Kristin Cashore’s bestselling, award-winning fantasy Graceling tells the story of the vulnerable-yet-strong Katsa, a smart, beautiful teenager who lives in a world where selected people are given a Grace, a special talent that can be anything from dancing to swimming. Katsa’s is killing. As the king’s niece, she is forced to use her extreme skills as his thug. Along the way, Katsa must learn … the way, Katsa must learn to decipher the true nature of her Grace… and how to put it to good use. A thrilling, action-packed fantasy adventure (and steamy romance!) that will resonate deeply with adolescents trying to find their way in the world.
This ebook includes sample chapters of FIRE, BITTERBLUE, and JANE, UNLIMITED.
An amazing standalone fantasy is Graceling by Kristin Cashore. I think this is one of my FAVORITES of ALL TIME because the characters are incredible, the story feels so fresh, and I got totally consumed in this world. (And girl power, duh.)
In a land where those marked by two different colored eyes have special gifts, called graces, our fierce heroine Katsa has an unwanted talent for killing. She joins forces with prince Po to uncover an evil king and face her own true nature.
If you haven’t read this yet, you are truly missing out (but don’t read the sequels, they are not as good and add nothing).
I can’t believe it’s taken me until now to read Graceling, but this is a FANTASTIC book. The characters are incredible, and the conflicts they have to face, emotional and otherwise, are perfectly tailored to challenge their particular personalities, abilities, and worldviews. Loved it, loved it, loved it!
This world is interesting and original. I liked that the “powers” that some people have are fantastic while others are completely mundane. Kind of an X-Men vibe but set in a pre-technology world. I’ve reread this book a few times.
amazing book!! one of my favorites:) but it does have some stuff in it… I would recommend it for someone around 15 or 16
I thought this book was ok. I liked the premise of the whole world and the main character herself was pretty cool. However, I hate the fact that much of the book is just her and her love interest riding to their destination. That and the main bad guy is killed within four pages by the time he shows up.
The characters themselves are fine, but nothing to really write home about. I liked the idea behind the main character, and that her “Grace” gave her super human abilities. But I wish they got more screen time, as I can only remember once or twice when she used them. The rest was her and her love interest bonding. And the sex scene came out of nowhere. Really hit me with the mood whiplash.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. This book came out in 2008 and it was always on my TBR list but I didn’t get around to it until the end of 2013. Why did I wait so long? This book is exceptional on so many levels, I don’t even know where to begin.
I’m not going to bore you and recap what the book is about. I will say this is a fantasy novel I will read again and again. GRACELING is confidently and smoothly written. It’s fresh and new. The plot moves along at a great clip…not too fast, not too slow. Cashore gives the reader time to ponder the characters, the scenes as she takes you from one to the other. The reader has time to absorb the plot, the scenery, the character interactions. It’s breathtaking to not be rushed from one intense scene to the next. Never once did I feel bored or have the need to skim to get to the next exciting part. The story unfolds naturally. Exquisitely. The dialogue has a classic style about it and there is a timeless energy in Cashore’s writing style.
The characters are wonderfully engaging. Katsa is a fantastic heroine. She’s strong but not sassy. She’s far from predictable, and yet at the same time, the other characters know not to mess with her. She’s not a typical, sassy heroine. She’s a skilled fighter and has been since a young age. She is conflicted, torn between what is right and what she needs to do to survive. She’s wary, but not afraid. She’s strong but vulnerable. She has no desire to marry and she stands firm to that belief, though there is nothing to keep her from experiencing life’s pleasures. She is headstrong, not on the delicate side, and yet there are moments where the reader senses a childlike devil-may-care attitude, even aloofness that makes her endearing. She is definitely an odd mix of personality which makes her real and extremely likeable.
Katsa has a wonderful cast of supporting characters: Helda, her attendant, Oll, Raffin (her off beat, loveable cousin), and The Council, a grassroots sort of political group determined to bring fairness, honesty and peaceful leadership to the seven kingdoms of the realm. There is not one person or kingdom unnecessary in the telling of this story or what they mean to Katsa.
