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Grace
Grace was raised to be an Angel, a herald of death by suicide bomb. But she refuses to die for the cause, and now Grace is on the run, daring to dream of freedom. In search of a border she may never reach, she travels among malevolent soldiers on a decrepit train crawling through the desert. Accompanied by the mysterious Kerr, Grace struggles to be invisible, but the fear of discovery looms large as she recalls the history and events that delivered her uncertain fate.
Told in spare, powerful prose by acclaimed author Elizabeth Scott, this tale of a dystopian near future will haunt readers long after they’ve reached the final page.
Told in spare, powerful prose by acclaimed author Elizabeth Scott, this tale of a dystopian near future will haunt readers long after they’ve reached the final page.
200 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2010
19 people are currently reading
2514 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Scott
138 books3,450 followersHey there, I'm Elizabeth. I write young adult novels. I live just outside Washington DC with my husband and dog, and am unable to pass a bookstore without stopping and going inside.
All right, and I can't leave without buying at least one book.
Usually two. (Or more!)
My website and blog are at elizabethwrites.com, and I'm also on twitter, tumblr, and facebook
All right, and I can't leave without buying at least one book.
Usually two. (Or more!)
My website and blog are at elizabethwrites.com, and I'm also on twitter, tumblr, and facebook
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May 18, 2012So, Goodreads and I are at an impasse. It asks for a rating, and I refuse to give one.
And it’s not due to a failure on the book’s behalf to elicit a response - in fact the opposite is true. I just don’t think I can translate that response into a quantifiable form.
This is unusual work with a striking premise. Grace, raised to be a suicide bomber, is fleeing her unnamed country ruled by the despot Keran Berj. In the company of a mysterious escort, Kerr, she is bound for the border with a single chance at freedom.
If you’re already familiar with Elizabeth’s Scott’s spare, efficient prose – you’ll notice that in Grace she takes it even further, paring the words back to the bone. Yet none of the power of the prose is lost in stripping it down so dramatically, instead it seems to gain strength from its economy. Scott never completely spells out the full extent of the violence, sex and fear of her world, but the oblique inferences still permeate the story with a sense of bleakness and menace.
Grace herself, raised by freedom fighters yet spurned for her mixed heritage, is a complex character that embodies the book’s central themes of choice and survival. All of the choices Grace makes have a cost, the thread of hope she holds comes at a price. Any decision she makes will involve sacrifice, life bought with the taking of others.
”I have spent my whole life waiting to die. Not wanting to, but waiting. I saw the difference the day I walked away, and this train ride has taught me that I will do anything to survive.[…] And I am not, and will not ever be, sorry that I am.”Scott allows the story to retain its moral ambiguity throughout, and refrains from having the characters pontificate on the rightness or wrongness of their actions. Both of these people carry a burden of bloodguilt, and have been raised to rationalise their choices, yet the story isn’t told in a manner that demands the reader to find them defensible. It does, however, ask the reader to consider whether such a person is defined by their past. Can they embrace life having been taught to not to value it, and in fact, should they?
Despite the slight volume of this book, just over 200 pages, it’s a deeply layered story. It unfolds itself gradually as the character’s comprehension of their choices becomes clearer. Yet while so much of the content of the story is internal, centred around reflection on their respective journeys to this point – it doesn’t lack tension. Scott uses the setting of the train, the presence of soldiers, the atmosphere of uncertainty and danger to keep the story taut. Additionally, by keeping Kerr’s motivations and identity concealed for much of the plot, Grace’s position always feels precarious, threatened.
The fictional near-future of Grace feels believable to me, the world and its premise are rooted closely enough in our own reality to be frighteningly feasible. But do I believe in the decisions of the characters? Do I think this would happen, that two people in these respective situations would make these choices, come to these conclusions? I don’t know about that. I’d like to, of course. I want to. But I do think this story sustains plausibility only up to a point. Beyond that, I feel it’s more of a philosophical journey for the reader than a strictly realistic one.
Grace is a bold, difficult book – but it doesn’t feel unduly provocative. While writing a story about suicide bombers, indoctrination and a brutal regime, Scott draws the focus to the universal issues of hope, guilt, shame and independence. It is a demanding book, it does ask the reader to invest their personal code of ethics in its examination of these characters. It’s uncomfortable, yet powerful.
And I really don’t know how to reduce that down to a number of stars.
* * * * *
Grace is the most unusual book I have read this year, and the first I am seriously considering not rating. And not because:
(a) ”There are not enough stars in the goodreads universe to express my love for this unparalleled work of genius!”
or
(b) ”NO EFFING STARS. Burn it, burn it with fire.”
When I finish procrastinating and post an actual review, I’ll attempt to explain why..
June 13, 2011
Rating: 3.5-4 stars. This is such a hard book to rate
Favourite Quote: Sometimes, I don't think there is anything beyond what is here, what is now. I think that maybe beyond this world - this train, the desert we are passing through, this heat swelling all around - there is nothing.
Wow! This little book, it is only 191 pages, packs a powerful punch. Grace is a heartbreaking tale that is beautifully written.
I am sure you all know I am huge fan of Elizabeth Scott. I just love her writing. But all her books that I have read have been more the romantic contemp type. Grace is completely different. Grace lives in a cruel and violent place. 'The People' are at war against the country's dictator Keran Berj. Grace is trained from a young age to be an Angel, a suicide bomber. But Grace doesn't want to die. And she goes on the run with Kerr, a mysterious stranger, in search of freedom.
This is the type of book that hurts. It also makes you appreciate how lucky you are. Scott tells the story so simply yet it is full of emotion. That being said it isn't the type of book that I could re-read even though though it is hopeful at times.
Grace and Kerr are both character that your heart just goes out to. Both have made mistakes in their past that are consequences of the place they live in. I wondered while I read what choices would I have made if I had been in their situations. You can't help but to root for them to make it safely out of the country and finally be free.
Overall, Grace is remarkable written tale that lingers with you long after you have read it.
Thanks to Nomes for lending me her copy
Favourite Quote: Sometimes, I don't think there is anything beyond what is here, what is now. I think that maybe beyond this world - this train, the desert we are passing through, this heat swelling all around - there is nothing.
Wow! This little book, it is only 191 pages, packs a powerful punch. Grace is a heartbreaking tale that is beautifully written.
I am sure you all know I am huge fan of Elizabeth Scott. I just love her writing. But all her books that I have read have been more the romantic contemp type. Grace is completely different. Grace lives in a cruel and violent place. 'The People' are at war against the country's dictator Keran Berj. Grace is trained from a young age to be an Angel, a suicide bomber. But Grace doesn't want to die. And she goes on the run with Kerr, a mysterious stranger, in search of freedom.
