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ninetalevixen 's review for:
The Grace Year
by Kim Liggett
I received an advance review copy from Wednesday Books through Netgalley; all opinions are my own and honest.
You might know that it’s rare for me to give out 5-star ratings. I’ve also become a lot pickier about which reviews get cross-posted to my blog, since it can be such a struggle to articulate exactly why or how a book is so fantastic that I want to shove copies at everyone I know. So that should give you an idea of just how much I wanted to make sure this one was on everyone’s radar.
While it doesn’t seem right to say that I enjoyed this book — it’s quite brutal in a lot of ways; please check the content warnings above and practice self-care as needed while reading, if you so choose — The Grace Year has definitely earned a place on the list of 2019 reads that will stay with me for a long, long time. (And considering I’m not generally a fan of thrillers or dystopian novels, it’s even more impressive how strongly this one resonated with me.)
In a nutshell, this book is everything I didn’t even know I was hoping for when I picked up [b:The Handmaid's Tale|38447|The Handmaid's Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)|Margaret Atwood|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578028274l/38447._SY75_.jpg|1119185] for the first time. But it’s almost a disservice to compare the two, although both have strong feminist themes and a patriarchal dystopian setting. The Grace Year is an entity unto itself, utterly unlike anything I’ve ever read.
I don’t want to talk too much about the plot or motifs because I think they’re most powerful if each reader discovers and interprets them on their own … and there’s quite a lot to explore, although the plot is deceptively simple. (Which is not to say it’s straightforward; certain scenes are tinged with delirium and confusion, adding to the atmosphere.) It’s suspenseful, with social commentary that pulls no punches, and incredible symbolism. The pacing is fantastic — keeping you guessing, hoping, praying. Just when you think you’ve understood what’s going on, the rug is yanked out from under your feet again.
Balancing believable flaws with likability is tricky, especially in a teenage-girl protagonist, yet Liggett manages to pull it off. Tierney is far from perfect, but she has such a good heart despite everything life throws at her. And really, just about all the characters have hidden depths — as in real life, people are messy and complex, existing all along the spectrum from good to wicked. And they just might surprise you, for better or worse.
The Grace Year is so enthralling that I read it in two sittings: absolutely could not put it down, and barely paused to take notes. Seriously, this is a masterpiece of a novel, tempering pragmatism and harsh reality with empathy and hope for the future of society, of humanity.
content warnings:
rep:
They can call it magic. I can call it madness. But one thing is certain. There is no grace here.
You might know that it’s rare for me to give out 5-star ratings. I’ve also become a lot pickier about which reviews get cross-posted to my blog, since it can be such a struggle to articulate exactly why or how a book is so fantastic that I want to shove copies at everyone I know. So that should give you an idea of just how much I wanted to make sure this one was on everyone’s radar.
While it doesn’t seem right to say that I enjoyed this book — it’s quite brutal in a lot of ways; please check the content warnings above and practice self-care as needed while reading, if you so choose — The Grace Year has definitely earned a place on the list of 2019 reads that will stay with me for a long, long time. (And considering I’m not generally a fan of thrillers or dystopian novels, it’s even more impressive how strongly this one resonated with me.)
In a nutshell, this book is everything I didn’t even know I was hoping for when I picked up [b:The Handmaid's Tale|38447|The Handmaid's Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)|Margaret Atwood|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578028274l/38447._SY75_.jpg|1119185] for the first time. But it’s almost a disservice to compare the two, although both have strong feminist themes and a patriarchal dystopian setting. The Grace Year is an entity unto itself, utterly unlike anything I’ve ever read.
I don’t want to talk too much about the plot or motifs because I think they’re most powerful if each reader discovers and interprets them on their own … and there’s quite a lot to explore, although the plot is deceptively simple. (Which is not to say it’s straightforward; certain scenes are tinged with delirium and confusion, adding to the atmosphere.) It’s suspenseful, with social commentary that pulls no punches, and incredible symbolism. The pacing is fantastic — keeping you guessing, hoping, praying. Just when you think you’ve understood what’s going on, the rug is yanked out from under your feet again.
Balancing believable flaws with likability is tricky, especially in a teenage-girl protagonist, yet Liggett manages to pull it off. Tierney is far from perfect, but she has such a good heart despite everything life throws at her. And really, just about all the characters have hidden depths — as in real life, people are messy and complex, existing all along the spectrum from good to wicked. And they just might surprise you, for better or worse.
The Grace Year is so enthralling that I read it in two sittings: absolutely could not put it down, and barely paused to take notes. Seriously, this is a masterpiece of a novel, tempering pragmatism and harsh reality with empathy and hope for the future of society, of humanity.
content warnings:
Spoiler
major character death(s), body mutilation (including scalping and branding), blood, slut-shaming, bullying, on-page suicide by drowning, mind-altering substances, withdrawal, implied sexual content, teenage pregnancy, on-page childbirthrep: