THE GRACE YEAR BY KIM LIGGETT
What a book!!! I don’t think this book is for everyone, but boy am I glad that I picked it up. This is for certain a book I won’t forget anytime soon. It’s being compared to the The Handmaid’s Tale and Lord of the Flies, and that alone should have been warning enough – lol.
A TOP BOOK CLUB BOOK CHOICE FOR 2020
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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 16th 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 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 their 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.
THE GRACE YEAR BY KIM LIGGETT
My thoughts
WOW, I had so many thoughts while listening to this audiobook.
First and foremost, the premise of this story was compelling, captivating and just plain unique. Someone described this book as being a combination between The Handmaid’s Tale and Lord of the Flies, and I must admit it’s the perfect comparison. The Grace Year is a compelling work of fiction that left me bereft at times, incredibly sad, while also hopeful. But most of all I was hooked, and just wowed by its unique story.
The reason why it doesn’t have a higher rating is twofold.
Primarily, the book exhausted me.
There are books which I don’t want to end, and then there are books like The Grace Year. I couldn’t wait for it to be done, and only because of the way it made me feel. The imagination, and how the story was executed kept me on the edge of my seat. But the brutality at times, the bone deep wariness I experienced and the sadness I felt throughout the book literally drained me. The world/society depicted in this book made me want to SCREAM!!!! Additionally one of the characters gave me the most murderous thoughts I ever experienced – lol!!
Secondly, when I think about the plot itself, not everything made sense to me. In addition not everything was explained properly, because I’m still left with questions. And I had some issues with the writing. The author had the habit of dragging out scenes with unnecessary inner monologues.
But the overall story was amazing.
The many twists and turns were mind boggling. The plot was filled with tension and conflict, all of which helped make this book an astonishingly captivating read. It was just so sad at times, thanks to the author not pulling any punches – just saying….
On the other hand I really appreciated the fact that the story didn’t just end in a big bang. The author took the time to tie up loose ends. Although, as I mentioned above, I still have tons of questions. But I liked that the story continued even after the Grace Year was officially over. It gave the plot a kind of satisfying conclusion.
Overall, thanks to the author’s imagination this book was uniquely different. The story easily captured my mind over the last few days. And thanks to the great narration The Grace Year was one of those audiobooks that pulled me in and didn’t let me go until it was done. One thing is for certain, I won’t forget it anytime soon.
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THE GRACE YEAR BY KIM LIGGETT
This is an amazing review. This book has been on my TBR for months but for some reason I haven’t picked it up yet. It definitely seems to be one of those stories that leave its mark on the reader, and I hope I can read this one soon?
It’s definitely a book I kept thinking about. Not an easy one to forget. I love it when author write about something different, not always the same, even if the topic makes me uncomfortable, and I’m in need of a hug afterwards . lol
I think you’re right, it isn’t for everyone. It wasn’t for me ?
And I can see that 😀 I actually re-thought my plans of reading Handmaid’s Tale because The Grace Year already made me uncomfortable and riled me up, I can only imagine how much more I would feel reading The Handmaid’s Tale. ?
There is an definite infuriation with dystopian reads centred on a patriarchy.
Wow, this sounds incredible but intense! I enjoy books where the author doesn’t hold back but I tend to read them slowly and in a few chapters at a time. The emotional impact can be too much for me otherwise (I’m a sap!). I had a similar experience with Circe. It wasn’t as intense and thrilling as The Grace Year but had a heavy, sad tone to most of the story. You’ve explained your thoughts on this so well. Brilliantly written review Corina ?
Thank you 😀 And I can see how CIRCE is an experience that needs to be savored. Some books are more unsettling, thought provoking and emotional than others. I’m struggling at the moment with The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11, I’m such a wuss when it comes to this book, I can’t even explain why I have such a hard time. No I can, I’m listening to the audiobook, and listening to the real life recordings is the most emotional thing I’ve ever done – book wise.
Woah, that would be incredible intense! Honestly? I don’t think I could read it. My poor heart just doesn’t do well with some stories that have such an impact and especially so if they’re based on real events. You’re definitely not a wuss as you’ve actually given it a try! I hope the reading experience for Only Plane in the Sky ends up being worth the emotional impact ? I say that as I don’t think this is a book you ‘hope to enjoy’ but rather hope to experience and understand.
I agree, it’s not about enjoying it, more like experiencing it. It’s a kind of reliving it maybe too. I feel like it’s almost a MUST READ kind of book, although I remember where I was when it happened, I never really went into the heart of it all. And there is an emotional turmoil when I hear from the people that survived but all the others that didn’t.
I also listened to the audiobook last month, really enjoyed it, but I think I would have loved it even more if I’ve read the actual book. My mind tends to wonder a lot when I listen to audiobooks. Lol
I can see that!! I’ve heard so many readers say that they have a hard time concentrating on audiobooks. And I must admit some audiobooks feel more like background noise, but when that happens I usually stop and DNF the book. It’s never a good sign when my brain starts wandering.