A thrilling gothic tale about six girls shipwrecked on an island determined to change them.

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Bad Graces continues McCauley’s natural penchant for telling impactful stories about women in a chilling and gothic fashion.

Storytelling

I absolutely loved Bad Graces. Kyrie McCauley continues to impress me with her storytelling.

What was really astounding about this novel is that you have these six girls who, at the behest of their old-enough-to-be-their-father director, decide to take a yacht trip instead of a plane trip and then get stranded on this island.

Let’s get this straight, yes, there are mentions of grooming here and physical abuse. Liv has cigarette burns on her arm scars given to her by one of her foster parents. Then you have Effie, an actress and the oldest of the bunch who is in a sexual relationship with the director of this movie, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. No, the story doesn’t get into explicit detail regarding these moments. Still, the fact that these moments exist at all is very telling.

These girls have gone through something that has shaken them and influenced how they act in society. But without social media, the press, or anyone around, the girls must reckon with who they want to be.

It is a journey for these girls, a struggle to find their identity on this island where a monster lives, a girl whose description is reminiscent of Samara from The Ring. But what makes a monster, really? Is this girl the monster, or is everyone off the island putting the girl’s identity into boxes and forcing them to keep their true selves locked up? Are the real monsters the men and women who hide behind kind smiles and then take advantage of the young and naïve?

And with such excellent pacing, Bad Graces sucks the reader in as the girls begin to change in a way reminiscent of the film Annihilation, creating an eerie atmosphere from beginning to end.

Final Thoughts

There is so much to unpack with Bad Graces, but that goes for everything McCauley writes. Her thoughtful storytelling is so in-depth, making it an excellent book club pick. Bad Graces is chilling and gothic, but it is so wonderful to see McCauley continue to expand her range of storytelling and delve into a plethora of topics that require discourse.