Graceling (edition 2008)

The library thing relationship with Hunger Games is misleading. But this is a worthy read if you appreciate YA heroines & awkward internal dilemmas centered around free will. ( )

Gracelings are persons who have different colored eyes and have been "graced" with a particular trait. Katsa, niece of a king, has apparently been graced with killing and her uncle utilizes her skill to control his kingdom. But Katsa is determined to accomplish some good through her grace and she embarks on an adventure with a Graceling prince to stop a king who spreads evil and confusion through his words. Katsa also makes a few discoveries about herself and her grace as she travels through the Seven Kingdoms. A good read, and a part of a series I intend to continue. ( )

When you are as much of a fan of fantasy as I am you end up reading about a lot of awesome adventures, surreal magic, fantastical worlds, and thrilling battles, you also unfortunately read a lot of sexist crap. Women can do this, they can't do that. Women either marry or go into the convent or become a shrew. Women can't fight, can't defend themselves, can't learn certain trades, can't rule, can't lead, can't strategize, can't go anywhere alone, or do anything without men's approval. It. Gets. Grating. This coming from someone who loves fantasy but who also gets a little sick of being told what her gender can and can't do all the time.

Then comes Graceling. What am awesome, surreal, fantastical, and thrilling breath of fresh air! Graceling is set in a medieval era Europeanish world called The Seven Kingdoms. There are wonderfully complex politics at play and fiendish plots afoot and then we get to the people. Certain people within the various kingdoms are called Gracelings, these people have been Graced with a specific talent. Our main character, Katsa, learns at the tender age of eight that she has been Graced with the talent of killing people when she accidentally kills her step cousin who was making unwanted advances.

She is then trained by her uncle the King and instead of being given a position of prominence in the kingdom for being Graced she is treated more as a lap dog that gets sent to do the dirty work. This all changes when she meets Po, a prince who has been Graced with combat skills. Plots are uncovered, alliances are threatened, politics come into play and soon Katsa finds herself involved in a quest to save a kidnapped child. Her special Grace is needed desperately, but is it in the way she expects?

I loved this book. Carried all the way through was this fantastic feminist message that shined through Katsa. She was tough and spirited though granted she was a little wild at the beginning, but that's to be expected after being treated like an animal by her uncle's court. She was feared and mistreated more for her Grace than her gender, which was refreshing. While she was strong she also had true heart that made her endearing and human. The romance also was wonderful to read about. It was built up slowly and believably and remained respectful of them both, so rare in YA romance. It was a welcome addition to the story.

The world she was in was amazing as well, and not just because of the fascinating concept of Gracelings or the complex politics of the Seven Kingdoms. Marriage was a choice for women, not a need. Men were permitted the luxury of feeling and even of crying when all was lost. Gender conformity was not an over-driving need as it is traditionally in fantasy and that was true straight to the last and I'm glad the author made that tough call. That is not to say that all was roses. There were still unwanted sexual advances and comments made about various young women, there were still attempts at forced/arranged marriages, and there were still kingdoms that chose not to educate or empower their women or teach them how to protect themselves. But for a fantasy book, a genre famous for brutally enforcing gender roles, this book was amazingly progressive. It made Graceling a wonderful and magical rare breed of truly empowering fantasy centered around a truly powerful woman. I loved it and look forward to reading the other books set in this magical world. ( )

In the fantasy adventure book of Graceling, written by Kristin Cashore, it is set in a world ruled by 7 kingdoms. In one particular kingdom, the Middluns, lives a middle aged girl named Katsa. She is known throughout all of the 7 kingdoms and is feared because of her unstoppable fighting ability. This ability is called a “Grace,” which is a mighty power given to an individual by birth. In Kata’s case, her grace is killing because when she first discovered she had one, she accidentally killed her own cousin. From that day on, the king of the Middluns made her his personal “lady killer”, and made her go on ruthless missions to hurt anyone he wanted to. She, although didn’t do it all alone.