This is the type of book that hurts. It also makes you appreciate how lucky you are. Scott tells the story so simply yet it is full of emotion. That being said it isn't the type of book that I could re-read even though though it is hopeful at times.
Grace and Kerr are both character that your heart just goes out to. Both have made mistakes in their past that are consequences of the place they live in. I wondered while I read what choices would I have made if I had been in their situations. You can't help but to root for them to make it safely out of the country and finally be free.
Overall, Grace is remarkable written tale that lingers with you long after you have read it.
Thanks to Nomes for lending me her copy
May 22, 2010
If Living Dead Girl rocked people's perceptions of Elizabeth Scott's writing then Grace will blow them up. It is different from anything else that she has published and demonstrates amazing growth and diversity as an author. Tense and political. Terse and exact. Scott sketches an image of a world where you are what you are told you will be. A life without choices and many sacrifices. A life without colour, without beauty, without connection and it is exceedingly grim. A minimal piece of writing, the reader's mind is constantly whirling as it processes new information and the actions of our protagonist and Kerr.
YA can often be put into two categories - amazing premise and expertly realised. Sometimes there is crossover but not usually. Grace walks that line like an acrobat as it quietly, subtlety, makes its way forward navigating fear, determination and ultimately hope. Grace presents a reality where society is fractured into those that blindly (and fearfully) follow Keran Berj and those that oppose his rule, those of The Hills. A world of tyranny, violence, suppression and fear where being an Angel is a great honour. An honour that Grace can't see through entirely so she runs. And this is where the story begins.
Grace isn't flashy. It is not glitzy or dimple cheeked. It is deliciously barren. A small novel, it's short chapters and at times even shorter sentences convey the trapped quality of this world and the tethers that bind. It is novels like Grace that challenge the notion that YA is fluff. There's no fluff here, only heat and oppression. Sparse, resolute and political, Scott has explored the notion of power, identity and sacrifice in a way that leaves you quiet. It creeps up on you. It is the study of a girl who straddles two world and is wanted by neither. In choosing herself, she chooses to fight for her freedom.
A beautifully realised introspective novel about life, death and the choices we make in between. The insular first person narration and few characters focus the story intently on the train ride and the steps that brought Grace and Kerr to that point. Revelations unwind like a slight breeze and wash over you as they may (or may not) get closer to escape. A wonderful and vastly different addition to the Elizabeth Scott collection and young adult literature.
A thought provoking exploration of the power of one.
YA can often be put into two categories - amazing premise and expertly realised. Sometimes there is crossover but not usually. Grace walks that line like an acrobat as it quietly, subtlety, makes its way forward navigating fear, determination and ultimately hope. Grace presents a reality where society is fractured into those that blindly (and fearfully) follow Keran Berj and those that oppose his rule, those of The Hills. A world of tyranny, violence, suppression and fear where being an Angel is a great honour. An honour that Grace can't see through entirely so she runs. And this is where the story begins.
Grace isn't flashy. It is not glitzy or dimple cheeked. It is deliciously barren. A small novel, it's short chapters and at times even shorter sentences convey the trapped quality of this world and the tethers that bind. It is novels like Grace that challenge the notion that YA is fluff. There's no fluff here, only heat and oppression. Sparse, resolute and political, Scott has explored the notion of power, identity and sacrifice in a way that leaves you quiet. It creeps up on you. It is the study of a girl who straddles two world and is wanted by neither. In choosing herself, she chooses to fight for her freedom.
A beautifully realised introspective novel about life, death and the choices we make in between. The insular first person narration and few characters focus the story intently on the train ride and the steps that brought Grace and Kerr to that point. Revelations unwind like a slight breeze and wash over you as they may (or may not) get closer to escape. A wonderful and vastly different addition to the Elizabeth Scott collection and young adult literature.
A thought provoking exploration of the power of one.
November 4, 2010
This was just plain poorly written, there were obviously typos and grammatical errors, which I would be much more forgiving about except this is such a short novel. It's 200 pages double spaced with fairly large print and margins. We're talking maybe 70 standard 8.5x11s here. The plot is so basic and stringy as to be a poor excuse for even an outline. And I found the premise totally unbelievable. A person doesn't turn their back on 17 years' worth of brainwashing just because they got kicked out of the club and spend 4 days on a train traveling across the countryside and seeing all the "injustices" of the totalitarian rule and the similarities in the rebellion. Brainwashing that is deep enough that you would willing die without so much as questioning why would take much longer, and it would have been more believable if Grace had simply killed herself in shame.
The book is very dialogue heavy, both with her traveling companion and herself. But rather having the internal dialog be truly reflective and deep it sounded mostly like whining, and/or had the same problem as the plot - she resolved her inner conflicts entirely too easily and too quickly to really be believable. There is NO exposition and absolutely NO character development.
This almost reads like a movie script that was turned into a book, only no one bothered to even set the scene. Scott doesn't even trust her readers to get the message on her own, but instead takes the opportunity to weld a spoon to our hands and then feeds us through Grace anyway, like we aren't smart enough to figure out the blatant message.
The book is very dialogue heavy, both with her traveling companion and herself. But rather having the internal dialog be truly reflective and deep it sounded mostly like whining, and/or had the same problem as the plot - she resolved her inner conflicts entirely too easily and too quickly to really be believable. There is NO exposition and absolutely NO character development.
This almost reads like a movie script that was turned into a book, only no one bothered to even set the scene. Scott doesn't even trust her readers to get the message on her own, but instead takes the opportunity to weld a spoon to our hands and then feeds us through Grace anyway, like we aren't smart enough to figure out the blatant message.
November 7, 2010
That cover is what just captured me. You can tell that those eyes hold a numbness but have a tinge of hope. Her face is transparent showing you what she sees: smoke, fire and destruction. She sees what an angel should see but she doesn't visualize triumph at a scene like this, but death. Grace breaks her vow to die serving the People. She wants the unthinkable, she wants to live.
Now, when I first started reading I was confused. I didn't get what the time frame for the events or what exactly was happening. A good third of the book flips back and forth between certain events. We start by seeing her on a train trying to escape. At this point she already failed her mission and is trying to run away. The story goes back to tell us just how she came to this point. Her travel companion is a young man around her age named Kerr. This is real intriguing character and has a big secret and burden he's hiding.
The book was not as suspenseful as I expected, but the fear Grace feels is apparent to the reader. Since the story is told in prose you aren't given way too many details, but just enough to see the world Grace and Kerr live in. It's scary but believable. Towards the end I felt like I was getting banged with the book on my head with the message. Ok ok I get it no need to be so abusive, *rubs head*.
The message is a powerful one and speaks the truth of how we all in some way want to survive and not be alone.
