Winterkeep

Graceling Realm #4

by Kristin Cashore, Kuri Huang (Illustrator)

Something is rotten in the heart of Winterkeep...

Four years after Bitterblue left off, a new land has been discovered to the east: Torla; and the closest nation to Monsea is Winterkeep. Winterkeep is a land of miracles, a democratic republic run by people who like each other, where people speak to telepathic sea creatures, adopt telepathic foxes as pets, and fly across the sky in ships attached to balloons.

But when Bitterblue’s envoys to Winterkeep drown under suspicious circumstances, she and Giddon and her half sister, Hava, set off to discover the truth–putting both Bitterblue’s life and Giddon’s heart to the test when Bitterbue is kidnapped. Giddon believes she has drowned, leaving him and Hava to solve the mystery of what’s wrong in Winterkeep.

Lovisa Cavenda is the teenage daughter of a powerful Scholar and Industrialist (the opposing governing parties) with a fire inside her that is always hungry, always just nearly about to make something happen. She is the key to everything, but only if she can figure out what’s going on before anyone else, and only if she’s willing to transcend the person she’s been all her life.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Audiobook, Young Adult Fantasy, High Fantasy

528 pages, Hardcover

First published January 19, 2021

About the author

Kristin Cashore grew up in the northeast Pennsylvania countryside as the second of four daughters. She received a bachelor's degree from Williams College and a master's from the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons College. She currently lives in the Boston area.

Reviews

[zuza_zaksiazkowane · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
I LOVE THIS SO MUCH

[may ➹ · Rating 4 out of 5]

immediately after I finished this book, I wrote in my notes, “god im. why am i literally about to cry I CANT DO THIS AGAIN i refuse to shed tears over the work of a white woman yet again NO” so that’s how it’s going

—★—

4.5 stars

As with any continuation of a series, and especially so with one so beloved to me, I was slightly nervous going into Winterkeep, afraid that this book wouldn’t live up to my high expectations—but I was not disappointed in the least. Winterkeep is a fresh addition to the Graceling books and world, reminding me of everything I loved about the series while bringing new content to the table.

I know a lot of people were a bit apprehensive at the idea of another book in the Graceling Realm series, and I’ll admit I never really understood that. I feel like it’s pretty clear that in each installment of this series, Cashore explores different characters, settings, and issues, and that’s exactly what she does in Winterkeep—we are transported to the nation of Winterkeep, with new and old characters, taking on political corruption through a new lens.

“Maybe you have too much experience of the bad things that happen when you love someone, and too little experience of the good things,” he said. “Maybe you’re protecting yourself.”

There are five POVs in Winterkeep: Bitterblue, the queen of Monsea; Lovisa, the daughter of two politicians in Winterkeep; Giddon, Bitterblue’s best friend and an exile; Adventure, a fox living in the household of Lovisa’s parents; and a large monster in the sea who may or may not be known as the legendary Keeper. All the characters, both new and old, were written well with satisfying arcs, and I was reminded yet again of why Cashore’s books hit me so hard—the initial lack and gradual gaining of agency as the driving force of her characters’ arcs will never fail to make me emotional.

While I enjoyed reading from the perspectives of characters I’d known and loved from before, I adored the new characters as well. Lovisa in particular was a delight: I enjoyed her character and voice so much and loved how her story explored abuse, identity, family, sex, and also what it means to be loyal. And I never thought I would enjoy reading from the mind of a telepathic fox, but I fell in love with him quickly and thought his voice was written brilliantly—even his perspective took a close look at abuse and exploitation. Also, this book made me like Giddon a lot more than I ever thought I would, which honestly shows great skill on Cashore’s part.

I think you did something terrible, said Bitterblue, because you had to. I don’t think you’re terrible. It’s not the same thing.

Speaking of Cashore’s writing—she is masterful at sowing fear and uneasiness in her words and making you want to keep reading and never put the book down. It may not be a particularly thrilling part of the story, but there’s this level of suspense that is always present and fills you with the urge to keep reading, the sense that there is something wrong and you have to know what. Cashore’s writing remained as gripping as ever in Winterkeep, gently pulling me into the story bit by bit until I was completely engrossed without realizing it. I was able to read this 500-paged book in only two days, and it was all because of Cashore’s writing.

