Helpful Score: 5
I thought that this was a very entertaining fantasy novel - the characters were quite likable and the plot, though straightforward, was exciting. I am looking forward to reading the sequel, as well as the rest of the series. It really reminded me of Maria V. Snyder's series, so I would say that if you finished that series and were looking for a new fantasy series, you would probably really enjoy this one since they both center around strong, independent, female characters.
Helpful Score: 4
Reviewed by Allison Fraclose for TeensReadToo.com
In most of the seven kingdoms, people born with a Grace--an extreme skill that they can perform above all others--are usually feared.
However, King Randa of the Middluns kingdom has exploited Katsa's ability to kill ever since her Grace surfaced at the tender age of eight. Katsa had even begun to think that maybe, in reality, she really was nothing but an attack dog, until one day she decided to follow her own will and let an innocent man live. Since then, she and her cousin, Prince Raffin, have put together a secret council to rescue people suffering from similar injustices.
During a rescue mission to free the father of the Lienid king from a dungeon in Sunder, Katsa squares off with a Graced Lienid man who is almost her equal in fighting. When he shows up in Middluns, Katsa is dismayed to learn that he is one of the Lienid princes, nicknamed "Po," in search of his missing grandfather.
Although Katsa is at first wary of his intentions, she soon finds a kindred spirit in Po, and the two grow close as they set off on a journey to solve the mystery surrounding the kidnapping of Po's grandfather. In Monsea, a kingdom isolated by mountains, Po's aunt and young cousin may be in grave danger...
Akin to the tales of Tamora Pierce, this story features strong female characters and an exciting medieval world full of magic and action. Definitely not one to miss!
In most of the seven kingdoms, people born with a Grace--an extreme skill that they can perform above all others--are usually feared.
However, King Randa of the Middluns kingdom has exploited Katsa's ability to kill ever since her Grace surfaced at the tender age of eight. Katsa had even begun to think that maybe, in reality, she really was nothing but an attack dog, until one day she decided to follow her own will and let an innocent man live. Since then, she and her cousin, Prince Raffin, have put together a secret council to rescue people suffering from similar injustices.
During a rescue mission to free the father of the Lienid king from a dungeon in Sunder, Katsa squares off with a Graced Lienid man who is almost her equal in fighting. When he shows up in Middluns, Katsa is dismayed to learn that he is one of the Lienid princes, nicknamed "Po," in search of his missing grandfather.
Although Katsa is at first wary of his intentions, she soon finds a kindred spirit in Po, and the two grow close as they set off on a journey to solve the mystery surrounding the kidnapping of Po's grandfather. In Monsea, a kingdom isolated by mountains, Po's aunt and young cousin may be in grave danger...
Akin to the tales of Tamora Pierce, this story features strong female characters and an exciting medieval world full of magic and action. Definitely not one to miss!
Stephanie S. (skywriter319) -
Helpful Score: 3
In Katsa's world, those who possess a Grace, an unusually powerful skill, recognized by their different-colored eyes, are often shunned and avoided by the ordinary people. Katsa has it worse than most Graced, for her Grace is the Grace of killing, a Grace that her uncle, King Randa, uses to keep his subjects in line.
But Katsa is sick of always obeying her uncle's orders, being forced to perform these tasks she hates and having to hide her good side. Still, she sees no way out of her miserable, savage life...until she meets Po, a prince from a faraway island kingdom, whose secret business coincides with hers. Po is Graced with the art of combat, and they are well matched in fighting.
A friendship develops between Katsa and Po, and they are thrown together even more as they set off to defend their world from the clutches of a powerful and dangerous king. Katsa must contend with her wild nature if she is to get to know Po, if she is to learn about the truth about their Graces and characters. Together, they may just be able to save their world and make it a better place.
The characterizations of Katsa and Po in Graceling are incredible; it's impossible to not like them and feel for them as they struggle with their internal conflicts and emotions for one another. On the other hand, I felt like much of the plot-conflict in this novel was thrown in almost helter-skelter; conflicts were suddenly introduced and resolved in a matter of pages. I would have liked more back-story, so that I could've better understand Katsa and Po's world. That being said, Graceling is still an incredible debut fantasy novel, sure to appeal to all fantasy lovers who also like a good romance.
But Katsa is sick of always obeying her uncle's orders, being forced to perform these tasks she hates and having to hide her good side. Still, she sees no way out of her miserable, savage life...until she meets Po, a prince from a faraway island kingdom, whose secret business coincides with hers. Po is Graced with the art of combat, and they are well matched in fighting.
A friendship develops between Katsa and Po, and they are thrown together even more as they set off to defend their world from the clutches of a powerful and dangerous king. Katsa must contend with her wild nature if she is to get to know Po, if she is to learn about the truth about their Graces and characters. Together, they may just be able to save their world and make it a better place.