Now, when I first started reading I was confused. I didn't get what the time frame for the events or what exactly was happening. A good third of the book flips back and forth between certain events. We start by seeing her on a train trying to escape. At this point she already failed her mission and is trying to run away. The story goes back to tell us just how she came to this point. Her travel companion is a young man around her age named Kerr. This is real intriguing character and has a big secret and burden he's hiding.
The book was not as suspenseful as I expected, but the fear Grace feels is apparent to the reader. Since the story is told in prose you aren't given way too many details, but just enough to see the world Grace and Kerr live in. It's scary but believable. Towards the end I felt like I was getting banged with the book on my head with the message. Ok ok I get it no need to be so abusive, *rubs head*.
The message is a powerful one and speaks the truth of how we all in some way want to survive and not be alone.
June 20, 2010
Grace is such a brilliantly written book. It's not a chick lit, nor a paranormal book. It's a YA book about choices. Grace has been raised to be an Angel of Death and now she's questioning everything she's been raised to believe. In a society were women do what they are told, you don't question why. You do what you're told. Now Grace must choose to fulfill what she's been told will be an honor or she must flee and choose life, and find freedom, fulfilling a dream of hers.
Grace shouldn't question what she's about to do. She should find it an honor. She'll be hailed a hero. Her name will never be forgotten. She can't help with question the motives behind these actions. True she'd rather be in the Hills with other people who will do what they can to fight Keran Berj's power, but are they any better than he is? Is death always the answer? If Grace really believed that cause, she wouldn't really be on train she's on now, or would she? If she gives up now, then she may not reach the border she hopes to find.
Elizabeth Scott's Grace, is a powerfully written book and one that I can see being used in high school class rooms. Well written, and only 200 pages long, Grace is full of themes and messages that will spark discussions with readers. Elizabeth tackles a touchy subject and gives it a face and a meaning, with a very strong character named Grace. Understanding Grace's story, I fell in love with this strong, real character who will not let her dream die, even that means risking her own life.
Grace and Kerr, are two broken, but strong willed main characters, surrounded with a small number of supporting characters. With a book this powerful, you don't need more than that. Kerr himself is a character my heart broke for. Together Kerr and Grace find understanding in each other, and share a determination and will power to live. As a reader, I was pulled into their stories and left with feeling hope for them, and the future they can change.
Grace shouldn't question what she's about to do. She should find it an honor. She'll be hailed a hero. Her name will never be forgotten. She can't help with question the motives behind these actions. True she'd rather be in the Hills with other people who will do what they can to fight Keran Berj's power, but are they any better than he is? Is death always the answer? If Grace really believed that cause, she wouldn't really be on train she's on now, or would she? If she gives up now, then she may not reach the border she hopes to find.
Elizabeth Scott's Grace, is a powerfully written book and one that I can see being used in high school class rooms. Well written, and only 200 pages long, Grace is full of themes and messages that will spark discussions with readers. Elizabeth tackles a touchy subject and gives it a face and a meaning, with a very strong character named Grace. Understanding Grace's story, I fell in love with this strong, real character who will not let her dream die, even that means risking her own life.
Grace and Kerr, are two broken, but strong willed main characters, surrounded with a small number of supporting characters. With a book this powerful, you don't need more than that. Kerr himself is a character my heart broke for. Together Kerr and Grace find understanding in each other, and share a determination and will power to live. As a reader, I was pulled into their stories and left with feeling hope for them, and the future they can change.
April 5, 2011
W O W, I'm becoming quite the dystopian fan of late.
Thought provoking and emotive, my DH is reading it now. It explores themes of choice & the meaning of freedom. It's still haunting me.
Thought provoking and emotive, my DH is reading it now. It explores themes of choice & the meaning of freedom. It's still haunting me.
November 29, 2015
Bei Grace geht es um die junge Grace (haha xD), welche in einer Welt lebt, die von Rassenpolitik beherrscht ist. Sie wird als eine Art Mischling angesehen und deshalb dazu ausgebildet, einen Mordanschlag inklusive Selbstmord auf einen bekannten Politiker auszuüben. Aber Grace weigert sich. Sie zündet zwar die Bombe, flieht aber selbst. Ein Zug soll sie in eine neue Welt bringen.
Das Buch war... Ziemlicher Schrott um ehrlich zu sein. Je länger ich darüber nachdenke, desto schlechter finde ich es. Grace als Hauptcharakter ist zwar sympathisch, aber die Art und Weise, in der die Geschichte erzählt wird, war einfach... Schwachsinn. Wir haben im Prinzip an eigentlicher Handlung hier nur diese eine Zugfahrt von Grace. Nichts danach, nichts davor. Es wird rückblickend allerdings erklärt wie es dazu kam, dass Grace sich in dieser Situation befindet. Auch ist das Buch verdammt kurz. Dadurch gewinnt es überhaupt keinen Tiefgang, keine Charakterentwicklung, NICHTS.
Ich verstehe zwar, dass die Autorin mit ihrer Geschichte etwas ausdrücken wollte und das ist immer gut und auch wichtig für einen gelungenen Roman, aber für diese Aussage gleich alles andere über Bord zu werfen, das macht ja nun auch keinen Sinn.
Ich kann Grace also nicht weiterempfehlen. Man kann es lesen, ist ja auch schnell vorbei, aber so richtig unterhalten kann es nicht und die tiefere Bedeutung geht dadurch verloren, dass der Geschichte der Tiefgang fehlt.
Das Buch war... Ziemlicher Schrott um ehrlich zu sein. Je länger ich darüber nachdenke, desto schlechter finde ich es. Grace als Hauptcharakter ist zwar sympathisch, aber die Art und Weise, in der die Geschichte erzählt wird, war einfach... Schwachsinn. Wir haben im Prinzip an eigentlicher Handlung hier nur diese eine Zugfahrt von Grace. Nichts danach, nichts davor. Es wird rückblickend allerdings erklärt wie es dazu kam, dass Grace sich in dieser Situation befindet. Auch ist das Buch verdammt kurz. Dadurch gewinnt es überhaupt keinen Tiefgang, keine Charakterentwicklung, NICHTS.
Ich verstehe zwar, dass die Autorin mit ihrer Geschichte etwas ausdrücken wollte und das ist immer gut und auch wichtig für einen gelungenen Roman, aber für diese Aussage gleich alles andere über Bord zu werfen, das macht ja nun auch keinen Sinn.
Ich kann Grace also nicht weiterempfehlen. Man kann es lesen, ist ja auch schnell vorbei, aber so richtig unterhalten kann es nicht und die tiefere Bedeutung geht dadurch verloren, dass der Geschichte der Tiefgang fehlt.
September 30, 2010
This is an introspective tale.
