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The Grass People
The grass people have forgotten how to listen and follow the Way; the elves and fairies have disappeared from the tall prairie grasses. Their once idyllic existence is now fraught with danger. They must evade or defeat wildbeasts, the mower, predators, and four-legged shadows. It is also rumoured that tall men exist and may arrive soon. Dyra leads his village with great courage while some grass people await the return of their spiritual leader, Dokrimalitzla, and the restoration of magic. Meanwhile Brecort, the mayor of a nearby cave city, plots his conquest of all the villages. He sends an emissary with propaganda to convince them that only he can save them with his guns, guard towers and walls.
- GenresFantasy
480 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 26, 2022
— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Grass People
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Kay Parley
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Fantasy
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 25th October 2018
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3/5
The Grass People is about a tiny civilisation living in the grass. There is general discontent as many of the grass folk feel that they have lost their Way; which is their self application to life which relies completely on intuition, creativity and hard work in nature. They used to be in tune with the elves and the fairies and now nobody has seen one for years. The discord leads to the prophecy of a new Dokrimalitzla, which is a spiritual leader above all authority, and the restoration of the relationships the Grass people had with the elves. And with the rumours from the big city, Karep, that the major of that cave city wants to have complete control of all the villages, the Grass people need the Way more than ever.
I liked this book. I just didn't love it.
The prose has a consistent dream-like quality to it that was very easy to follow - even though the created language of the Grass people isn't familiar. I thought that the writing gave the most incredibly imagery. It seemed to provoke a dichotomy of childhood nostalgia where I believed in fairies, elves, and every body being friends. And the opposite end of the scale of basic survival instincts combined with brutal propaganda.
The little world reminded me of The Borrowers which I loved as a child. Although The Grass People was more of a slow burn.
There were always new names to learn of side characters who would become main characters and vice versa, these names seemed to slip my mind as easily as they slipped into it. To be honest, I felt like there were too many characters in general to really keep track of who's who. Especially when I had to dip in and out of the novel and couldn't stay in there for a prolonged period of time. Although the characters didn't really have an individual defining trait or persona to help me remember them, it did give the book a very community feel.
There was quite a bit of unfamiliar colloquial language as mentioned earlier, but the book does include a glossary at the back which was such a helpful tool to iron out any words that had flagged up in my mind after I finished the read.
I found the political sub plots really interesting although they didn't really peak or amount to anything, I would have liked a better conclusion to the attempt of widespread authority which went against many of the Grass people's beliefs rather than a general acceptance and then moving swiftly on.
Overall, this was a really intriguing and complex read that could easily ensnare the mind. The grass people are familiar in all the ways that matter and unfamiliar in their world building and perspectives. This was a really fresh, unusual fantasy read.
Thank you to Net Galley and Radiant Press for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🧚🏻♀️
♡ my bookstagram • my twitter ♡
↑ follow my socials for more bookish content. ↑
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Grass People
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Kay Parley
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Fantasy
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 25th October 2018
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3/5
"When I was a boy
Flying feathers in trials
I thought that my roots
Were as deep as the pyles,
I thought that my home
Was my refuge for life
I thought that my village
Was sheltered from strife.
An apprentice at forge
I would make the blades ring,
For I knew that by evening
I'd dance and I'd sing.
My lady, my beauty,
Her hair and her smiles
Had me rafting a house
On our very own pyles.
My babe in his backpack,
My parents at home,
'Twas all that I wanted,
'Twas all that I've known.
The mower took all,
My lady, my home,
My babe in his backpack - I'm left all alone.
Oh, Life, keep my village
In store through the years,
And let me return
When I've shed all my tears.
Then nothing will vanish,
Nothing will die,
And we'll walk with my lady,
My baby and I."
The Grass People is about a tiny civilisation living in the grass. There is general discontent as many of the grass folk feel that they have lost their Way; which is their self application to life which relies completely on intuition, creativity and hard work in nature. They used to be in tune with the elves and the fairies and now nobody has seen one for years. The discord leads to the prophecy of a new Dokrimalitzla, which is a spiritual leader above all authority, and the restoration of the relationships the Grass people had with the elves. And with the rumours from the big city, Karep, that the major of that cave city wants to have complete control of all the villages, the Grass people need the Way more than ever.
I liked this book. I just didn't love it.
The prose has a consistent dream-like quality to it that was very easy to follow - even though the created language of the Grass people isn't familiar. I thought that the writing gave the most incredibly imagery. It seemed to provoke a dichotomy of childhood nostalgia where I believed in fairies, elves, and every body being friends. And the opposite end of the scale of basic survival instincts combined with brutal propaganda.
The little world reminded me of The Borrowers which I loved as a child. Although The Grass People was more of a slow burn.
There were always new names to learn of side characters who would become main characters and vice versa, these names seemed to slip my mind as easily as they slipped into it. To be honest, I felt like there were too many characters in general to really keep track of who's who. Especially when I had to dip in and out of the novel and couldn't stay in there for a prolonged period of time. Although the characters didn't really have an individual defining trait or persona to help me remember them, it did give the book a very community feel.
