if a novel doesn't make you angry for the injustices it serves, then it didn't accomplish what it was written to do. The Grace Year made me angry for the injustices that woman face. Not even just in this novel but in real life. Tierney's story is of a girl who dreams of a better life where society isn't the way it is. That woman have their freedom and they aren't just used to produce children and serve their husbands. She dreams of a world where woman aren't stripped of their rights and aren't pitted against each other in the wilderness for a year when they turn 16.

I did enjoy the mystery surrounding The Grace Year until the girls go on their Grace Year. I wasn't sure what to expect because the biggest rule in The Grace Year is that, no one can talk about it. So, Tierney isn't sure what to expect. The girls chosen to be married and sent on their Grace Year are sent away to loose their "magic" and powers that are used to seduce men and cloud their judgment.

The ending of The Grace Year left the book a little open ended in my opinion. I came to two different interpretations for how The Grace Year ended. I'm curious to see how other reads are going to take to the ending the and twists that happen in that last half of the novel. Overall, there were bits of The Grace Year that enjoyed and others that I didn't. I think this book wasn't my cup of tea because I as expecting something different. But I can see the appeal and how other readers are going to love this one.

Accidental download as detailed in notes to the publisher. My apologies for confusing your stats. Full review will be on the other version of this title.

I finished this book yesterday, after starting it that day, and my mind is still reeling. This is such a fascinating dystopian novel. I would also place it in the category of psychological thriller. From the very first page, I was hooked. It is honestly one of the best YA fictions I have picked up in awhile.

The main character, Tierney, is a very intriguing character. She is much different than the other girls that live in their county and she wants very different things. She wants untethered freedom. When she is claimed before going on her "grace year", a year where the girls are to discover and use up all of their magic before coming back to be married or begin working, she feels anger and betrayal because she does not want to be "claimed", unlike the other girls.

From the get go, she has an enemy in the leader of the pack. This "mean girl" is dangerous because of her powers of manipulation among the girls and Tierney spends most of the book as an outcast. Once the girls arrive at their camp, the mental games start and you can really observe how much of a psychological element there is in the novel.

I admired Tierney's bravery and kindness. She didn't feel like one of the girls, but she also respected each of them as a person. In their society, women are seen as nothing more than pets to men. Many of the girls turn on each other and do outrageously crazy things in order to hurt another. Tierney sees how absurd it is that they turn on each other, no matter what their circumstances. Yes, they are oppressed by the men in their society and how they treat each other is one of the only things they have control over, however, they chose how they react. While many girls chose to be hateful, Tierney does not. She is an example that one's situation and circumstances are no excuse for cruel behavior. In bringing this example to real life, some people are cruel whether they are severely oppressed or in complete control of their life with every opportunity in the world given them. Some people will always be vindictive or find excuses for cruel behavior. Tierney takes the lead and shows kindness. She shows that they do have a choice and does her best to help them realize this fact. We can all chose kindness and form bonds together. Sometimes those who seem to need it the least and refuse it the most, are the ones in the most need of such comfort and friendship.

I loved the characters. They were each so unique and complex. I loved watching the relationships develop as it breathed life into the story. I accurately speculated how part of the ending would play out, but there were certainly some parts I did not see coming as well. The book was extremely well done. Liggett is a fantastic author and I am eager to see what she comes out with next! In the meantime I will be reading the other books she has already written, but I hope to see a sequel to this one! Her ability to masterfully weave an impressive plot and characters together into a meaningful story and message is intoxicating. I seriously could not put this book down and I'm willing to bet that you won't be able to either!!

3.5 stars. I didn't find this as unique as many others claim it to be - it's very Lord of the Flies meets Hunger Games and Handmaid's Tale. It starts of quite well but then it lost me more and more and I really didn't like where the story ended up going. I also wouldn't call this feminist at all, more like Mean Girls dystopian edition.

Loved this!! I read it in one day - couldn't put it down. It is a feminist Hunger Games. Kim Liggett doesn't shy away from some very shocking and powerful material.

I wanted this book so bad but it was not what i was expecting tierny lives in a dystopia world where when you turn 16 you go into the woods and get rid of your magic. I was not into the world or the magic or the main character but if you like stuff like that then this booknis for you

The Grace Year has been one of my most anticipated books of the year and from the synopsis the perfect dystopia novel that I’ve been needing. The story follows Tierney James, a teenage girl coming into adulthood in a superstitious and patriarchal society. She is preparing for her grace year, a tradition in which all the girls of the town are sent into the woods to be rid of their “magic.”

Now admittedly, I initially had mixed feelings about this book when I started reading. The start of the book is slow as Tierney establishes the world to the readers in what felt like a very stereotypical young adult dystopia, bringing several other novels to mind. I found myself hoping that this book wouldn’t turn into a “chosen one” savior story and I was rewarded for my patience. The Grace Year becomes quite the page turner with a story that took directions I didn’t expect.