Grace is on the run. Throughout the train ride to possible freedom that spans the length of the book, she comes to terms with the events that led her there. She was raised to die. Her life was never her own, she was supposed to die to further the Peoples’ cause of freedom - ”Freedom depends on setting aside everything in its name.” Just as she’s supposed to carry out her own suicide, Grace decides she’s done with death. She wants to live. She is now wanted for her attempt and damned for her failure as an Angel suicide bomber. She needs to get from the City to the border and beyond for any chance at freedom and will stop at nothing. She’s lost everything, caused deaths, and endured awful conditions and situations, but she’s alive and she’s not sorry about that.
I wasn’t sure what I thought of this book, but I’ll remember it. Sacrifice is noble*, but self-preservation is undeniable. It’s uncomfortable to think that you would wrongfully give someone up, or even let someone take the fall, to save yourself and I liked that this was explored.
*Terrorism, however, is NOT.
Grace is on the run. Throughout the train ride to possible freedom that spans the length of the book, she comes to terms with the events that led her there. She was raised to die. Her life was never her own, she was supposed to die to further the Peoples’ cause of freedom - ”Freedom depends on setting aside everything in its name.” Just as she’s supposed to carry out her own suicide, Grace decides she’s done with death. She wants to live. She is now wanted for her attempt and damned for her failure as an Angel suicide bomber. She needs to get from the City to the border and beyond for any chance at freedom and will stop at nothing. She’s lost everything, caused deaths, and endured awful conditions and situations, but she’s alive and she’s not sorry about that.
I wasn’t sure what I thought of this book, but I’ll remember it. Sacrifice is noble*, but self-preservation is undeniable. It’s uncomfortable to think that you would wrongfully give someone up, or even let someone take the fall, to save yourself and I liked that this was explored.
*Terrorism, however, is NOT.
May 16, 2018
I'm..... very conflicted about how I feel about this book. I liked it yet I didn't like it. I felt attached yet detached to the characters. It has an interesting premise but it doesn't exactly go the way you think it will. And the plot? I liked the use of flashbacks to tell the story but all that happened was people riding on a train. This book just has me confused and conflicted on a number of levels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2021
Weirdly enough, the books are completely different but I preferred Gingerbread.
November 15, 2010
Original post at One More Page
I wasn't sure what to expect with Grace when I got it. Okay, so I posted a WoW post about this because I was curious, even if I'm not (yet) a fan of Elizabeth Scott. So far, out of all Scott's work, the only book I liked was Stealing Heaven , and I am not so sure if I want to read her other books after that. But I made an exception for this because it is dystopian, and I have been liking that sub-genre a lot lately.
Grace was raised as an Angel, a suicide bomber trained by the People to fight against Keran Berj's oppression. She was brought to the People by her dad after her mother died, and she knew that she will be herald of death, a girl chosen by the Saints to fight for freedom against Keran Berj's cruelty against the land. She grew up knowing what an honor it would be to die for the cause, but knowing is not the same as believing. On the day that she was supposed to kill the Minister of Culture, Grace decides not to die and instead escapes. She is joined by a mysterious, seemingly compassionate man named Kerr as they rode the train to a border that they were not sure if they could reach.
The story is simple, both in prose and plot. It's confusing at first, because the story wasn't told in a linear manner, but in flashbacks and anecdotes of Grace's past and the history that she knew of about their land and Keran Berj's rule. After some time, though, as I got used to the narration, I finally got the hang of it and it was easier from there. The chapters were short, sparse and almost poetic and but it does not lack the emotion or action that would pull the readers in Grace's bleak world. There is very little hope as what little of Grace's story unfolds, and I felt afraid for her as she rode the train to the border. This is not a book you would want to read for a quick and easy read because it's not. However, despite all that, Scott manages to weave a little bit of hope in the story, a little spark in the darkness that Grace had lived in almost all her life. Just like Grace, I was hesitant to believe in that hope, but I wanted her to hold on to it because I wanted to believe that there is still something good in the world she lives in.
This is a depressing book. It reminds me a lot of those war movies and books that I avoid, particularly ones about World War II and the Nazis. I never liked watching those movies because it's scary, and I hate the idea that it could possibly happen again. I know it's weird coming from someone who likes dystopian fiction, but there is a certain level of separation between reality and the dystopian books I have read. Grace is different, because there is a definite sense of reality in the story, a question that I can't help but ask as I read this book. That is the most terrifying thing in this novel. This is not fantasy. There's no magic, no special high technology, nothing. The lack of out-of-this-world elements in this story makes you wonder if this is really happening somewhere else...and if it is, is there anything we can do to stop it?
I wasn't sure what to expect with Grace when I got it. Okay, so I posted a WoW post about this because I was curious, even if I'm not (yet) a fan of Elizabeth Scott. So far, out of all Scott's work, the only book I liked was Stealing Heaven , and I am not so sure if I want to read her other books after that. But I made an exception for this because it is dystopian, and I have been liking that sub-genre a lot lately.
Grace was raised as an Angel, a suicide bomber trained by the People to fight against Keran Berj's oppression. She was brought to the People by her dad after her mother died, and she knew that she will be herald of death, a girl chosen by the Saints to fight for freedom against Keran Berj's cruelty against the land. She grew up knowing what an honor it would be to die for the cause, but knowing is not the same as believing. On the day that she was supposed to kill the Minister of Culture, Grace decides not to die and instead escapes. She is joined by a mysterious, seemingly compassionate man named Kerr as they rode the train to a border that they were not sure if they could reach.
The story is simple, both in prose and plot. It's confusing at first, because the story wasn't told in a linear manner, but in flashbacks and anecdotes of Grace's past and the history that she knew of about their land and Keran Berj's rule. After some time, though, as I got used to the narration, I finally got the hang of it and it was easier from there. The chapters were short, sparse and almost poetic and but it does not lack the emotion or action that would pull the readers in Grace's bleak world. There is very little hope as what little of Grace's story unfolds, and I felt afraid for her as she rode the train to the border. This is not a book you would want to read for a quick and easy read because it's not. However, despite all that, Scott manages to weave a little bit of hope in the story, a little spark in the darkness that Grace had lived in almost all her life. Just like Grace, I was hesitant to believe in that hope, but I wanted her to hold on to it because I wanted to believe that there is still something good in the world she lives in.
This is a depressing book. It reminds me a lot of those war movies and books that I avoid, particularly ones about World War II and the Nazis. I never liked watching those movies because it's scary, and I hate the idea that it could possibly happen again. I know it's weird coming from someone who likes dystopian fiction, but there is a certain level of separation between reality and the dystopian books I have read. Grace is different, because there is a definite sense of reality in the story, a question that I can't help but ask as I read this book. That is the most terrifying thing in this novel. This is not fantasy. There's no magic, no special high technology, nothing. The lack of out-of-this-world elements in this story makes you wonder if this is really happening somewhere else...and if it is, is there anything we can do to stop it?
