Title: The Grace Year
Author: Kim Liggett
Genre: YA, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Edition/Pages: Ebook, 416 pages
Goodreads page

I received an arc copy of this from Wednesday Books via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review

Summary

The County believes girls are born with the power to lure and control men. So on their 16th birthdays, when their powers arise, they are sent away to their “Grace Year”. A year isolated in the woods where they are able to burn off their power before returning to society.

Tierney believes in a better life. One where woman aren’t pitted against each. One where the Grace Year doesn’t occur. But it’s Tierney’s Grace Year and she will learn there are other things to fear besides the elements.

“For the daughters of the world,
and those who revere them”

Overview

➸ POV: 1st Person, Tierney’s POV

➸ Tierney James – 1 of 5 sisters, Middle Child, On her Grace Year, Rebel, Wild Child, Doesn’t want to be a wife

➸ Content Warnings: Sexism, Gender-based violence, Gore, Suicide, Graphic violence

My Thoughts

Wow. I knew by page 2 that this was going to be a book I loved. And I was right. This will go down as new all-time favorite. This book was so powerful and important. It balanced the heartbreak with a sense of hope and I hung on every single word.

This book felt like a mix between The Handmaid’s Tale, The Hunger Games, and Lord of the Flies. The characters in here are so believable and realistic and honestly unlikeable. Which I weirdly loved. I loved how flawed and representative of their patriarchal society they were. They had strengths and faults and prejudices. There were times I loved and hated each character in book!

The scenes at the compound were so intense. I was honestly surprised by how gory this book got at times. I wasn’t expecting it to go there, but it definitely does! If you are at all squeamish, be wary.

I loved the themes and messages of this book. This book is definitely not subtle in it’s message but I actually appreciated that. This covered some really important and timely topics (feminism, sexism, racism, xenophobia, prejudices, etc). I loved how woman bringing down woman was discussed and challenged again and again. This book was so packed full of female empowerment. Plus the scenes between Tierney and Ryker warmed my soul. They will forever hold a special place in my heart.

What I loved most about this book was the way it balanced it’s dark, heavy themes with a sense of hope. This book could easily have gone so wrong but it really lead you believe that change is possible. And the ending of this broke me in ways I didn’t know were possible.

I cannot wait to see what Kim Liggett writes next. This book was powerful and will stick with me for a long, long time.

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