There was quite a bit of unfamiliar colloquial language as mentioned earlier, but the book does include a glossary at the back which was such a helpful tool to iron out any words that had flagged up in my mind after I finished the read.
I found the political sub plots really interesting although they didn't really peak or amount to anything, I would have liked a better conclusion to the attempt of widespread authority which went against many of the Grass people's beliefs rather than a general acceptance and then moving swiftly on.
Overall, this was a really intriguing and complex read that could easily ensnare the mind. The grass people are familiar in all the ways that matter and unfamiliar in their world building and perspectives. This was a really fresh, unusual fantasy read.
Thank you to Net Galley and Radiant Press for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🧚🏻♀️
♡ my bookstagram • my twitter ♡
↑ follow my socials for more bookish content. ↑
January 21, 2019
ARC received from the publisher (Radiant Press) on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
DNF 61%
My experience could be summed up as this: (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
This has been a pure spur-of-the-moment read, brought to my attention by Keikii (never ask me to convince you out of reading something). You mean there's what looks like a slice of life book about tiny fae-like people living in the grass? Written by an older woman? Sign me up!
Like way too many books lately, however, it turned out to be an exercise in frustration instead of a chill, enjoyable read it seemed to promise.
It's doubly frustrating because it started off so well. It's not badly written by any means. The worldbuilding in particular is what kept me reading for as long as I did. The concept of "what if tiny fae-like people lived in our grass" is wonderfully realised, intricate, and thoughtful, without going too far into infodump. They go on their daily errands, watch for predators, and live in eternal fear of the mower. It's slow and slice of life, and feels very much like a story told by your grandma, but again, all well and good there.
The problem is in the characters. It's not that they're unrealistic or badly written, not at all. The problem is more the opposite - they're too realistic. The village is what I could call a small town dystopia. Everyone knows each other and everyone is really set in their ways, traditionalist, and looking down upon anything new and anyone who dares to be even the slightest bit different. Dyra especially comes off as selfish and often contradicts himself. I somewhat sympathised with his son, Hoyim, who wants to do things his own way, but everyone else I wanted to punt into the sun. They're against women working, or building their own houses, or people not marrying, and there's hypocrisy galore. It was irritating to the extreme, but I wondered where will it all go - will the elders be ultimately be proven correct as I feared or will young people introduce some welcome change? On whose side will the book end up being, if any?
After about halfway in, the switch flipped from "enjoying, but slightly annoyed" to a full on hate read when a larger city was introduced as a counterpoint, to show how idyllic the traditional life is and how corrupt a seemingly more "modern" way. Sure, the city did sound crappy, nobody knows each other, there's crime, everything's about money - and, you know, I don't disagree with critique of consumerism at all, I don't think the city trying to gain authority over the villages is good, but not when the alternative is rigid traditionalism. The way it seemed to be set up to highlight the rightfulness of the village life I criticise above left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't really believe people would lose their moral fiber after moving into the city either. It's an odd, irritating strawman.
I guess an argument could be made that both are shit and there is a third way, but at the point I left off, it sure didn't seem like it had anything valuable left to offer and I was frustrated beyond belief. If a book makes me angry and irritable enough I want to toss it at a wall, it's generally a sign to stop reading and find something else, so I did.
Enjoyment: first half 3.5/5, second half 1/5 and a tableflip
Execution: 3.5/5
Recommended to: those who think attitudes of most people in fantasy are too modern, people who miss their grandparents
Not recommended to: those who want characters they can root for, fans of fast-paced stories, non-conformists
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
DNF 61%
My experience could be summed up as this: (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
This has been a pure spur-of-the-moment read, brought to my attention by Keikii (never ask me to convince you out of reading something). You mean there's what looks like a slice of life book about tiny fae-like people living in the grass? Written by an older woman? Sign me up!
Like way too many books lately, however, it turned out to be an exercise in frustration instead of a chill, enjoyable read it seemed to promise.
It's doubly frustrating because it started off so well. It's not badly written by any means. The worldbuilding in particular is what kept me reading for as long as I did. The concept of "what if tiny fae-like people lived in our grass" is wonderfully realised, intricate, and thoughtful, without going too far into infodump. They go on their daily errands, watch for predators, and live in eternal fear of the mower. It's slow and slice of life, and feels very much like a story told by your grandma, but again, all well and good there.
The problem is in the characters. It's not that they're unrealistic or badly written, not at all. The problem is more the opposite - they're too realistic. The village is what I could call a small town dystopia. Everyone knows each other and everyone is really set in their ways, traditionalist, and looking down upon anything new and anyone who dares to be even the slightest bit different. Dyra especially comes off as selfish and often contradicts himself. I somewhat sympathised with his son, Hoyim, who wants to do things his own way, but everyone else I wanted to punt into the sun. They're against women working, or building their own houses, or people not marrying, and there's hypocrisy galore. It was irritating to the extreme, but I wondered where will it all go - will the elders be ultimately be proven correct as I feared or will young people introduce some welcome change? On whose side will the book end up being, if any?
