Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Wednesday Books (2019), 409 pages
Description
Suspense. Science Fiction & Fantasy. Thriller. Young Adult Fiction. HTML: "Emily Shaffer delivers a dynamic performance of this dystopian audiobook... She masterfully connects listeners to the characters' emotions, creating passionate and realistic performances." � AudioFile Magazine This program includes a bonus conversation with the author. A speculative thriller in the vein of The Handmaid's Tale and The Power. Optioned by Universal and Elizabeth Banks to be a major motion picture! Survive the year. 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. Praise for The Grace Year: "A visceral, darkly haunting fever dream of a novel and an absolute page-turner." � Libba Bray, New York Times bestselling author "The Grace Year seethes with love and brutality, violence and hope. It is a remarkable and timely story of the bonds between women, the cost of breaking those bonds, and the courage it takes to defy a patriarchy intent on crushing feminine strength." � Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes"This book is harrowing and absolutely riveting, an insidious journey from reason to madness that manages to completely refresh the concept of the patriarchal dystopia, with a beautifully realized ending that goes to a very different, and even more believable, subtle, and unexpectedly satisfying, place than I expected." - Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jnmegan
The Grace Year is aptly introduced with quotes from The Handmaids Tale (Margaret Atwood) and Lord of the Flies (William Golding), two classic works that obviously acted as strong inspiration for Kim Liggett’s new novel. Although marketed as a YA title, The Grace Year would also appeal to adults
Thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Books (Wednesday Press) and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
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who enjoy dystopic fantasy along the lines of The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) or Divergent (Veronica Roth). The action takes place in either a pre-industrial past or possibly a post-technological future-it is unclear which. Regardless, is a bleak world in which women outnumber men but are subjugated due to superstition and fear. Liggett’s narrator is Tierney, a young woman on the verge of adulthood, who is preparing for a ritual practiced in Garner County where she lives with her family. The Grace Year refers to the rite of passage endured by Garner’s young women who are sent away to a locked encampment for one year. During this time, they are left to fend for themselves as they rid themselves of emerging magical abilities believed to be brought on by adolescence. Their potential power is highly feared, and the danger inherent in the girls’ emerging sexuality is used as justification for their exile. Many do not return, and those that do often come back with deep scars-both physical and emotional. No one knows what happens during their time away, since speaking about the Grace Year is forbidden and punishable by death. Before they are cast out, the girls are selected by marriageable men and will be consigned to their houses when/if they return. Male offspring are the priority, and the women who do not produce them are regularly discarded, cast out and replaced by others. Those who are not married are destined to be servants or are sent beyond the gates of the County to be hunted by predatory men. Of course, Tierney is very different from the other girls in her Grace Year- she has survival skills she learned from her physician father, keen intelligence and an iron will to resist the path that tradition has paved for her. When her trial begins, she seems uniquely advantaged, but what she could not have prepared for is the cruelty of her fellow exiles and a mob mentality that can suffocate even the brightest of independent spirits. The Grace Year is a good example of nice pacing and character development that can often be absent in the ubiquitous landscape of YA dystopic thriller offerings. Tierney’s adventure and challenges are exciting to follow, and the book’s setting as pitted against its strong feminist viewpoint makes this story at once infuriating and satisfying. It is unfortunate that the author chooses to position her heroine in ways that are ultimately subservient to the males that assert dominance in her world. If Ligett is paving the way for a sequel, hopefully Tierney’s story will continue in a way that feels more vindicating for those readers who demand a heroine worthy of admiration and respect. Thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Books (Wednesday Press) and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
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LibraryThing member SandraBrower
A Sci-Fi-Fantasy you may be familiar with and yet rings so different, this is Kim Liggett’s The Grace Year.
I loved this book. I hated this book all at the same time. I hated it because it was like reading Lord of The Flies female style, I loved it because the story was well told, and so
Tierney, is a girl who doesn’t fit in. She, like all the rest of the girls in her community are told constantly they are the weaker sex. Men rule their world. Then comes the Grace Year, the year you are chosen, “...the boys...join the men in the main barn to trade and barter our fates like cattle” to be promised in marriage, and then sent off for a year to “lose” their powerful, dangerous magic out into the wilderness or so the girls are told. They aren’t allowed to talk about the Grace Year. It is forbidden, they only snatch bits and pieces from their mothers, other girls who have returned home and their injuries. The superstitions of the men are staggeringly controlling.
Just like Lord of the Flies there is fighting, team siding, and not sweetness that is expected from girls who are 16 and ready to navigate their own families or lives. The cover, Pink, is not what you think it should be after chapter 3 unless you are thinking faded blood. The true habits of women under extreme pressures to live, to return home, comes out in unimaginable ways.