September 15, 2010
About the Book: Grace was raised to be an angel-a suicide bomber who would honor her mission. But Grace can't die for the cause so instead she's on the run trying to get to a new life of freedom. She escapes to a train where she hides in plain site with her strange traveling companion Kerr, who has secrets of his own.
GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: Grace is a stunning book that proves to me that Elizabeth Scott can write anything! Grace is a dystopian book that doesn't feel like a dystopian. It's a raw and powerful read that is chilling because readers can see the events easily unfolding today. Grace comes from a society that is blindly following Keran Berj and is part of a group that opposes his rule. Keran Berj's rule is frighteningly familiar and terrifying. Just look at history to see how a ruler like this could take over and it's easy to believe in Grace's tale.
The reader is thrown right into the story of Grace's escape. We are not given a background to understand what's happening, we're thrown right in and at first this is a little jarring. But I love this because it's up to the reader to figure out what's happening instead of being told the entire story upfront. Events unfold and we're given new details slowly throughout the novel-the plot unfolds in subtle layers and it's something as a reader you want to savor. There are moments when we come to a realization or discover something the same time Grace does-and I love those moments when reading! There are also moments that made me gasp in shock and surprise-I truly felt like I was there with Grace and going through everything with her.
Grace is different from other dystopian novels that I've read in that this one is not action packed and full of adventure. This is a quieter sort of dystopian that's more pensive-Grace is on the train thinking about her actions and the choices she's made and the outcome and path before her because of these choices. Grace is a look at one person's choices and how much power just one person can have, even if they don't realize it. The ending is something I can't wait to discuss with my teens because I'm curious to see if they view it differently than I do. Grace screams to be discussed-with other readers, in book clubs, in schools. Make sure you read this one with someone so you can talk about it after.
Grace is an amazing addition to the young adult dystopian fare and will stay with you long after you read it. I read this one a month ago and my thoughts are still haunted by Grace's story. A must read release for 2010!
GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: Grace is a stunning book that proves to me that Elizabeth Scott can write anything! Grace is a dystopian book that doesn't feel like a dystopian. It's a raw and powerful read that is chilling because readers can see the events easily unfolding today. Grace comes from a society that is blindly following Keran Berj and is part of a group that opposes his rule. Keran Berj's rule is frighteningly familiar and terrifying. Just look at history to see how a ruler like this could take over and it's easy to believe in Grace's tale.
The reader is thrown right into the story of Grace's escape. We are not given a background to understand what's happening, we're thrown right in and at first this is a little jarring. But I love this because it's up to the reader to figure out what's happening instead of being told the entire story upfront. Events unfold and we're given new details slowly throughout the novel-the plot unfolds in subtle layers and it's something as a reader you want to savor. There are moments when we come to a realization or discover something the same time Grace does-and I love those moments when reading! There are also moments that made me gasp in shock and surprise-I truly felt like I was there with Grace and going through everything with her.
Grace is different from other dystopian novels that I've read in that this one is not action packed and full of adventure. This is a quieter sort of dystopian that's more pensive-Grace is on the train thinking about her actions and the choices she's made and the outcome and path before her because of these choices. Grace is a look at one person's choices and how much power just one person can have, even if they don't realize it. The ending is something I can't wait to discuss with my teens because I'm curious to see if they view it differently than I do. Grace screams to be discussed-with other readers, in book clubs, in schools. Make sure you read this one with someone so you can talk about it after.
Grace is an amazing addition to the young adult dystopian fare and will stay with you long after you read it. I read this one a month ago and my thoughts are still haunted by Grace's story. A must read release for 2010!
February 26, 2011
Set in a bleak world in the near future, Grace has been trained to give her life for the People's cause to oust ruler Keran Berj. Grace has always known this was her path, and she was prepared to die when it was asked of her. However, she always had her doubts, and when the time came she was unable to fulfill her mission. Now Grace is on the run and with a traveling companion who is also running from the past.
This is the second book I have read from this author, the first being Living Dead Girl. Both books are compelling, haunting stories wrapped in a small package. At only 200 pages, this book can be read in one setting. However, the subject matter is weighty, timely and thought provoking. The short chapters and spare writing powerfully convey the character's frame of mind.
The story begins as Grace has hopped a train and is on the run; the details of how she got there are filled in through flashbacks. The whole story had me on edge as I felt Grace's anxiousness and fright as she waited to get caught. She has spent her whole life being told what to do and now is trying to understand and learn what it will be like to be free. She has always felt out of place as she has watched the other Angels go so willingly to complete their suicide missions. With the help of her traveling companion Kerr, Grace is questioning all that she ever knew. Kerr has his own heart breaking story to tell, and I was pulled into his story as much as Grace's.
Most of the action takes place on the train, and the claustrophobic environment contributes to the moody atmosphere of the story. Some of the difficult scenes take place "off camera" and are even more mysterious and disturbing as the reader is left to fill in the blanks. The character of Grace makes hard choices and is brave to go off into the unknown to live life for herself. This haunting character struck a chord with me.
Grace is a powerful dystopian book set in a recognizable near future world. The themes are those that many will relate to with several discussion points that could be explored in a classroom setting.
I'm glad I took a chance on this book, and maybe next time I'll even read one of this author's lighter novels. Elizabeth Scott's next book is called Between Here and Forever and is due out in May 2011.
This is the second book I have read from this author, the first being Living Dead Girl. Both books are compelling, haunting stories wrapped in a small package. At only 200 pages, this book can be read in one setting. However, the subject matter is weighty, timely and thought provoking. The short chapters and spare writing powerfully convey the character's frame of mind.
The story begins as Grace has hopped a train and is on the run; the details of how she got there are filled in through flashbacks. The whole story had me on edge as I felt Grace's anxiousness and fright as she waited to get caught. She has spent her whole life being told what to do and now is trying to understand and learn what it will be like to be free. She has always felt out of place as she has watched the other Angels go so willingly to complete their suicide missions. With the help of her traveling companion Kerr, Grace is questioning all that she ever knew. Kerr has his own heart breaking story to tell, and I was pulled into his story as much as Grace's.
Most of the action takes place on the train, and the claustrophobic environment contributes to the moody atmosphere of the story. Some of the difficult scenes take place "off camera" and are even more mysterious and disturbing as the reader is left to fill in the blanks. The character of Grace makes hard choices and is brave to go off into the unknown to live life for herself. This haunting character struck a chord with me.
Grace is a powerful dystopian book set in a recognizable near future world. The themes are those that many will relate to with several discussion points that could be explored in a classroom setting.
I'm glad I took a chance on this book, and maybe next time I'll even read one of this author's lighter novels. Elizabeth Scott's next book is called Between Here and Forever and is due out in May 2011.
