Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Title: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Type: Young Adult Novel
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Series: Yes. Prequel Fire, and sequel Bitterblue.
Copyright: 2008
Publisher:Harcourt, Inc.
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary: from Good Reads
His eyes, Katsa had never seen such eyes. One was silver, and the other, gold. They glowed in his sun-darkened face, uneven, and strange. She was surprised that they hadn't shone in the darkness of their first meeting. They didn't seem human....

Then he raised his eyebrows a hair, and his mouth shifted into the hint of a smirk. He nodded at her, just barely, and it released her from her spell.

Cocky, she thought. Cocky and arrogant, this one, and that was all there was to make of him. Whatever game he was playing, if he expected her to join him he would be disappointed. (p. 56-57)


In a world where people born with an extreme skill - called a Grace - are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of the skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him.

When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Feelings:
I really enjoyed reading his book. I started the series by reading Fire which happens to chronologically be the first book but most people place it after Graceling. That being said the three books Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue can be read in any order. Bitterblue (I have not had the chance to read it yet) takes place after Graceling but I don't think the story is such that you need to read the others to understand it.

I appreciated the story and the fact that Katsa was a strong female character. Independent and able to make make decisions for herself it is no surprise that she feels as though she is trapped in a mans world. Her desire to be free and to do only as she wants leads her to make decisions that can be viewed as feminist, and they are by many that read the book. Yes, Katsa is a strong woman and she stands up for herself but she has to learn to stand up for herself. She is Graced, with killing, and that does seem to help her along the way but it is also something she must control. In little ways Katsa is strong from the beginning.

"Hmm," Randa said, smirking at her silence. "Your sword is the only bright thing about you. Pay attention, girl. I'm sending you after this traitor. You're to kill him, in public, using your bare hands, no weapons. Just him, no one else. I'm sure we all hope you've learned to control your bloodlust by now." ... When the soldiers caught the underlord, they dragged him to the square of the nearest village, where a scattering of startled people watched, slack jawed. Katsa instructed the soldiers to make the man kneel. In one motion she snapped his neck. There was no blood; there was no more than an instant's pain. Most in the crowd didn't even realize what had happened. ... After that his commands included specifics: blood and pain, for this or that length of time. (p. 28-29)

She is only 10 when that happened and in small ways she continues to disobey her uncle the king.

She makes who she feels about marriage very clear from the start of the book, and this is where the feminism comes in. Because she does not want to marry and be held by anyone she is considered a feminist. I'm not sure I agree with this I think she is just struggling to maintain her own freedom and doing it in the only way she sees. Yes she does turn down marriage she does choice sexual freedom but I don't think this is something new in Young Adult fiction. Maybe it isn't what popular fiction such as Twilight would promote but I think there are plenty of better books out there with strong female characters who are sexually free. (So maybe this is just a comment on other people's view of the book but I think it is worth knowing).

The characters are strong and enjoyable and the book is a fast read. I liked spending time with a confident female character and men who were willing to let her take the lead.