When Katsa would do these tasks, she had two trustworthy and powerful companions from the kingdom’s council. Those two people were named Oll and Giddon. After a whole bunch of tasks, Katsa had gotten tired of being someone’s puppet for the rest of her life and confronted her uncle, who was the king. With holding back her fury of laying her eyes on him she simply explained that she didn’t want to be apart of his court anymore and wanted to get away from all of this puppetry. The king’s face was frozen like stone, and watched his puppet leave his world. Katsa was on her way to do what she wanted to do.
A little after she confronted the king, she caught up with her new friend Po. Throughout the story, Katsa and Po’s friendship grew from the night they met to their large rescue adventure. Although their relationship almost collapsed when Katsa learned the true secret of Po, which was that he was a mind reader, as a result Katsa suddenly did not trust Po. She didn’t because she was afraid that he cloud read all of her thoughts whenever he wanted, but this anger dissipated later on in the story. They then find out that a lot of strange happenings were happening in the kingdom of Monsea.

When the two had gotten to Monsea, they could not believe their eyes. They saw the Monsean king, Leck, strike down his own wife, which was Po’s aunt. Right after Leck had done that gruesome murder he started shouting it was a horrible accident, and everyone around him became hypnotized and believed him. The only one who wasn’t was Po because his grace could defend against Leck’s grace. Sadly Katsa was hypnotized also when Po was yelling to shoot him, which now in her mind now was ridiculous because why would you hurt a random man. Leck soon realized that this stranger who was shouting at this other girl was immune to his grace, and wanted him to die. Po and Katsa then hid, and started riding on horseback, until they found a very important figure.
When Po and Katsa were in the wilderness, they found Leck’s daughter, who was the princess of Monsea. She explained the cruelty and craftiness of her father; also she talked a lot of his grace. She also explained that if he were killed, there would be peace in Monsea, for she would be queen, “The reign of Bitterblue”. They all then devised a plan to kill Leck, but it al backfired when Po had gotten back.

When Po had gotten back, he was badly injured, and fell all the way off of a cliff into a lake. Katsa and Bitterblue then took care of him until he was well enough for Katsa and Bitterblue venture to the kingdom of Lenied for safety until everything died down, and then they would go and kill Leck.
They both catch a boat to Lenied, and something shocking suddenly happens. When they arrive they travel from the shore to Po’s castle because he is a price of Lenied too. When they entered, all of the servants acted very strange and when they opened the dining hall door, Leck sat on Po’s throne smirking. Katsa then threw a knife into his throat by reflex and everyone was very confused. Bitterblue then explained everything and they went back to Po.
When they entered Po’s hideout, where they left them, there was something odd about him. He seemed troubled and angry and didn’t want anyone to bother him. One day, when Katsa saw Po by himself, she immediately figured out he was blind and comforted him. He then decides he wanted to stay in the shack for a long time and wanted Katsa to stay with him. They both make an agreement, and finally just rest.

I give Graceling four and a half stars for a lot of reasons. From the action-fantasy storyline, to the very well created characters.
There are always two good points I look at a book that I would enjoy. Those two things are that it isn’t too wordy, and I’m interested in it from the beginning. Sadly for Graceling its beginning for me was vey hard to understand because they just start telling the story right away. This meant when I was reading it for the first time, I didn’t know who I was reading about and why the character was doing the task at hand. I was ready do start to loathe the book, until I finally understood who was the character. That character was Katsa. What I like about her is that she never gives up and fights to the end no matter what the situation is. She would most likely resemble the character from the DC comic Catwoman because she still fights for good in the end, but is feared through out the land because of her “killing” ability. She intrigued me more and more throughout the story, that I didn’t care what else was happening in the book beside her. Another feature that I liked about Katsa was that she didn’t want to love anyone her whole life, or have any children. But then she met Po and started to fall into the deep pit of love.. The only thing that I didn’t like what the author did to her wasn’t that every 5 pages she was all over Po or Po was all over her. Though this seemed sweet the first time, it tended to get really annoying and repetitive. Though Katsa kept me interested in the book, I also thought my love of fantasy books made me enjoy this book a lot more than just a novel.

