The Grass People

I loved this book! I loved the style of writing, the world building and the characters.
The book is lovely and entertaining.
A very good discovery.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

The grass people have forgotten how to listen and follow the way; the elves and fairies have disappeared from the tall prairie grasses. Their once Idyllic existence is now fraught with danger. They must evade or defeat wild beasts, predators, and four legged shadows. It also rumored that tall men exist and may arrive soon. Dyra leads his village with great courage while some grass people await the return of their spiritual leader, Dokrimalitzla, and the restoration of magic.

This is a story about a family in a small village, the grass people. They are tiny and live alongside men, although they rarely come in contact with the big people. The village consists of a few families of the grass people, they all know each other and love traditions.

One day, another grass person arrives from the big town. He wants to know everything about the village's way of life and traditions.. thats where the members of our family get a little suspicious. The son, Hoyim, goes out to find out why all of a sudden there's interest in the little village. He finds out the government of the big village is trying to gain power of all the little villages...

This is a sweet story! Loved the grass people and their traditions. In the beginning it feels like nothing happens for a long while and now I'm done I'm still asking myself, did anything happen? Not really. But it's not boring, just not very eventful. A little troublesome was the great amount of characters, I found I couldn't keep up. The main characters are very relatable and great to follow. You really feel you get to know them.

Anyway, I enjoyed this, would recommend if you love fairy tales and stories as a grown up. Also love the little drawings at the end!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. These are my opinions and are in no way influenced by the fact I got the ARC!

This was an unusual fantasy book that I really liked. It was an intriguing read with great writing, although it was a little tricky to keep track of all the characters. The world building was interesting and I really enjoyed the world overall. The plot was engaging throughout, however I would say that there were too many sub plots going on. Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend checking it out, if you are interested.

Wowee what a unique magical fantasy with all of my go to kinds of creatures, lore and mythology all rolled into one big ball of bizarre that I enjoyed.
Elves, faeries, grass people, wild creatures, birds, tall people, it's prophecy filled & dangers lurk in deep dark corners combined in the oddest world.
This fantasy is characters aplenty which at times becomes confused and the multiple sub plots throughout take away from the core plot yet it gives off a nostalgic historic feel to the writing and world styling.

The plot was interesting, engaging, unique and exciting yet the multiple pov and character additions made the storyline difficult to follow at times.
I enjoyed this writing style it was rich and descriptive, full of depth, intricate dialogue yet controlled pacing.
The world building was unlike anything I've seen this year, it was filled with lore and mythology, rich, vibrant, filled with fantasy concepts, the tiny civilisation incredible imagery and the unique language of the grass people.
Language plays a massive role in this fantasy and thankfully there is a glossary contained at the back of the book and this helped imensly to decode any of the words unusual or that stuck.

Overall it was a fascinating, complex and magical read that was fresh and full of flair giving unusual perspectives and lore in this refreshing take on magical fantasy and I highly recommend it be given a go.
3.5 Stars ..

Many thanks to Radiant Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
(All opinions expressed are my own and are unbiased)

"When I was a boy
Flying feathers in trials
I thought that my roots
Were as deep as the pyles,
I thought that my home
Was my refuge for life
I thought that my village
Was sheltered from strife.
An apprentice at forge
I would make the blades ring,
For I knew that by evening
I'd dance and I'd sing.
My lady, my beauty,
Her hair and her smiles
Had me rafting a house
On our very own pyles.
My babe in his backpack,
My parents at home,
'Twas all that I wanted,
'Twas all that I've known.
The mower took all,
My lady, my home,
My babe in his backpack - I'm left all alone.
Oh, Life, keep my village
In store through the years,
And let me return
When I've shed all my tears.
Then nothing will vanish,
Nothing will die,
And we'll walk with my lady,
My baby and I."

The Grass People is about a tiny civilisation living in the grass. There is general discontent as many of the grass folk feel that they have lost their Way; which is their self application to life which relies completely on intuition, creativity and hard work in nature. They used to be in tune with the elves and the fairies and now nobody has seen one for years. The discord leads to the prophecy of a new Dokrimalitzla, which is a spiritual leader above all authority, and the restoration of the relationships the Grass people had with the elves. And with the rumours from the big city, Karep, that the major of that cave city wants to have complete control of all the villages, the Grass people need the Way more than ever.

I liked this book. I just didn't love it.

The prose has a consistent dream-like quality to it that was very easy to follow - even though the created language of the Grass people isn't familiar. I thought that the writing gave the most incredibly imagery. It seemed to provoke a dichotomy of childhood nostalgia where I believed in fairies, elves, and every body being friends. And the opposite end of the scale of basic survival instincts combined with brutal propaganda.

The little world reminded me of The Borrowers which I loved as a child. Although The Grass People was more of a slow burn.

There were always new names to learn of side characters who would become main characters and vice versa, these names seemed to slip my mind as easily as they slipped into it. To be honest, I felt like there were too many characters in general to really keep track of who's who. Especially when I had to dip in and out of the novel and couldn't stay in there for a prolonged period of time. Although the characters didn't really have an individual defining trait or persona to help me remember them, it did give the book a very community feel.

There was quite a bit of unfamiliar colloquial language as mentioned earlier, but the book does include a glossary at the back which was such a helpful tool to iron out any words that had flagged up in my mind after I finished the read.

I found the political sub plots really interesting although they didn't really peak or amount to anything, I would have liked a better conclusion to the attempt of widespread authority which went against many of the Grass people's beliefs rather than a general acceptance and then moving swiftly on.

Overall, this was a really intriguing and complex read that could easily ensnare the mind. The grass people are familiar in all the ways that matter and unfamiliar in their world building and perspectives. This was a really fresh, unusual fantasy read.

Thank you to Net Galley and Radiant Press for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*I received an ARC by Netgalley but all opinions are my own. The fact that I got to read this book for free does NOT influence my rating. (Thanks for the free book though!)*

I am not sure what to do with this book. There are grasspeople in it, fairies, elves, prophecies, tall people, dangers from wildbeasts (= badgers) and wheelers (= birds), but even after finishing I still have no idea what I just read. Odd. Interesting world building but I couldn't immerse myself into the story as there were too many characters and too many sub-plots. The story somewhat lacked focus it was more of a narrated genealogy plus fantasy. I don't know. 2,5 stars because I actually skipped some pages...

Aside: The cover is beautiful!! I mean, look at it!
Aside 2: The author is over 90 years old. I am very impressed.

Excellent writing was obvious right out the gate. Interesting characters and world-building. I don't much fantasy (which is where I'd put this), but I liked this. I found it engaging and pleasantly complex. Recommended.

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy.

This is a charming book reminiscent of the world created in ‘The Little Grey Men’ and ‘Down The Bright Stream’ by BB. Whereas the books by BB are more of an adventure, The Grass People provides the reader with a small slice of history of the characters as they grow older and confront the changes and everyday dangers during their life such as floods, the ‘longbeast’ and the tall men (us humans).
Kay Parley has built a world of the Grass People with their own philosophy, religion and society which should be recommended to any reader of fantasy.

The Grass People felt like a fairy tale for adults. This is not a typical read for me, but I'm so glad that I decided to request a copy. The style of writing, the world building, and the unique story made this an overall wonderful story, and I highly recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating = 3.5/5

Thank you NetGalley, Kay Parley, and Radiant Press, for a copy of this ARC. Receiving this ARC in no way influences my opinions upon reading this story.

This was an interesting tale. What impresses me even more, is that Kay Parley took 20 years to completely realize and bring this tale to fruition. She crafted her own world of the Grass People, and the way they live their Life in Truth by living the Way. They also live amongst the Elves, and Fairies. When they choose to be seen and heard of course.

