A review by craftylibrarian10
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

challenging dark hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

 I wasn't sure I would like this book due to the graphic content and the incredibly slow start. But, it did grow on me. I don't think this book will be everyone's cup of tea, but it is sort of like Lord of the Flies meets the Handmaid's Tale for teens. Tierney James is one of 33 girls attending their Grace Year, a year-long event during a girl's 16th year. The Grace Year is meant to rid the girls of their "magic", which is somehow tied to tempting men into disobeying God. This book is heavy and stomach turning at times. There's also a love story for some reason (probably because it's a YA pitfall). Even with all of the things I didn't like, this book was a solid 4/5 for me. It helps that I am a complete sucker for a dystopian novel. 4/5 stars

Content Warnings: violence, death, religious trauma, suicide, PTSD, forced marriage, hanging, bullying, scalping, prostitution, sexual assault, castration (would not recommend for younger readers) 
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