While I was reading this book, I realized that I could keep on reading it over and over again. The reason why I wanted to do this, and why I recommend this book, is that the fantasy background is very classical. My definition of a classic fantasy background is kingdoms, high mountains, caves, swords, kings, and magic. This book in particular does offer all of that and more. When you read this book, it will transport you to a different era, filled with action and beauty. Even the whole story has a classic feeling: Power hungry kings, hidden secrets about super abilities, and the destiny to bring back order to ones kingdom. This makes me feel at best, Graceling is the best book out there for fantasy lovers. ( )

Not as good as some other YA titles out there, but not bad. This one doesn't make the transition to adult readers as well, mostly because the themes are so obvious, compared to Hunger Games, say, or even Divergent--which isn't really subtle, but does benefit, I think, from the dystopian setting.

(I'm trying to figure out why some books work well and others not so well, as far as going for both audiences, so this review is just a bit of rambling on that subject, really. I remember when this book came out--it received good press.) ( )

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, 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.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more. ( )

Graceling by Kristin Cashore is an absolutely amazing story that is unique to anything I've ever read before.

In this world, there are people who are "Graced" with special abilities like fighting, mind-reading, swimming, running. These Gracelings are marked with two different coloured eyes. This story follows the life of one remarkable Graceling girl, Katsa, who's ability is difficult to pin down because she's great at many different things, especially fighting through brute strength.

One day Katsa seemingly meets her match, Prince Po, and they go on an incredible adventure to discover, and kill, a seemingly corrupt king.

I must admit it took me a while to finish this book because it did have moments where the story seemed to drag on and I got a little bored. But, overall this is definitely a book I would recommend to everyone. The reader is taken along with Katsa as she discovers that she's not just an unbeatable fighter; she's capable of so much more. And I think that element of discovery, and how she evolves is what makes this such an epic story.

Nothing but love for this book. ( )

I read Fire, which was a prequel of sorts, earlier this year and really enjoyed it. This book sequentially comes after Fire, but was written first. Generally I like it, but did feel that it was not as well-paced as Fire. It dragged a little in the middle, but things picked up in the last quarter and ended with a compelling finale. ( )

Graceling did not immediately capture my attention, I'll admit, and it took a little longer for me to read this book than others I've given the same rating to. I found the world building to be intriguing from the start. The idea that different people have graces, basically super human skills in whatever area they are graced, and that these people can be recognized by having two different colored eyes is awesome.

Despite the appeal of the seven kingdoms, at the beginning I had a hard time getting a reading on Katsa. Eventually I did warm up to her. Katsa is that rare heroine in YA these days. She isn't willing to sacrifice herself for a companion and she considers herself perfectly capable of surviving on her own. While at times this made her seem a little arrogant, I thought it was rather refreshing in a world filled with YA heroines who constantly feel that they need to be saved by someone else, and consider themselves weak and helpless. Katsa doesn't ever want to be married or have children, and she does not set these principles aside when she falls in love. I felt that Katsa's reasons for feeling this way were well explained. If a woman doesn't want to get married or have children that is her right, and it irritates me that in other reviews I've seen, people are saying that this is not so. They are surprised that Katsa didn't change her mind when she fell in love. People cannot fathom the possibility that some women just don't want to marry or have children. Her partner, Po, accepts Katsa's choices and the romance in this book is built upon mutual respect, which is nothing to frown at.

I also don't understand the claims that this book is filled with negativity toward men. There were only two "evil" men in this book and the rest of the male characters that Katsa encounters are characters who Katsa respects and admires.

King Leck's abilities were absolutely terrifying. I thought his story felt a little incomplete once it had reached its conclusion, and that perhaps the conclusion had occurred too early in the book. Leck is a character in the prequel and companion novel "Fire" and I have to say that I am even more excited about that book than I was to read Graceling. The synopsis sounds even more unique and interesting than Graceling's. I would definitely recommend looking into that book as well if you enjoyed this first novel in the series.

One last thing to note: Bitterblue is the strangest and most distracting name I've ever come across in the Fantasy genre. That is saying a lot. ( )

Having listened to the audiobook, it's hard to separate out the writing from the delivery. I have a feeling that reading the paper version would have impressed me more for the complexity of the plot and the character development. Listening to the full-cast production, the over-dramatization was quite distracting, with some of the performers trying too hard, and the music being heavy-handed, in a way that seemed condescendingly child-oriented.

I'm finding it hard to undersatnd the book. Its too confusing to remember the characters and what happened. The book is giving too much information.

Honestly, it's hard for me to piece the words to describe how stunning Graceling was. It was action-packed, full of romance, and a badass female protagonist. It was a book I've been longing to read and what I've been searching for in a book. Not only does it part-take in a world where there are seven kingdoms where certain people are born with a Grace, the writing reels you into the thrill of the past.

I picked up this book knowing it was going to be epic. It pretty much was. Katsa was so headstrong, powerful, yet though she was under the command of her uncle, King Randa, she still knew right from wrong and she hated doing Randa's dirty work. Katsa was stubborn and strong, it seemed like she could do anything, but after meeting the strange Graceling, we get to see a much better and sensitive side of Katsa. In a fangirl way, I love her! Katsa survives it all, but I won't give anything away. Not only does Katsa know how to wield a sword, but she knows how to create her own bow and arrows and use them. That's epic. Wish I could do what she could...

Po, on the other hand, was easy to fall for. He was understanding, sweet, and brought out the best in Katsa. Pretty much what you want in a guy now a-days. Each page I anticipated Katsa and Po's kiss, their romance was slow paced but very intimate.

Katsa, Po, they were both very smart. But so were the other characters, Bitterblue, Raffin, Oll, Skye, just to name a few. They were easy to like and admire, though some came earlier in the book but showed up again towards the end, while others showed up towards the end they all were easy to love. I also do love how well-crafted the Seven Kingdoms were created and how Kristin Cashore gave each of the Kings a personality. Especially King Randa and King Leck. They conjure up emotions of dislike for each of them, which is exactly what these villans are supposed to do to the reader. Leck and Randa were created so well that Kristin was able to make me hate them as much as the other characters do.

I loved Graceling, a story with a wonderful epic tale of self-control, freedom, and discovery. I just loved this book so much! I would read it a thousand times more and I know you would too. So go pick up this book and live in the adventurous world of the Gracelings! ( )

Miranda
Mr. Bronson

Graceling, by Kristin Cashore, is the story of Katsa, a teenage girl with a special power: the power to kill. The only physical hint of her talent is her one blue eye and one green, the mark of the graced. Katsa's king uses her to punish his enemies, and the only life Katsa knows is one of training, fighting, killing, and hating her grace.
Enter Po, another Graceling. He too, it seems, has extraordinary fighting skills, and he and Katsa begin to train together. Slowly, Katsa, a solitary girl, finds herself opening up and learning to trust another with friendship. With someone to support her, Katsa realizes she has the will to defy the king and use her killing grace to do good. So begins a journey of love, power, and self-discovery.
I loved this book, and I think anyone could, and would, enjoy it. Despite the book's setting in a realm of fantasy, Katsa and the other characters are very believable. Katsa, in particular, is fun to read about, because she is so perfectly messed up. She is ornery, irritable, and utterly charming because of it. The way Cashore has her interact with other characters is very good too, especially the way she relates to Po. When they fall in love, it isn't squishy and heartwarming and all of that. Katsa stays true to form in love; she is still very un-girly and not one to mess with. She and Po are fun and lively together, and the romance isn't overdone.
This book was very creative, too. I loved the graces: there was a wide variety of these powers, as many of the characters possessed them. They brought quite a bit of action into the book. There were people who could control thoughts, people who could kill, and people who could read minds. This made for quite a few exciting twists in the story, but the idea of graces and what they could bring was one of the main points to center a complicated plot around.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Fire. Hopefully Kristen Cashore will have produced another book with the same amount of imagination and excitement as this one! ( )