Ms. Liggett spins a tale so dark, so well envisioned that you still feel the after effects long after you have finished the book. I would walk out of my home looking around corners for days. This book is masterly told. It’s Dystopian at its best,
I loved this book. I hated this book all at the same time. I hated it because it was like reading Lord of The Flies female style, I loved it because the story was well told, and so
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different from Lord Of The Flies without a outcome. Tierney, is a girl who doesn’t fit in. She, like all the rest of the girls in her community are told constantly they are the weaker sex. Men rule their world. Then comes the Grace Year, the year you are chosen, “...the boys...join the men in the main barn to trade and barter our fates like cattle” to be promised in marriage, and then sent off for a year to “lose” their powerful, dangerous magic out into the wilderness or so the girls are told. They aren’t allowed to talk about the Grace Year. It is forbidden, they only snatch bits and pieces from their mothers, other girls who have returned home and their injuries. The superstitions of the men are staggeringly controlling.
Just like Lord of the Flies there is fighting, team siding, and not sweetness that is expected from girls who are 16 and ready to navigate their own families or lives. The cover, Pink, is not what you think it should be after chapter 3 unless you are thinking faded blood. The true habits of women under extreme pressures to live, to return home, comes out in unimaginable ways.
Ms. Liggett spins a tale so dark, so well envisioned that you still feel the after effects long after you have finished the book. I would walk out of my home looking around corners for days. This book is masterly told. It’s Dystopian at its best,
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LibraryThing member AlysinBookland
The Grace Year is a highly symbolic novel with dark, disturbing, action-packed, and engaging story! This book is definitely one of my best read this year!
The Grace Year started with a dream, which intrigues me immediately. The author provides detailed information, and it helps me in visualizing the
The Grace Year also reminded me of The Hunger Games. I saw Tierney's struggles to survive this grace year, the same with Katniss trying to stay alive in the hunger games. The only difference is that this is about women and how long they can stay alive. How they will spend their grace year in an encampment and how they will last without being killed by the poachers that lurk near them.
The story also covers some issues that we know still exist until now - the inequalities the women are receiving in society. It has been resolved already by giving us the same rights as men, but we can't deny that some of us still feel it. This novel also reminds me of the lessons I had in Sociology & Anthropology this last semester about how the women fight for their rights and how it all started.
The story also shows how a person changed in a given situation. Will they still be the same? Will they change? If they will change, is it for the better or for worse? What will they do if envy and fear eat them up?
The characters have distinct traits that set them apart from one another. I like Tierney's toughness because she handles every situation well, even though some scenes somehow makes her weak. And, I think that is normal as sometimes, in our life, we will come to the point of almost giving up, but we will still fight and walk forward. Even though there was not enough exposure for the other characters, I was still able to know them because of how they were described and talked to by the other characters.
The story ended wonderfully. This novel brought me different emotions that I won't forget. It pains me and hates to see how they got in those situations. They don't deserve those but what could they do, that's how everything works in their county. But, I'm glad that it is slowly changing and this year's graces made a great impact on it. I still want more, though, to know what that little girl in Tierney's dream will do, but I am already satisfied with the ending.
This novel is quick-paced, and the readers will immediately get immersed in the story. I am recommending this book the most to my fellow women out there! Please note that this book has disturbing and brutal scenes.
Disclaimer: I got the advance reading copy from NetGalley.
The Grace Year started with a dream, which intrigues me immediately. The author provides detailed information, and it helps me in visualizing the
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story. I felt like I'm watching the characters from their side, but I'm only invisible to them. How the story will go to is unpredictable. I might get some bits of ideas, but it would still surprise me. And the anticipation I get just to know what will happen next is always killing me. As the mysteries around starts to unveil, the small pieces that I get from the beginning start to connect.The Grace Year also reminded me of The Hunger Games. I saw Tierney's struggles to survive this grace year, the same with Katniss trying to stay alive in the hunger games. The only difference is that this is about women and how long they can stay alive. How they will spend their grace year in an encampment and how they will last without being killed by the poachers that lurk near them.
The story also covers some issues that we know still exist until now - the inequalities the women are receiving in society. It has been resolved already by giving us the same rights as men, but we can't deny that some of us still feel it. This novel also reminds me of the lessons I had in Sociology & Anthropology this last semester about how the women fight for their rights and how it all started.
The story also shows how a person changed in a given situation. Will they still be the same? Will they change? If they will change, is it for the better or for worse? What will they do if envy and fear eat them up?
The characters have distinct traits that set them apart from one another. I like Tierney's toughness because she handles every situation well, even though some scenes somehow makes her weak. And, I think that is normal as sometimes, in our life, we will come to the point of almost giving up, but we will still fight and walk forward. Even though there was not enough exposure for the other characters, I was still able to know them because of how they were described and talked to by the other characters.
The story ended wonderfully. This novel brought me different emotions that I won't forget. It pains me and hates to see how they got in those situations. They don't deserve those but what could they do, that's how everything works in their county. But, I'm glad that it is slowly changing and this year's graces made a great impact on it. I still want more, though, to know what that little girl in Tierney's dream will do, but I am already satisfied with the ending.
