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The Graces
(The Graces #1)
by
Picked for BBC Radio 2's Book Club
Everyone said the Graces were witches.
They moved through the corridors like sleek fish, ripples in their wake. Stares followed their backs and their hair.
They had friends, but they were just distractions. They were waiting for someone different.
All I had to do was show them that person was me.
Like everyone else in her town, River is obsess ...more
Everyone said the Graces were witches.
They moved through the corridors like sleek fish, ripples in their wake. Stares followed their backs and their hair.
They had friends, but they were just distractions. They were waiting for someone different.
All I had to do was show them that person was me.
Like everyone else in her town, River is obsess ...more
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Paperback, 415 pages
Published
January 3rd 2019
by Faber & Faber
(first published September 1st 2016)
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Start your review of The Graces (The Graces, #1)
Every girl with eyes loved Fenrin. But I was not like those prattling, chattering things with their careful head tosses and thick, cloying lip gloss. Inside, buried down deep where no one could see it, was the core of me, burning endlessly, coal black and coal bright.
Oh sweet Jesus, get over yourself. Did that quote really come from a narrator we're supposed to take seriously? Of all the things I expected from this book, a super emo, extremely slow, Twilight-esque story was not one of them. ...more
i'm just realizing this about myself, but i am a person who tends to round two-star books up into three-star territory. my name is karen, and i'm an uprounder.
part of it is a readers' advisory training that unconsciously steers me towards back-seating (NLGM) my personal reactions, part of it is residual catholic guilt, and part of it is just always wanting to like a book i have chosen to read - to identify at least one thing that made reading it not a waste of my time.
this book is a fast read, ...more
part of it is a readers' advisory training that unconsciously steers me towards back-seating (NLGM) my personal reactions, part of it is residual catholic guilt, and part of it is just always wanting to like a book i have chosen to read - to identify at least one thing that made reading it not a waste of my time.
this book is a fast read, ...more
I can see how The Graces could be appealing for some readers (Kirkus, for one). The patient kind, who can get past a ridiculous, unbelievable plot and flat characters for the sake of a twist. I am not that reader. I believe that there's such a thing as too little, too late, too bad. Also, I totally saw it coming.
Honestly, I don't even have it in me to write an organized or ranty review, but I only want to forget the hours I spent reading it. Can I have my time back, please?
I just need a Forget ...more
Read 2 | March 2019
ok wow it's so odd and homey to go back to a book you loved years ago. Although the back of my copy of The Graces says "sequel coming in 2017!!" and like lol it's 2019 and the sequel is only just out. I wonder what happened??? But regardless. This book is such a tangle of oddness and insecurities, of the desperate belief in magic, of lush sensory writing, and characters you become addicted to while watching their lives unravel before you. I'm with River ok. The Graces are an e ...more
ok wow it's so odd and homey to go back to a book you loved years ago. Although the back of my copy of The Graces says "sequel coming in 2017!!" and like lol it's 2019 and the sequel is only just out. I wonder what happened??? But regardless. This book is such a tangle of oddness and insecurities, of the desperate belief in magic, of lush sensory writing, and characters you become addicted to while watching their lives unravel before you. I'm with River ok. The Graces are an e ...more
Oh hi. I wrote this book. Here's a bit more about it.
Short: there may or may not be witches. There's a girl who lies to you about what she really wants. There's obsession, desire, desperation, glamour, and what I hope is a pretty damn surprising ending.
Long: The Graces explores the endless pull between the Other – fantasy, imagination, belief, of spirits and gods and ghosts - and the colder everyday of the real, the real that we are very afraid is all there is.
As a child, you believe that magic ...more
Short: there may or may not be witches. There's a girl who lies to you about what she really wants. There's obsession, desire, desperation, glamour, and what I hope is a pretty damn surprising ending.
Long: The Graces explores the endless pull between the Other – fantasy, imagination, belief, of spirits and gods and ghosts - and the colder everyday of the real, the real that we are very afraid is all there is.
As a child, you believe that magic ...more
Another school story, complete with teen angst and 'a family of secret keepers' with beautiful and archetypal (and somewhat ludicrous!) names:
- Gwydion,
- Thalia ('She would forever dance out of your reach'),
- Wolf ('his body cocked forward like an eager puppy'),
- Esther (Esme, anyone?)…
There's even a guy with 'antique gold hair', whose 'bad mood' at a certain point 'hung off him in ribbons'.