After about halfway in, the switch flipped from "enjoying, but slightly annoyed" to a full on hate read when a larger city was introduced as a counterpoint, to show how idyllic the traditional life is and how corrupt a seemingly more "modern" way. Sure, the city did sound crappy, nobody knows each other, there's crime, everything's about money - and, you know, I don't disagree with critique of consumerism at all, I don't think the city trying to gain authority over the villages is good, but not when the alternative is rigid traditionalism. The way it seemed to be set up to highlight the rightfulness of the village life I criticise above left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't really believe people would lose their moral fiber after moving into the city either. It's an odd, irritating strawman.
I guess an argument could be made that both are shit and there is a third way, but at the point I left off, it sure didn't seem like it had anything valuable left to offer and I was frustrated beyond belief. If a book makes me angry and irritable enough I want to toss it at a wall, it's generally a sign to stop reading and find something else, so I did.
Enjoyment: first half 3.5/5, second half 1/5 and a tableflip
Execution: 3.5/5
Recommended to: those who think attitudes of most people in fantasy are too modern, people who miss their grandparents
Not recommended to: those who want characters they can root for, fans of fast-paced stories, non-conformists
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
December 30, 2018
*I received an ARC by Netgalley but all opinions are my own. The fact that I got to read this book for free does NOT influence my rating. (Thanks for the free book though!)*
I am not sure what to do with this book. There are grasspeople in it, fairies, elves, prophecies, tall people, dangers from wildbeasts (= badgers) and wheelers (= birds), but even after finishing I still have no idea what I just read. Odd. Interesting world building but I couldn't immerse myself into the story as there were too many characters and too many sub-plots. The story somewhat lacked focus it was more of a narrated genealogy plus fantasy. I don't know. 2,5 stars because I actually skipped some pages...
Aside: The cover is beautiful!! I mean, look at it!
Aside 2: The author is over 90 years old. I am very impressed.
I am not sure what to do with this book. There are grasspeople in it, fairies, elves, prophecies, tall people, dangers from wildbeasts (= badgers) and wheelers (= birds), but even after finishing I still have no idea what I just read. Odd. Interesting world building but I couldn't immerse myself into the story as there were too many characters and too many sub-plots. The story somewhat lacked focus it was more of a narrated genealogy plus fantasy. I don't know. 2,5 stars because I actually skipped some pages...
Aside: The cover is beautiful!! I mean, look at it!
Aside 2: The author is over 90 years old. I am very impressed.
June 16, 2019
(Read the full review *here*)
The Grass People live in small villages, surrounded by the constant threats of mowers and giant four-legged creatures. But their life is not governed by these massive machines and beings. They live and die happy, passionate about their crafts, full of love for family and friends, and finding adventure and resources in everything they come across. Throughout the course of this story, the people travel to escape danger, craft new homes and villages, challenge the traditions of the past, and meet with the elusive beings who surround them. It's a fantastical story of survival and the challenging of the past, full of a melding of tradition and new ideas, of thoughts – and of stories...
This book was delightfully inventive, and was a lovely glimpse into the author's head. The world within was crafted with care and love, full of interesting words, traditions and people – and I had a lovely time reading it!
*I recieved a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinons expressed here are entirely my own*
The Grass People live in small villages, surrounded by the constant threats of mowers and giant four-legged creatures. But their life is not governed by these massive machines and beings. They live and die happy, passionate about their crafts, full of love for family and friends, and finding adventure and resources in everything they come across. Throughout the course of this story, the people travel to escape danger, craft new homes and villages, challenge the traditions of the past, and meet with the elusive beings who surround them. It's a fantastical story of survival and the challenging of the past, full of a melding of tradition and new ideas, of thoughts – and of stories...
This book was delightfully inventive, and was a lovely glimpse into the author's head. The world within was crafted with care and love, full of interesting words, traditions and people – and I had a lovely time reading it!
*I recieved a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinons expressed here are entirely my own*
December 18, 2018
This is a story about a family in a small village, the grass people. They are tiny and live alongside men, although they rarely come in contact with the big people. The village consists of a few families of the grass people, they all know each other and love traditions.
One day, another grass person arrives from the big town. He wants to know everything about the village's way of life and traditions.. thats where the members of our family get a little suspicious. The son, Hoyim, goes out to find out why all of a sudden there's interest in the little village. He finds out the government of the big village is trying to gain power of all the little villages...
This is a sweet story! Loved the grass people and their traditions. In the beginning it feels like nothing happens for a long while and now I'm done I'm still asking myself, did anything happen? Not really. But it's not boring, just not very eventful. A little troublesome was the great amount of characters, I found I couldn't keep up. The main characters are very relatable and great to follow. You really feel you get to know them.
Anyway, I enjoyed this, would recommend if you love fairy tales and stories as a grown up. Also love the little drawings at the end!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. These are my opinions and are in no way influenced by the fact I got the ARC!
