Reviews with content warning for Torture - The Grace Year

I picked up this book because it was recommended for people looking for more Yellowjackets, and I think on that front it really delivered! Loved seeing how the girls responded to being alone for the first time in their lives, not to mention alone in the wilderness and having to survive. It was every other aspect of the book that made me roll my eyes.

Firstly, there's a semi love triangle, because of course there is. But having the love interest be someone who's literal job is to torture and kill these girls???? Jfc.

Secondly, it doesn't make sense to me that Tierney would be so against the customs of the county when that's all she's known her whole life. The whole time reading it I was thinking "but what if Tierney was a stout believer in the magic and everything? What if it's not until her grace year when she can't find her magic that she begins to realize something's off?" And tbh I think that would be a much more interesting story than a girl who already thinks it's all bullshit from before the book even starts.

Anyways, shout out to the scene where Ryker is telling Tierney about his family while staring wistfully at his figurines and Tierney thinks to herself "I thought the figurines represented girls he's killed, but I'm starting to think they're actually his family" YEAH NO SHIT. you're just STARTING to think that????

Content Warnings

danibee's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

At first, I thought this was going to be a heavy-handed YA-with-a-message which can be hard to read even when you agree with the message. But after I realized this wasn’t a dystopian not like other girls love triangle, I really enjoyed it.

The ending was very satisfying, and I liked that it confronted change within a system vs. outside it. Also - so fast-paced! I read the first 300 pages in 1 day and finished the whole thing in 2 days.

Spoiler

But let’s talk about the ending? Who else was like, is her pregnancy a twist ending or did the author just completely forget to write in the details? Did I black out for some key hints? I know they kept calling here a wh*re, but they were throwing purity culture slurs around quite a bit. And did she get pregnant from having sex one time? ughhhhhhhhh. Has anyone noticed that so many female main characters who don’t think they’re special are actually the MOST fertile? That trope is so grating. I realize that Stockholm syndrome is probably the biggest cliché here, but somehow that is more palpable to me than fertility while under duress and recovering from starvation.

Content Warnings