September 20, 2010
My Thoughts: Its hard to explain this review, how I feel about this book. When I first saw this novel a few months back I immediately was happy because another book was being published by Scott. I adore her books. I typically read her young adult romance books and I was a little concerned because this had more of a dystopian feel. Its also a really short book so I figured I would give it a try even though I don't normally read dystopian. I think its a little harsh of me to say I'm not into it, because the ones I have read I have really enjoyed (Restoring Harmony for example) I think I just haven't had a lot of exposure to it.
We meet Grace who is an angel of death. What does this mean? It means that she was born to be an angel of death, she was supposed to die. But she chooses to live and because of that, she must face the consequences. Her people pretty much abandon her and she is going to be killed or cast out either way. She than turns to a friend and goes on the run. She is arranged to meet Kerr to go on the run with him. Kerr is not whom she believes he is. He becomes an unlikely ally. Grace discovers a lot about herself and the real outside world. Its not all flowers and sunshine and she must learn to survive on her own. Its hard to explain how much I enjoyed this book without giving away spoilers. The little twists and turns are ones that you must experience for yourself.
Much of the novel, I did not see coming. Parts of it left me with my mouth hanging open wondering what I just witnessed. My heart beat a million miles an hour rooting Grace on for being a strong young women. Elizabeth Scott has successfully created a dystopian novel that left me wanting to cry for Grace's situation, cheer for Grace's strength, and fall for the bad boy Kerr.
Grace has everything you could ever ask for!
Overall: Loved it a lot. It's just so intense I'm still thinking about it a few days later.
Cover: Really love it. Its beautiful right? Yes, it is!
What I'd Give It: 5/5 Cupcakes
Taken from Princess Bookie
We meet Grace who is an angel of death. What does this mean? It means that she was born to be an angel of death, she was supposed to die. But she chooses to live and because of that, she must face the consequences. Her people pretty much abandon her and she is going to be killed or cast out either way. She than turns to a friend and goes on the run. She is arranged to meet Kerr to go on the run with him. Kerr is not whom she believes he is. He becomes an unlikely ally. Grace discovers a lot about herself and the real outside world. Its not all flowers and sunshine and she must learn to survive on her own. Its hard to explain how much I enjoyed this book without giving away spoilers. The little twists and turns are ones that you must experience for yourself.
Much of the novel, I did not see coming. Parts of it left me with my mouth hanging open wondering what I just witnessed. My heart beat a million miles an hour rooting Grace on for being a strong young women. Elizabeth Scott has successfully created a dystopian novel that left me wanting to cry for Grace's situation, cheer for Grace's strength, and fall for the bad boy Kerr.
Grace has everything you could ever ask for!
Overall: Loved it a lot. It's just so intense I'm still thinking about it a few days later.
Cover: Really love it. Its beautiful right? Yes, it is!
What I'd Give It: 5/5 Cupcakes
Taken from Princess Bookie
August 18, 2010
Grace is an Angel. All her life, she was taught that she is giving her life for a worthy cause, the cause of freedom. She’s been told that it is honorable to die and take as many others with her as possible. But when Grace’s time comes, she cannot make herself do it. A life of questioning her people’s beliefs has finally caught up with her. Now, rejected by her own people and unwelcome among her enemies, Grace is on the run, hoping to find a border to escape to real freedom. Along with her mysterious companion Kerr, Grace is on a dangerous journey, fraught with peril and chilling memories. But in the end, she might be able to find the freedom she desperately craves—and the strength to deserve it.
Having read most of Scott’s young adult books, I believe I am qualified to say both that she is a good writer and that she has grown as a writer. Though I do love her more innocent teen romances, Scott has long since graduated to heavier topics, as in Living Dead Girl. In Grace, Scott goes even more above and beyond. She creates a dystopian world of extreme belief systems that will shock most readers, perhaps because they are so realistic and would not be out of place in society today. In the middle of all this is young Grace, a girl who just wants to live in a community that dictates that she can’t. Readers will come to love this fragile girl as she tries to figure out who she is in the cruel world she lives in and comes to terms with her past. As always, Scott wonderfully portrays the emotions and ironies of life in Grace. I do warn that because this novel is so different from Scott’s other novels, especially because there is more reliance on background and flashbacks than the present story, it may be difficult to keep track of names and situations, but overall, Grace is a story worthy of anyone’s time.
Fans of Scott’s writing in Living Dead Girl will not want to miss Grace, nor will those who liked Birthmarked by Caragh M. O’Brien and Unwind by Neal Shusterman.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
Having read most of Scott’s young adult books, I believe I am qualified to say both that she is a good writer and that she has grown as a writer. Though I do love her more innocent teen romances, Scott has long since graduated to heavier topics, as in Living Dead Girl. In Grace, Scott goes even more above and beyond. She creates a dystopian world of extreme belief systems that will shock most readers, perhaps because they are so realistic and would not be out of place in society today. In the middle of all this is young Grace, a girl who just wants to live in a community that dictates that she can’t. Readers will come to love this fragile girl as she tries to figure out who she is in the cruel world she lives in and comes to terms with her past. As always, Scott wonderfully portrays the emotions and ironies of life in Grace. I do warn that because this novel is so different from Scott’s other novels, especially because there is more reliance on background and flashbacks than the present story, it may be difficult to keep track of names and situations, but overall, Grace is a story worthy of anyone’s time.
Fans of Scott’s writing in Living Dead Girl will not want to miss Grace, nor will those who liked Birthmarked by Caragh M. O’Brien and Unwind by Neal Shusterman.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
June 26, 2010
While reading Grace my mind kept going back to the one book that made me want to read more which is The Giver by Lois Lowry and kept feeling the same kind of emotions as when I read that one. Even though it's not the same story at all, it just reminded me of it so much because the writing was just so amazing that the story makes you think about so many different things even after you finish it, Grace lingers in your mind for days afterwards just like I felt after reading The Giver when I was 12 years old and I love that.
Grace is a story about difficult life altering choices, in a world where you are not allowed to make your own. Grace has been raised to become a suicide bomber by a group called "The People" which are the ones rebelling against the current ruler and live in hiding. Even though she's been taught to believe this is the right thing to do since she was younger, she decides at a very crucial point that she wants to live instead. She runs away from it all and is traveling on a train with a strange boy named Kerr. While on the train we get glimpses into her life before she ran away. We get to see world she lives in and the political aspects of it, where people die so often, where violence is an everyday thing, and the beliefs that she is raised to learn and she is turning away from.
Grace was a very short read, only about 200 pages long but I loved every minute of it. Different from everything that I've read before, Grace is a story about a broken girl that lives in a dystopian world that I do not ever want to live in and tells a touching story about her life in this insane and frightening world. This is the first book I've read by Elizabeth Scott and it was just amazing, it has become one of my favorites. I'll be recommending this one to others as it's one of those types of books that I love which makes people really think, will leave you wondering by the end, and it's just unforgettable.
