Another dystopian that focuses on how awful society is to women and what the long term repercussions of that could be? Sign me up, I guess? But really, this book was great. Was it perfect? No, but like not everything can be perfect. I think I would have like it a lot more without the one thing that happened in the middle, but I will say that overall this book was intense, exciting, and full of suspense.
It’s about Tierney, a rebellious young girl who’s dissatisfied with the state of Garner County’s relationship with women. Basically, you need to be beautiful, silent, compliant, and able to give birth. I think I can understand Tierney’s anger and resistance. Every year, the girls of sixteen years of age, must go on their Grace Year. A time where they are supposed to dispel all of their magic.
I have to admit, there were moments where I was frustrated for reasons that are spoilery, but I had to keep reminding myself that Tierney is a sixteen year old girl who knows nothing else than the life she has been living. Beyond that, the mild horror elements mixed with thriller elements made this exceptionally fun to read.
I mentioned in my Wilder Girls post how it introduced me to YA Horror and how I really vibed with it, and this just supports that. Give this book a read if you want something eery, creepy, and feminist.
Just Read It 