Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

6 reviews

rachellherrington's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Violence, Suicide, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, and Medical trauma

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Tierney lives in a society where men are in charge and women are nothing more than men's possessions. It is believed that women develop magic and have the ability to turn that magic against men.  Every year girls who turn 16 are sent out on their Grace Year. During this year, the girls are sent to an isolated island where they are expected to rid themselves of their "magic". The girls must fight against the threat of poachers, starvation, and each other to make it through the year. The girls who make it back home, are either turned over to the men who claimed them as their wives or sent to work camps.  

Spoiler

I was really hopeful after reading about the premise of this book. I understand the message that was attempted in this book, unortunately it didn't quite hit the mark.

Tierney was shown as this strong, independent character. We were built up to believe that she would be able to fight for herself through her Grace Year. After all, she came armed with more skills than the other girls. Yet, her survival was heavily dependent on men. Without these men, she would have died. 

I hate the stereotypes that were heavily played upon - the mean girl clique, the meek girls, the outcasts... 

I feel like the storyline with Ryker missed the mark. We are supposed to believe that this fiercely independent girl all of a sudden wants to abandon her sisters in order to run off with and marry a poacher? I WISH the focus would have been on the girls in the camp instead of the storyline with Ryker. The love story was not necessary.  It would have played so much better has the girls come together sooner than the very last day. 

I did appreciate the ending. We were not given an unbelievable HEA. We were shown the small changes that were happening and how Tierney's dreams would become reality. I liked how we got to see the truth about Michael and how he would be instrumental in helping make changes. 

I wish that the feminist angle had been explore more. 
 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting

jsumner1125's review

dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Just Wow.   This book sucked me it and I didn't know where it was going.   I had to read at the edge of my seat because I was so tense trying to figure out what happens next.  Everytime I thought I knew what was going on another twist popped up.   In the political climate we are living in this had a lot of same struggles woman have brought to an extreme.  Felt the author had beautiful but very accessible writing.  Highly reccomend!!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Blood, Bullying, Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Religious bigotry

While this books has a lot of tiggers I felt it was done in a well done way, although graphic not gorey, the bullying from all sides was definitely the worst but had a very inspiring ending of hope and change.

mjwilliamson's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book gave me serious The Village vibes from the start. I found it incredibly infuriating to read because the level of oppression just made my blood boil, especially because there were areas where I found the blind belief ridiculous. But that was the point of the book and I think it delivered its message incredibly well. Though some of the tropes were cliche and on the nose, I’m not too sure how else the development could have occurred. All and all a very entertaining read. I’m glad I picked this book up and will definitely recommend it to others. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gore, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Stalking

Minor: Excrement, Infertility, and Medical trauma

creativeerosion's review

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Torture, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Rape

valyn_grebe's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is a mix of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Hunger Games.  The story can become depressing at some parts due the way the society is shaped and how the grace year girls treat each other

Spoiler

also Tierney’s lover, Ryker, dies towards the end of the book

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Violence, Death, Bullying, Blood, Medical trauma, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Animal death, Cannibalism, and Confinement