The biggest surprise for me was Katsa’s love interest, Po. I am so happy this is not another one of those ‘twitterpated’ love stories that makes me want to gag. Po is a prince, Graced like Katsa, in search of his grandfather who was kidnapped. But Po turns out to be so much more than a love interest. His character is so deep and the perfect match for such a strong heroine. He is the catalyst that drops the wall Katsa has built around herself. My heart is drawn to him because of his unconditional love for Katsa. It is a pure, unselfish love with no strings, no expectations. Completely and absolutely refreshing.
I was captivated and mesmerized by Cashore’s writing. I couldn’t put it down. At the end of every chapter I kept telling myself, “Just one more.”
GRACELING is a Young Adult novel and I would recommend it for readers 14 and up. For parents, you should know there are some scenes of violence and sexual intimacy, but none of them are graphic or gratuitous. I’ve read other YA books that ‘show’ so much more.
So, in closing, GRACELING is an engrossing read with mesmerizing characters, a truly satisfying romance that is far from mushy, and a plot that will hold you spellbound. Cashore knows how to weave and tell a compelling tale. GRACELING is completely worth the read and the tired, blood-shot eyes that come along with it.
One of my favorite books from when I read YA. I love the strong female lead in this book, as well as the story line in general! Anyone who likes fantasy YA will like this!
One of my favorite reads!
The main character is so incredibly frank. She’s not at all afraid to let her friends know when they are being ignorant. Its a very enjoyable read. Fast paced and easy to follow.
I read this book and it captured me. I have been at its mercy ever since. I love this book and I always will. Katsa is a character that everyone will love, even though she’s quite different than other royals… This book is a true page-turner and you should not live your life without reading it.
“Graceling” is the sort of book I wish all teen girls would read. The main character Katsa is so incredibly strong and independent and capable, but has been told her whole like that she’s stupid and brutish. She’s been convinced that she NEEDS the king to tell her what to do…so much that even when she finally breaks free of his control, it takes a while to see herself as she really is, and not as she’s been told her whole life that she is. This is such a real struggle for today’s women, and Katsa handles it so inspiringly.
Plus, this book is a real fantasy page-turner with great characters, sweeping adventures, superpowers (Graces), and a bitingly sarcastic narrative that will leave you wanting more of Katsa, Po, and the Graceling world.
Katsa is a Graceling, a rare person in her world granted a powerful skill. Hers is killing. Instead of wealth and comfort she has to do her uncle’s dirty work. She isn’t as likable of a character at first, but as you understand her and the world she lives in, you have to understand and love her.
This is a great original story. Follow Katsa on an amazing adventure, where secrets are kept and revealed. Just be forewarned Fire the second book, is not what I consider a sequel. It’s more a prequel, with different characters. Both are worth the read!
Graceling follows Katsa, a young warrior graced with the skill of fighting as she traverses lies to save a kingdom from a tyrant.
Ultimately, Graceling was a bit underwhelming at times. With Katsa being the exception, many of the other characters were lackluster. Thankfully Katsa is the main character, so following her journey throughout the novel was entertaining.
A Good Story with Unfortunate Short ComingsKatsa is a fierce protagonist. Cashore invested in giving this character a strong voice and attitude. There are times when Katsa comes off as abrasive, but it is not off-putting given the scope of the narrative and the scene. It works to build up her character, making her more than just a character on a page. This is, in short, one cool chick. Katsa embodies strength, both physical and mental, highlighting just why she is the novel’s savior.
Unfortunately, the other characters fall short.
Po should be as engaging as Katsa, chiefly because he develops into the male lead and romantic interest. Unfortunately, there is not enough time devoted to him early on to make the reader invested in his journey. This ultimately ends up hurting the story because the reader should be invested in the romance bubbling up between them. However, that is not how it works. Honestly, the romance seemingly comes out of nowhere. On the bright side, it was not predictable. However, it felt out of place.
Graceling would not have felt any different if the romance was not there. The friendship was there, but it needed a stronger foundation to devote to the romance aspect. There was not enough devotion to the dynamics between the two and not enough devotion to bringing Po’s character to life to make the reader invested in him or them as a couple.
There were also some issues with transitions. It was not always clear when Katsa was reminiscing, making the story a little difficult to follow early on. However, this happens only a couple of times while Cashore world builds, but after that, the last half of the novel has a steady pace and clear writing.
Final Thoughts
Cashore wrote an unpredictable story. It is unclear where the story is going, but not in an off-putting way. There is enough detail there to create an air of mystery, keeping the reader engaged. Moreover, as mentioned above, Katsa is a strong enough, a well-written character that she makes up for all the story’s falterings.
I recently found this book on an Amazon list of the 100 books to read in your life. I’m not sure this book belongs in the top 100, but I did enjoy it. In the world of Graceling, those possessing special gifts aren’t elevated, they’re reviled and that makes for an interesting juxtaposition in the usual role of magic in these stories. Katsa and Po make for engaging and relatable protagonists and though I saw the reveal of the antagonist coming, it was still well-developed and well-handled. I’m disappointed that the books in this series are companions to one another and not sequels. They take place in the same world with some cross-over from minor characters, but I prefer following the continuing adventures of the characters that made me fall in love with that world in the first place. Still and all, as a stand alone fantasy and first in a series, this is an excellent, well-thought out tale that gets where it’s going in style and has a lot of fun on the way. It might not be top 100, but it’s definitely a story you don’t want to miss.
There’s so much I love about this book, but perhaps nothing so much as the characters.
Prince Po is an all-star. I love his character, his characterization, and his way of looking at the world. I think he’s a very unique male main character in YA literature, and he doesn’t get nearly the acclaim he deserves for being kind and thoughtful and observant in patient in a world of books where love interests are flippant and caustic before revealing their hearts of gold.
Bitterblue is adorable, and for a character who only gets “page time” halfway through the book and on, there’s a lot of character development and thoughtfulness and cleverness, and she is a joy.
But mainly, I love how this book focuses on Katsa. I adore that she grows into her own, becomes more confident, kinder, and more thoughtful. She starts out closed-off and good, but harsh, and it’s so gratifying to watch her see the world in new ways as new people come into her life. She and Po together are everything I want, because they build each other up and when they make mistakes they talk them through, and when they fall in love it’s sweet and I wholly believe it. But more than that, while Katsa definitely grows in a lovely way throughout this story, she doesn’t change. She’s such a strong person with such strong beliefs, and while she’s tempered by new people and experiences, she stays incredibly true to who she is. Better yet, Po never tries to force her to change.
Basically, the picture of women and relationships in this story is unrivaled by anything I’ve read, and it’s too good for this world.
I read Graceling wiht my daughter… when she was in Junior High…. I then read the next book in the series when it came out… It was a great book for us to read together…I had great conversations with my daughter as we read the books… I am ready for the next book in this series!
Terrible, relies heavily on YA tropes, characters are bland and unoriginal
The book was an easy read with lovable characters and a good over all plot. You get swept up in solving the mystery with the characters and finding the clues. However, I feel what that what was supposed to be big plot twists and the answer to the mystery was poorly executed. You spend chapters solving clues and waiting for the characters to solve the mystery and handle it. Then in less than a chapter everything is resolved and we’re going back to a smaller story within the bigger story. I can’t say too much without revealing spoilers. I’ve always heard jokes about J.R.R Tolkien taking chapters to describe a tree then brushing over everything else and I feel that’s what happened here.
i loved it i basically couldnt put the book down until i finished it and then i was upset once it was done. it was well written and reading it was like watching a movie i could imagine everything that was happening in the story scene by scene in my head.