Graceling took me a bit longer than most young adult novels to get into, which is the only bad thing I can say about this novel. The first few chapters read a bit like Numbers and Deuteronomy in the bible...a bit slow and boring with too many details about people I didn’t know and there were so much new information I couldn’t even keep track. Fortunately, I was warned by a friend about this and told to push past chapter 3. Unfortunately, for me, it was more like chapter 8.

I think that being the only bad thing about this novel shows just how great this book really is. Graceing is a great fantasy novel and Krisin Cashore did a wonderful job painting a classical story woven with a twist. This novel, not only had an amazing story but it was executed beautifully.

Graceling opens in a scene with Katsa on a rescue mission that will completely change her life, unknown to her. Katsa is one of the Graced, a child born with extra powers. The Graced are recognized by their two eyes, which always differ in color. Katsa is respected and feared in her kingdom...because she is graced with killing.

In what I imagine to be a late Medieval or early Renaissance period, Katsa is at the disposal of her king. The land is broken into seven kingdoms, under the rule of seven kings. Katsa acts on the Kings behalf to punish those the King orders her to.But on one particular mission Katsa starts to doubt the motives and morality of her king.

When a foreign prince shows up at the courts doorstep her life suddenly changes. Po, the Leinid prince suddenly changes her life as they set out to disempower a corrupt king. Beyond Katsa’s personal journey there is a wonderful love story that also develops between Katsa and Po.

This novel may have the best love scene I have ever, ever read. Amazing... Wow. Cashore handled these love scenes with respect and dignity. She doesn’t insult the reader by denying us the beauty of their love but rather she let it unfold beautifully. It was breathtaking. She handled the incidents with such respect that I feel it would be appropriate for younger readers. There was nothing lewd or risque showing that their love was not about sex but really about their expression of love.

I hope that Graceling will become one of those classic tales that we all come to know and love like the tales of King Arthur. Cashore writes in this poetic voice that is as beautiful to read as the story she has written. Nothing in this novel was rushed and everything developed and unfolded very naturally. I encourage everyone to pick this novel up and give it a shot...even if you do have to push through the first 8 chapters, I think it will be worth it. ( )

In my seemingly futile search for the next "Hunger Games", a friend recommended the Graceling series to me. I had been extremely disappointed with "Matched" and was loathe to try another ya fantasy/dystopia/romance but I grabbed it from the library and it was actually pretty good. Fast-paced, an intriguing world, a strong female character, what's not to love?

16 year old Katsa lives in world where some people are normal and others are "graced". The graced have special abilities that set them apart from everyone else. Some are mind readers, others can swim for miles, still others are amazing cooks. Katsa can kill.

I would recommend this book for anyone who liked the "Hunger Games" or for those who have difficulty finishing a book from beginning to end. This will grab and hold your attention. ( )

In the world of the Seven Kingdoms, there are those who are born with eyes that are two different colors. That marks them as having a "Grace" or superhuman ability. Not all Graces are equally useful or respected, but Katsa's Grace allowed her to kill a full grown man in her childhood. Since then, she has been trained to use her ability to enforce the manipulative will of her uncle, King Randa of the Middluns kingdom, torturing and maiming disloyal subjects at his command. This has also isolated her from any friends, and she trusts almost no one other than herself. Her guilt over her actions has led her to create the Council, a group which works secretly for justice in the Seven Kingdoms. In the course of a nighttime rescue of an old man, she meets Prince Po, who is also unusually Graced. The two become allies and friends, with Po encouraging Katsa to stand up to her uncle and refuse to do his dirty work. Po and Katsa leave Middluns on the trail of a dark secret involving his family and the old man's kidnapping, and they discover a Grace which has the potential to destroy all seven kingdoms. Romance develops along the way! Excellent fantasy for readers needing a more mature storyline, especially those looking for a strong heroine. Best for 8th grade and up. ( )

Shortly after birth, babies of the Seven Kingdoms eyes settle in to their lifelong color. If they are two different colors, beware, an unknown "grace" is to follow. Some graces are relatively harmless (like talking backward) and not wanted by the kingdoms, others are sought after and sometimes abused by those same leaders (mind reading, fighting). Katsa's grace is killing. Orphaned at a young age, her Uncle Randa has housed her in his kingdom, using her as an enforcer of sorts against his enemies. Katsa's life is hard and even she doesn't like what she as become. Slowly, she and a few others of the kingdom try to secretly do good deeds, such as rescuing a kidnapped grandpa from a neighboring kingdom. This brings Prince Po to Middluns--that was his grandfather--and a quest ensues as Po and Katsa journey to Monsea to try to discover why Grandfather Tealiff was kidnapped.
It was a good first story by Cashore. I did feel like I was thrown into a world I should have had prior knowledge about at times, but gradually, things would be explained. ( )

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. Is that enough of a review? No? Ok, I guess I will have to tell you why then. I am first and foremost, a fantasy lover. It has, and probably always will be my favorite genre. Kristin Cashore takes all the elements that one would find in an epic fantasy tale, and craft it into a stunningly well-written young adult novel. The world-building is simplified yet satisfying. It even includes a map at the beginning (which I absolutely adore!). The well-developed characters are not overwhelming in number, a common occurrence in adult fantasy. I think this is a great title for someone to pick up if they are perhaps transition from young adult to fantasy or vice versa.

In a land where being a Graceling is feared and avoided, there are non more formidable than Katsa. Her grace is the ability to kill with ease. Her name and the stories of the acts she was forced to commit on behalf of her king (and uncle) have reached all Seven Kingdoms. Her tell-tale one blue, one green eye is the last thing anyone wants to see on their doorstep. Katsa didn't choose this life. She doesn't want to commit these despicable acts just because she can. Doing something good with her Grace was the only way to combat the feelings of hatred for what she is welling up inside of her. Katsa creates The Council where she, basically, punishes evil men of the kingdoms and rights the wrongs. A medieval, female, Batman if you will. So on one of these missiones, Katsa meets another Graceling fighter, the Lienid prince, Po. She makes quick work of him with her ninja skills, and succinctly drops him to the ground to carry on her missive.

But Po is not done with Katsa. Of course, there has got to be a bit of romance going on in this book. And, as you might be able to surmise, it is not a damsel in distress, hero on horseback type romance. Katsa and Po find their connection through their unique yet frightening graces. Their long and treacherous journey across the Seven Kingdoms on the quest to find out the truth behind a kidnapping, bring them together in a way that is deep and soulful. Even though this book has some dark themes and events, it is not without its humor. The following is a humorous passage about Katsa trying to hide her true feelings from Po:

"She glanced up at him, and in that moment he pulled his wet shirt over his head. She forced her mind blank. Blank as a new sheet of paper, blank as a starless sky. He came to the fire and crouched before it. He rubbed the water from his bare arms and flicked it into the flames. She stared at the goose and sliced his drumstick carefully and thought of the blankest expression on the blankest face she could possibly imagine." - pg 192

The relationship between Katsa and Po is so wonderful. It isn't the typical immediate affection or constant musings that is prevalent in other books, it is a romance built on a true connection and likeness of mind and convictions. Plus Po is such a charmer I think he's going to be my new book boyfriend.