And a gal referred to as a 'sun goddess' - yes, Thalia.
And an absentee mother and father.
And th ...more
- Gwydion,
- Thalia ('She would forever dance out of your reach'),
- Wolf ('his body cocked forward like an eager puppy'),
- Esther (Esme, anyone?)…
There's even a guy with 'antique gold hair', whose 'bad mood' at a certain point 'hung off him in ribbons'.
And a gal referred to as a 'sun goddess' - yes, Thalia.
And an absentee mother and father.
And th ...more
3.5 stars!
Interesting read, but not what was pitched.
Wanted more magic!
Really loved the first 20 % and last 20% it was brilliant!
Interesting read, but not what was pitched.
Wanted more magic!
Really loved the first 20 % and last 20% it was brilliant!
Maaaaan, guys. That was
fucked?
This is a book about a sad, strange, loathsome asshole who makes terrible decisions, and it's all so bloody entertaining. I'm not surprised that this book got middling reviews; it's a Marmite thing, probably a very, very acquired taste that not everyone will enjoy. But I loved it.
I would have given it five stars, but there was an unnerving air of internalized misogyny that really bothered me, and was completely unnecessary. River is an asshole, but she didn't need ...more
fucked?
This is a book about a sad, strange, loathsome asshole who makes terrible decisions, and it's all so bloody entertaining. I'm not surprised that this book got middling reviews; it's a Marmite thing, probably a very, very acquired taste that not everyone will enjoy. But I loved it.
I would have given it five stars, but there was an unnerving air of internalized misogyny that really bothered me, and was completely unnecessary. River is an asshole, but she didn't need ...more
The most disappointing thing about The Graces was that it had such huge potential. When I read the summary I was immediately hooked: An entire town worships a rich, secretive family and rumors circulate that they are magical - a family of witches. The plot sounded so cool and I couldn't wait to pick it up.
I was expecting a mysterious look at a closely entwined family, but you know what I got instead? Beautiful Creatures 2.0.
Meet River, our lonely "normal" main character who is obsessed with the ...more
I was expecting a mysterious look at a closely entwined family, but you know what I got instead? Beautiful Creatures 2.0.
Meet River, our lonely "normal" main character who is obsessed with the ...more
Mini review:
I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids in exchange for an honest review.
DNF
I heard about this book through Twitter. After I read the synopsis I was sold! I love reading about witches! Unfortunately this book was a disappointment.
River was so obsessed with the Graces that it came off as disturbing. She wanted to prove to them that she was the person they were looking for. First of all where did she get this assumption? Yes she's the new girl and the Graces didn't know h ...more
I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids in exchange for an honest review.
DNF
I heard about this book through Twitter. After I read the synopsis I was sold! I love reading about witches! Unfortunately this book was a disappointment.
River was so obsessed with the Graces that it came off as disturbing. She wanted to prove to them that she was the person they were looking for. First of all where did she get this assumption? Yes she's the new girl and the Graces didn't know h ...more
The Graces is a Twilight cult classic gone wrong.
This book gives the Twilight vibes. I am not saying that to be condescending, or because I have zero knowledge of YA, but simply, because it is true.
A simplistic girl moves into an elusive town where there’s a popular unreachable clan. They are very selective of who they associate themselves with. Somehow, the new girl finds herself bewitched with the mystery clouding around these people. She’ll do anything to entangle herself with them. The plot ...more
This book gives the Twilight vibes. I am not saying that to be condescending, or because I have zero knowledge of YA, but simply, because it is true.
A simplistic girl moves into an elusive town where there’s a popular unreachable clan. They are very selective of who they associate themselves with. Somehow, the new girl finds herself bewitched with the mystery clouding around these people. She’ll do anything to entangle herself with them. The plot ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
2.5/5
(s)
edit: I just wanted to put a warning out that this isn't really very witchy, the focus isn't heavy spells or magic, it's more about the promise of some characters maybe being witches.
This book is sitting somewhere between two and three stars, and I can't come to settle on a single rating. It was a book that I floated through without ever feeling particularly entranced or interested in the characters of the plot line, a clinical kind of interest was the most I could muster up. It wasn’t ...more
(s)
edit: I just wanted to put a warning out that this isn't really very witchy, the focus isn't heavy spells or magic, it's more about the promise of some characters maybe being witches.