The characterizations of Katsa and Po in Graceling are incredible; it's impossible to not like them and feel for them as they struggle with their internal conflicts and emotions for one another. On the other hand, I felt like much of the plot-conflict in this novel was thrown in almost helter-skelter; conflicts were suddenly introduced and resolved in a matter of pages. I would have liked more back-story, so that I could've better understand Katsa and Po's world. That being said, Graceling is still an incredible debut fantasy novel, sure to appeal to all fantasy lovers who also like a good romance.
Helpful Score: 3
I have had this on my shelf to read forever. I am not sure why it took me so long to read it. It was an absolutely stellar adventure fantasy with a dash of romance; an excellent world with an interesting premise. Highly recommended to those who love YA fantasy.
When Katsa was eight years old she killed a man with her bare hands, revealing her Grace. Some have Graces that let them cook well or run fast or sing...Katsa's Grace is to kill. With her parents dead her uncle the King has been using her as his personal strong arm. Whenever the King thinks someone is out of the line the King sends Katsa to torture, threaten and kill. But Katsa is getting sick of doing the King's dirty work. Then she meets Prince Po; Prince Po is Graced with Fighting and finally Katsa has someone who can challenge her in combat. As her and Prince Po become friends and compare notes on their separate kingdoms they realize that something is going seriously wrong in a neighboring kingdom and go on a mission to investigate and fix the problem.
This was a seriously good book. It has an excellent balance of interesting world-building, epic politics, fantastic action scenes, unforgettable characters, and a little romance. The world is very well laid out. The names of all the kings and kingdoms are a bit confusing initially but quickly you learn the layout and then things are much easier to make sense of. I love the idea of people having Graces, it is in an interesting type of magic system, and Cashore does an excellent job of explaining the Graces.
This book is very action packed. Katsa is a bit easy to rile, so she is constantly lashing out and fighting people. The fight scenes between her and Po are incredible. The plot was very well done, the story is so well woven together and takes some interesting twists and turns. The surprises are such that when you think back to the beginning on the story it makes perfect sense, but they are done in such a way that they are still surprising.
Katsa is an absolutely wonderful and engaging character. It was fun to watch her anger and hatred temper itself into something more mature as the story went on. I love that right from the get go she is intelligant and her own person, this is evidenced by the Council she starts to protect others in the Kingdom. Yet despite her intelligence she is somewhat emotionally stunted by the things the King has forced her to do. It was great to watch her overcome this.
Prince Po was another exceptional character. He adds a lightness to the story that balances Katsa's violence and has this wonderful kind of zen thing going on despite his own secrets. Really he is the perfect counterpart to Katsa. I loved how they are friends before they get romantic; I always love it when the romance between the two characters is actually based on a solid and respectful relationship.
The other characters are just as endearing; they are all very well done. I am excited to see that the most recent book is about Bitterblue because she was definitely a side character I wanted to learn more about.
The story ends well and I think readers will be pleased. I can't wait to read more books by Cashore. This is probably best for older young adults. There is a lot of violence, some torture, and one non-explicit sex scene.
Overall an absolutely excellent fantasy book. I loved the world, the idea of Graces, and the wonderfully engaging characters. The plot moved fast and had a lot of very well done twists and turns; it was full of adventure, intrigue, and action. The romance between Katsa and Po is very sweet and very well done; built on mutual respect and friendship. I highly recommend this to fantasy lovers. It reminds a bit of Tamora Pierce's books and Robin McKinely's Hero and the Crown, but grittier. Again highly recommended for fantasy fans young adult and older.
When Katsa was eight years old she killed a man with her bare hands, revealing her Grace. Some have Graces that let them cook well or run fast or sing...Katsa's Grace is to kill. With her parents dead her uncle the King has been using her as his personal strong arm. Whenever the King thinks someone is out of the line the King sends Katsa to torture, threaten and kill. But Katsa is getting sick of doing the King's dirty work. Then she meets Prince Po; Prince Po is Graced with Fighting and finally Katsa has someone who can challenge her in combat. As her and Prince Po become friends and compare notes on their separate kingdoms they realize that something is going seriously wrong in a neighboring kingdom and go on a mission to investigate and fix the problem.
This was a seriously good book. It has an excellent balance of interesting world-building, epic politics, fantastic action scenes, unforgettable characters, and a little romance. The world is very well laid out. The names of all the kings and kingdoms are a bit confusing initially but quickly you learn the layout and then things are much easier to make sense of. I love the idea of people having Graces, it is in an interesting type of magic system, and Cashore does an excellent job of explaining the Graces.
This book is very action packed. Katsa is a bit easy to rile, so she is constantly lashing out and fighting people. The fight scenes between her and Po are incredible. The plot was very well done, the story is so well woven together and takes some interesting twists and turns. The surprises are such that when you think back to the beginning on the story it makes perfect sense, but they are done in such a way that they are still surprising.