I also loved the exploration of a new setting with different political issues that were still reminiscent of problems in the previous books, with the ever familiar political corruption simmering underneath. The themes of this book (and series) are brilliant and all too recognizable in our own world, from the varying impacts of abuse and trauma, on children and animals and kids long grown up but still learning how to cope with the lingering effects—to the endless, cyclical fight to detect and stop corruption from blooming where there is power (and someone, somewhere, always has power). In Winterkeep specifically, I was also pleasantly surprised to see environmentalism and the effects of irresponsible governments on nature. Cashore always delves into these issues with so much nuance, grace, and care for the characters who are at the heart of it, while balancing some of the darker content with other lighter moments, and Winterkeep is no exception.

The only part of this book that I disliked was Bitterblue and Giddon. I don’t want to go into any details in order to avoid spoilers, but certain parts did make me a bit uncomfortable (though in this book I’d say it’s less weird since they’re older). But I think you can still enjoy the book if you don’t enjoy them, because clearly I did.

It had taken her so long to give up that key, the key to her cage. But it was a cage that no longer existed, because she’d destroyed it, by herself.

Overall, I enjoyed Winterkeep so much, and I am so happy we had another chance to be back in the Graceling realm. If you are a fan of the series, you will definitely love this book, and if you haven’t read the Graceling books yet, I hope you do. Cashore writes YA fantasy like no other, set apart with her classic, timeless voice and thoughtful examination of abuse and politics. This series truly holds a special place in my heart, and I cannot wait for the last book to join it.

—★—

:: representation :: biracial (Black, white) MC, Black wlw MC, Black characters

:: content warnings :: parental abuse (physical, emotional), animal abuse, gaslighting, death/murder, sexual harassment, kidnapping, drowning, depictions of trauma

Thank you to Penguin for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.

All quotes are from an advanced copy and may differ in final publication.

[Lea (drumsofautumn) · Rating 5 out of 5]

1.) Graceling ★★★★★
2.) Fire ★★★★★
3.) Bitterblue ★★★★★

“It had taken her so long to give up that key, the key to her cage. But it was a cage that no longer existed, because she’d destroyed it, by herself.”

I have been a huge fan of the Graceling Realm Trilogy ever since I first read it after Bitterblue's release. The series means a lot to me because I discovered it right when I started becoming the reader that I am today and the series was something that so perfectly encapsuled all the things that I love in books.

Ever since finishing Bitterblue, I have always wanted more books in this series. I wanted to read more about this world and I wanted to read more from these characters. So when Winterkeep was announced, I honestly could barely believe it. After all those years of me putting my wish out into the universe, it finally came true.

Winterkeep takes place four years after Bitterblue and a new land, Torla, has been discovered. The nations closest to Monsea is Winterkeep and it is quite different from what we have seen before. Winterkeep is a democratic nation that is way more industrial than any of the nations we know from the Graceling world. Not only that, there are telepathic foxes that people can bond to and sea creatures that communictae with some humans too, called silbercows.

In the beginning of this story Bitterblue, Hava and Giddon travel to Winterkeep, after envoys from Monsea drowned under mysterious circumstances. But we do not only follow their POVs but also a newly introduced character called Lovisa, who is the daughter of the president of Winterkeep.

“You’re going to be the friend to me that you’ve always been, and I’m going to show you that you’re safe now. We are not going to lose each other. You’re not alone with your fears, Bitterblue. We’re a team now, you see?”

I went into Winterkeep with really high expecations, having not only loved the original trilogy but also Cashore's more recent standalone release, Jane, Unlimited. And my expectations were more than met. Winterkeep is a beautiful addition to the Graceling series and world, that feels comfortable and familiar in many ways but has so many different aspects to offer too.

As a long-time fan of the series, I would highly recommend reading the original trilogy before you dive into Winterkeep but I will say that I think Winterkeep is very much readable on its own too. There will definitely be things that you won't have context for but it isn't really relevant for the storyline but more so for character backgrounds and relationships.
But Graceling, Fire and Bitterblue hold up so incredibly well, even in 2021, that there is no reason to skip those before you dive into Winterkeep.

“The fox wondered, as he wondered more and more lately, how any fox who cared about any human ever managed to keep the secrets of foxkind.”

Winterkeep is a nation that is very different from anything we've seen before. Even though Graceling and Bitterblue took place in a different land than Fire, they were still very similar in many aspects, with the biggest difference being the existence of monsters in Fire.

