DNF&Y [22]

DNF&Y is used to explain why I gave up on certain books, and what about them just didn't work for me. What I disliked about a book might be something you love, so it helps to share your thoughts even when they're negative! If you would like additional information, please click on the DNF&Y tab at the top. If you want to join, you can link up at the bottom!

Cursed by Thomas Wheeler,

Frank Miller (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Soon to be a Netflix original series!

The Lady of the Lake is the true hero in this cinematic twist on the tale of King Arthur created by Thomas Wheeler and legendary artist, producer, and director Frank Miller (300, Batman: The Dark Night Returns, Sin City). Featuring 8 full color and 30 black-and-white pieces of original artwork by Frank Miller. Whosoever wields the Sword of Power shall be the one true King.

But what if the Sword has chosen a Queen?

Nimue grew up an outcast. Her connection to dark magic made her something to be feared in her Druid village, and that made her desperate to leave…

That is, until her entire village is slaughtered by Red Paladins, and Nimue’s fate is forever altered. Charged by her dying mother to reunite an ancient sword with a legendary sorcerer, Nimue is now her people’s only hope. Her mission leaves little room for revenge, but the growing power within her can think of little else.

Nimue teams up with a charming mercenary named Arthur and refugee Fey Folk from across England. She wields a sword meant for the one true king, battling paladins and the armies of a corrupt king. She struggles to unite her people, avenge her family, and discover the truth about her destiny.

But perhaps the one thing that can change Destiny itself is found at the edge of a blade.

DNF at 41%

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Cursed wasn't a terrible book, but I never felt compelled to pick it up. I kept choosing to read other books instead, which is why I wasn't able to finish this one before its release date. The characters were flat and uninteresting, and I wasn't able to connect with them or their individual stories. Merlin is a drunk. A manipulative, ridiculous drunk that didn't contribute much to the story. Arthur can't decide if he wants to be dependable or flaky, and Nimue was a very one-dimensional main character that rarely made her own decisions. She was either following the orders of others, or doing what the Hidden and the Sword of Power compelled her to do.

The story is also very violent, and actually made me feel sick to my stomach. The deaths were gruesome on their own, but when the atrocities were committed against children... infants... I can't. Especially when one of the babies is later used to convey a message from the Hidden, like some twisted reanimated zombie doll. 

Additionally, I didn't care for the random illustrations peppered in throughout the story. They were odd and distracting. I normally like Frank Miller's work, but the artwork in Cursed missed the mark for me.

I thought the overall concept was unique and had the potential to be interesting, but I wasn't captivated by the story. The Fey twist on Arthurian legend was promising, but I wish they'd expanded on the different clans and variations of Fey. I also felt like there were gaps in the story when we went from one chapter to the next. It always took me a few minutes to figure out who was speaking and where they were. I think the structure of the book could have been a little smoother, but maybe it will transition better as a television series.

⳼

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A speculative thriller in the vein of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Power. Optioned by Universal and Elizabeth Banks to be a major motion picture!

“A visceral, darkly haunting fever dream of a novel and an absolute page-turner. Liggett’s deeply suspenseful book brilliantly explores the high cost of a misogynistic world that denies women power and does it with a heart-in-your-throat, action-driven story that’s equal parts horror-laden fairy tale, survival story, romance, and resistance manifesto. I couldn’t stop reading.” – Libba Bray, New York Times bestselling author

Survive the year.

No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.

In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.

Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.

With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between.

DNF at 45%

"To be at odds with your nature, what everyone expects from you, is a life of constant struggle."

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I know people are raving about The Grace Year, so I'm going to preemptively apologize for any toes I might step on. What can I say? I'm a terrible dancer.

First of all, the setting was vague. Did they live in some sort of secluded community? A compound? Where they a cult of some sort and the girls just didn't realize it? What is going on in the rest of the world? Vikings are occasionally mentioned, so does this book take place shortly after that? They don't have cars or electricity from what I can tell, but even the people that live on the outskirts seemed connected to the community. Surely they would have left if they had other options? I needed more details about the world they lived in, and how their community originated. I felt like I was playing a video game where only part of the map was visible to me.

Secondly, the characters made me batshit crazy. People aren't supposed to talk about what happens during the grace year, but details and stories trickled through the cracks. Parents and siblings send their daughters and sisters away to succumb to madness and death every year, and for what? Nonexistent magic (guessing here)? A way for men to exert control over the women? There were way more women in the community, and they should have done more to protect their families. They've survived hell on earth, witnessed unbelievable cruelty, yet stand idly by as it happens to others.

The girls in this book are sixteen, and I felt like they were incredibly violent for teenagers. What sane person wants to willingly hurt someone else? I get that these girls were likely drugged by the water supply, or the rations they were given (just a guess), which is what led to their madness, but they were catty and cruel long before that. Small spoiler: Girls were committing suicide before they even reached the encampment. Also, why was everyone so willing to drink from Kiersten's cup of crazy? Surely, they could logically see that Tierney was trying to provide for the group and make sure they survived for the entire year? Why didn't the unveiled girls stick together and prevent Kiersten from asserting "God-like" powers over everyone else? And their magic? Pshh. Why would they believe any of that? I know, I know, I know... they've been conditioned their entire lives, and sometimes it's easier to just believe what you want. However, was there not a single working brain among them? Even Tierney made stupid decisions. She should have taken the axe and lopped Kiersten's head off the second she started hurting others for her own sick amusement.

Thirdly, what purpose to the poachers serve? Where did they come from? They obviously have some connection with the community, but I cannot fathom how they can hunt and kill young girls for pleasure. It was a game to them... the brutality and death. They would torture children for hours, but why were they hunting them in the first place? (I'm sure this is answered later on in the book!) It made me ill to see how quickly people turned on each other. It wasn't necessarily to save themselves, but for the joy of hurting someone else. Girls go through this every year, and no one talks about it? I know it's "forbidden," but the parents should have done more to protect their children.

Lastly, there are no chapters in this book! I like to read from chapter to chapter, but I think there are four total breaks in the book. Sections? Not cool. There were plenty of moments when a new chapter could have started, or at least a chapter break.

Everything about The Grace Year felt disorganized, and the characters were unbelievably frustrating. Why? Why? Why? Why go through something that horrific and then make your children experience the same terror and madness? What parent does that? I think this book had potential, but I often found myself annoyed and angry. Again, a lot of people have really enjoyed The Grace Year, so check out some other reviews first!

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