Title: The Grace YearAuthor: Kim Liggett
First Published: October 8, 2019
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 416
Genre: Horror, Young Adult
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Rating:
Synopsis:
No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.
In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.
Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.
Get the Book: AmazonReview
The Grace Year was a surprise and a potent piece of religious horror. Tierney is a teenage girl coming into adulthood in a superstitious and patriarchal society that believes that young girls have a certain “magic” that seduces men and drives women to jealousy. Because of this, girls on the cusp of adulthood are sent into the woods to be rid of their magic in a tradition called the grace year.
I liked that this book brought something original to the table and touches on important themes about purity culture. Religion is used as a weapon to make women feel ashamed because of their “power” over men while women and girls are pitted against each other to maintain control. The world within this book is horrifying because it is based on systems that exist.
The book was not without its faults, Tierney’s character development is clumsy and the “romance” was underdeveloped and forced. While Tierney was a frustrating character to read, I think the ending delivered was fitting. I’m glad to see this book experience a resurgence in popularity, as the themes are more relevant than ever.
Quote
“I say a silent prayer for each one of them. I know it’s against the law for women to pray in silence, but I’m the only God here.”
Content Warnings
View Spoiler »About the Author
About Kim Liggett
Kim Liggett, originally from the rural midwest, moved to New York City to pursue a career in the arts. She’s the author of Blood and Salt, Heart of Ash, The Last Harvest (Bram Stoker Award Winner), The Unfortunates, and The Grace Year. Kim spends her free time studying tarot and scouring Manhattan for rare vials of perfume and the perfect egg white cocktail.
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