This novel is quick-paced, and the readers will immediately get immersed in the story. I am recommending this book the most to my fellow women out there! Please note that this book has disturbing and brutal scenes.
Disclaimer: I got the advance reading copy from NetGalley.
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LibraryThing member Bonnie.Franks
I really wasn't so sure that I wanted to read a book that was set in a place I couldn't really relate to, but I started to read it, and, wow. I could leave this review at that one word and most would understand that I loved it, couldn't read it quickly enough, didn't want it to end, had to know
All of those things are true of this book. I needed this read. It is relatable on many levels, and I know some of the characters. I certainly know some of the feelings, the relationships, the disappointments along the way. We all do.
The story line is great, the writing is great, I loved every minute of this read and I want to thank the author for my thrill packed vacation in these pages!
My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley.com and the publisher, for which I thank them.
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what happened, didn't want to know what happened, and was glued to the pages.All of those things are true of this book. I needed this read. It is relatable on many levels, and I know some of the characters. I certainly know some of the feelings, the relationships, the disappointments along the way. We all do.
The story line is great, the writing is great, I loved every minute of this read and I want to thank the author for my thrill packed vacation in these pages!
My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley.com and the publisher, for which I thank them.
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LibraryThing member Kathl33n
Boy this book certainly packs a punch. Does it live up to the description of The Handmaid's Tale meets The Lord of the Flies? It certainly does. It can be really brutal and shocking. Just horrifying at times. But the real story, the story that women are strong and powerful and actually possess
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magic, that's where this book truly shines. I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy to read in exchange for an honest review. Show Less
LibraryThing member cwhisenant11
Wow! I’m speechless. So. Many. Emotions. I’ve heard this book compared to The Handmaid’s Tale, but Tierney reminded me so much of The Mockingjay. I loved the symbolism, the language of flowers, and the fierceness and solidarity of the women. The story is purely dystopian but filled with big
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ideas and much to think about. I loved it. Highly recommended!! Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Show Less
LibraryThing member melaniehope
This is a YA dystopian novel. At the age of sixteen, girls are forced to live in the woods for one year beyond the outskirts of their community. This is done to rid the girls of magic it is believed they possess and get them ready for marriage. However, not every girl makes it back alive and no one
One girl stands out as a rebel and begins to question the reasoning behind the forced year. In a world where women are supposed to be pliant and accepting, this defiance could have dire consequences.
This book was so well written and kept me reading. I wish we could have seen more of the side of the working women, those exiled and the poachers. However, great read and very thought provoking. I received a complimentary ebook from Netgalley.com
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is allowed to speak of what happens during the "grace year."One girl stands out as a rebel and begins to question the reasoning behind the forced year. In a world where women are supposed to be pliant and accepting, this defiance could have dire consequences.
This book was so well written and kept me reading. I wish we could have seen more of the side of the working women, those exiled and the poachers. However, great read and very thought provoking. I received a complimentary ebook from Netgalley.com
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LibraryThing member oddandbookish
I received an ARC of this book for free from The Book Drop. Since I received an ARC, my quotes from the book are tentative.
Omg this was a roller coaster of a book.
This book is described as The Handmaid’s Tale meets Lord of the Flies. I haven’t read The Handmaid’s Tale but I loved Lord of
I don’t want to give too much away, so all I’ll say about the plot is that it is filled with non-stop action and intrigue, which makes it a fast read. You’ll be flipping through it trying to find out what happens next. You definitely won’t be bored.
The writing style is also incredible. It’s hauntingly beautiful which perfectly captures the mood of the book.
There was one quote in particular that really spoke to me. At one point, the main character states, “We hurt each other because it’s the only way we’re permitted to show our anger. When our choices are taken from us, the fire builds within. Sometimes I feel like we might burn down the world to cindery bits, with our love, our rage, and everything in between” (pg. 345). I find this quote to be so reflective of our own society. In general, the themes behind this book are so prevalent in today’s world.
Overall, this is an amazing and timely dystopian novel.
Omg this was a roller coaster of a book.
This book is described as The Handmaid’s Tale meets Lord of the Flies. I haven’t read The Handmaid’s Tale but I loved Lord of
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the Flies. This was definitely like a female Lord of the Flies. In fact, it was 100 times more terrifying and disturbing than LotF. This book also reminded me a little of Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill because it also featured a sexist dystopian world. I don’t want to give too much away, so all I’ll say about the plot is that it is filled with non-stop action and intrigue, which makes it a fast read. You’ll be flipping through it trying to find out what happens next. You definitely won’t be bored.
The writing style is also incredible. It’s hauntingly beautiful which perfectly captures the mood of the book.
There was one quote in particular that really spoke to me. At one point, the main character states, “We hurt each other because it’s the only way we’re permitted to show our anger. When our choices are taken from us, the fire builds within. Sometimes I feel like we might burn down the world to cindery bits, with our love, our rage, and everything in between” (pg. 345). I find this quote to be so reflective of our own society. In general, the themes behind this book are so prevalent in today’s world.
Overall, this is an amazing and timely dystopian novel.
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LibraryThing member kamoorephoto
‘The Grace Year’ is the brutal and harrowing story about the young women of Garner County who are forced to spend their sixteenth year in a secluded encampment outside the town as they ‘embrace their magic.’ They must release their powers before they marry or go off to work in the fields or
This is a feminist tale about survival, group dynamics (hysteria?), and the strength of spirit in the face of incredible adversity. The young women, teenagers, are faced with the odds stacked against them, in a patriarchal society that deems them as property, dangerous, basically as subservient pets. Many of them (all unforgettable characters) fall into the traps that are designed for them, but the main character Tierney, rails against them, questioning her predicament, and hopes for change. Over the course of the ‘Grace Year’ Tierney discovers as much about those around her as she does about herself, and draws on her own strength, of which she didn’t know she even had. It’s an amazing, albeit, often violent story about a young woman discovering herself and her own power against all odds.
This stunning novel from Kim Liggett will draw comparisons with ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, but it also made me think of both ‘Lord of The Flies’ and ‘The Crucible’, all classics, well-known for their controversy and hard-hitting subjects.
Themes of feminism, social hierarchies, group mechanics, religion, and flower and color imagery throughout the book are vivid and powerful; it’s easy to see why this is being adapted for television before it has even been published. I think it will be hard to read this and not have it resonate with the reader in a strong way; it’s dark and haunting and it honestly blew me away. I want to read it again before I see any TV adaptation because it was just THAT GOOD.
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labor houses, before they return to civilization, that’s IF they return, surviving poachers who hunt them for their ‘magic’, and ultimately, surviving the time they spend with each other. This is a feminist tale about survival, group dynamics (hysteria?), and the strength of spirit in the face of incredible adversity. The young women, teenagers, are faced with the odds stacked against them, in a patriarchal society that deems them as property, dangerous, basically as subservient pets. Many of them (all unforgettable characters) fall into the traps that are designed for them, but the main character Tierney, rails against them, questioning her predicament, and hopes for change. Over the course of the ‘Grace Year’ Tierney discovers as much about those around her as she does about herself, and draws on her own strength, of which she didn’t know she even had. It’s an amazing, albeit, often violent story about a young woman discovering herself and her own power against all odds.
This stunning novel from Kim Liggett will draw comparisons with ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, but it also made me think of both ‘Lord of The Flies’ and ‘The Crucible’, all classics, well-known for their controversy and hard-hitting subjects.
Themes of feminism, social hierarchies, group mechanics, religion, and flower and color imagery throughout the book are vivid and powerful; it’s easy to see why this is being adapted for television before it has even been published. I think it will be hard to read this and not have it resonate with the reader in a strong way; it’s dark and haunting and it honestly blew me away. I want to read it again before I see any TV adaptation because it was just THAT GOOD.
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LibraryThing member acargile
I found The Grace Year an interesting novel, but I don't think it achieved what it wanted to achieve.
For one year, all girls leave the County for the "grace year," of which they are not allowed to speak of. Tierney reaches sixteen and faces her grace year, but she doesn't know what to expect. She
The girls spend a year together. It's a two-week walk to their compound. They must be escorted because poachers make their money by chopping pieces of the girls up and selling their parts. Everyone believes girls have magic that lead men down the wrong path and women to jealousy. The parts are sold and people purchase them trying to get magic. Once the year is over, the magic has been dispensed. Tierney wonders if the magic is true. The poachers believe that it does exist and see the girls as prey, being aware of their supposed powers. Once they arrive at their compound, the new grace year girls find that the previous girls have destroyed anything that could be helpful. Apparently, this destruction is done yearly. Tierney wonders why the women/girls contribute to the society. They should help each other. The novel mostly deals with this long year of girl against girl. How many will live?
Overall, the novel engaged me, however, I felt that the characters weren't finished. Michael has a story to tell, but he isn't flushed out and the end doesn't work. It will take everyone to improve the society. There are hints that Michael will help make the change and hints that women actually can work together for change, These are merely hints. Tierney's story doesn't end because Michael's doesn't end. I don't want to say that a female story is connected to a male story, but if the point is to change a male-dominated society, one most include males beyond a peripheral mention. I also didn't feel the romance worked. The potential is there for a really great novel, but there are too many threads hanging out there. The story and point needed to be more tightly woven.