Grace is a story about difficult life altering choices, in a world where you are not allowed to make your own. Grace has been raised to become a suicide bomber by a group called "The People" which are the ones rebelling against the current ruler and live in hiding. Even though she's been taught to believe this is the right thing to do since she was younger, she decides at a very crucial point that she wants to live instead. She runs away from it all and is traveling on a train with a strange boy named Kerr. While on the train we get glimpses into her life before she ran away. We get to see world she lives in and the political aspects of it, where people die so often, where violence is an everyday thing, and the beliefs that she is raised to learn and she is turning away from.
Grace was a very short read, only about 200 pages long but I loved every minute of it. Different from everything that I've read before, Grace is a story about a broken girl that lives in a dystopian world that I do not ever want to live in and tells a touching story about her life in this insane and frightening world. This is the first book I've read by Elizabeth Scott and it was just amazing, it has become one of my favorites. I'll be recommending this one to others as it's one of those types of books that I love which makes people really think, will leave you wondering by the end, and it's just unforgettable.
July 2, 2010
I have been putting this review off for days. This is one of those books that is almost impossible to review. I don't really know what I was expecting when I opened this book, but what I found was a terrifying story. It says in the blurb that Grace was born to be an Angel, I think that is a little misleading. It makes you think there might be some supernatural Angels running around. That's not the case at all. The Angels in this book are women born to die. To give their life up for the cause. By suicide bomb.
Grace chooses to live. Some may call this cowardly, I would call it brave. To choose a different path than the one that was laid out for you from the time you were a child. Grace is a strong character, with many layers. I don't think we even scratched the surface on who Grace really is, but I think that made the book even more powerful.
Kerr is to be Grace's companion while trying to escape. He was a little frightening and more than a little mysterious. Kerr makes Grace question her life in ways that she has never done before. She is horrified to find out who he really is, but she may have more in common with him than she could have ever believed.
Grace is a very short and sparse book, but it will leave you with things to think about. Elizabeth Scott is an incredibly talented and diverse author. She can write romance, horrifying true life, and dystopian stories with ease. I urge you to read this book.
Grace chooses to live. Some may call this cowardly, I would call it brave. To choose a different path than the one that was laid out for you from the time you were a child. Grace is a strong character, with many layers. I don't think we even scratched the surface on who Grace really is, but I think that made the book even more powerful.
Kerr is to be Grace's companion while trying to escape. He was a little frightening and more than a little mysterious. Kerr makes Grace question her life in ways that she has never done before. She is horrified to find out who he really is, but she may have more in common with him than she could have ever believed.
Grace is a very short and sparse book, but it will leave you with things to think about. Elizabeth Scott is an incredibly talented and diverse author. She can write romance, horrifying true life, and dystopian stories with ease. I urge you to read this book.
December 6, 2011
3.5 stars. This is a departure from what Elizabeth Scott normally writes (the more romantic, quirky, heartfelt but angsty teen reads for girls) and I did enjoy it. I love her writing style and that it doesn't take her 400 pages to tell a good story. Grace lives in a dystopian like world where there is an almighty and deranged ruler. But she has grown up in The Hills, a place where The People live and they oppose this ruler and his kingdom. So they have Angels that they send to basically commit suicide bombings. Grace is one of them. Her mission was to blow up the Minister of Culture, but she abandoned her calling and is now on route to the border with Kerr, a boy she does not know. Her people have denounced her, so she can't return to them and she would be killed anywhere else for having been an Angel and coming from The Hills. Having the desire to live is completely foreign to Grace, but she becomes ever more hopeful in her pursuit away from the world she has grown up in as she travels by train away from it. The story brings up many issues for discussion including of course terrorism and politics, but also free will, freedom of speech, self identity, choosing a path in life and what is right and wrong in the name of war and love (is ANYTHING really fair game?). A great read, short, bittersweet and expertly told.
July 16, 2014
Grace has grown up among the People, an indigenous group living in the mountains and fighting an endless guerrilla war against the man who rules their country. As the daughter of an outsider and a local man, the People have never had much use for her, so they give her to a man as his bride and train her to become a suicide bomber. The story takes place entirely within Grace's train trip across the desert to the border, beyond which lies freedom.
Scott is brilliant at getting inside the head of people who've been brain-washed into accepting their fate. During the course of this ride Grace re-examined everything she's every been told, taking truth apart to look for the flaws.
The only flaw in the story is that as tense as the trip is, nothing much happens except within Grace's head. We come to understand her very well, though. Sad and grim, the life of an oppressed people under a totalitarian dictator makes for insight, but not much fun in the reading.
Library copy.
A note on the cover: there's no reason to assume it has anything to do with her, but the unnamed model on the cover reminds me quite a bit of Meg Cabot (Author), which is wildly inappropriate.
Scott is brilliant at getting inside the head of people who've been brain-washed into accepting their fate. During the course of this ride Grace re-examined everything she's every been told, taking truth apart to look for the flaws.
The only flaw in the story is that as tense as the trip is, nothing much happens except within Grace's head. We come to understand her very well, though. Sad and grim, the life of an oppressed people under a totalitarian dictator makes for insight, but not much fun in the reading.
Library copy.
A note on the cover: there's no reason to assume it has anything to do with her, but the unnamed model on the cover reminds me quite a bit of Meg Cabot (Author), which is wildly inappropriate.
July 21, 2010
I never thought I would pick up a YA book about a suicide bomber and devour it in one sitting. Elizabeth Scott has crafted an incredibly original novel about a young girl born in to the type of ideological war that engulfs so much of the world and makes her story relatable, moving and downright brilliant.
Grace is on a train with a stranger, Kerr, both hiding in plain sight as they try to get to the border and escape their death-filled lives. As the plot moves forward, Scott peels back layer after layer of their pasts and how they have been intertwined for years.
Scott’s writing is minimal and poetic, revealing only the exact details that somehow form the big pictures. This is a piece of art where the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts.
Grace is engaging and moving enough to be read for pleasure but also smart and insightful enough that I can see it being read in both history and English classes. It has genuine insight in to an all-to-relevant world and an ending that will leave you both hopeful and haunted.
Grace is on a train with a stranger, Kerr, both hiding in plain sight as they try to get to the border and escape their death-filled lives. As the plot moves forward, Scott peels back layer after layer of their pasts and how they have been intertwined for years.
Scott’s writing is minimal and poetic, revealing only the exact details that somehow form the big pictures. This is a piece of art where the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts.
Grace is engaging and moving enough to be read for pleasure but also smart and insightful enough that I can see it being read in both history and English classes. It has genuine insight in to an all-to-relevant world and an ending that will leave you both hopeful and haunted.