One day, another grass person arrives from the big town. He wants to know everything about the village's way of life and traditions.. thats where the members of our family get a little suspicious. The son, Hoyim, goes out to find out why all of a sudden there's interest in the little village. He finds out the government of the big village is trying to gain power of all the little villages...
This is a sweet story! Loved the grass people and their traditions. In the beginning it feels like nothing happens for a long while and now I'm done I'm still asking myself, did anything happen? Not really. But it's not boring, just not very eventful. A little troublesome was the great amount of characters, I found I couldn't keep up. The main characters are very relatable and great to follow. You really feel you get to know them.
Anyway, I enjoyed this, would recommend if you love fairy tales and stories as a grown up. Also love the little drawings at the end!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. These are my opinions and are in no way influenced by the fact I got the ARC!
January 21, 2019
To read more reviews in this series and others, check out keikii eats books!
65 points/100 (3 ½ stars)
I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Kay Parley, Radiant Press, and Netgalley for providing this copy for review!
I read this together with Para at To Other Worlds reviews. Read her review here.
The worst thing about The Grass People is that it is so well written. The start is amazing. We are introduced to the world of small people so well. Kay Parley made me feel like I was as small as the Grass People were. Dangers I never thought about, such as small dips in the ground, were pointed out to me in a great level of exploration. There were also dangers from the human and animal worlds. "The Mower" and the "the Great Shadow" are the enemies in the first part of the book, killing Grass People indiscriminately. I felt like a Grass Person.
The writing is just so well done. If this weren't so frustrating to read, this would definitely be rated higher. The book is broken up into four parts of five parts total, highlighting different points of life for the characters. We follow the main couple through their first child, through that child and their others growing up and getting married. We follow the life of their village through its infancy, until it grows big enough to branch off into another village. We follow their society through the dark times until the time of enlightenment.
The slice of life parts to the story are amazing. I loved every moment of it. Learning how they lived, their dangers, and even their society I loved. Even if I hate their society, I liked learning about it. The characters are also incredibly realistic. You have probably known someone like every single one of the main characters of the book. Dyra is selfish as hell, but believes he isn't, especially once he becomes leader. His wife, Koalee, is the only one I can stand, mostly because I have nothing to hate her about. Their oldest son, Hoyim is a young man who takes a while to find himself, mostly because he isn't traditional and doesn't want to disappoint his parents. They're frustratingly realistic.
It is other things I have trouble with.
The story starts out innocently enough. The Grass People are fighting for survival before an Elf comes and tells them they have to leave, or they will die. So our two main characters at the time, Koalee and Dyra, leave. Without telling anyone, including the people they love. Because that will end well, right? Well, eventually things work out, and they're back to survival, only this time without any big people dangers. Life is good, life isn't easy but it is easier. They're thriving, and growing. Everything is going well, and I really liked it. Just so slice-of-life for the first part of the book.
And then about the halfway point of the book, and everything started changing. I started getting more and more frustrated. I started hating everything. The story turned. It was no longer about their way of life. It was about how the society functions and their values. These values are anathema to me. They are too old fashioned, I hated them. I already disliked most of the characters prior to this point. By this point I hated every single one of them. Dyra has become the leader of the village, and it is his way only. He rules. Benevolently, but he has final word, about everything. He is stuck in the old ways, in the traditional ways. Anything not the traditional way is considered bad and wrong. For a man who started the story as being against their entire way of life before they had to move, this is just a little hypocritical.
These values and these traditions are very stifling. Women have their place in the home, but they have no real powers. A woman only really has any place in their world as wives and mothers. If any of them do anything outside of the "traditions", they are chastised for not following the way. The young people aren't listened to at all. This is most apparent in Dyra and Koalee's son, Hoyim, who is a nonconformist and "doesn't understand his place yet". Dyra, in his belief that he is the ultimate word, ends up contradicting himself constantly, in both deeds and words. He ends up yelling at his son for not following him, for wanting to speak about the things Hoyim has noticed in his own world. It is a frustrating, yet realistic dynamic.
Then, it gets even more frustrating. People from the big city come, trying to learn the Grass People way. But surely, they must know because it is instinct, right? Nope, the people in the city are corrupted, because there are too many of them! They no longer have any ties to the community because the community is too big! They are no longer part of the Grass People because they do not listen to their instincts! Hoyim and some friends go to find out what it is really like, and all we hear are horror stories. And everything boils down to "we must stick to the traditions, because the traditions are our way."
The advent of the city people being, in their minds, a complete abomination changes the dynamics of the story. The plot where the young people believe they are being led wrong completely goes away. They are united with their elders against the horrors they have seen and heard. Especially when the city announces that they are now the ultimate leaders of the Grass People, despite some prophesied leader that the elves are supposed to announce - and they haven't yet. They refuse to be led by Grass People who do not follow Truth.