Katsa is an absolutely wonderful and engaging character. It was fun to watch her anger and hatred temper itself into something more mature as the story went on. I love that right from the get go she is intelligant and her own person, this is evidenced by the Council she starts to protect others in the Kingdom. Yet despite her intelligence she is somewhat emotionally stunted by the things the King has forced her to do. It was great to watch her overcome this.
Prince Po was another exceptional character. He adds a lightness to the story that balances Katsa's violence and has this wonderful kind of zen thing going on despite his own secrets. Really he is the perfect counterpart to Katsa. I loved how they are friends before they get romantic; I always love it when the romance between the two characters is actually based on a solid and respectful relationship.
The other characters are just as endearing; they are all very well done. I am excited to see that the most recent book is about Bitterblue because she was definitely a side character I wanted to learn more about.
The story ends well and I think readers will be pleased. I can't wait to read more books by Cashore. This is probably best for older young adults. There is a lot of violence, some torture, and one non-explicit sex scene.
Overall an absolutely excellent fantasy book. I loved the world, the idea of Graces, and the wonderfully engaging characters. The plot moved fast and had a lot of very well done twists and turns; it was full of adventure, intrigue, and action. The romance between Katsa and Po is very sweet and very well done; built on mutual respect and friendship. I highly recommend this to fantasy lovers. It reminds a bit of Tamora Pierce's books and Robin McKinely's Hero and the Crown, but grittier. Again highly recommended for fantasy fans young adult and older.
Helpful Score: 2
I absolutely adored this book. I read it in two days, and went out and bought the prequel book "Fire" the next day. Katsa is a very interesting character living in an equally fascinating world. This book reminded me quite a bit of Tamora Pierce's style (especially brought to mind the Song of the Lioness quartet), which is a major compliment coming from someone who loves her books as much as I do.
There are sex scenes, but they're discreet. The romance is inevitable but well done for YA lit, and the characters are nicely developed both as individuals and within the confines of their relationship. The world they live in is very intricate and is described well. There's also a map at the beginning. I would've loved to have seen some of the other regions in their world further explored and developed, but they weren't plot relevant. Hoping they will be in the future! There's a particularly nasty "big bad" in this book--I was uncomfortable reading some parts as an adult, so parents be warned if you're one of those who likes to preview things before giving them to teens to read.
Definitely going on my keeper shelf!
There are sex scenes, but they're discreet. The romance is inevitable but well done for YA lit, and the characters are nicely developed both as individuals and within the confines of their relationship. The world they live in is very intricate and is described well. There's also a map at the beginning. I would've loved to have seen some of the other regions in their world further explored and developed, but they weren't plot relevant. Hoping they will be in the future! There's a particularly nasty "big bad" in this book--I was uncomfortable reading some parts as an adult, so parents be warned if you're one of those who likes to preview things before giving them to teens to read.
Definitely going on my keeper shelf!
Helpful Score: 1
Truly enjoyable and unusal! What a novel(pun intended)idea! I inhaled this book quickly but fell in love with the story and the characters and had a romping good read!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! I'll be reading anything else published by this author....
Helpful Score: 1
this book was really really good it is adventure and combines action, stubborness, and fantasy with a romantic twist. I would reccommend it to anyone that enjoys a little bit of everything and has time to read it because trust me you will not be able to put it down, once you get started.
4 stars.
So, altogether Graceling wasn't my average read...Honestly I think saw it on someone's shelf over at GR, and picked up a copy before I really thought about it... and for the most part I'm glad I did...it was a little slow at first, but it's written in a way, that you're so sucked into the story that you don't really notice the pacing...It does pick after a bit, and I found myself hard pressed to put it down.
The world building, for the most part was well done, as was the characterization of our main mharacter, Katsa, and through her point of view, a whole host of secondary characters as well...
Having said that, I have to admit, that the ending of the book put me in a snit: the way it's written, IMO, leaves the reader thinking there's going to be a sequel...and there is, Fire, however it's a prequel, and not a sequel at all....And from the reviews I've read it's supposedly really good....
Okay, I could deal with that, because there's supposed to be a third book...only this one's focus is on a secondary character from Graceling, and again not the main one... (though good many of the charactersare supposed to appear in it) I don't think any of this would bother quite so much, but as I said the ending left me thinking I'd get more from Katsa's POV, and now, knowing that I wont, at least not for the foreseeable future, leaves me whole lotta disappointed... So much so that I couldn't help but take star off my rating!
So, altogether Graceling wasn't my average read...Honestly I think saw it on someone's shelf over at GR, and picked up a copy before I really thought about it... and for the most part I'm glad I did...it was a little slow at first, but it's written in a way, that you're so sucked into the story that you don't really notice the pacing...It does pick after a bit, and I found myself hard pressed to put it down.
