“Once, a witch made a pact with a devil. The legend says they loved each other, but can the story be trusted at all?”
In Three Graces, there is no illness, no tragedy, no bad fortune. The price for a perfect existence? Every seven years when the Slaughter Moon rises, the best boy is anointed as the saint and sent to run into the Devil’s Forest, where he will either die or emerge forever scarred. But this year the Slaughter Moon rises early, and when the Grace witch, the saint, and an outcast run into the forest, what they learn will shake the very foundations of their small town.
Strange Grace is incredibly atmospheric, lush, and dark. The writing is entrancing and will suck you right into the world. This haunting, rich tale of love, friendship, and sacrifice is perfect for fans of The Bear and the Nightingale and will leave you wondering the consequences of tradition and gender roles and identities.
“He doesn’t know if he’s in love with her or if he wants to set her on fire.”
There is so much I can say about this strange (pun intended) little book. I could talk about the captivating prose, the vivid descriptions, the chilling world Tessa Gratton has created, or how she dismantles everything we think we know about identity, roles, and traditions, but the true core of this story is the relationship between Mairwen, Rhune, and Arthur.
Witch. Saint. Outcast. These three have the most beautiful and heart wrenching polyamorous relationship. Each of these three characters are so incredibly unique, complex, well written, and experience tremendous growth and development. Mair, Rhune, and Arthur each have their own deep and complicated storylines that are braided masterfully together and leave the reader crying, smiling, in pain, and rooting for them. It was incredible to see such a powerful polyamorous relationship in YA. The representation as a whole in Strange Grace is astounding and is going to mean so much to so many readers across various communities.
“She explored the forest and met the devil who resided there: she saw his form to be beautiful, as mysterious as the night, as elegant as reaching oaks, and dangerous enough to sink through her heart.”
I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to read an ARC of Strange Grace. This spooky, fairytale-esque, lyrical book is unbelievably evocative in its themes and messages as well as its prose and characters. It’s a book that’s going to be so important to the reading community and those within it who don’t feel as though they’ve been represented in literature, and I’m so excited for it enter the world on September 18th.
“The old god and the youngest Grace witch. The story says they loved each other, but can the story be trusted at all?”
*All quotes were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication*
Unseelie Queen of Crows 