By the Grace

by Sìne Peril

It is difficult enough in this age of awareness to be autistic, but in 1918 it didn’t yet exist as a diagnosis. With no vocabulary to describe her experiences or explain why certain things bother her, Julia Grace must navigate the social minefield that is Mt. Sinai School for Young Ladies. She leans on her best friend and roommate, Ada Brooks, for support. Ada, who loves her despite her quirks and acts as interpreter for the social cues Julia is prone to missing. But when Ada is found dead one morning before classes all that crumbles. To make matters worse, the police don’t seem to care, saying she was “asking for it” and they don’t want to prosecute the boy responsible. Maybe that’s why Ada’s spirit can’t rest and continues to roam the halls of the school, growing increasingly angry and violent.Enraged, Julia sets out on a mission to find the killer and make him pay. But the influenza pandemic sweeping the country—and the entire world—is closing in on their isolated corner of Ohio, and it’s only a matter of time before it breeches the walls of Mt. Sinai. If Julia has any hope of accomplishing anything, she’ll have to win over her classmates and get their help in her plan.

356 pages, Paperback

Published October 6, 2020

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

By the Grace written by Sine Peril is the story of Julia Grace, a young lady in 1918 who is a bit different. If she lived in our time, she might have been diagnosed as having Autism, but she lived before the diagnosis existed. Like the pandemic we are living through, Julia deals with masks and germs and cleanliness. There is a paranormal element to the story, which is really well done. There are a few elements that seem too easily accepted towards the end of the story, but without getting into spoilers, I can't share them.

I received my copy of the book as an advanced reader copy from the author. Opinions are my own.