This book is sitting somewhere between two and three stars, and I can't come to settle on a single rating. It was a book that I floated through without ever feeling particularly entranced or interested in the characters of the plot line, a clinical kind of interest was the most I could muster up. It wasn’t ...more
Rating: 3.5 stars. I notice this book receives bad rating and a lot of negative reviews (to be fair, these reviewers had brought up fair and reasonable points to back their displease up) but when I finished reading this book, I still thought it does have some good points and the story has maintained itself as a melodramatic fun read so it deserves 3.5 stars from me.
What's what in the story: meets The Graces: the most wealthy, mysterious family in town. The picture-perfect Grace couple has three ...more
What's what in the story: meets The Graces: the most wealthy, mysterious family in town. The picture-perfect Grace couple has three ...more
Nov 11, 2018
Dannii Elle
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
magical-realism-mastery,
contemporary-cuteness
The mysterious Grace family have captivated an entire town. They are enigmatic, mysterious, and the potential for magic hovers around them. But for town newcomer River, they do not feel like anything new. They feel like coming home.
This had so much potential and the miasma of uncertainty that hung over the entire book kept me consistently intrigued. I loved all the magical elements of this book and was as enraptured by the Grace family as the town inhabitants were. However, the high school setti ...more
This had so much potential and the miasma of uncertainty that hung over the entire book kept me consistently intrigued. I loved all the magical elements of this book and was as enraptured by the Grace family as the town inhabitants were. However, the high school setti ...more
This is when I get into trouble..By requesting to read a book solely because of the beautiful cover. And this one had it. It caught my eye and I immediately requested it. I'm sad to report that I didn't enjoy this one. It had the potential to be a good novel, but it just fell flat for me. One, not a whole lot happens. There's literally no plot. I had trouble getting through it because I was bored, but I kept pushing because the writing sucks you in. But that's it. Because the characters, the sto
...more
I know this sounds ridiculous, but the only way I can describe the effect this book had on me is to say that, when I finished it, I felt high -- like I had been slightly thrown off my axis, and was a little bit disconnected from the world. The Graces requires patience, yes, but the payoff really is that good.
The story and the relationships depicted therein build slowly and in fits and starts, in a way that feels true to what is being portrayed and made me think of nothing so much as Megan Abbot ...more
The story and the relationships depicted therein build slowly and in fits and starts, in a way that feels true to what is being portrayed and made me think of nothing so much as Megan Abbot ...more
I wanted to like this so badly but it fell very flat for me.
I have a lot to say about this one, so look out for a video review going up soon on Heart Full Of Books!
Briefly though, I found the main character, River, quite dislikable and hard to understand, I felt the Graces themselves remained an enigma for the whole book and overall, I'm still confused about whether magic really exists or not in this world.
Marcus (Jonathan Byers in another life) is the most interesting character, so he gets a star on his own.
The sexual tension gets -1 star because it wa ...more
Briefly though, I found the main character, River, quite dislikable and hard to understand, I felt the Graces themselves remained an enigma for the whole book and overall, I'm still confused about whether magic really exists or not in this world.
Marcus (Jonathan Byers in another life) is the most interesting character, so he gets a star on his own.
The sexual tension gets -1 star because it wa ...more
I contemplated powering through and hate-reading this but at just 5% I can't bring myself to do it.
This has "bad Twilight knock off" (I made it to theBella River staring longingly at the Cullens Graces lunch table scene and lost all will to go on.) written all over it, and I just don't have time for that.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me a copy for....review.
...more
This has "bad Twilight knock off" (I made it to the
Thank you Netgalley for providing me a copy for....review.
...more
3.5 stars
I love love love witches, so I was super excited to get this gorgeous thing in my hands.
River is an interesting character. She's wants to win the attention of the Graces so much, that she's willing to do anything and change herself for it. Her inner monologue was a little drab here and there, but for the most part I was interested in her journey.
The most dynamic scenes are when River and all 3 of the Graces are together. Those sections shone so brightly, it made the rest of the book se ...more
I love love love witches, so I was super excited to get this gorgeous thing in my hands.
River is an interesting character. She's wants to win the attention of the Graces so much, that she's willing to do anything and change herself for it. Her inner monologue was a little drab here and there, but for the most part I was interested in her journey.
The most dynamic scenes are when River and all 3 of the Graces are together. Those sections shone so brightly, it made the rest of the book se ...more
Technically 3 and 1/2 stars. It's been a while since I read a book about witches. Unfortunately, I felt it hit most of the major tropes instead of exploring something new. Also, I disliked River. A lot. But I liked the Graces, especially Summer. I'll probably read the sequel but my hopes aren't high.
...more
3.5 Stars
When River moves to a new town with her mother, she becomes just like everyone else and quickly falls under the spell of The Graces - a family thought to have magical powers. But unlike others, River soon becomes one of them, and finds herself wrapped up in magical secrets and feels like she belongs for the first time in her life. But people have secrets, including River, and does magic actually exist?
This was a nice, atmospheric book which I think really suited the time of year I was r ...more
When River moves to a new town with her mother, she becomes just like everyone else and quickly falls under the spell of The Graces - a family thought to have magical powers. But unlike others, River soon becomes one of them, and finds herself wrapped up in magical secrets and feels like she belongs for the first time in her life. But people have secrets, including River, and does magic actually exist?
This was a nice, atmospheric book which I think really suited the time of year I was r ...more
Jan 14, 2019
Ellie (faerieontheshelf)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
antiheroes,
uk-lit,
paranormal,
morally-grey,
mental-health-rep,
thrillers-crime-mystery,
ya-lit,
gothic,
fabulism,
lgbtqia
↠ 4/4.5 stars
Okay, this is clearly a marmite book. Some people love it and some people really don't. But oh my god. Like actually what the hell. I am DECEASED.
Going into this felt a little like Twilight (girl moves to new town and school, there's a group of *mysterious*, beautiful people there, heroine is fascinated). Then about 35%-ish in, it takes a different turn and the story goes in a very different direction from expected.
A girl (the heroine, whose true name we don't know, which I actua ...more
Okay, this is clearly a marmite book. Some people love it and some people really don't. But oh my god. Like actually what the hell. I am DECEASED.
Going into this felt a little like Twilight (girl moves to new town and school, there's a group of *mysterious*, beautiful people there, heroine is fascinated). Then about 35%-ish in, it takes a different turn and the story goes in a very different direction from expected.
A girl (the heroine, whose true name we don't know, which I actua ...more
“What did she believe in? What made her happy?”
BLURB: “Like everyone else in her town, River is obsessed with the Graces, attracted by their glamour and apparent ability to weave magic. But are they really what they seem? And are they more dangerous than they let on?”
Whilst reading, I was pretty sure I was not going to continue on with this series. Thankfully though, halfway through the book the story and plot actually picked up and I found myself really wanting to read it.
The first half of t ...more
BLURB: “Like everyone else in her town, River is obsessed with the Graces, attracted by their glamour and apparent ability to weave magic. But are they really what they seem? And are they more dangerous than they let on?”
Whilst reading, I was pretty sure I was not going to continue on with this series. Thankfully though, halfway through the book the story and plot actually picked up and I found myself really wanting to read it.
The first half of t ...more
I almost bought this recently but because of the price I decided to just check it out at the library and oh boy am I glad I did. I only managed to get through 14 pages before this book nearly killed me. I've never said this before, but the writing was atrocious. I've never read anything so terrible. It was cheesy, horribly cliche, and honestly nausea inducing. By the end of page 14 I felt like I needed a shower.
"I forced myself to look straight into his eyes. "I can stop pretending when I'm alo ...more
"I forced myself to look straight into his eyes. "I can stop pretending when I'm alo ...more
You follow the story of River (later called that way in the book) who meets the Graces family. And they are quite weird.. after a period of weird crazy "fun" stuff shit is about to go down. And all crazy things happen.
For me this book wasn't so good, I saw the plots comming miles before the plot actually came and also the characters in the book were not quite special. Only that the Graces were a bit strange..
In the last chapters it all turns around so quickly and I literally thought what the fu ...more
For me this book wasn't so good, I saw the plots comming miles before the plot actually came and also the characters in the book were not quite special. Only that the Graces were a bit strange..
In the last chapters it all turns around so quickly and I literally thought what the fu ...more
Actual rating: 2.5 stars.