March 20, 2015
While set in a disturbing dystopian vision of the future, the world of this novel hits close to home. Grace has been raised to be an Angel – one of the People of the Hills whose purpose in life is to die for her beliefs. Grace is a suicide bomber, and when she sets off a bomb to kill one of the followers of the tyrannous ruler Keran Berj, her own death will bring her and her people honor. However, when Grace decides that she would rather live than sacrifice herself, she finds herself on the run with another fugitive with a mysterious past. This novel is largely introspective, and using succinct and philosophical language, Scott leads the reader towards truly understanding Grace, her world, and her struggle with the decision to live. The parallels with our own world are apparent, and Scott does not skimp on violence or moral turmoil. This book would be a perfect companion piece to a social studies lesson on the psychology of suicide bombers.
(Fairly formal review I wrote for a Book Review Council)
(Fairly formal review I wrote for a Book Review Council)
February 2, 2011
Elizabeth Scott has proved herself with this novel. While she has mastered the art of the cutesy romance YA novels, she has also ventured out and shown to the world that she is not just another romance writer.
Grace was a powerful novel, packed into very few pages. That's because she didn't waste time; Scott jumped right into an emotional story and made readers think of a life outside of our own. The world she created, while vague, still seemed very real and very possible. The characters were believable, and readers could sympathize.
This novel was very short, easily read in one sitting. But the emotion and power brought with it will last for awhile after finishing. I do enjoy Elizabeth Scott's work, and I was skeptical about reading this simply because it was so different. However, it was not disappointing in the slightest.
Grace was a powerful novel, packed into very few pages. That's because she didn't waste time; Scott jumped right into an emotional story and made readers think of a life outside of our own. The world she created, while vague, still seemed very real and very possible. The characters were believable, and readers could sympathize.
This novel was very short, easily read in one sitting. But the emotion and power brought with it will last for awhile after finishing. I do enjoy Elizabeth Scott's work, and I was skeptical about reading this simply because it was so different. However, it was not disappointing in the slightest.
October 26, 2012
Wow. I am really impressed. After seeing that horrible (too)low rating I didn't expect anything but this story surprised me,in a good way.
This is not the first novel I've read by Elizabeth Scott so I knew what is coming,or at least I though I did. Her writing just blew my mind(pun intended)in Grace. It was so much deeper then I thought it would be. The plot was less important. So the strength of this novel comes from characters;their internal beliefs,hopes and dreams. I feel like I could read about Grace just riding on a train forever.
The only thing that was a little bit confusing is that Grace is a angel but she looks like everyone else. Maybe this book could go without angels.
But,all in all,very,very good.
This is not the first novel I've read by Elizabeth Scott so I knew what is coming,or at least I though I did. Her writing just blew my mind(pun intended)in Grace. It was so much deeper then I thought it would be. The plot was less important. So the strength of this novel comes from characters;their internal beliefs,hopes and dreams. I feel like I could read about Grace just riding on a train forever.
The only thing that was a little bit confusing is that Grace is a angel but she looks like everyone else. Maybe this book could go without angels.
But,all in all,very,very good.
August 28, 2010
I did not like this book because it just made me depressed, I couldn't get into it and I just couldn't finish it. I think it just was more emotional to me because it is about a suicide bomber and I am in the military...and see my brothers and sisters killed by them everyday. I just couldn't do it, my weakness and in no way the fault of the author'w writing. Hope you find a better review elsewhere, here are a couple to try.
May 23, 2010
the most believable dystopian teen fiction since the giver. maybe even more believable, which is why it was absolutely terrifying. it made me sweat. quick read, makes for good high-interest material, but the stream-of-consciousness relay of information might be confusing for some teens.
July 9, 2019
More proof that Elizabeth Scott is sheer literary genius.
May 26, 2018
I'm really not sure what to think of this one, to the point where I don't know if three stars is giving it too much credit or severely underrating it. Consider it a placeholder rating until...umm, probably forever, really.
Elizabeth Scott (aka Elizabeth Spencer) is one of my most favorite authors ever, especially with YA contemporary or YA Urban fantasy (which I *guess* is what this is?) which are two of my most favorite genres. I really like her writing style and it's certainly present here, and she does a good job building up her characters and doing world-building and yet...it still feels empty and pointless, like I'm still waiting for a resolution. I guess the theme of the book is you should always choose life instead of death? That everyone has a right to live? I mean, I dig those themes but...it just feels like we're getting a very narrow slice here which, I guess is the point. Hence why I'm...not quite sure how to rate it.
Elizabeth Scott (aka Elizabeth Spencer) is one of my most favorite authors ever, especially with YA contemporary or YA Urban fantasy (which I *guess* is what this is?) which are two of my most favorite genres. I really like her writing style and it's certainly present here, and she does a good job building up her characters and doing world-building and yet...it still feels empty and pointless, like I'm still waiting for a resolution. I guess the theme of the book is you should always choose life instead of death? That everyone has a right to live? I mean, I dig those themes but...it just feels like we're getting a very narrow slice here which, I guess is the point. Hence why I'm...not quite sure how to rate it.
July 10, 2017
Grace didn't die when she was supposed to. Her entire life has been preparing to set off a bomb to kill a high government official to show her tribe is free and freedom is available for all. Grace has been shunned by her people and is on the run to escape the life she's always know. Her travel companion is a boy named Kerr whom Grace knows she shouldn't trust. When she learns his true identity, she knows she's on borrowed time. He's the one she's been trained to hate and kill. But hasn't she already learned the price of her own freedom?
Told from Grace's point of view, the story jumps from present day to the past and back again. You get the full story in bits and pieces. Grace is a likeable character, even if she struggles to understand everything going on. There are a few small holes, but the perspective is different. A suicide bomber who decides not to die with her bomb.
Told from Grace's point of view, the story jumps from present day to the past and back again. You get the full story in bits and pieces. Grace is a likeable character, even if she struggles to understand everything going on. There are a few small holes, but the perspective is different. A suicide bomber who decides not to die with her bomb.
March 27, 2019
4/5
My friends and I kind of set each other up on a blind date with a book. When they picked me out this book I was really wary. I'm really picky about the look of my books and this one didn't look too appealing. I was wrong. A complete wild ride from start to finish. Well, to be honest the beginning was a little confusing with all the names but as the story unfolded I was dazzled. I'm a little shocked this wasn't more popular but maybe one day it'll have its time to shine.
I would've loved a little longer and more developed story but I do love the short sweetness of it.
My friends and I kind of set each other up on a blind date with a book. When they picked me out this book I was really wary. I'm really picky about the look of my books and this one didn't look too appealing. I was wrong. A complete wild ride from start to finish. Well, to be honest the beginning was a little confusing with all the names but as the story unfolded I was dazzled. I'm a little shocked this wasn't more popular but maybe one day it'll have its time to shine.
I would've loved a little longer and more developed story but I do love the short sweetness of it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews