Katsa is graced with the ability to kill, and her king forces her to use this grace to his advantage. Yet Katsa is tired of following his orders and would rather use her skills to help the citizens of the kingdom instead. During a scuffle surrounding a kidnapping, she encounters another Graceling who becomes the first person in her life who understands her and befriends her. Po, whose grace is fighting, will help Katsa hone her skills, learn about herself, and ultimately find satisfaction in her unique circumstances. Recommended for its fast pace, unusual romance, and adventurous survival. Fans of The Warrior Heir and The Hunger Games would enjoy this one. ( )

This was an enjoyable story overall. I felt that it took a really long time to develop and when it finally did it was slightly anticlimactic. There was only one brief period in the book when I felt like I couldn't out it down. Overall the characters were interesting. The romantic tension between te two main characters was a little weak. I think that if this is part of a series specific with these characters I would read the next one simply because the characters are already developed and maybe the story would move faster. I would like to see what happens next for them. I felt like the writing was definately geared to the younger reader, however, some of the content would.t be suited for pre-14. I am not sure if I will read "Fire" which is the companion book to this. If I am in need of a book wile waiting for something to come in I may grab it, but other than that I felt that the story was a bit too shallow for my liking. ( )

Definitely slow in the beginning, but overall a good novel. I enjoyed how badass Katsa was compared to the "Mary Sue" female protagonists of YA literature. Not excellent, but good.

8th Grade and Up – In Katsa’s world, some people are born with special gifts. They are called the “Graced” and are recognizable by their differently colored eyes. But being Graced is not typically a blessing; those born with graces are ostracized; they are made the servants of their king. Katsa’s eyes are green and blue, and her Grace is killing. Under the power of her uncle, one of the kings of the seven kingdoms, Katsa is forced to punish his enemies and is afraid to get close to anyone save her cousin. Though she fears her uncle, Katsa has established the Council, an inter-kingdom organization which acts in service of justice, a role which is her first step to discovering things about herself that she has been too afraid to see.
Graceling is a well-developed fantasy novel with strong characters and fleshed-out relationships. The novel is reminiscent of those by Tamora Pierce, but may be more well-suited to a slightly older audience. Recommended for all teen collections. ( )

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. ( )

This is exactly the kind of thing I'd want my imaginary daughter to be reading. A strong young heroine, delightfully written. Clear messages about gender bias, personal responsibility, and self-empowerment - but not in an obnoxiously "movie of the week" kind of way. And the plot points not nearly as predictable as one would expect from the genre. Loved it! ( )

WONDERFUL BOOK!! I had a very fun time with this story! It is captivating and the characters are warm and real. ( )

Reviewed by Mrs. Foley
From library catalog - In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying Grace of killing and teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king.

This book is being considered for next year's Gateway list. It is a very enjoyable fantasy book and I would not be surprised to see a sequel!

Publisher's Weekly Review - Starred Review.
In a land of seven kingdoms, people with special talents, called Gracelings, are identified by their eyes—Katsa's are green and blue, one of each—although she's eight before her specific Grace is identified as a talent for killing. (While in the court of her uncle, King Randa, she swiped at a man attempting to grope her and struck him dead.) By 18 she's King Randa's henchwoman, dispatched to knock heads and lop off appendages when subjects disobey, but she hates the job. As an antidote, she leads a secret council whose members work against corrupt power, and in this role, while rescuing a kidnapped royal, she meets the silver-and-gold–eyed Po, the Graced seventh son of the Lienid king. That these two are destined to be lovers is obvious, though beautiful, defiant Katsa convincingly claims no man will control her. Their exquisitely drawn romance (the sex is offstage) will slake the thirst of Twilight fans, but one measure of this novel's achievements lies in its broad appeal. Tamora Pierce fans will embrace the take-charge heroine; there's also enough political intrigue to recommend it to readers of Megan Whalen Turner's Attolia trilogy. And while adult readers, too, will enjoy the author's originality, the writing is perfectly pitched at teens struggling to put their own talents to good use. With this riveting debut, Cashore has set the bar exceedingly high. Ages 14–up. (Oct.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. ( )

Summary: Katsa is special. Born with one blue eye and one green - the mark of the Graced - Katsa is a near-unbeatable fighter, either with her hands or with any weapon she holds. Her uncle, King Randa, has turned Katsa's Grace to his advantage, using her as his enforcer, thug, and assassin. Katsa's not happy with this role, however, and has started a secret society committed to righting wrongs on the sly. On one of their missions to rescue a kidnapped old man from the dungeons of a neighboring king, Katsa meets Po, who is a prince in his own right, the grandson of the old man, and who possesses a fighting Grace that can match Katsa's own. They become sparing partners, and eventually friends, but the question of Po's grandfather's kidnapping gnaws at them. Who would order such a thing, and why? They set out to investigate, but what they find is a threat so great that it might engulf all of the seven kingdoms... if they can't find a way to stop it.

Review: The short version? I enjoyed the heck out of it. I enjoyed it so much I was creating opportunities to go and listen to more of it, cheerfully volunteering for one of the most boring tasks at work, just because it's a task I could do with my headphones on. I'm actually having a really hard time putting my finger on exactly why I liked it so much, but before I start dissecting it, I just want to reiterate: Graceling was compelling, relatable, exciting, and a thoroughly great read.

In almost all particulars, Graceling is very very similar to a Tamora Pierce novel. Teen heroine who has some special ability that sets her apart from everyone else, who's good at almost everything she does, even though these powers make her somewhat of an outsider? Check and check. Romantic interest who is also special/supernatural/powered in some way, and is therefore the only guy who can ever hope to keep up with our heroine? Both have 'em. (As a side note, I now have enough of a bookcrush on Po that I'm willing to overlook his metallic-colored eyes, which is ordinarily a huge pet peeve.) Plot involving political intrigue and corruption within a medieval fantasy kingdom? Yup. A healthy mix of coming-of age, romance, action, plotting, and witty banter? Yes across the board. The only real difference I can pick out is that Pierce's books have more magic/mythology, with direct involvement by the gods, while the origin of the Graces is never really explained. There's not even a method-of-consumption bias: I listened to both of them done by Full Cast Audio (which took me a while to get into, but eventually wound up being very enjoyable; a lot of the voice actors did really excellent work). So, even though there's not much to chose between them, while Pierce's books are reliably enjoyable, none of them knocked my socks off the way Graceling did.

In fact, the only thing I can find to ding Graceling for is a bit of heavy-handed expository worldbuilding in the early chapters. The nature of the Graces, the political layout of the various kingdoms, etc., are all presented flat out in a way that doesn't feel particularly organic to the story or the characters, instead of being more subtly woven in. Still, it is a very interesting world that's being set up, and once it's established, everything flows much more smoothly, and the character development and story development are handled with considerable skill, especially given that this is Cashore's first novel. I also really appreciated both the strong feminist lead, and the overall sensibility and mature handling of some thorny issues. Overall, even though I can't entirely define *why* I enjoyed it so much, I found it absolutely engrossing, I was sad that it was over, and I already have Fire queued up on my iPod. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: Fans of Tamora Pierce or those who like YA fantasy with a strong feminist twist should definitely put Graceling at the top of their list. Even those who aren't particular fantasy fans but who like a good coming-of-age story with solid doses of romance, humor, and action should check it out; I don't think the fantasy elements are prevalent enough to be off-putting. ( )

http://www.bookgeeks.co.uk/2009/11/13... ( )

In Katsa’s world, people with Graces, or extraordinary skills, are feared and sometimes exploited. They are distinguished by their dual colored eyes. Unfortunately for Katsa, she has a killing Grace, and has been used by her uncle to do his bidding since she was eight years old and accidentally murdered a man with her bare hands. When Katsa seeks to rescue the father of the King of Liend, she stumbles upon a mystery and on Po, a man who can fight almost as well as she. Katsa decides to defy her uncle the king and set off to solve the mystery, the curious Po at her side.

I love fairy tales, especially fairy tales expanded into novels. While this is a completely new story, it feels very much like a fairy tale. It is a once upon a time fantasy with a darker edge in that Katsa’s Grace is so violent. The closest I can compare it to in style is Robin McKinley, who I recently discovered and loved. Thus it’s not at all a surprise that I really enjoyed this book too.

For Katsa, this is completely a coming-of-age story. She is disgusted with herself, with her uncle, and with the world. She knows so little about both her Grace and the wider world, though, that even as a teenager she essentially goes on a journey of self-discovery. She realizes how much she herself is a product of the kingdom in which she grew up and takes steps to become a strong, confident woman. Add in a little bit of budding, confusing romance and Cashore has the perfect combination for a teenage girl. Although I enjoyed the adventure that Katsa went on, I appreciated her believable and steady character growth much more.

Cashore’s pseudo-medieval world is also very well considered. The kingdoms that we see are distinct and interesting, especially Po’s, and the idea of Graces is beautifully developed. It’s fascinating that even people with Graces shy away from others who have them, because no one knows what particular skill might be lurking behind blue and brown eyes. Everything feels organic and natural and it’s very easy to lose yourself in this world.

Graceling is a compelling fantasy set in a fairy tale medieval world. Katsa is one of the best female characters I’ve come across in YA, with strengths and vulnerabilities in equal measure, and her adventure had me spellbound. Well worth a read for both young and regular adults. ( )

I wasn't completely sure if I would like this book as I purchased it, but it was fantasy and it was YA, so I gave it a chance. I had heard good things about it from LT HEer friends. One of the reasons why I chose to read this book next was because I thought it a good transition from the last book I read, in the Vampire Academy series. The main characters of each book share some qualities with each other. Both are on the side of good and women who fight to kill. I knew there could be quite a difference in their stories, and there was, but it hasn't made either book lesser to me.

I probably didn't start reading it in the best of places - I was on a bus, which only let me read for ten minutes before my stop. I've always felt a book deserves a longer reading time when you begin to read it. Sure enough, I was regrettably still trying to bury myself into this book at page 100. However, this book picked up incredibly. My thoughts of it now are that I absolutely loved it, and I have been so distraught at not being able to get the second book just yet.

Katsa lives an interesting life in court but I much enjoyed once the story took off. Her call to adventure, or rather a different and usual one to the norm of sorts, was one that held as much question about the future as possible. Her journeying is quite extreme, and her grace, of course, necessary. The author lead her on to be a very strong character. Upon meeting her other characters, they were nicely done as well. I adored and thought how perfect for a little winter princess to be called Bitterblue. No other name could have suited the girl better. Katsa had a good deal of character development in this book. My only wish is that things had ended differently, though I know it could not be so. ( )

Partially, Kristin Cashore reminds me of Tamora Pierce, with her strong and lovely heroines who don't quite fit into society's rules (and don't care to, either). This is a stunning novel that I recommend without reservation and, in fact, will probably begin to force upon my friends.

Katsa accidentally killed her cousin when she was 8 years old. This is her "Grace"--a talent above human abilities--that manifests physically in her the two colors of her eyes: one green and one blue. Unfortunately, because she is the orphan niece of the king, she is forced into the role of carrying out the king's dirty work. Often Katsa is treated no better than an attack dog. However, this is not the life Katsa wants and when she befriends a prince Katsa begins to realize that she can make her own choices after all.

Katsa, the protagonist of Graceling, is deeply close to my heart. I can not express adequately how refreshing a this female protagonist was for me. Gifted with fighting and a restrictive life she believes the worst of herself. The tale that emerges is a coming of age for her, but also a battle against doing what is expected (and sometimes wrong) against finding your own feet in the world. Katsa's journey is heartbreaking and rings utterly true. What I loved most about Katsa was this truth. She remains true to herself and her own beliefs through the entire book despite the opinions of others. Although part of this is entirely personal, I love that Katsa does not want children or a husband. This decision is just as difficult for Katsa (socially speaking) as it is our current world.

Additionally, I should say that I love every supporting character. Po, the hero; Raffin and Bann; Oll; Bitterblue--I want to see all these characters again, but if I don't, then I think I could be content because the story they got was so fantastic. (As a note, Cashore is currently working on the third novel in the universe titled Bitterblue and Fire is already available as a sort of prequel or companion novel.) One of the aspects of Graceling that particularly impressed me was the incredible handling of the relationship between Po and Katsa. It can be difficult to balance a truly independent heroine with a love interest, but Cashore does it perfectly. Po is--and I'm sorry to anyone who loves the trope--not the ordinary alpha male hero. Instead, he's a compliment to Katsa's skills, abilities, and beliefs rather than someone she can concede to without losing herself. There isn't any concession in their relationship, because they balance each other. And if that sounds dull, just trust me when I say that it absolutely isn't for a moment.

If one can criticize anything in Graceling it would be the universe not being developed quite enough. However, I found that the 7 kingdoms are easy to understand and provide a sort of canvas for the real content of details to be painted upon. Primarily, the idea of "Graces", these abilities that no average human can match, is fantastic and layered. A Grace may be something useful (such as fighting) or it may be utterly useless (such as being able to twist completely at the torso) or so specialized most people wouldn't deem them useful (such as swimming). Regardless, Graces are outcast in most kingdoms, with few exceptions. In these kingdoms, any child that manifests a Grace must be sent to the king. After deciding if the child's Grace is useful or not the child is then either put into service of the king or sent home to be looked at warily by neighbors.

I have the highest hopes for Fire and Bitterblue--thankfully I have Fire, but I doubt it'll tide me over until Bitterblue's due date is announced! ( )

When she was very young Katsa's grace for killing became apparent when she was defending herself from her uncle. After that she was brought up as the King's killer, the one who was called upon to take care of problem subjects who failed to do what he liked. But Katsa was not happy with her charge and slowly she found a way to use her grace for more constructive purposes. While seeking to free a kidnapped old man from a neighboring kingdom Katsa happens upon another graceling, one who seems could be her match. What starts off as an unexpected encounter will eventually precipitate a change in Katsa's world that she never could have expected.

I really enjoyed the way the author took such a fresh perspective on the idea of people with supernatural powers and the way she built it into her society. I also liked the idea of the mismatched eyes. The story was very engaging and I liked all the characters you are supposed to like, especially Katsa, Po and Bitterblue, and was horrified at all the right places. I truly didn't foresee what would happen as the book went along and it was fun to sit back and be carried along with the adventure. This sort of reminded me of McKinely's "Hero and the Crown" although I rather enjoy Cashore's writing style a bit more. I can see where some of the themes may offend more sensitive people, particularly the violence and the intimacy without marriage theme, but I think it is all approached in a thoughtful and relatively non-graphic way with clear reasons given. Truly a very well written story with a strong female lead that I would not hesitate to recommend to young adults.

I would certainly be interested in reading a sequel (as opposed to a prequel) should the author decide to do more with these characters. ( )

King Randa of the Middluns is hosting a party and eight-year-old Lady Katsa is suffering under the unnervingly intense attention of her distant cousin. He slides his hand towards her leg and she reaches out to slap him, only to, quite literally, smash his face. Young Katsa has a killing grace. In Graceling, Kristin Cashore’s richly imagined fantasy, gracelings are characters with superpowers, and they are marked by strikingly colored eyes, each a different color. In Katsa’s case, one eye is bright blue, the other green.

Katsa is rather invincible against friend and foe alike, but because her grace has many benefits to those in power, her uncle, King Randa, ruler of one of the seven kingdoms, uses her to exact revenge on disloyal subjects or rival kings – whatever suits his fancy. Katsa, during a covert mission, encounters a strange man with one silver and one golden eye. Something compels her to trust him and she doesn’t kill him. This begins her rebellion against her uncle’s tyrannical claims. Katsa discovers the strange man is Po, a young prince from another kingdom who is a graceling like her. Po and Katsa teem up to practice their fighting skills (against each other) and to uncover the mystery of Po’s grandfather’s kidnapping. Together they embark on a dangerous mission, finding justice and corruption, adventure and brutality, political intrigue and romance.

Both Katsa and Po struggle enormously with their supernatural talents, and their graces evolve along with the story. Katsa is strong, confident, and unsure at the same time. Her extraordinary skill is not something she takes lightly, questioning how to use it and what its consequences are every step of the way. Po is strong and wise, but neither of them is prepared for the obstacles they face on their formidable quest. Nail-biting tension, mesmerizing & subtly crafted characters, and absorbing and surprising plot twists give this fantasy broad appeal.

Katsa is a member of the royal court, her mother was sister to a King, and she is a lady of the court, but she is no ordinary Lady. Katsa is a Lady Killer.

There are those who are born with extra abilities, skills known as a Grace. It can take many forms from cooking to mind reading. Katsa, however, is Graced with killing. And there is no escaping what she is for she is marked, as every Graceling is marked, with distinct eyes.

Katsa has grown up under the power of her uncle King Randa, who had turned Katsa into his own personal killing machine. One day while on a secret rescue mission, Katsa meets a man who will change her life. She will blindly follow others, lose her mind, battle great beasts bare handed, sail over the seas, assassinate a King, and also find love.

Graceling is as much a story about fighting and adventure as it is a story about love. The events of great violence and danger are not out of place next to its tender and vulnerable moments. Its world is vivid and descriptive, with its characters both warm and unique in their conception. A stunning debut that will keep you up late, eager to read more. ( )

http://www.lonelymountain.net/books/o... ( )

Writing lacks grace, plot at times is plodding, points that require answers are dismissed at the end (on reading about the prequel "Fire," I suspect they form the crux of that novel's plot).

Psychological insights ("it was just like him to turn a kind gesture into one of his criticisms of her character"), and the fact this book was assigned, kept me reading, until, in the later chapters, the plot and descriptions of place both picked up.

Teens may find much to ponder in one of the book's themes: the nature of evil versus an evil nature, the ability of children to break the bonds of genetics and upbringing.

However, the author's intimation that fighting is a release for sexual tension is disturbing in a YA book. Teens may well guffaw at hamhanded treatment of the theme that women can get along swimmingly without men and that extramarital sex lets you have your cake (freedom) and, um, you fill in the rest. Marriage destroys a woman's individuality? All women should learn to be handy with a knife as a defensive weapon? If this is the new feminism, I'd prefer to go back to the '50s.

Less serious flaws include the names: utterly lame as in Monsea? Middluns? Po? or else head-scratchers. Bitterblue? Is the author a Cat Stevens fan? I see her next book is set in the Dells and the king there is named Nash, so maybe she spent her youth listening to her parents' record collection. Too bad she didn't pick the Troggs, which would have fit in nicely with the whole Wild Thing thing she's got going.

Also, these seven kingdoms all seem to speak one language; the biggest ethnic/cultural disparity is the island-dwelling Lienids who -- OMG -- wear rings! on their fingers! and in their ears!

Every time I shut the book , I wondered if the cover designer had bothered to read it because there reflected in the sword on the back were two bright blue eyes. ( )

This book features an interesting contrast of inner and outer strength; with a strong heroine, who can more than hold her own in a battle, but struggles with her inner weaknesses and fears in a way that makes the reader feel strangely protective of her. She is often uncomfortable in her own skin and wonders and/or fears both what she is capable of and what she is incapable of; a very human emotion, indeed.

The inner turmoil aside, this book is extremely strong in its own right as a fantasy novel and the world created within the pages is a strong background to the characters themselves, deepening the reader's belief in the reality of the conflicts. I can only hope that the author allows us to visit this world repeatedly through additional books. ( )

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! ( )

A really good idea for a book... but I think -feel- the author couldn't use the full potential of it =S

Wow, I absolutely loved this book! The author creates vivid pictures of her world and the characters within it.
In her world there are people called Gracelings, who have extraordinary skills, and can be identified by 2 different colored eyes. If the skills they possess are of use, the ruler of the kingdom in which they live exploits them. This is where we meet Katsa, a Graceling with one blue and one green eye, who has the grace of killing. She is used by her uncle, King Randa of the Middluns, to ensure his subjects’ bid to his will. Katsa is feared, and knows she is nothing but a killer. Ms Cashore's characters are not without flaw and Katsa's journey is a remarkable one.
This book will definitely be in the keeper pile as I know I will want to reread this many times. I'm heading to the bookstore today to pick up the prequel Fire that was just released. If you love the fantasy genre you need to read this book! ( )

I enjoyed this book. From the beginning I was intrigued by the characters and plot. I loved Katsa's gutsy girl character, her friends, and the evil ones they were secretly organized against. The second half of the book let me down by becoming a lovely romantic fairy tale, oh but the girl doesn't want to get married and saves the prince, heard that before, with too much over kill on the whole "grace" thing. Even with it's faults it is a beautifully told tale that I will recommend. ( )

Katsa is a Graceling. Her Grace is killing. She doesn't like to kill but the King makes her. When she meets Prince Po her world is about to drastically change. Can she be in love and still be herself?

I don't usually like these pure fantasy novels. I'm more of an Urban Fantasy person. Kristin Cashore might have just changed my mind.
In Graceling Cashore has created a magical fantasy world full of surprises. She took a concept that has been done one million times-superpowers-and completely made it her own original work of art. The land in which Graceling takes place is full of endless possibilities.
Katsa is an strong female character. She has good reason to be. Katsa's growth as a character is amazing. It never felt rushed or unjustified. It takes some authors three to four books to achieve this much character development. Kristin did it in one book. She has a knack for it!
The relationship between Katsa and Po was of course my favorite part. I thought it played out perfectly. It wasn't overdone but it did leave you wanting more.

Kristin Cashore is a name we are going to be hearing for a long time to come. She is a fairly new name on the YA Fantasy front but I think she will be right up there with Robin McKinley very soon. I loved Graceling and I can't wait for Fire. If you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for?

http://www.pureimaginationblog.com/ ( )

This is a story of a girl with a grace. Agrace allows a person to have unbelievable skill in one thing. Katsa's grace is killing. ( )