But Winterkeep is something completely new. In general, the land of Torla is quite different and very industrial. There is also a democratic system in place.
At first I wasn't sure how I felt about a land in the Graceling world having trains and airships but I got into the world of Winterkeep pretty quickly and at the end of the day, anything is possible in Fantasy, especially in Kristin Cashore's worlds.

I just found Torla and Winterkeep very fascinating and wanted to find out more about it at all times. The more I read of the book and just got a picture of this new land on the map, the more I just fell in love with it. And I think that it is a very refreshing addition to this Graceling world as we knew it before.

“She stopped in the middle of the room and stood there with her eyes on fire and her fists clenched, and Giddon was amazed, as he always was when she was angry, at how much power, fury, and force her person could convey. ”

I am always very in love with Cashore's characters and I think this book showed very specifically how much she excels at writing different character's voices. We mostly read from Bitterblue's, Giddon's and Lovisa's point of view and I never had any issues keeping these characters apart. The characters and their voices stood out so distinctly, it was almost like I could actually hear different voices in my head while I read the different chapters.

There is also other POVs but those have significantly smaller chapters and I don't want to talk about them more to not take anything away from anyone's reading experience, as I feel like you just have to discover that for yourself but they all added a lot to the storytelling.

I enjoyed reading from Giddon's point of view so much more than I initially thought I would and I really came to love him so much more than I ever did in the original trilogy. He is absolutely the charatcer that grew on me the most in this book.

“Maybe you have too much experience of the bad things that happen when you love someone, and too little experience of the good things,” he said. “Maybe you’re protecting yourself.”

But Lovisa is without question the stand-out character and protagonist for me. Her development throughout this book is immense and she goes through so much. There are huge themes of parental abuse, not only affecting Lovisa herself but also her three little brothers.

Seeing Lovisa understanding the abuse that she has faced throughout the years and her entire character development in so many different aspects was the storyline that really made the book for me, more than any of the political intrigue or mysteries (althought those go hand-in-hand with Lovisa's storyline as well).

But, again, this book deals a lot with parental abuse and in general is quite heavy and dark in parts. If you have read the original trilogy then you will already know that Kristin Cashore does not shy away from truly exploring darker themes in her stories as well and Winterkeep is definitely no exception with that.

As in the past, and maybe even more so in Winterkeep, Cashore really gives room to these themes and handles them with care. And I think that Cashore has an amazing way of balancing her stories, so that the weight of it never feels too heavy while reading and there are still so many joyful, happy and funny moments in this story.

“I don’t have time,” she said, knowing she could skip her homework, that the homework shouldn’t matter more than her brothers; but also knowing that she couldn’t stay overnight in this house, where at every moment she felt the darkness closing around her like a cold, lonely cave. Knowing that part of the reason she needed to go was to escape the sadness of these boys.”

I think that there are many more things to discuss about this book, but I'd rather you explore them yourself first and then discuss with me. I can definitely wholeheartedly recommend reading this newest addition to the series.

Ultimately, all that is left for me to say is that after years of waiting and then finally getting a new book in this series, I am left with a lot of gratitude but I am also left with wanting even more.

For me, Winterkeep has proven even further that this series and world is so worth exploring much more of and I would not mind at all for Cashore to add more books. And while I'd expect Cashore to introduce us to another protagonist if she ever adds any more books, I also think that even Lovisa's story is far from done.

Trigger and Content Warnings for murder, parental abuse, sexual harassment, slut-shaming, kidnapping, blood, drowning.

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[Tatiana]

30% DNF

Me and Kristin Cashore are through, going our separate ways, bye.

I didn't care for many things in this book: telepathic foxes, weird sea creatures, airships, sudden shift in worldbuilding from medieval kingdoms to industrial democratic countries, all simplistic and dull, characters described by how many partners they've slept with - these things maybe turn out to serve some valuable role in the story (although Cashore's "free love" message surely has been hammered well enough the last hundred times I encountered it in her books?). But, goodness, this novel is such an unfocused bore and the characters are annoying, so I'll just leave them to have sex with each other for increasingly bizarre reasons and be on my way.

P.S. Found a new word I hate - "silbercow."

_______
Another author revisiting her old series. Ag. I guess, fingers crossed and hope dies last, but I am not optimistic, especially considering how underwhelming Cashore’s last two books were. Maybe I’ll be miraculously surprised? 🤔

[Elle (ellexamines on TT & Substack) · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of my best traits is that I am normal about characters from the Graceling Realm series. No one would ever accuse me of being deeply obsessed with this series to a ludicrous degree and thinking about it constantly. That would be crazy.