For one year, all girls leave the County for the "grace year," of which they are not allowed to speak of. Tierney reaches sixteen and faces her grace year, but she doesn't know what to expect. She
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and her best friend, Michael, have spied on people for years, but they still haven't learned enough. The society in which they live represses everything, not just the secrets of the Grace Year. The men control the town and the women. Before the girls leave, if they are lucky, a man (young or old) gives them a veil, which means she will marry him when/if she returns in a year. Tierney does not want a veil. She wants her freedom, so she chooses to work. Michael knows these jobs are dangerous and doesn't want her to be anywhere near these areas. Once, married, a woman belongs to her husband. If she displeases him, he can have her burned. Furthermore, younger sisters can be punished for sins of their older sisters. This repressive society chafes Tierney. On veiling day, Tierney is surprised by a veil from MIchael, who was supposed to veil another girl, for their families had arranged it. He explains that he's always loved her. Once the girls find out who has "claimed" them, they are immediately escorted out of the County.The girls spend a year together. It's a two-week walk to their compound. They must be escorted because poachers make their money by chopping pieces of the girls up and selling their parts. Everyone believes girls have magic that lead men down the wrong path and women to jealousy. The parts are sold and people purchase them trying to get magic. Once the year is over, the magic has been dispensed. Tierney wonders if the magic is true. The poachers believe that it does exist and see the girls as prey, being aware of their supposed powers. Once they arrive at their compound, the new grace year girls find that the previous girls have destroyed anything that could be helpful. Apparently, this destruction is done yearly. Tierney wonders why the women/girls contribute to the society. They should help each other. The novel mostly deals with this long year of girl against girl. How many will live?
Overall, the novel engaged me, however, I felt that the characters weren't finished. Michael has a story to tell, but he isn't flushed out and the end doesn't work. It will take everyone to improve the society. There are hints that Michael will help make the change and hints that women actually can work together for change, These are merely hints. Tierney's story doesn't end because Michael's doesn't end. I don't want to say that a female story is connected to a male story, but if the point is to change a male-dominated society, one most include males beyond a peripheral mention. I also didn't feel the romance worked. The potential is there for a really great novel, but there are too many threads hanging out there. The story and point needed to be more tightly woven.
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LibraryThing member JanaRose1
At the age of 16, the girls are marched out of town to a wooden enclosure, where they will spend a year. The Grace Year, is the time where the girls embrace their magic, and release it back into the wild, so they can return spent of magic and ready to marry. Tierney, a tomboy who has shied away
I could not put this book down. It was utterly fascinating. Both the story and characters drew me in immediately. I can't wait to read more from this author!
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from the other girls, is one of the Grace Year Girls. She quickly discovers that it is not just the wild and the poachers that she must fear, but also the other girls.I could not put this book down. It was utterly fascinating. Both the story and characters drew me in immediately. I can't wait to read more from this author!
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LibraryThing member litwitch
"We hurt each other because it’s the only way we’re permitted to show our anger. When our choices are taken from us, the fire builds within."
5 stars! This book was everything I hoped it would be. It's been compared to The Handmaid's Tale, Hunger Games, and Lord of the Flies - I have yet to
In the county, all girls entering their 16th year are banished to the wild to purge themselves of their "magic". The so-called magic allows the girls to seduce men and lead them to temptation. The girls have no idea what to expect in The Grace Year because all women are forbidden from discussing it. In fact, they're forbidden from many things, even simply talking to each other. (enter The Handmaid's Tale similarities).
We’re not allowed to dream. The men believe it’s a way we can hide our magic.
After a long trek into the wild, the girls must survive the weather and avoid the poachers who are ready and eager to kill them and harvest their bodies for payment. Perhaps the biggest struggle, though, is surviving one another.
After just a short time in the wild, you see the ugly sides of these girls. Jealousy, lies, violence.. against all odds, the girls eventually come together and realize the truth of The Grace Year. It has nothing to do with their "magic" and everything to do with control.
There’s a part of me that should feel satisfied—Kiersten’s finally getting what she deserves—but 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 story was heartbreaking and at times, angering. But it was also beautiful and full of that feminist rage I love so much. There's even a bit of romance mixed in and it was 100% necessary. I honestly can't think of a single issue I had with it.
5 stars! This book was everything I hoped it would be. It's been compared to The Handmaid's Tale, Hunger Games, and Lord of the Flies - I have yet to
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read Lord of the Flies, but I can attest to the other two. It was impossible to put down! In the county, all girls entering their 16th year are banished to the wild to purge themselves of their "magic". The so-called magic allows the girls to seduce men and lead them to temptation. The girls have no idea what to expect in The Grace Year because all women are forbidden from discussing it. In fact, they're forbidden from many things, even simply talking to each other. (enter The Handmaid's Tale similarities).
We’re not allowed to dream. The men believe it’s a way we can hide our magic.
After a long trek into the wild, the girls must survive the weather and avoid the poachers who are ready and eager to kill them and harvest their bodies for payment. Perhaps the biggest struggle, though, is surviving one another.
There’s a part of me that should feel satisfied—Kiersten’s finally getting what she deserves—but 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 story was heartbreaking and at times, angering. But it was also beautiful and full of that feminist rage I love so much. There's even a bit of romance mixed in and it was 100% necessary. I honestly can't think of a single issue I had with it.