The Grass People is told primarily in the voice of Dyra, who grows discontent with his village Dolentar (similar to what we humans would call a Priest/Father). At a village meeting, he hears the voice of Radd, an Elf, who warns him he, and his family must leave their village. Dyra trusts his intuition and he, his wife Koalee, and their baby son, Hoyim, back only what they can carry in their trail runner (think of a wheelbarrow, but possibly deeper, and more sturdy), and backpacks.

Following Radd's instruction, an inquisitive Dyra head up trail to the tall woods, to satisfy Dyra in being able to see all of do-lan (the lands of where all Grass People live), and in hopes to see the four legged shadow that threatens them. Along the way, the dreaded mower obliterates another settlement they come upon, and kills many, and injures many more.

Dyra, Koalee and little Hoyim eventually break new trail, and start their own village/settlement. Dyra becomes Chief Councillor of this village. As an old friend, Lenk and his surviving children; Rels, Balink, and Tuje, decided to follow Dyra. Plus a few of the surviving villagers from the mower attack. Dyra's Village thrives, and eventually some of their younger people break off and start a new settlement half a day's march.

This was a very slow burn read. There was no real climax to the story. And I found I didn't mind that so much. It was still a joy to read. These villages, especially Dyra's, were close-knit. Everyone helped everyone else. There were many trades, special occasions, tradition, and even some new ways of thinking. Radd pops in from time to time, usually with a message, and we come to learn about the Domkrimalitza (like our Pope), how the Grass People haven't had one in 50 years. How there may be on in the future, and why Dyra's family is connected to this future.

I don't know if Kay Parley realized this when she wrote it, but there were very strong political undertones to this story. How power can go over one's head, and people can lose their Way, and lose their Truth. It was also a book about Balance. How you can still keep to tradition, and yet have wiggle room to also grow with the times, without losing oneself, or what makes being Grass People special. Or how the Dokrimalitza factors into this re-balancing.

The biggest drawback I had with this book was the amount of descriptions, and the never ending list of names, and familial relations to everyone. I was also a little miffed with some of the more patriarchal-traditional men/women stereotypes. However, I did like seeing some of those stereotypes in a more real setting with characters like Flon, Koalee's sister. Who live's alone, and takes a younger man (Tuje) as her husband.

Overall, I did enjoy this read, and I would totally recommend it to pretty much anyone of any age.

To say that I loved the book would be an understatement. The Grass People by Kay Parley was is the best book that I have read in a really really long time. I love the way Kay merges both parts of two worlds. How two types of beings both young and life size exist together. Ones actions affecting the other. I just couldn't put the book down. Definitely a book I would recommend that others read as well.

The Grass People by Kay Parley focuses on a tiny civilization that lives in the grass. There used to be a delicate balance between the grass people and the faeries and elves, but no one has seen one in a long time. To solve all the Grass people's problems, a new spiritual leader is prophesied: Dokrimalitza.

The idea for this story is very unique, which I like a lot. There are many different characters, which keeps the story interesting, but also makes it harder to keep track of it all. Especially because a lot of the characteers also have complex names that are hard to remember.

The writing style of the book is very dreamy. This makes it easier to understand the grass people's own language, but it is definitely not something I enjoy. I like a more straightforward book, as opposed to this.

Beautiful writing with rich details and character development. The twist on a fairy tale was refreshing and new to read. I admit I lost sleep many nights either reading this novel or thinking about it. Wonderful!

I was attracted to this as it sounded a little reminiscent of The Carpet People but this is so much more complex and layered. Kay has created an in-depth world of tiny people, yet they are technologically advanced in their habitats. Fairies and Elves are in the mix but their presence is dealt with as a matter of fact, so whilst in possession on some magic, it feels ultimately possible that you could one day, bend down and find a village of Grass People with a fairy boat floating nearby. The inter-generational focus allows Kay to develop a dilemma for both the Grass People and the Reader - at what cost comes Progress? A delightful, original, thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining book.