That isn't the only plot that is completely forgotten about. The enemies in the first part of the book, the Mower and the Great Shadow are controlled by the big people, as the Grass People learn. The Grass People fear the big people, and hate them because who could harm another person like that. Until they actually meet one of the big people. They become friends, and the big person sort of protects them as best he can. Only, that is the only thing that happens, really. He is completely forgotten. The most interesting part of the story to me was how the big people and the little people were coming to know about each other, and it goes absolutely nowhere.
Unfortunately, the ending let me down. I was really hoping that the end would make up for the frustrating middle part. In my mind, it wasn't a true ending. It was just someplace to set down the story. Kay Parley worked all that time to establish all these values and traditions. She worked very hard to give everything an out clause, in the form of an ultimate leader to take up the reigns of leadership. And then once the leader comes around, it basically just ends. That is the end, because what else would be told in her mind. Their leader is there to lead everything, we aren't needed anymore. We just have to follow the way, to follow the Truth, and to look to our leader who will make everything okay again. But, we're not allowed to see it, not that there is much to see. The Grass People will follow, because that is what they do.
Only, that also wasn't the actual end of the book. It was the end of the story, but not the end of the book. It was only the end to the fourth part. Then there is a fifth part to the book, which is basically the prologue, stuffed at the end instead. It is the tale of the life of someone named Nanta, who lived before the start of the story. He is important to the story, but he had no real part in it. He was just the person who started certain elements of the story into place. This is at the end because Nanta knew the lessons the characters learn throughout the book already, and lived them. Without having learned those lessons ourselves, his story would have no meaning.
Kay Parley had an amazing idea. I was incredibly interested in reading a fantasy story written by an older woman, a woman in her mid-90s. It is just too bad it feels like I'm being told a story about "the good old days" from my own grandmother. I feel like I'm being yelled at by my grandmother that I'm wrong for wanting to be my own person, for not wanting to be only a wife, to want to live in the modern world. No, Grandma. The good old days weren't better. They were harder, they were less free, and they were less safe. I like the world I live in now, I hope it gets better in the future. Change isn't bad, stagnation isn't better than change. This was just incredibly frustrating for me to read.
65 points/100 (3 ½ stars)
I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Kay Parley, Radiant Press, and Netgalley for providing this copy for review!
I read this together with Para at To Other Worlds reviews. Read her review here.
The worst thing about The Grass People is that it is so well written. The start is amazing. We are introduced to the world of small people so well. Kay Parley made me feel like I was as small as the Grass People were. Dangers I never thought about, such as small dips in the ground, were pointed out to me in a great level of exploration. There were also dangers from the human and animal worlds. "The Mower" and the "the Great Shadow" are the enemies in the first part of the book, killing Grass People indiscriminately. I felt like a Grass Person.
The writing is just so well done. If this weren't so frustrating to read, this would definitely be rated higher. The book is broken up into four parts of five parts total, highlighting different points of life for the characters. We follow the main couple through their first child, through that child and their others growing up and getting married. We follow the life of their village through its infancy, until it grows big enough to branch off into another village. We follow their society through the dark times until the time of enlightenment.
The slice of life parts to the story are amazing. I loved every moment of it. Learning how they lived, their dangers, and even their society I loved. Even if I hate their society, I liked learning about it. The characters are also incredibly realistic. You have probably known someone like every single one of the main characters of the book. Dyra is selfish as hell, but believes he isn't, especially once he becomes leader. His wife, Koalee, is the only one I can stand, mostly because I have nothing to hate her about. Their oldest son, Hoyim is a young man who takes a while to find himself, mostly because he isn't traditional and doesn't want to disappoint his parents. They're frustratingly realistic.
It is other things I have trouble with.
The story starts out innocently enough. The Grass People are fighting for survival before an Elf comes and tells them they have to leave, or they will die. So our two main characters at the time, Koalee and Dyra, leave. Without telling anyone, including the people they love. Because that will end well, right? Well, eventually things work out, and they're back to survival, only this time without any big people dangers. Life is good, life isn't easy but it is easier. They're thriving, and growing. Everything is going well, and I really liked it. Just so slice-of-life for the first part of the book.
And then about the halfway point of the book, and everything started changing. I started getting more and more frustrated. I started hating everything. The story turned. It was no longer about their way of life. It was about how the society functions and their values. These values are anathema to me. They are too old fashioned, I hated them. I already disliked most of the characters prior to this point. By this point I hated every single one of them. Dyra has become the leader of the village, and it is his way only. He rules. Benevolently, but he has final word, about everything. He is stuck in the old ways, in the traditional ways. Anything not the traditional way is considered bad and wrong. For a man who started the story as being against their entire way of life before they had to move, this is just a little hypocritical.
These values and these traditions are very stifling. Women have their place in the home, but they have no real powers. A woman only really has any place in their world as wives and mothers. If any of them do anything outside of the "traditions", they are chastised for not following the way. The young people aren't listened to at all. This is most apparent in Dyra and Koalee's son, Hoyim, who is a nonconformist and "doesn't understand his place yet". Dyra, in his belief that he is the ultimate word, ends up contradicting himself constantly, in both deeds and words. He ends up yelling at his son for not following him, for wanting to speak about the things Hoyim has noticed in his own world. It is a frustrating, yet realistic dynamic.
