The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan | Rating: ★★★★★

Many ways to fly, but only one way to fall.

As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

How can I describe the feeling of reading The Gracekeepers without spoiling everything? It’s utterly impossible. I loved this novel so much more than I could have possibly imagined and I can honestly say it’s one of my favorite releases this year. It came to me during a very dark period this spring, at a time when my grandfather was nearing his death and I needed a distraction, and it soothed me wonderfully.

The Gracekeepers is smart and moving, vivid, engaging to the highest degree, and poetic in a way that is sorely lacking in fiction. It has many layers to it and is overall a delight to read. I truly feel privileged.

Kirsty Logan’s prose is comparable to Margaret Atwood, as I’m sure you’ve heard, and it’s a title well deserving. She has a gift of creating a world that is unlike any other and gracefully navigates through it all. I am trying not to spoil all of it, because reading it is something you have to experience on your own.


I’ve never read anything quite like it and it’s easy to see how much of the story was inspired by myths and fairytales. It’s all built really smoothly and you can see how much effort was put into it. Which sets the tone and keeps its audience captivated and curious in way that deserves praise beyond what I can give properly in a few paragraphs.

Yes, Kirsty Logan is certainly a pro and I applaud her detailing and mind.

The plot is simple to follow but completely unique.

The Gracekeepers is set in a future different from our time and it’s got this vibe to it that makes it very vivid in our imaginations. It’s a compelling fantasy that is as clear as day for readers and will keep them engaged until the very end. Which is something I have to admit, I never thought would fully capture my attention as it follows something of a sea-circus ship, The Excalibur.

And in each character we find a spark of something that keeps us interested and invested in their lives. As we learn more about them, we learn more about the world they’ve come to know and it’s a beautiful trip traveled in a dreamy state. I can’t explain it other than that: it’s so dreamy.

There are no lands, only water, in this world. No cities, not even continents are present in their world which consists solely of islands. And in this world, everyone is separated into two categories: those who live on the sea are Damplings, those who live on the land are Landlockers.

There’s something magical and eerie about the story that goes beyond words and will resonate with fans of the Night Circus. As you get an understanding of this world and how it operates, things become more and more captivating. It’s haunting, it’s dreamlike and it’s something that will ignite a glorious stream of emotions.

Needless to say, I loved loved LOVED this book with all my heart. I can easily see myself rereading it again and again and I feel as though I will notice something new every time. It’s definitely among my list of the best releases in fiction for 2015 and I would recommend it to just about anyone.