Technically, Graceling is a standalone novel, but there is a companion book out there that has one main character in common with the characters in Graceling. And while, I'm disappointed it isn't going to continue the story of Katsa and Po, I did read the prologue and I cannot wait to pick up a copy of Fire. ( )

GRACELING really captured my attention from the very first page. It is heart-stopping high fantasy. It's been quite awhile since I read high fantasy, and I wasn't sure whether or not I'd be able to get into it. Honestly, as soon as I saw the map in the front and realized it was high fantasy, I internally groaned thinking, "Do I really want to read this?" The answer is YES!

GRACELING was awesome. The characters are amazing, the relationships are dynamic, the plot is thrilling, the action is high stakes and quick-paced...am I missing anything? I fell in love with the characters immediately, especially Katsa and Po. Their relationship is intriguing from start to finish. Also, I loved the concept of the book. The idea of graces (in different terms) has been done before (can we all say, X-Men?), but I appreciated it being used in the high fantasy world the author developed. Also, learning more about the graces, Katsa and Po's specifically, was interesting.

With all the great stuff, I forgot to mention that the author can write. Like, really, really, write well. Like I said, I was sucked in from the very beginning and could barely put it down (I did have to sleep sometime, however).

I highly recommend GRACELING to everyone who likes YA. Screw whether or not you read high fantasy, you should try this one. ( )

I just couldn't get into this book. The characters didn't appeal to me and I found the story to be too slow to be interesting. ( )

A wonderful coming of age tale with a fantastic blend of elements: adventure, romance, mystery and even a bit of swashbuckling. The pacing of the story is well done and I love the main characters Katsa, Po, and Bitterblue. To see my full written review and video version go here. ( )

Katsa has been graced with an extraordinary ability to kill since she was a little girl. Eyes of different colours, a common trait among those who are graced, Kasta is used by her uncle, King of Middluns to carry out his dirty work. That includes hurting, torturing, sometimes even killing people against her will and conscience. Through a series of events, Po, a prince of Lienid, who is also graced, becomes a friend, ally, lover, and friend. Together, Kasta and Po embark upon a mission to uncover a secret that may unravel the tenuous balance between the seven kingdoms and ultimately the unexpected love that blossoms between them.

Katsa may be rough around the edges, but I like her. She is a no nonsense, kick you in the balls, and then ask questions later kind of girl. But at the heart of it all, there is also a vulnerability about her that gives her depth and nuance as a character. Graceling is an action packed story filled with suspenseful action, witty banter, and interesting characters. My only critique of the book is that there were certain portions of the story that felt rather abrupt and sudden. The resolutions came so quickly that I kept thinking that there would be more elaboration, only to find chapters later that there really were no gimmicks and events had truly resolved themselves in a paragraph and a half. Despite the fact, I will eagerly anticipate the next volume in the series as both the story and the characters were worth the time invested. ( )

(Whole series) In one kingdom, Gracelings are people born with two different eye colors and mystical powers. Some Gracelings have useful Graces, others are mistrusted. In another kingdom, separated by almost-impassible mountains, Monsters are found everywhere – magical and vicious versions of common animals. There is only one human Monster, and her name is Fire. Cashore has created an interesting world, and I imagine future books will explore all the various ramifications of Gracelings, Monsters, and other magical beings. These books are also a study of human nature – what makes us who we are? What do we do because of it?

A very refreshing young adult novel with an atypical female lead. Katsa is a Graceling, a person born with a special enhanced ability (not a super power persay, as they are more mundane abilities; referred to as a Grace), and evident by having eyes of two different colors. Katsa's Grace is for fighting and her uncle the King uses her as his enforcer. Katsa is a smart woman, can easily beat or kill anyone who comes against her and desires none of the trappings or roles for the women of her country. She can take care of herself, and frequently is the one doing the rescuing. This a good book for young girls, and a good alternative for a genre which can be filled with princesses needing rescuing or focused on marriage. ( )

I liked this fantasy tale of a medieval-like kingdon where a few people are "graced" with superpowers. A strong female protagonist and a nice romance too. Appropriate for mature teens and still interesting and fun for adults. ( )