Then, it gets even more frustrating. People from the big city come, trying to learn the Grass People way. But surely, they must know because it is instinct, right? Nope, the people in the city are corrupted, because there are too many of them! They no longer have any ties to the community because the community is too big! They are no longer part of the Grass People because they do not listen to their instincts! Hoyim and some friends go to find out what it is really like, and all we hear are horror stories. And everything boils down to "we must stick to the traditions, because the traditions are our way."
The advent of the city people being, in their minds, a complete abomination changes the dynamics of the story. The plot where the young people believe they are being led wrong completely goes away. They are united with their elders against the horrors they have seen and heard. Especially when the city announces that they are now the ultimate leaders of the Grass People, despite some prophesied leader that the elves are supposed to announce - and they haven't yet. They refuse to be led by Grass People who do not follow Truth.
That isn't the only plot that is completely forgotten about. The enemies in the first part of the book, the Mower and the Great Shadow are controlled by the big people, as the Grass People learn. The Grass People fear the big people, and hate them because who could harm another person like that. Until they actually meet one of the big people. They become friends, and the big person sort of protects them as best he can. Only, that is the only thing that happens, really. He is completely forgotten. The most interesting part of the story to me was how the big people and the little people were coming to know about each other, and it goes absolutely nowhere.
Unfortunately, the ending let me down. I was really hoping that the end would make up for the frustrating middle part. In my mind, it wasn't a true ending. It was just someplace to set down the story. Kay Parley worked all that time to establish all these values and traditions. She worked very hard to give everything an out clause, in the form of an ultimate leader to take up the reigns of leadership. And then once the leader comes around, it basically just ends. That is the end, because what else would be told in her mind. Their leader is there to lead everything, we aren't needed anymore. We just have to follow the way, to follow the Truth, and to look to our leader who will make everything okay again. But, we're not allowed to see it, not that there is much to see. The Grass People will follow, because that is what they do.
Only, that also wasn't the actual end of the book. It was the end of the story, but not the end of the book. It was only the end to the fourth part. Then there is a fifth part to the book, which is basically the prologue, stuffed at the end instead. It is the tale of the life of someone named Nanta, who lived before the start of the story. He is important to the story, but he had no real part in it. He was just the person who started certain elements of the story into place. This is at the end because Nanta knew the lessons the characters learn throughout the book already, and lived them. Without having learned those lessons ourselves, his story would have no meaning.
Kay Parley had an amazing idea. I was incredibly interested in reading a fantasy story written by an older woman, a woman in her mid-90s. It is just too bad it feels like I'm being told a story about "the good old days" from my own grandmother. I feel like I'm being yelled at by my grandmother that I'm wrong for wanting to be my own person, for not wanting to be only a wife, to want to live in the modern world. No, Grandma. The good old days weren't better. They were harder, they were less free, and they were less safe. I like the world I live in now, I hope it gets better in the future. Change isn't bad, stagnation isn't better than change. This was just incredibly frustrating for me to read.
December 17, 2018
This was definitely a feel-good read. Kay Parley herself described this book as "a fairy tale for adults," and that seems to be exactly what it is! Not to be confused with any sort of classic Disney princess fairy tales (plot twist, there are no princesses). No, this book is simply a stroll through another complex (albeit tiny) world. The grass people struggle with their identity as a whole and individually, as well as with their religion. They must decide whether to submit to the politics of their big city or fight to remain true to the Way of their village life.
The book is basically split into 5 different sections, each containing mostly the same main characters, following them and their children as they grow older, though the last section, "The Book of Nanta," reads most like an Epilogue. Each section is then composed of several chapters, and sometimes there are breaks within the chapters themselves as well. As such, the story spans many years, and the reader is able to visualize how a grass person would spend their life quite accurately.
One thing readers have to be ready for is learning a LOT of different names for all the different characters, with not much description to separate those characters. In the beginning, it may seem overwhelming, but I promise that eventually you'll get all of them! Additionally, the grass people have a bit of their own language, and I was able to decipher most of what they were talking about by the end. However, I also found that the book includes a glossary! So, if you ever get tripped up with a certain word or image, take a glimpse at the glossary, and it will make the reading much easier.
I rated this book 5 stars because of its amazing world-building and originality of story. I can honestly say that I have never read anything quite like this book. However, I did have a couple issues with it:
One: At several points, the story jumped a significant span of time from one sentence to the other. It made reading the book a little more difficult, as I had to constantly be checking myself on where the characters were at that time and who they were talking to. For example, Koalee could be speaking to Dyra in their home, and then in the next sentence, she is at the doctor's raft, speaking with a patient. It was disconcerting at times.
