Thursday, June 25, 2015

The Gracekeepers

Kirsty Logan


As a Gracekeeper, Callanish administers shoreside burials, laying the dead to their final resting place deep in the depths of the ocean. Alone on her island, she has exiled herself to a life of tending watery graves as penance for a long-ago mistake that still haunts her. Meanwhile, North works as a circus performer with the Excalibur, a floating troupe of acrobats, clowns, dancers, and trainers who sail from one archipelago to the next, entertaining in exchange for sustenance.

In a world divided between those inhabiting the mainland ("landlockers") and those who float on the sea ("damplings"), loneliness has become a way of life for North and Callanish, until a sudden storm offshore brings change to both their lives--offering them a new understanding of the world they live in and the consequences of the past, while restoring hope in an unexpected future.

Inspired in part by Scottish myths and fairytales, The Gracekeepers tells a modern story of an irreparably changed world: one that harbors the same isolation and sadness, but also joys and marvels of our own age(from Netgalley)

My Thoughts

Callanish and North are two young girls living completely different lives. Callanish on land and North on the sea. Each has a preconceived notion of th other’s living style and originally could not fathom any commonality. And then one day, by happenstance, theirs paths cross and they make a connection. What will this chance meeting mean for these two?

Because of how each girl earns her sustenance and the environment they each live in, this story had a magical feeling. Callanish is all by herself on an island. North is part of a traveling circus with some very unique performers. They are loners due to their circumstances, but don’t really want to be alone.

This was one of those books that I would put down, not sure that it was for me. But then something about it would call to me and I would pick it back up. This happened a few times, but once I got into the heart of the story, I was hooked. I liked how the author wove the two girls stories together. I’m very glad I decided to stick with this story.

Thanks to Crown Publishing, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.

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