Grace Williams Says It Loud tells the story of a severely mentally and physically disabled young girl, sent to live in a mental institute at the age of eleven. Set in the 1950s, it explores the stigma attached to disability and the consequences for Grace in particular. Nothing really happens as such, and that is sort of the point. Grace was confined within the Briar Institute for most of her adolescence, and her relationship with a fellow patient, Daniel, is at the centre of her life and of the book. An epileptic who lost his arms in a car accident, Daniel injects some love and life into Grace’s existence. Human relationships are explored in detail; from the Briar staff who regard the patients as little more than animals, to Grace’s parents who love her but cannot cope with her care.

In essence, Grace Williams Says It Loud is a portrait of its central character, and as such it is well written and engaging, for the most part. At times, it seems a touch long winded, but this is perhaps down to Henderson’s desire to convey every small detail of Grace’s uneventful life. Mundane incidents are given vitality as we see them through Grace’s eyes, and Henderson’s skilful use of language conveys Grace’s personality to the reader, while it remains buried for most of the other characters. Use of first person narration was slightly problematic for me. Grace tells her own story with wry humour, sarcasm and a range of knowledge which jars with the protagonist and her situation. Her voice is extraordinarily poetic and assured, as Henderson tries to humanise a girl who was voiceless due to her disability.

Overall, the impression which stays with the reader is of the injustice of much of Grace’s treatment and the barren life she leads. In recent times, attitudes to disability have undeniably improved but there is still a way to go. Grace’s story is one which should go some way to representing a section of society which has remained largely voiceless.

Read about Emma Henderson’s real life inspiration for this book over at Bookhugger

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