The world building, for the most part was well done, as was the characterization of our main mharacter, Katsa, and through her point of view, a whole host of secondary characters as well...
Having said that, I have to admit, that the ending of the book put me in a snit: the way it's written, IMO, leaves the reader thinking there's going to be a sequel...and there is, Fire, however it's a prequel, and not a sequel at all....And from the reviews I've read it's supposedly really good....
Okay, I could deal with that, because there's supposed to be a third book...only this one's focus is on a secondary character from Graceling, and again not the main one... (though good many of the charactersare supposed to appear in it) I don't think any of this would bother quite so much, but as I said the ending left me thinking I'd get more from Katsa's POV, and now, knowing that I wont, at least not for the foreseeable future, leaves me whole lotta disappointed... So much so that I couldn't help but take star off my rating!
I loved this book! It's a wonderful fantasy filled with action and romance. Katsa is a Graceling with the "gift" of violence. As a result, she has been the thug of an unjust king and is avoided by most people. When she's grown tired of the king's cruelty she creates a council which helps those in need. Through one of these missions she meets Prince Po, another graceling. The result is one of the greatest teen romances ever written.
This book had a good premise and was always full of action, never lulling. The characters were dynamic and unique. It almost felt like it was two books in one, because it pursued two different story lines within the book. That wasn't a draw back, however, because they were linked together well and flowed beautifully.
Worth reading, especially because the romance is not heavy and the main character is so spunky it's very amusing seeing her be girly.
A little disappointed the "sequel" is a prequel and has nothing to do with these characters.
Worth reading, especially because the romance is not heavy and the main character is so spunky it's very amusing seeing her be girly.
A little disappointed the "sequel" is a prequel and has nothing to do with these characters.
Wow! This book was incredible. The world that Kristin Cashore has created is amazing. People are born with a "grace" that shows up when they are children. The grace is known because one of the eyes will change a different color, we know it as heterochromia. The graces that people are gifted with can range from knowing what the weather will be to what Katsa has, a grace of killing easily. While Katsa is very strong, she is oppressed by her uncle, King Randa of the Middluns. While he isn't an 'evil' man, he doesn't always do good things. She longs to have a life away from all the blood shed she is forced to do at the Kings bidding. She starts the Council, an organization that helps people instead of hurting them. When Katsa meets Prince Po, she has feelings for him she doesn't want to feel. They go in search of his grandfather, a Prince of Lienid. They find out many truths about the kingdoms, each other and themselves along the journey. A really excellent read! 5 out of 5 stars!
This book is about a girl named Katsa. Katsa has eyes that are two different colors. This marks her as a Graceling - someone who has been graced with some great talent. Sometimes it's not a very useful talent, like being able to climb trees really well. There are mentions of Gracelings who are talented at cooking or sewing or working with animals, even mindreading. Katsa is gifted with the ability to kill (according to the book. I would have called it a fighting gift personally). All Gracelings "belong" to the King of the country they are born in. The multi-colored eye don't appear until at least a few months after a child is born. Once their eyes settle into two different colors they are sent to the capital to be raised in a royal nursery until their gift shows itself. If it's useful you'll work for the king. If not you get sent home. Katsa is kept by the king as a bully boy.
This is a decent young adult book. It was more interesting in the beginning than in the end. There was a lot of traveling which wasn't interesting to read. I think I skipped over a 5-10 page section of traveling though mountains which could have been summarized as "traveling through the mountains in winter is really cold and really sucks."
There was some very good character growth seen during the book. However, the plot development wasn't that great. There was this mystery set up and the bad guy was intriguing. However, he was made so overpowered that the only way to defeat him was by accident, which is pretty anticlimactic. There were a few other plot things that were brought up and then swept neatly under the rug without properly solving them.
This is a decent young adult book. It was more interesting in the beginning than in the end. There was a lot of traveling which wasn't interesting to read. I think I skipped over a 5-10 page section of traveling though mountains which could have been summarized as "traveling through the mountains in winter is really cold and really sucks."
There was some very good character growth seen during the book. However, the plot development wasn't that great. There was this mystery set up and the bad guy was intriguing. However, he was made so overpowered that the only way to defeat him was by accident, which is pretty anticlimactic. There were a few other plot things that were brought up and then swept neatly under the rug without properly solving them.
I don't know how I really felt about this book. It was bland. I read it in a week, but I felt like it was unoriginal. There were some interesting aspects like certain people being "graced" with skills that are in a way superhuman and identifying them simply because each person will have two different coloured eyes (and not usual eye tones). Maybe I'll like the sequel more whenever I get around to reading it (not really interested to yet). This was like Twilight and Dune combined.
Excellent book.