Being alive was like a game, a race. She was going to win.

Queen Bitterblue of Monsea, along with her trusted advisor Giddon and her half-sister Hava, journey to a new land called Winterkeep. In Winterkeep, with a debate waging between Scholar and Industrialist parties over the legalization of zilfium, a valuable metal with dangerous environmental consequences, political daughter Lovisa Cavenda embarks on her own journeys.

This is the first book from the Graceling series with multiple primary narrators, making it a very different beast from the first three books. Winterkeep is a book with a lot of moving parts, and one that would - I think - have been easy to leave a mess. But she doesn't.

As usual, I think Kristin Cashore's shining moments are with her characters. Lovisa is just my beloved; she's a deeply complicated narrator who the author never fails to draw well. Her ending felt just right. Giddon as a point of view is unexpectedly fun; he's compelling in his grief and hard not to root for. Hava and Giddon’s friendship was one of my favorite dynamics of this book, hands down. And the fox as a narrator is fantastic, one of the highlights of the book.

I was surprised by how little I hated the new romance plot. I think that's all I really have to say.

It’s not a perfect book in terms of editing; at one point it’s just backfilled that Bitterblue was trying to establish a democracy if power were to transition, which is structurally unsound storytelling and should be changed. But overall, this one hit perfectly for me. I'm so excited for Hava's book, I can't even explain.

This world kept wanting to be bigger than she was letting it. Why did she keep trapping herself inside small things?

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[h o l l i s · Rating 2 out of 5]

Woe, for I am bummed.

Lets start with the good : where this book really shines is the worldbuilding. While the world had expanned a time or two in the first three books of the Graceling Realm series, it goes even further in WINTERKEEP. That plus the in-book passage of time, and new problems, is what keeps this series feeling fresh and, particularly in the case of coming back to a series so many years after publishing what seemed to be the final book, makes it feel less like the cash grab we so often see. But that said..

Maybe had I not just reread the first three books I wouldn't have noticed as much (though that isn't to say I would've liked it any more than I did..) but none of the recurring characters felt true to form. Giddon, in particular, felt strange as if he didn't quite fit into the shape he'd once been formed of, and Bitterblue.. I don't know. She was a harder character to like throughout the series but she was a character you could respect, to sympathize with, and yet she also felt a little untethered in this book, too. As for the new introductions? Didn't like a single one.

The plot itself felt disjointed but I'm used to Cashore stringing us along on a wild ride that only starts to make sense near the end, but this one? I don't know. Basically everything from the characters to their motivations, and how it drove the plot and their machinations, nothing really felt all that solid. I both appreciated and yet hated the inclusion of yet another twisty and toxic emotional dynamic, because it's definitely important to shed light on and have young readers educated on how it's not acceptable, but combined with the fact that I wasn't enjoying the story, or the character who took the brunt of it all? Yeah, it was tough.

I think there was potential here, for sure, and I definitely maybe had too high a set of expectations after revisiting and rediscovering my love for books one to three all over again, but.. this just didn't work for me. Not as a fan of the series or as just a reader of fantasy. I couldn't love it, could barely like it, and it seemed to take me way too long to get through. I'm sad.

I definitely wouldn't recommend this to anyone who hasn't read already the Graceling Realm books but I would also caution fans to lower their expectations. I have no idea if this is kicking out even more books to come in this world but, despite how I feel about this one, I would still read more.

2.5 stars

** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

----

This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.

[idiomatic · Rating 2 out of 5]

well! great news. in an unhinged 72 hours i have read the abbreviated graceling saga (bitterblue cut) end to end: graceling, the confident debut; bitterblue, the rich, thoughtful, deeply felt expansion; and this book, which sucks.

i do not know how this book was allowed to get made in its current state, nor do i understand the conditions of its making. (publishing is an upside-down town, but cashore thanks her longtime editor, the same as its prior books.) the quality of the prose drops off a sharp and immediate cliff and remains in a freefall no one caught. a character says "creepy" as a scene-setting descriptor at least five times—different characters, i mean. residents of a medieval-esque fantasyland that has always been casually, unstiltedly a convincing medieval-esque fantasyland will just be, like, "my boyfriend."

the prose is juvenile, and the characters act childishly within it, and this creates upsetting dissonance not only with the mature authorial hand of the previous books but also with the thematic subject of the book, which is—OBSESSIVELY—heterosexual sex. the book is our bodies ourselves obsessed with instructive fucking, specifically instructive fucking between a woman and a very nice man, and the warning that a girl-child might make stupid sexual decisions but should never, ever fuck for any reason other than True Love (with a man who is so very nice). all, again, in a prose that far more comfortably suits a middle-grade and seems to estimate the age of its average reader as a healthy twelve. it is difficult to wade through. cashore is determinedly progressive in her own head, which means the first time you hear the word "slut" (again, the total lack of language edit in this book) you hear it applied to a man, and are palpably expected to startle at the Subversion. it is 700 digital pages of being lectured by your babysitter before her boyfriend picks her up for the movies. again, in this presumption, you are somewhere around twelve.

the True Heterosexual Love is bitterblue's and giddon's, familiar from past books; the Nice Man is giddon. this comes on the heels of their dynamic in bitterblue, which was a pleasantly charged and immediately legible young queen/tarnished hand situation. i liked it very much there (and found it a pleasant contrast to bitterblue's main romance, which was the worst thing about that book). this is a wasteful rendering. cashore has said the charge in their prior book was unintentional—wild! Okay—and it very much reads like she did not reread her work to reorient herself in the world, and instead listened with curiosity to fans that liked that dynamic and tried to retrofit the story to that. it is not good character work, nor is it a good romance, both because it is disjunctive and because, again, this is not a good book. to make the romance function she is determined that two characters with previously complex, rich relationships with the full cast think, only, ever, of each other. they also cry at least once per scene. mostly giddon. this is to make a point about how giddon, allegedly a man with a full and highly chequered prior life—one that we have seen across three books—is as tender and unformed as a newborn baby in the presence of his beloved, a nonthreatening Good Man who has never had an unwholesome thought. in my opinion, yuck, and that's before we get to the absolute clown show that is their climactic sex scene. or—let me quote—"sex-touching" scene.

this is not a good book. i mentioned previously that the characters from previous books are disjunct with their previous selves, both more shallowly written and also at active odds with their former priorities. is this true of the world? oh baby the world is broke WIDE open. cashore has never been particularly inclined towards complex court politics; bitterblue had complex politics as an aspect of complex personhood but this scales the world far beyond cashore's actual care and capacity. we have feudal kingdoms over here and fracking laws over there. we have green party stickers and, ugh, airships. we have an extremely glaring case of MARGIN NOTE: HIGHLIGHT WHEN PEOPLE ARE WHITE AS WELL AS WHEN THEY ARE BROWN. all of this is beyond the author's interest, and her attempt to ground it in what she believes is politically righteous does not adequately make it seem like *she* cares about the new stakes. it's not that i think her politics are insincere, i expect they reflect her reality, but that does precisely jack for her creativity. and all new characters stagger and fall under the weight of all this didacticism.

i do not understand why this particular rock was lifted, nearly ten years since cashore finished a thoughtful and careful and rich book that was understood to be an ending. it was a complete thought. and now there's this, which is so underfed on the meal that came before it, which barely seems to have read the books it's serializing: for why? Why Did This Get Made. if kristin cashore wanted house renovation money or smth there had to be a better way.

(like if she wanted to pivot to middle grade about giant octopi? she'd be GREAT at that)

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars ⭐️

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[✨ Helena ✨]

I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

[Alexandra Elend Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The ocean had shared a secret with her. A monster had reached out and delivered a miracle. This world kept wanting to be bigger than she was letting it. Why did she keep trapping herself inside small things?”

This was such a ride. And it definitely made me experience a vast range of feelings.

Though I initially had some trouble reconnecting with the world, it's been a few years since I read the first couple of books or since the last book was released, but I can say that it was absolutely worth it. The ending, after all, blew me away.

It is not an easy or light book, though, as it deals with complicated issues such as abuse (both physical and emotional) depression, and starvation in very heartbreaking ways.

“I’m not stronger than my captors. They’re stronger than me. But I’m stronger than the way they’re trying to make me feel.”

I'll admit, one of the things that had me most interested to read this book was the fact that we had some of the characters from Bitterblue, including Bitterblue herself - a character I quite enjoyed - in it. I had missed the characters so it was nice seeing them back.

However, in the beginning, I was not sure how I felt about the new characters we were being introduced to. Especially Lovisa Cavenda who was one of the main characters. I found her annoying and really immature and she got on my nerves quite a bit so it was really satisfying seeing her character growth and the place where we leave her made me incredibly proud, a feeling that I didn't think I could feel towards her.

Seeing and experiencing her journey made me understand her character better and I can see the beauty of it now. And it is beauty and complexity and quite a bit of nuance.

“It was interesting, the way humans could decide not to see the truth when it made them too uncomfortable.”

Aside from Lovisa, we had a very dynamic and interesting cast for the adventure circumstances that we were presented with.

Complex and layered I had a lot of fun trying to discover what anything meant and forming my opinions over all of them. And they were all delightfully to get to know in different ways each and every one of them.

That most definitely includes my absolute favorite character from the whole book Aventure Fox who is, you guessed it, a fox. I was not expecting to like him so much but, well, he was truly delightful to read and I couldn't get enough of his apparitions.

“Once, long ago, she’d been happy. She’d had treasures and no one had come near them. She’d hid, and watched the water above, and loved the treasures. It had been all she’d wanted. Then one night, because of a terrible attack on the surface that hadn’t been her fault, her life had changed, and now she had silbercow friends she missed when they were gone, and her tentacle hurt, and they wanted her to do things she didn’t want to do.”

The beginning of the book, despite how familiar I felt with the characters and world, took me a while to get into.

It just seemed to drag and though what it was building was important and really relevant, well, I would have liked to speed-read it.

That was a combination of my early dislike for Lovisa's character and the way the book was divided between characters I cared a lot about and characters I didn't know yet and felt a disconnect towards. It was a necessary evil but an evil nonetheless.

Once things started to really happen and we left behind the introductory, this is the world, parts of the narration the flow of the story became much more natural and less forced as well as the fact that the mysteries were luring me and I was trying desperately to piece it all together.

“Maybe you have too much experience of the bad things that happen when you love someone, and too little experience of the good things. Maybe you’re protecting yourself.”

Another aspect of the whole story that took me a while to warm up to was the romance, which is somewhat really important, and how awkward it felt to me.

The fact that there is a pretty significant age gap between them made me, well, uncomfortable. Usually, I can get behind that fact since both characters are adults and all but the fact that one of the parties had known the other since they were children, and they were already basically adults at that point, did give me pause and left me reeling.

Again, at the time of the book, both parties are already adults that can consent and have been friends for many years but it was difficult to wrap my mind around it. Which I did at the end. Because, honestly, they are really cute together and good for each other.

I like the way it breaks the whole "your first love is your forever love" trend that we tend to follow in this kind of books, and it shows that mature relationships build over years of trust and friendship can also be a beautiful thing.

So, yeah, I ship it, really ship, if it took me a little bit of processing time before I got there.

“You’re going to be the friend to me that you’ve always been, and I’m going to show you that you’re safe now. We are not going to lose each other. You’re not alone with your fears, Bitterblue. We’re a team now, you see?”

I can not call this a proper review if I don't touch upon the very heavy emotional aspects of the story that made me fall so in love with it.

I was initially really surprised to find something so dark and frightening as well as sickening because I was, clearly, not expecting it. Much less in the amount of detail that is presented.

Cashore did not pull any punches dealing and representing this hard, hard topic.

At first, with the first glimpses I was a little unnerved but didn't thought it was quite so bad or severe as it turned out to be, but as things progressed and we learn more of the situation, well, I couldn't help but be chilled to the bone by the mere thought that someone really does that.

When the characters are forced to deal with it, well, it is rawly and touchingly depicted going quite into the way it affects someone and just how devastating of a battle this kind of abuse can be.

I believe my heart broke several millions of times through the last bit of the book when everything came to a head.

Hard-hitting is definitely a word to describe it. But also wonderfully hopeful and healing in all it's own ways.

“It’s true that I can’t imagine what this is like for you. You’ve had to make harder choices than I ever have, harder than most people ever do. But I don’t want you to think that you’re alone. I understand you might not consider me a friend. If you come back to school, you won’t be alone.”

With beautiful and deep connections and friendships to help navigate this complicated and thrilling story we also have something blooming and soft that makes it a perfect balance.

I love the fact that I never saw it coming but at the same time was there all along. Every single detail was very well foreshadowed and it paid off greatly.

To say that I feel satisfied is to not say enough because I already want to dive back into this particular story and appreciate all the little details this time around.

