Grace Review

Grace by Elizabeth Scott

Publisher: Dutton

Release date: September 16, 2010

Source: Publisher/BEA

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, this tale of a dystopian near future will haunt readers long after they've reached the final page.

Review:

WOW! I'm going to have a hard time reviewing Grace. This novel was powerful, intense, and just amazing! I started and finished it within a couple of hours. It was so gripping and engaging I couldn't put it down.

Elizabeth Scott has always been a favorite author of mine. From Stealing Heaven to Living Dead Girl, she's written about a variety of topics. Grace was completely different than anything she's ever written. Mainly because it was dystopian. Grace is an Angel, trained to kill as a suicide bomber. Hearing about the training to become an Angel and how dedicated everyone was to killing and death was horrifying. It was an honor to kill someone powerful and prove that the people still could regain power and were never giving up. The government was frightening, and their leader was so menacing and controlling. Grace's world was one that still haunts me long after I've turned the last page.

When Grace escapes rather than being killed by her own bomb, she is soon stuck on a train, hoping to find freedom and solace at the end of the ride. With fake papers and the mysterious Kerr at her side, Grace must avoid the ruthless soldiers that patrol the train, who would kill her as soon as look at her if they discovered her true identity.

Grace's story was a haunting and intense one, a story of life and death, and how one person can take control and ruin the lives of so many.

I liked being able to read about Grace's past as well, the novel would, at times, go back in time, so readers could learn more about Grace and the Angels. I had a hard time putting it down, even though at times it was sickening, I had to know what was going to happen. The characters were not exactly likable, but, in my opinion, Grace and Kerr were both strong willed and brave throughout the novel. Learning more about Kerr and his past was surprising, but he really helped both Grace and the reader better understand his dark past.

Grace was an original and complex read that introduced me to a world so frightening and intense I am still haunted by it now. Elizabeth Scott is still one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars