A review by amanda_reads13
The Grace Year, by Kim Liggett
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.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Grief, Murder, Injury/injury detail, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting