krpolaski24's review against another edition
2.0
In The Hunger Games, there’s a reason for the Hunger Games. In Handmaid’s Tale, there’s a reason for the Handmaid system. Even Divergent gives a reason (a dumb reason, but a reason none the less) for the faction system.
There is no reason for the Grace Year to happen in this book. Sure; they tell us (repeatedly) that the Grace Year exists in order for the girls to rid themselves of their magic, but we are never told how the community came to this conclusion—there is no backstory or inciting event stated. The only way this would be a logical writing choice would be if the Grace Year had been happening so long that it’s true origins had been lost to the mists of time. But then, near the end of the book, the main character arbitrarily mentions that the Grace Year had been happening for 47 years; a detail which adds nothing to the reading experience other than confusion.
Other reviews have covered the dull main character, unnecessary torrid romance plotline, and surface level feminism, so I’ll just say this: if you’re going to write a dystopia, you have to know why there’s a dystopia in the first place.
There is no reason for the Grace Year to happen in this book. Sure; they tell us (repeatedly) that the Grace Year exists in order for the girls to rid themselves of their magic, but we are never told how the community came to this conclusion—there is no backstory or inciting event stated. The only way this would be a logical writing choice would be if the Grace Year had been happening so long that it’s true origins had been lost to the mists of time. But then, near the end of the book, the main character arbitrarily mentions that the Grace Year had been happening for 47 years; a detail which adds nothing to the reading experience other than confusion.
Other reviews have covered the dull main character, unnecessary torrid romance plotline, and surface level feminism, so I’ll just say this: if you’re going to write a dystopia, you have to know why there’s a dystopia in the first place.
tjenner514's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent book! Even though this is probably considered a young adult novel, it had a lot of really adult themes and undertones. I’m normally an avid romance novel reader, but my book club has had me reading outside my bubble. This was a great read!
booknerdintexas's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
tired_peaches's review against another edition
3.0
I did not love it as I hoped I would. The premise was great but as I began reading it, I felt neutral. I can't seem to find a reason as to why it did not have much of an impact to me, perhaps if I read it another time. This was probably a case of bad timing?
Rating: 3 stars
Rating: 3 stars
jenndolan's review against another edition
4.0
Holy moly folks! I had been hearing about The Grace Year here and there for a while and so I finally picked it up on Dec. 30th from Barnes and Noble as my official Last Read of 2019. I’m happy to say that not only did I read all 400+ pages in a single day, I got to add it to my stack of faves from 2019!
I have honestly been struggling to enjoy YA lately, and find that I finish maybe 1 out of every 10 YA books that I pick up. I picked up The Grace Year to do a bit of research for my students. I’m a high school English teacher, and when we get back from winter break, my students will start dystopian book clubs. I wanted to offer a wide variety of books, and had heard that The Grace Year was a good YA alternative for The Handmaid’s Tale, but wanted to check it out on my own before handing it to my students.
The Grace Year is a YA feminist speculative fiction that has been compared to books like The Handmaid’s Tale and Lord of the Flies. The story focuses on 16 year old Tierney James, a headstrong “tomboy” living in Garner County, where men rule with a heavy oppressive hand over the women. When the girls are 16, they are sent on their Grace Year, a 13 month period where they are sent to the woods to get rid of all of their magic before marriage so that they do not tempt men or rebel, like Eve did. In the woods, the girls face nightmarish situations, having to escape poachers - who sell the grace girls’ bodies on the black market - and one another - especially after their numbers slowly dwindle.
About 50 pages in I was entranced! I kept thinking about being a teenager and reading The Hunger Games or The City of Ember for the first time. There was something so new and fresh and exciting in reading this book. Tierney’s character is a tomboy/outcast without it being cringey. It totally deserves the comparison to The Handmaid’s Tale or Lord of the Flies, although I would definitely put this more into a “speculative” camp more than a “dystopian”. I would have liked more of an explanation of Garner County (why do people immigrate there? How long had they been like this? etc.), and more of a criticism of the girl-against-girl drama (yeah Kiersten sucked and Tierney didn’t like to hang out with them, but come on Liggett, can’t someone like Gertie do a monologue about how it’s all Garner County’s fault women hate one another!?).
Overall, 10/10 would recommend (and in fact I have already launched a “wow you should totally read this” attack on my mom & expect to wear her down any day now).
I have honestly been struggling to enjoy YA lately, and find that I finish maybe 1 out of every 10 YA books that I pick up. I picked up The Grace Year to do a bit of research for my students. I’m a high school English teacher, and when we get back from winter break, my students will start dystopian book clubs. I wanted to offer a wide variety of books, and had heard that The Grace Year was a good YA alternative for The Handmaid’s Tale, but wanted to check it out on my own before handing it to my students.
The Grace Year is a YA feminist speculative fiction that has been compared to books like The Handmaid’s Tale and Lord of the Flies. The story focuses on 16 year old Tierney James, a headstrong “tomboy” living in Garner County, where men rule with a heavy oppressive hand over the women. When the girls are 16, they are sent on their Grace Year, a 13 month period where they are sent to the woods to get rid of all of their magic before marriage so that they do not tempt men or rebel, like Eve did. In the woods, the girls face nightmarish situations, having to escape poachers - who sell the grace girls’ bodies on the black market - and one another - especially after their numbers slowly dwindle.
About 50 pages in I was entranced! I kept thinking about being a teenager and reading The Hunger Games or The City of Ember for the first time. There was something so new and fresh and exciting in reading this book. Tierney’s character is a tomboy/outcast without it being cringey. It totally deserves the comparison to The Handmaid’s Tale or Lord of the Flies, although I would definitely put this more into a “speculative” camp more than a “dystopian”. I would have liked more of an explanation of Garner County (why do people immigrate there? How long had they been like this? etc.), and more of a criticism of the girl-against-girl drama (yeah Kiersten sucked and Tierney didn’t like to hang out with them, but come on Liggett, can’t someone like Gertie do a monologue about how it’s all Garner County’s fault women hate one another!?).
Overall, 10/10 would recommend (and in fact I have already launched a “wow you should totally read this” attack on my mom & expect to wear her down any day now).
beccabou's review against another edition
5.0
A mix of A Handmaid’s Tale and The Testing. Highly recommend listening to the audiobook & stick around for the author interview at the end!!
mlangman's review against another edition
5.0
I can't stop thinking about this book! I read it in 24 hours because I couldn't put it down! One reviewer described it as part Lord of the Flies, part Hunger Games, which seems to be the perfect description. While I liked the story of the exiled girls, what I liked best, however, was the final section of the novel and its examination of female friendships and relationships.
staceylouhoo's review against another edition
5.0
This was a really interesting world. I was hooked the whole time. The characters were great. The premise was exciting and mysterious. The ending was surprising and I loved that you really have no idea if this civilization is set in a past world, or in a far future dystopian world. I really would love to know more, this feels like it’s just a “first book” but if it is just a stand alone novel, I’m okay with that too. Very well done!
corix3marie's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I’m not typically a fan of the genre, but the presentation and underlying message were so poignant in the current climate.
elviraremix_3's review against another edition
3.0
(edit) yea no i’m removing a star
This book had such a shocking ending that I couldn’t bring myself to rate it at first but yeah 4 stars
This book had such a shocking ending that I couldn’t bring myself to rate it at first but yeah 4 stars