~*The Grace Year by Kim Liggett *~
5 out of 5 stars
"White ribbons for the young girls, red for the grace year girls, and black for the wives. Innocence. Blood. Death."
The sixteenth year of Tierney James life as she prepares to go on her Grace Year she dreams of a better life. A more promising life away from the county, in the outskirts working in labor as she would rather do that if she survives. You see, in the county each Autumn every sixteen year old girl is given the chance to receive a veil from a male in the county. Those who do not get picked are sent out to become laborers or become prostitutes to service the men from the county. After the veiling ceremony the girls are sent out to spend a year far from the county to fend for themselves and to find their magic and get rid of it. You see, all the men in the county believe that girls and woman are the source of evil. Eve was the first woman and she tainted all woman that came after her. She carried with her a terrible magic and the only way that the men of the county can feel safe is to send the girls off. Not every girl makes it back. There are poachers that will happily capture the girls and skin them alive to collect their "magical" blood to sell to the county. Plus they want the bounty. The girls that make it back are never allowed to even discuss the Grace Year.
When I read the premise of this book I was very excited to read this but as I started reading it took me a bit to get into this. I must say that after a little bit I was completely hooked. There is more to it than that though. There is something really special about this book. Even though this is a dystopian mystery in the climate that we are living now this is a very important novel. When I read The Hand Maid's Tale I remember thinking that could never happen, even in the distant future. Now, not so much. I can see this happening sometime. This is more than a cautionary tale. It is gruesome, bloody,bold and sometimes very hard to read but in the best way.
"White ribbons for the young girls, red for the grace year girls, and black for the wives. Innocence. Blood. Death."
The sixteenth year of Tierney James life as she prepares to go on her Grace Year she dreams of a better life. A more promising life away from the county, in the outskirts working in labor as she would rather do that if she survives. You see, in the county each Autumn every sixteen year old girl is given the chance to receive a veil from a male in the county. Those who do not get picked are sent out to become laborers or become prostitutes to service the men from the county. After the veiling ceremony the girls are sent out to spend a year far from the county to fend for themselves and to find their magic and get rid of it. You see, all the men in the county believe that girls and woman are the source of evil. Eve was the first woman and she tainted all woman that came after her. She carried with her a terrible magic and the only way that the men of the county can feel safe is to send the girls off. Not every girl makes it back. There are poachers that will happily capture the girls and skin them alive to collect their "magical" blood to sell to the county. Plus they want the bounty. The girls that make it back are never allowed to even discuss the Grace Year.
When I read the premise of this book I was very excited to read this but as I started reading it took me a bit to get into this. I must say that after a little bit I was completely hooked. There is more to it than that though. There is something really special about this book. Even though this is a dystopian mystery in the climate that we are living now this is a very important novel. When I read The Hand Maid's Tale I remember thinking that could never happen, even in the distant future. Now, not so much. I can see this happening sometime. This is more than a cautionary tale. It is gruesome, bloody,bold and sometimes very hard to read but in the best way.
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