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Graceling - Kristin Cashore
Jan. 5th, 2012 02:18 pmTitle: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Series: Cashore's novel Fire is set in the same world, but the two novels stand alone.
Categories: YA, fantasy, adventure, romance, self-discovery, intrigue
Notes: Audio is full cast
Other works by Kristin Cashore: Fire (same setting, can be read without reading Graceling & vice versa)
This is a tale of adventure, intrigue, danger, and transformation. Our hero is the Lady Katsa, who is one of the Graced—people with special inborn abilities, recognized by their mismatched eyes. Her grace: fighting. Her uncle, one of the seven kings, uses her as a thug to punish those who bruise his pride. The novel follows Katsa’s development from a tool into an independent woman, beginning with her actions as leader of a Secret Council through the kingdoms. Katsa and her friends rescue the kidnapped grandfather of the king of Lienid. In order to protect him, she and the Council must find out who ordered his kidnapping and why.
The characters are compelling, and the way they develop over the course of the book is gratifying and feels genuine. Characters grow and change in ways that I think most readers will relate to and empathize with.
Some aspects of the plot are predictable, especially to those who read voraciously, but other twists and turns are genuinely surprising. I greatly enjoyed this book, and it is hard to write about it without giving all the best parts away. Additionally, although Katsa is a young woman, I think the story and other characters will appeal to male readers as well. The romance aspect of the novel is also not overwhelming or sappy, so it will hopefully not be a deal-breaker for readers less interested in love stories.
I highly recommend Graceling.
Author: Kristin Cashore
Series: Cashore's novel Fire is set in the same world, but the two novels stand alone.
Categories: YA, fantasy, adventure, romance, self-discovery, intrigue
Notes: Audio is full cast
Other works by Kristin Cashore: Fire (same setting, can be read without reading Graceling & vice versa)
This is a tale of adventure, intrigue, danger, and transformation. Our hero is the Lady Katsa, who is one of the Graced—people with special inborn abilities, recognized by their mismatched eyes. Her grace: fighting. Her uncle, one of the seven kings, uses her as a thug to punish those who bruise his pride. The novel follows Katsa’s development from a tool into an independent woman, beginning with her actions as leader of a Secret Council through the kingdoms. Katsa and her friends rescue the kidnapped grandfather of the king of Lienid. In order to protect him, she and the Council must find out who ordered his kidnapping and why.
The characters are compelling, and the way they develop over the course of the book is gratifying and feels genuine. Characters grow and change in ways that I think most readers will relate to and empathize with.
Some aspects of the plot are predictable, especially to those who read voraciously, but other twists and turns are genuinely surprising. I greatly enjoyed this book, and it is hard to write about it without giving all the best parts away. Additionally, although Katsa is a young woman, I think the story and other characters will appeal to male readers as well. The romance aspect of the novel is also not overwhelming or sappy, so it will hopefully not be a deal-breaker for readers less interested in love stories.
I highly recommend Graceling.
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