The grace year girls are well written and memorable, and the madness that seeps into the camp as the girls come into their magic was genuinely terrifying, more so than the monsters and the poachers lurking in the woods. The more that Tierney discovered about her world, the more I found myself cursing at how cruel and sinister everything was. The power system in the novel is distressing in the way that it divides and breaks everyone.

The book was not without it’s faults, and Tierney was an extremely frustrating protagonist. She thinks the worst in others and acts brashly and aggressively in a poor attempt to create red herrings. Certain romantic aspects I found cheesy, underdeveloped, and unnecessary. As for Tierney’s character development and her state at the end of the book, it is questionable at best and felt sudden with no build up.

Overall I really enjoyed The Grace Year, it did not disappoint and will easily be one of my favorite books that I read this year. I liked that this book brought something original to the table and didn’t turn into an overnight feminist revolution, because in reality that’s not how meaningful change happens. Tierney may not be the chosen one of every other young adult fantasy novel, but her story is the kind of story that we need about why we need to stay united in the face of adversity.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"All the women in Garner County have to wear their hair the same way, pulled back from the face, plaited down the back. In doing so, the men believe, the women won't be able to hide anything from them - a snide expression, a wandering eye, or a flash of magic. White ribbons for the young girls, red for the grace year girls, and black of the wives. Innocence. Blood. Death."

Oh my, this was captivating. I enjoyed every minute of it, the development, the prose, the characters. There few a few times where I felt like the time skips should be divided into chapters, and the pacing felt a little bit off, but I was still enthralled with the story, so it's just a small thing for me. Every bit of it had me hooked, and while the twist wasn't that shocking, it also wasn't predictable (for me).

[ After thinking about it some more last night and this morning, I will say that I felt as if the pregnancy kind of came out of left field and I had to reread a few parts twice, to make sure I read it correctly. However, that did not hinder my overall enjoyment of the book. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, it's a great book, kind of like a cross between the Handmaid's Tale, Lord of the Flies, and I also felt some Hunger Games vibes. I definitely recommend it to fans of dystopian/fantasy type books.

*An early copy received from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review*

In The Grace Year, 16 years old girls have to spend a year in the forest in order to rid themselves of ‘magic’ and prepare themselves for their assigned roles in life. In this suspenseful page-turner, there are obvious elements of The Handmaid’s Tale, Lord of the Flies, Hunger Games, and other YA dystopian novels with strong female leads.

There are interesting, and sometimes disturbing, glimpses of female rebellion and societal uprising as the girls struggle to survive. While Tierney, the main character, searches for independence and the right to choose her path, she repeatedly has to rely on the help of the men around her. Tierney was introduced as a character that often rebels against her expected role; however, the novel takes a disappointing turn with a rushed/inexplicable love story that becomes a centralized part of the plot. The love triangle waters down Tierney’s character (and my overall rating).

*3.5

Likes

This book was interesting, to say the least. From the moment I read the first page, I definitely felt those Handmaid's Tale vibes that I was promised. It's a patriarchal world but the girls have a powerful magic that begins to appear when they are sixteen. At this time, they are thrown into the wild for their grace year so that the magic can be released and they can come back to be perfect wives. The only problem is not all of them come back. There is definitely an element of mystery to this book that gives you an eerie feeling, wondering who and when someone is going to get taken. I thought it was an interesting concept and Tierney is an interesting character. At times, I wasn't sure if I did or didn't like her, but she was very passionate. The relationship between all of the girls that went out into the wild was also interesting. I had expected there would be more camaraderie, but it was far from that, in all honesty. One of the characters, Kiersten, really got on my nerves and she was just plain creepy! I thought that the first part of the book and the last part of the book, where they weren't in the wild, were much easier to follow. I definitely felt those Handmaid's vibes and while it made me angry, it made me angry in a good way. That's what I was looking to feel when I decided to request and read this book. So I was pleasantly pleased with that part of the book! The ending was also really awesome and I wish that there was a second book in the same world because I HAVE QUESTIONS.

Dislikes

While I enjoyed this book, I didn't find myself in love with it. I found it difficult to follow at times and I was a little confused with the different settings. I was also confused with the whole poachers aspect. It wasn't really explained too much, just that they were people to be scared of. The black market stuff wasn't clear and I was left with many questions about how that happened, why that happened, etc. I felt that the romance was kind of weird as well, especially in the dystopian type world that the main character was in. It was predictable but it didn't really feel as much of a romance. It was more like a protector type of relationship and I think that interpretation worked for it better. The girls' magic also wasn't described as well as I'd hoped. The summary on GR above does a pretty good job of it but other than that, there wasn't much else explained. I wanted a little more world-building in there to make myself feel like I was in that world and to be able to imagine what it felt like to be there.

Recommendation

I'd recommend this book to fans of the Handmaid's Tale as well as those who are looking for a unique dystopian fantasy.

