Bitterblue (Graceling) (edition 2012)

I hate to say anything bad about Kristin Cashore’s books, because Graceling and Fire impressed me so much and won me over completely. However, BITTERBLUE was the definitely the weakest of the three due to characterization, plot, pacing, suspense…basically all elements of storytelling.

I admire that Cashore tries to tell Bitterblue’s story. Bitterblue, with her tragedy-laden history as revealed in Graceling, deserves more page time, deserves the voice she barely had in the first book. And yet despite Cashore doing a complete rewrite of this book at her editor’s behest, BITTERBLUE could’ve done with at least two more complete rewrites. There was a story at the heart of it, but there were too many only-half-interesting side plots obscuring the heart.

(Not that the side plots didn’t have their own potential. They did. But not in the way everything was threaded together in BITTERBLUE on the slightest of threads.)

Whether the result of the incomprehensible plotting and stuttering pacing or something else, the writing in BITTERBLUE felt weak as well. Witticisms that were supposed to be witty. Tearful revelations that were supposed to crack the haze of confusion and apathy in my heart. Nope. Nothing. I didn’t so mind the fact that there was not the level of romance prevelant in Graceling and Fire as I did the fact that the writing was stilted and awkward. Now, I know that Bitterblue spends the majority of her time in this book wandering around, confused about what’s been going on around her. I also know that when Leck died, he left his country in a state of muddled, bleary confusion. Still, there is a subtle but importance between characters that are confused, and readers who are. BITTERBLUE was so confusing as to make me think that Cashore herself was still confused even in the final stages of editing it.

Even after all that, though, I still cared about the characters in BITTERBLUE. So I’ll chalk this one up to a difficult story that needed five more years of revising for maximum effect, and look with optimistic (and patient) eyes toward what Cashore has to share with us next. ( )

I really enjoyed Bitterblue, even though I didn't remember the details of either Fire or Graceling. While it does seem a bit slow at parts, the book has great characters, setting and plot. My personal favorites were Po (Bitterblue's friend/advisor/midreader) and Saf (general rouge). Simply a satisfying read for all parties. ( )

It took a long time in getting someplace but somehow that was not dull. Unlike Graceling, Bitterblue was slower paced, especially in the beginning, but still kept my attention, so I read on with interest but not with excitement. Maybe after Graceling, I needed a break from all that action. Still, as the middle was reached, the pace and the reason for all the background stuff became clearer. You need to have patience with this one.

When I was half way through the book I thought I would be disappointed in the book when it was done but in fact, it thrilled me in a totally different way than Graceling did. It surprised me too. I did not see a few of the twists coming at all. The reader's knowledge and insight is hindered and blossoms with Bitterblue's knowledge. I loved that technique because it feels like reality where you don't know everything that happens and why, yet later on, you see the connections.

I loved that the whole world is getting fleshed out. First, with Graceling, then (in my case) Fire and finally with Bitterblue the "interconnectedness" of the regions is clearer. I like how a little piece of one area floats into the story of another, entwining them. I also like how the time frames are not exactly the same, creating more richness for the whole fantasy world creation.

I didn't want this to end yet. I didn't want to leave this place and these people yet. I want to know what's happening right now. I can't say I wasn't satisfied with the ending. Several things were resolved; several things were put in motion that would lead to resolution; the more immediate things generally wound down. The thing is, the world and the characters were so well realized, there's so much to them and so much going on and everything is so large and full that there can't be something that feels like an end. All of these lives and so many huge events and undertakings that surround the core story are still going on. I now feel shipwrecked with no communication with the outside world. I'm not ready to move on any more than I'm ready to die = which I'm not. There are more books here and I hope she writes them: sequels, companion novels, whatever she and her publisher want to call them.

I don't have time to do this justice. This and 5 stars will have to do, at least for now. ( )

I didn't want this to end yet. I didn't want to leave this place and these people yet. I want to know what's happening right now. I can't say I wasn't satisfied with the ending. Several things were resolved; several things were put in motion that would lead to resolution; the more immediate things generally wound down. The thing is, the world and the characters were so well realized, there's so much to them and so much going on and everything is so large and full that there can't be something that feels like an end. All of these lives and so many huge events and undertakings that surround the core story are still going on. I now feel shipwrecked with no communication with the outside world. I'm not ready to move on any more than I'm ready to die = which I'm not. There are more books here and I hope she writes them: sequels, companion novels, whatever she and her publisher want to call them.

I don't have time to do this justice. This and 5 stars will have to do, at least for now. ( )