And two: The story lacked any sort of climax, especially with it being such a long read. I admit that I did thoroughly enjoy the story and it did not necessarily need the classic story arc with rising action and climax, but it did leave me feeling...unfinished. I felt like there could have been a lot more in the story, while I also felt like it was a bit too long as well.
Overall, this story is a great read for those who need to escape from reality or who simply love reading for pleasure and relaxation. This is not an action-packed thriller or anything of the sort, but it will force you to weigh your own morality against those of the grass people, as well as expand your views of communism and capitalism.
The book is basically split into 5 different sections, each containing mostly the same main characters, following them and their children as they grow older, though the last section, "The Book of Nanta," reads most like an Epilogue. Each section is then composed of several chapters, and sometimes there are breaks within the chapters themselves as well. As such, the story spans many years, and the reader is able to visualize how a grass person would spend their life quite accurately.
One thing readers have to be ready for is learning a LOT of different names for all the different characters, with not much description to separate those characters. In the beginning, it may seem overwhelming, but I promise that eventually you'll get all of them! Additionally, the grass people have a bit of their own language, and I was able to decipher most of what they were talking about by the end. However, I also found that the book includes a glossary! So, if you ever get tripped up with a certain word or image, take a glimpse at the glossary, and it will make the reading much easier.
I rated this book 5 stars because of its amazing world-building and originality of story. I can honestly say that I have never read anything quite like this book. However, I did have a couple issues with it:
One: At several points, the story jumped a significant span of time from one sentence to the other. It made reading the book a little more difficult, as I had to constantly be checking myself on where the characters were at that time and who they were talking to. For example, Koalee could be speaking to Dyra in their home, and then in the next sentence, she is at the doctor's raft, speaking with a patient. It was disconcerting at times.
And two: The story lacked any sort of climax, especially with it being such a long read. I admit that I did thoroughly enjoy the story and it did not necessarily need the classic story arc with rising action and climax, but it did leave me feeling...unfinished. I felt like there could have been a lot more in the story, while I also felt like it was a bit too long as well.
Overall, this story is a great read for those who need to escape from reality or who simply love reading for pleasure and relaxation. This is not an action-packed thriller or anything of the sort, but it will force you to weigh your own morality against those of the grass people, as well as expand your views of communism and capitalism.
November 30, 2018
I loved this book! I loved the style of writing, the world building and the characters.
The book is lovely and entertaining.
A very good discovery.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
The book is lovely and entertaining.
A very good discovery.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
May 21, 2019
Grass People by Kay Parley is an interesting novel. Although based on the author’s imagination, the story reflects human life and early history of a certain culture.
January 6, 2019
Wowee what a unique magical fantasy with all of my go to kinds of creatures, lore and mythology all rolled into one big ball of bizarre that I enjoyed.
Elves, faeries, grass people, wild creatures, birds, tall people, it's prophecy filled & dangers lurk in deep dark corners combined in the oddest world.
This fantasy is characters aplenty which at times becomes confused and the multiple sub plots throughout take away from the core plot yet it gives off a nostalgic historic feel to the writing and world styling.
The plot was interesting, engaging, unique and exciting yet the multiple pov and character additions made the storyline difficult to follow at times.
I enjoyed this writing style it was rich and descriptive, full of depth, intricate dialogue yet controlled pacing.
The world building was unlike anything I've seen this year, it was filled with lore and mythology, rich, vibrant, filled with fantasy concepts, the tiny civilisation incredible imagery and the unique language of the grass people.
Language plays a massive role in this fantasy and thankfully there is a glossary contained at the back of the book and this helped imensly to decode any of the words unusual or that stuck.
Overall it was a fascinating, complex and magical read that was fresh and full of flair giving unusual perspectives and lore in this refreshing take on magical fantasy and I highly recommend it be given a go.
3.5 Stars ..
Many thanks to Radiant Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
(All opinions expressed are my own and are unbiased)
Elves, faeries, grass people, wild creatures, birds, tall people, it's prophecy filled & dangers lurk in deep dark corners combined in the oddest world.
This fantasy is characters aplenty which at times becomes confused and the multiple sub plots throughout take away from the core plot yet it gives off a nostalgic historic feel to the writing and world styling.
The plot was interesting, engaging, unique and exciting yet the multiple pov and character additions made the storyline difficult to follow at times.
I enjoyed this writing style it was rich and descriptive, full of depth, intricate dialogue yet controlled pacing.
The world building was unlike anything I've seen this year, it was filled with lore and mythology, rich, vibrant, filled with fantasy concepts, the tiny civilisation incredible imagery and the unique language of the grass people.
Language plays a massive role in this fantasy and thankfully there is a glossary contained at the back of the book and this helped imensly to decode any of the words unusual or that stuck.
Overall it was a fascinating, complex and magical read that was fresh and full of flair giving unusual perspectives and lore in this refreshing take on magical fantasy and I highly recommend it be given a go.
3.5 Stars ..
Many thanks to Radiant Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
(All opinions expressed are my own and are unbiased)
April 25, 2024
This was a breath of fresh air after reading all my crime stories and Helter Skelter.