Kim Liggett – The Grace Year
Kim Liggett has made a huge leap in quality from The Last Harvest, published in 2018, to the excellent The Grace Year which was a very clever mix of teenage angst and gender suppression in an unnamed, superstitious and backward society. Dystopian novels with a strong emphasis on gender are dime a dozen at the moment both in adult and YA fiction, but The Grace Year stands amongst the best of them. Tierney James lives in an isolated village where at the age of sixteen girls are chosen to be brides and there is shame upon the families of those not chosen, who then do not have families and are given menial jobs. Tierney is a tomboy and does not expect to be chosen…. However, before the marriages take place the girls (chosen and not chosen) are banished for a calendar year to an isolated camp to survive for themselves, they are not allowed to leave and there are many dangers. Many girls do not return and punishments can be inflicted upon their families.

Why does this happen? It is believed that for this year girls develop magical powers and if they’re kept isolated then they cannot cause any harm to the rest of the village. Kim Liggett creates a very believable setting and society in which suppression dominates the everyday lives of girls who do not know any better. Tierney was a terrific leading character who does not believe the magic is real. As the girl’s time in the isolated camp lengths the author plays an excellent game of smoke and mirrors as the full extent of the conspiracy is revealed. The Grace Year really worked as a young woman fighting against oppression in a dystopian society where she had no voice. Although I enjoyed Tierney’s voice at times I thought she was too mature for her years and the second part of the novel, where it truly heads into Lord of the Flies territory, in the camp was slightly too long. These are small gripes though for a novel which was very entertaining, thoughtful, had plenty of twists and much to say about gender. Excellent stuff.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Wow. When I first started reading this book, I immediately noticed the resemblance to The Handmaid's Tale, which the summary even mentions. I almost shelved it and didn't continue because I thought "Oh, I've read this before." But I'm really glad I kept reading because I really enjoyed it!

It does have echoes of The Handmaid's Tale, but it's different enough to be interesting. It makes you think about things that are happening that's definitely more rare these days. And it's great that it's YA and aimed at a younger audience. (Though that's not the only group who would enjoy it.)

Wow. I honestly need a day to digest what I had read. This felt so timely and so spot on for me. Comparisons to The Handmaiden’s Tale do The Grace Year an injustice; this is its own story and it’s just as amazing.

Man oh man! This story grabs you from the very beginning and doesn’t let go! The story of Tierney and the Grace Year girls has the same feminist grit as The Handmaids Tale but with a softer touch that makes the story truly original.

This book was excellent. I'm not sure if I can say I "enjoyed" it, because the whole thing was pretty stressful. But I was completely riveted through the whole thing. This was completely different from what I was expecting, and I was pleasantly surprised. I couldn't put it down, and some instances actually had me holding my breath in anticipation. This is the first time I've read anything by Kim Ligget, and I'm definitely interested in checking out her other works now.


There were some dystopian tropes present, but I thought everything was given a unique twist that kept it interesting. When I started reading I wondered if the somewhat distant, disillusioned tone would keep me from connecting with the characters, but it was handled very skillfully, and I ended up caring deeply for them. Overall this storyline was unique, intense, and very well written. I don't want to give anything away, but this was so much more than I expected in every way. I really can't do this book justice, but I’m excited for everyone to get a chance to read it.


*I received a free ARC via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

Update: Ok, this was seriously SO good! When it comes out, this book is going to be a huge hit, and if the stirrings I hear about a film adaptation are true I hope to god that they do not screw this up. Anyway, I happen to be a big fan of dystopian YA fiction and this is a standout in the genre. The story nods strongly at Lord of the flies, and at the Handmaid's tale, but the story is fresh, unpredictable and SO timely. This is the story that Vox should have been. The author isn't afraid to go "there" and the brutality and violence of the Grace year really hit hard, because it is very much a dog eat dog world, and this commentary about how girls treat each other when they feel powerless is just so...on point. I did get really irritated intially when the love story aspect was brought in (me: Oh shit this just descended into the crap instalove territory that i hate so so much in YA) but I quickly got over my irritation because this portion does so much to further the plot. Then the ending. Oh my poor heart. I really did love this book.

Okay, I am not even done with this, but this is currently my fave dystopian feminist YA probably ever! This is going to be a major hit and could not be more timely!

I adore Liggett’s writing and this by far her best to date. Every sentence is so beautifully structured and weighted. The horrors are felt so much more because of the great care given to ever word. I received it as an ARC and can’t wait to buy the final copy. What a glorious read! I will be raving about it for forever!

Very timely and appropriate to start discussions with young women about feminism. A little predictable in places and the twist ending was not much of a surprise. But overall I would recommend to young women who are interested in learning more about what the patriarchy means.

I love me a good dystopian novel. This one was so relevant to what was going on right now that it was creepy. After l looked at Kim Liggett's instagram and saw her comment about how this was her way of unpacking all of the sadness and rage over what was happening in the world, it all made sense. The Grace Year is about a world where men hold all the power and that women turn on each other.

I sat down to read this book as a part of my nighttime routine and literally could not find a good stopping point. I stayed up until 2 to finish it! The camp experience had elements of the best parts of The Hunger Games and Lord of the Flies

The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was how sudden the "love" springs up. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good tortured couple, but I think I would have enjoyed a little more build up.

I'm excited that this is going to be made into a movie for those that maybe don't read because the message is so, so, so important.