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LibraryThing member JennyNau10
I'd describe this book as a Lord of the Flies if they were all girls. The girls from the town get sorted into wives, farmhands, and prostitutes, but before they begin their "careers," they go away to an island where they try and survive for the year. I spent a reasonable amount of time trying to
It is all pretty gruesome, and for that reason alone, I would give it only three stars. If I could have read through my hands covering my face, I would have. If you like horror, you'll give it a five. It's incredibly fast-paced and is generally a fast, satisfying read for the genre.
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figure out what the "magic" would turn out to be.It is all pretty gruesome, and for that reason alone, I would give it only three stars. If I could have read through my hands covering my face, I would have. If you like horror, you'll give it a five. It's incredibly fast-paced and is generally a fast, satisfying read for the genre.
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LibraryThing member Veronica.Sparrow
The Grace Year is a thought provoking YA novel with a blend of A Handmaid"s Tale and The Hunger Games with a splash of Lord of the Flies.
In a near/distant future society, 16 year old girls are banished to an isolated camp for one year in order to control or vanquish their "power".
I was drawn into
In a near/distant future society, 16 year old girls are banished to an isolated camp for one year in order to control or vanquish their "power".
I was drawn into
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the story very quickly and liked Tierney James right away which isn't always easy with the style of first person narrative that was used. I did find that the book lagged for a short bit in the middle but picked up again. It was not enough to put me off continuing to read the book. One thing that tells me a book is "good" (in my humble opinion) is if I end up feeling emotional at the end of the novel. Well, I cried when I finished reading. It wasn't just the story itself but the parallels to the lives of women and girls today. Mind you, the ending leaves many questions which was done very nicely. Show Less
LibraryThing member IheartYA
I was on the fence about reading this one because I didn't like Blood and Salt. When The Grace Year was chosen as a book for discussion in Monthly Book Club, that was a sign I had to read it, and I'm glad I did. Liggett's writing has really grown and blossomed since BAS. Although this story was
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original, it gave me flashbacks of The Maze Runner. It was intriguing, charismatic, emotional, and extreme, but it had those dreaded pacing issues. And an intense part towards the end could have been worked into the story better to give it a more complete feel. I really enjoyed the characters, the overall energy of the book, and the near fulfilling ending. My rating teeters between 4 and 5 stars, closer to 4. If you're on the fence, jump off, pick up The Grace Year, and read it. Show Less
LibraryThing member lflareads
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett pulls the reader into the depths of a world full of unfairness and frustration as a female reader. Tierney stands out among many as she wants more for her life. She is the one I cheered for throughout the pages. I am not sure I would have had the self control she had
The premise is girls have magic and must be tamed of their magic before they are sent to be married. But is it truly magic? The girls are scrutinized and held to a higher law, as men run the town. Girls are veiled by their fathers if a male selects their daughter to wed. If a female is not chosen, she is sent to the workhouses.
After the veiling, during the girl’s sixteenth year, they embark on their “Grace Year”. The girls must try to survive within an encampment as they discover their magic, stop dreaming, and essentially obey. The girls are prey for poachers if they try to run. The poachers will sell their blood and skin them if caught.
The girls need to unite and work together to survive? Will they avoid drama and pitting one another against each other? Can they see through falsified information? Will Tierney survive and find the life she wants?
Oh my goodness! This book made me angry, made me cheer, made me cry, and made me think about the way we treat others. I recommend this book 1000%! Mature YA Rating!
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in such a horrifyingly unfair situation.The premise is girls have magic and must be tamed of their magic before they are sent to be married. But is it truly magic? The girls are scrutinized and held to a higher law, as men run the town. Girls are veiled by their fathers if a male selects their daughter to wed. If a female is not chosen, she is sent to the workhouses.
After the veiling, during the girl’s sixteenth year, they embark on their “Grace Year”. The girls must try to survive within an encampment as they discover their magic, stop dreaming, and essentially obey. The girls are prey for poachers if they try to run. The poachers will sell their blood and skin them if caught.
The girls need to unite and work together to survive? Will they avoid drama and pitting one another against each other? Can they see through falsified information? Will Tierney survive and find the life she wants?
Oh my goodness! This book made me angry, made me cheer, made me cry, and made me think about the way we treat others. I recommend this book 1000%! Mature YA Rating!
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LibraryThing member m_mozeleski
Oh my gosh.
This is exactly what I wanted when I picked up this book.
I am also pleased with most of the ending. I want to know what happens next though!!!
This is exactly what I wanted when I picked up this book.
I am also pleased with most of the ending. I want to know what happens next though!!!
LibraryThing member PinkPurlandProse
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Kim Liggett for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of The Grace Year. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.