I was transported to a fantasy land and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I really like Kay Parlay after hearing her interviewed on CBC. I went on to read Inside The Mental and now this book.
I was transported to a fantasy land and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I really like Kay Parlay after hearing her interviewed on CBC. I went on to read Inside The Mental and now this book.
January 30, 2019
A fairy tale for adults, and this is certainly true to a degree. Reminiscent of 'The Borrowers' Te Grass people are tiny individuals who live,funnily enough, amongst the grass, battling threats such as the mower wheelers and the four-legged shadow. Dyra takes his wife and child from their old village and blazes a trail to a new one amongst the tall trees, eventually being joined by other members of their old community and establishing a new dwelling away from tyhe threats of mower.
The story spans several generations and threr are a lot of bit players in the narrative, characters that are only mentioned a few times which made it hard for me to remember who was who. It also became overtly political/religoius at one point, with different regimes clashing, Dyra's traditionalist views clashing with the progressive nature of others and there appearing to be no middle ground. Progression and expansion is seen to be corrupt and traditional ways are pure and correct. No middle ground. not being a particularly political being myself, I nonetheless was left with mixed feelings with this angle of the book. Tradition is right, progress is wrong? Does it have to be so black and white?
The fairies and the elves, loved. Political angle, not so keen. I'm hedging my bets and putting it in the middle ground of 3 stars. The potential was there for it to be higher, had the political angle not been quite so prominent.
The story spans several generations and threr are a lot of bit players in the narrative, characters that are only mentioned a few times which made it hard for me to remember who was who. It also became overtly political/religoius at one point, with different regimes clashing, Dyra's traditionalist views clashing with the progressive nature of others and there appearing to be no middle ground. Progression and expansion is seen to be corrupt and traditional ways are pure and correct. No middle ground. not being a particularly political being myself, I nonetheless was left with mixed feelings with this angle of the book. Tradition is right, progress is wrong? Does it have to be so black and white?
The fairies and the elves, loved. Political angle, not so keen. I'm hedging my bets and putting it in the middle ground of 3 stars. The potential was there for it to be higher, had the political angle not been quite so prominent.
May 30, 2019
ARC from Netgalley. I was attracted to this as it sounded a little reminiscent of The Carpet People but this is so much more complex and layered. Kay has created an in-depth world of tiny people, yet they are technologically advanced in their habitats. Fairies and Elves are in the mix but their presence is dealt with as a matter of fact, so whilst in possession on some magic, it feels ultimately possible that you could one day, bend down and find a village of Grass People with a fairy boat floating nearby. The inter-generational focus allows Kay to develop a dilemma for both the Grass People and the Reader - at what cost comes Progress? A delightful, original, thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining book.
February 15, 2019
This is a charming book reminiscent of the world created in ‘The Little Grey Men’ and ‘Down The Bright Stream’ by BB. Whereas the books by BB are more of an adventure, The Grass People provides the reader with a small slice of history of the characters as they grow older and confront the changes and everyday dangers during their life such as floods, the ‘longbeast’ and the tall men (us humans).
Kay Parley has built a world of the Grass People with their own philosophy, religion and society which should be recommended to any reader of fantasy.
This book was provided by Netgally for an honest review.
Kay Parley has built a world of the Grass People with their own philosophy, religion and society which should be recommended to any reader of fantasy.
This book was provided by Netgally for an honest review.
April 16, 2021
I read this book when it was being considered for publication by a different publisher, and I read the original manuscript, which was typed by its extremely elderly author on a typewriter and illustrated by her hand. It is a charming book in the meandering style of some of the more genealogical parts of Tolkien’s work, lovingly painting the lives of the grass people: their relationships, way of life, struggles, and celebrations. It would be an excellent book to read aloud to a child, much like the Hobbit, or for an adult to relish in quiet, unhurried moments.
November 27, 2024
Huge fan of the world building and culture of these little guys, this book is a must read for anyone who like Ghibli’s Secret Life of Arietty. It’s not very story driven but honestly sometimes it’s nice to just enjoy the daily life of the little people between the grass.
March 11, 2023
I wish I would have written a review when this was fresher in my mind. I do remember appreciating the world building, and characters. It seemed to serve as a contrast to our current capitalist society (one which seems to prioritize urban life, and one that is pretty disconnected from nature). It did however also come with some social norms that I would categorize as, how does the phrase go, “tradition is just peer pressure from dead people”? I can’t remember exactly which traditions/social norms were in the book, but I’m pretty sure some of them were of a patriarchal nature. I think I would have enjoyed it even more if this nature based utopian community in the book had explored or even worked towards a braver and more progressive type of social structure. It kind of had a bittersweet and nostalgic feeling similar to the outlander series - to imagine going back to a “simpler” time when the land/nature was much more intact sounds amazing if it weren’t for the devastating, ever expanding patriarchal white supremacy. Although, this book doesn’t take it to the same extremes in terms of violence from what I remember.
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