Honestly, I'm not sure what to make of The Graces. It was...odd and not quite what I was expecting. I wanted witchy x10 but the whole magic system was very obscure and I'm still not entirely sure if the characters /have/ magic to just /pretend/ to.
I liked the unreliable narrator though (in terms of the device, not actually River herself) - the only problem was: I was 100% aware that she was unreliable! I questioned everything she said because she seemed to always be co ...more
Honestly, I'm not sure what to make of The Graces. It was...odd and not quite what I was expecting. I wanted witchy x10 but the whole magic system was very obscure and I'm still not entirely sure if the characters /have/ magic to just /pretend/ to.
I liked the unreliable narrator though (in terms of the device, not actually River herself) - the only problem was: I was 100% aware that she was unreliable! I questioned everything she said because she seemed to always be co ...more
I bought this book based 100% on the cover and I regret paying full price for this book.
Right away this book reminded me of Twilight. Which, to some people, won't be a big deal. But I hate Twilight so that was a deal breaker. I couldn't stop comparing The Graces to Twilight and it killed me. I wanted to look past that but the plot was so similar. New kid discovers strange siblings in school that are more than they seem. New kid befriends said strange siblings. Boring plot ensues.
I didn't like t ...more
Right away this book reminded me of Twilight. Which, to some people, won't be a big deal. But I hate Twilight so that was a deal breaker. I couldn't stop comparing The Graces to Twilight and it killed me. I wanted to look past that but the plot was so similar. New kid discovers strange siblings in school that are more than they seem. New kid befriends said strange siblings. Boring plot ensues.
I didn't like t ...more
Full review in my book blog
**Huge thanks to the publisher and author for letting me read this book for free in exchange for an honest book review**
It feels like The Craft meets We Were Liars !
While this book had good writing, the pacing is extremely slow.
First we have The Graces. Everyone wants to be them. They treat people like crap, but when you're in their inner circle, they make you feel valued. But here's the thing, there's a rumor spreading around their small town that t ...more
**Huge thanks to the publisher and author for letting me read this book for free in exchange for an honest book review**
It feels like The Craft meets We Were Liars !
While this book had good writing, the pacing is extremely slow.
First we have The Graces. Everyone wants to be them. They treat people like crap, but when you're in their inner circle, they make you feel valued. But here's the thing, there's a rumor spreading around their small town that t ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA book about a new girl who befriends a rich and beautiful family, only for things to go wrong and be kicked out at the end of the book. [s] | 3 | 25 | Sep 11, 2020 07:52PM | |
| The YA Book Prize...: Discussion - The Graces by Laure Eve | 1 | 19 | Mar 13, 2017 04:03AM | |
| Sirens Conference: The Graces | 1 | 13 | Feb 23, 2017 07:41AM | |
| Spines With Wines: OCTOBER 2016: The Graces by Laure Eve (The Graces #1) | 1 | 8 | Nov 14, 2016 05:24PM | |
| Spines With Wines: OCTOBER 2016: The Graces by Laure Eve (The Graces #1) | 1 | 18 | Sep 26, 2016 04:26PM |
Readers also enjoyed
Laure Eve is the author of critically acclaimed duologies The Graces and The Curses,
Fearsome Dreamer and The Illusionists,
and the forthcoming duology Blackheart Knights (spring 2021).
She has been published in 10 languages and has regularly appeared at festivals, conventions and conferences in countries around the world.
She speaks English and French, and can hold a vague conversation, usually abou ...more
Fearsome Dreamer and The Illusionists,
and the forthcoming duology Blackheart Knights (spring 2021).
She has been published in 10 languages and has regularly appeared at festivals, conventions and conferences in countries around the world.
She speaks English and French, and can hold a vague conversation, usually abou ...more
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The Graces
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“I ate and read my book, this particular kind of fantasy novel that I secretly loved. It was my favorite thing to do– eat and read. The world just shut up for a while.”
—
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“That night I think we were trying to fight against death, against boredom and banality, against everything that made us cry and stare at our futures full in the face with dread. We drank and played games to be in the now, to be in each moment as hard as we could, because the moment was all that mattered, at the end of it all. I remember I felt intoxicated on life and darkness. I felt powerful. It was the most natural thing in the world. This was why we were alive– to be powerful and free.”
—
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