The Grace Year is set in a dystopian world where women have no rights. There are
It is Tierney’s time to serve her grace year. She is strong-willed and outspoken so it is unlikely that anyone will choose her to marry. That is fine with her. She is hoping to work in the fields, even though it is considered the worst fate. She wanted to be able to look at the sky and be in control of her own body. She sees what happens when a wife doesn’t behave. Or can’t bear children. They get accused of something and then they are punished, or worse. As the girls gather to go away for their year, most are scared. Not only don’t they know what to expect, but they have never been on their own or made any decisions for themselves. Tierney knows that no matter what she must return. The fate of her sisters depends on it. She must make it home alive.
This was okay for me. I liked the premise and thought the world that she built very real and scary. It has strong overtones to “The Handmaid’s Tale” in regards to women’s rights, control over their body, and other issues. I agree with the idea that girls who don’t have an outlet for their emotions, including rage, can have serious ramifications. Trying to fit into the box that is what a woman should be is stifling and unrealistic. No woman fits into it naturally. Trying to control women’s reproductive rights is a very hot topic especially in today’s climate. My only issue is that I felt, especially in the early part of the book, that the issues were being shouted at to me. “Look, isn’t this awful, look at the horrible way this society is”. I wasn’t allowed to form my own thoughts based on the events in the story. I don’t like being dictated to, being manipulated to feel a certain one thing, even if I agree with it. I like having agency when I read a story. It felt preachy to me.
I enjoyed the story and how it developed. I did question the actions of some of the characters towards to end. Mean girls are mean. They usually grow up into mean, petty adults. I wasn’t so convinced of some of the characters’ transformations. I was caught up in the story and was eager to get to the end. However, I was taken out of the story when I felt preached to.
The Grace Year is set in a dystopian world where women have no rights. There are
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serious punishments for women who don’t comply, including hanging from the gallows. You grow up in an almost puritanical society where women are to believed to have special magical powers. Soon after you bleed, you are either chosen by the eligible men to be married or you are sent to in service working in the fields, the dairy or as a servant to other married women. It is a hierarchical society with prominent families faring better than others. The men can be any age, of course. Then all the girls are sent away to live one year far away in order for their magic to be drained. Only then will they be welcome back into society. Not all girls make it back alive. No one ever talks about what happens in the year away. The girls return looking dirty, dazed, disheveled, bloody, maimed and nearly starved to death. It is Tierney’s time to serve her grace year. She is strong-willed and outspoken so it is unlikely that anyone will choose her to marry. That is fine with her. She is hoping to work in the fields, even though it is considered the worst fate. She wanted to be able to look at the sky and be in control of her own body. She sees what happens when a wife doesn’t behave. Or can’t bear children. They get accused of something and then they are punished, or worse. As the girls gather to go away for their year, most are scared. Not only don’t they know what to expect, but they have never been on their own or made any decisions for themselves. Tierney knows that no matter what she must return. The fate of her sisters depends on it. She must make it home alive.
This was okay for me. I liked the premise and thought the world that she built very real and scary. It has strong overtones to “The Handmaid’s Tale” in regards to women’s rights, control over their body, and other issues. I agree with the idea that girls who don’t have an outlet for their emotions, including rage, can have serious ramifications. Trying to fit into the box that is what a woman should be is stifling and unrealistic. No woman fits into it naturally. Trying to control women’s reproductive rights is a very hot topic especially in today’s climate. My only issue is that I felt, especially in the early part of the book, that the issues were being shouted at to me. “Look, isn’t this awful, look at the horrible way this society is”. I wasn’t allowed to form my own thoughts based on the events in the story. I don’t like being dictated to, being manipulated to feel a certain one thing, even if I agree with it. I like having agency when I read a story. It felt preachy to me.
I enjoyed the story and how it developed. I did question the actions of some of the characters towards to end. Mean girls are mean. They usually grow up into mean, petty adults. I wasn’t so convinced of some of the characters’ transformations. I was caught up in the story and was eager to get to the end. However, I was taken out of the story when I felt preached to.
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LibraryThing member JenniferElizabeth2
Totally lost interest, even 3/4 of the way through.
LibraryThing member Verkruissen
When I saw that this book was described as a mixture of The Handmaid's Tale meets The Hunger Games I knew I had to read it. This book was fantastic. The time frame is hard to place because they do have modern medicine like small pox shots, indoor plumbing and printed books. But beyond that it feels
Every year the girls who have turned 16 are bid upon by the eligible men in the village. They are then sent to a remote island to fend for themselves for a year aka the Grace Year. During this time the women are supposed to burn through their supposed "magic" that they could use to lure men into sin.
Tierney is the main character in this dystopian tale. She has been raised knowing things that only sons are ever taught about being out in the wild. Her skills will be put to the test as the girls choose sides in a struggle that can me life or death.
Absolutely loved this book. It was original, faced paced and I really didn't want it to end. Highly recommend!
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like a very remote community (norse/viking feel) run by the men where women are treated pretty much as breeding stock. Every year the girls who have turned 16 are bid upon by the eligible men in the village. They are then sent to a remote island to fend for themselves for a year aka the Grace Year. During this time the women are supposed to burn through their supposed "magic" that they could use to lure men into sin.
Tierney is the main character in this dystopian tale. She has been raised knowing things that only sons are ever taught about being out in the wild. Her skills will be put to the test as the girls choose sides in a struggle that can me life or death.
Absolutely loved this book. It was original, faced paced and I really didn't want it to end. Highly recommend!
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LibraryThing member Dreesie
Another YA variant on the send-young-people-to-their-deaths trope. I admit I find these books very interesting, though The Hunger Games is still my favorite because of the depth of the culture and laws presented.
This book doesn't get to that depth. I am still confused about this place--one town,
Anyway. 16-year-old girls are sent away for a year, after eligible men have selected their future wives from the group. They fight amongst themselves Lord of the Flies style. But they are also trapped inside their enclosure because of poachers in the wood, who catch and skin them if they can. And, yes, every year the town sends them out, and past survivors send their own girls. Survivors come home and marry their fiances. Men whose picks did not return get to pick a new wife from among the survivors.
So, yeah. So many questions and the whole thing is a little sloppy and completely unbelievable (yet also predictable), but still interesting ideas and fits into that whole trope very well. I thought the narrator was quite good.
This book doesn't get to that depth. I am still confused about this place--one town,
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the outskirts, and the poachers in the woods. What is in the other direction? Are there other towns or cities? Or is this an outlier religious group like exist in the US now?Anyway. 16-year-old girls are sent away for a year, after eligible men have selected their future wives from the group. They fight amongst themselves Lord of the Flies style. But they are also trapped inside their enclosure because of poachers in the wood, who catch and skin them if they can. And, yes, every year the town sends them out, and past survivors send their own girls. Survivors come home and marry their fiances. Men whose picks did not return get to pick a new wife from among the survivors.
So, yeah. So many questions and the whole thing is a little sloppy and completely unbelievable (yet also predictable), but still interesting ideas and fits into that whole trope very well. I thought the narrator was quite good.
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LibraryThing member fionaanne
An interesting novel that doesn't live up to the hype.
Tierney, a completely bland narrator, is sent, along with all the other girls of her age, to live in the woods for a year. How this tradition came to be established is never touched upon; and no one is allowed to talk about it, which is terribly
Thanks to St. Martin's Press who very kindly sent me an advance review copy.
Tierney, a completely bland narrator, is sent, along with all the other girls of her age, to live in the woods for a year. How this tradition came to be established is never touched upon; and no one is allowed to talk about it, which is terribly
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convenient from a story-telling perspective if you haven't got a rationale for your novel's premise. The pacing's solid but all the characters are like stick figures and the world-building is flimsy. Ultimately, it felt like a concept in search of a story.Thanks to St. Martin's Press who very kindly sent me an advance review copy.
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LibraryThing member brookiexlicious
This was a fairly quick read with a unique premise, but for some reason I only found this book average. I couldn’t wait to know more about what all took place during the grace year, and when Tierney was ostracized by other girls I felt her anger along with her. There are whispers of a secret
Apparently this book is dystopian, whereas I was reading it under the impression that it took place in the 1600 or 1700s. I suppose it can be read both ways, what with the mentality of the elders in the community and the types of tools and weapons used.
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rebellion in the community built up since the beginning, and I didn’t feel we got to know much about it until the end, and even then we’re given scant information. Tierney is also determined to unveil the truth about the grace year upon her return, and when the big moment comes, she chooses to stay silent. She had her reasons perhaps, but it came as a huge letdown to me and is one of the reasons for the average rating. I also felt there was too much time devoted to Tierney alone in the woods. I would have liked to see the events of the camp through the perspective of the girls left behind. I do have to say that when you learn what the magic really is, it’s a perfect critique for women’s emotions and desires, and now you can understand why it makes the men so afraid and eager to tame them. Apparently this book is dystopian, whereas I was reading it under the impression that it took place in the 1600 or 1700s. I suppose it can be read both ways, what with the mentality of the elders in the community and the types of tools and weapons used.
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LibraryThing member reader1009
[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
Parental notes: horrific violence/torture happen 'off-screen' and there are two love scenes (that are not explicitly described).
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
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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).
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LibraryThing member Dianekeenoy
Reviewers are right when they compare this book to a cross between A Handmaid's Tale and Lord of the Flies! Read it straight through!
Awards
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Honor Book — 2022)
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2021)
Great Lakes Great Books Award (Winner — 2021)
Gateway Readers Award (Nominee — 2022)
Thumbs Up! Award (Top Ten — 2020)
Florida Teens Read Award (Nominee — 2021)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2021)
Premios Kelvin 505 (Finalist — 2022)
Dragon Award (Finalist — 2020)
Read Aloud Indiana Book Award (High School — 2021)
Globe and Mail Top 100 Book (2019)
Tayshas High School Reading List (Top Ten — 2021)
Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 (Selection — 2020)
Idaho Battle of the Books (High School — 2024)
Language
Original publication date
2019