“The queen had offered to shoulder her burden, but Lovisa wanted strong shoulders of her own, to carry well whatever she was given.”

___________________

Well, that was a huge surprise.

One thing I think I needed to say from the get-go here is, well, this book should come with trigger warnings. It's heavy and dark and sad and devastating. It treats very difficult topics and the kind of things that are just a little too much and should never happen.

That being said, I think it did a magnificent job at showing Lovisa's journey and how all of that would, very realistically, be processed. Even if it's not pretty.

I was downright bawling my eyes out all the last quarter of the book. I was not expecting that, I loved it.

I... definitely need to ponder it more, but first impressions are, quite honestly, pretty stellar.

RTC.
__________________

I'm so excited to be reading this!!!

Even though I honestly believed that the series was done with, it's been years since the last book was published, I've grown warmer to the idea and now I am truly into it. I mean, there's still plenty to explore in this world.

I'm so glad to be able to review this before it's officially out.

Here is to a fun new read.

P.S. I'm really digging these new covers.
__________________

Oooh, that cover looks pretty good.

Am I infinitely more hyped to read these books just because it has a pretty cover? You bet I am. I just love the colors so much!
__________________

My goodness... why is this a thing?

I happen to think that the three books we kept were perfectly enough of it... though, if Cashore finally does that crossover more detailed I suppose it could be worthy to read.

As it is, I don't know how I feel about it right now. Certainly not impressed.

I guess we'll see how things develop.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

*cries eternally*

This was soooooo good!!!

Okay something that I need to get off my chest immediately is that I'm tired of seeing people in this review section saying this is just another Midnight Sun or Ballad of Snakes and Songbirds (idk if that is even the correct title) because this is not like those books at all. I've never been given the impression that Cashore is writing this continuation as a means for more money because each book has only added to the lore in a bigger and better form. She's also used her novels numerous times to start conversations in the YA community about issues like feminism, environmentalism (happens in Winterkeep), etc. I'm not going to linger on this anymore because I'm going to switch to my mix of pure, obsessed fangirl and analyst, but this is a note to all those annoying haters.

To start Winterkeep takes place five years after Bitterblue. I know a lot of YA people are not big fans of the books after Graceling because they start to have a slower pace, hold more adult themes, etc. and to that I say they sure do.

It makes them MONUMENTALLY better.

I would highly compare Winterkeep to Fire because Cashore is expanding this world to new lengths never before seen. It also takes some time for the intense action sequences to happen, but it is well worth it. Just because the action isn’t as forthcoming as it is in Graceling does not mean this book isn’t incredible. It’s very political to be honest. Lots of sneaking and scheming.

Lovisa, our newest character recruit, is a morally ambiguous teen, at times, who is torn on her allegiances and duty to her home Winterkeep or her to loved ones. Bitterblue, on the other hand, is just trying to protect and run her kingdom while dealing with another continent with insane technological advances (when compared to the Seven Kingdoms, the Dells, and their continent overall). When Bitterblue and crew start to see some mysterious and deadly circumstances taking place, they plan to get to the bottom of it.

Winterkeep is another piece of growth for this world. I laughed. I cried. And I most certainly screamed my head off. There's so many emotions that coil and boil throughout this story from the entire range of characters. I liked this installment specifically because a lot of the side characters in Bitterblue come farther into the light. Enigmas like Hava become invaluable to the storyline, and I've always been curious about her character after finding out her backstory towards the end of Bitterblue.

Now I cannot say much else because then I'd spoil you all, and that would be horrific because this is an amazing book. What I can say is I went through Winterkeep so quickly that it did not even feel like a 500+ page novel. I was devouring the lore left and right and just trying to keep up with these marvelous foxes. *wink wink*

Anyway, it was incredible, and I know I've said this multiple times already, but I just need to say it again. Cashore steps beyond the bounds of YA to bring in environmental issues to the Graceling-verse and even a darker element to politics than ever seen before. She's always been an author even before the 2010's that discussed topics not yet mainstream, but she uses her fantasy books as activist messages essentially. It's brilliant and valuable.

P.S. As a little aside, they’re some changes to this story than what happened in Bitterblue. Keep the 5 years in mind because of course nothing is the same as it once was. People growth, mature, etc.

Just like without Cashore's previous books they're some heavy triggers, and I'm going to list as many as I can recall.

TW: Animal abuse, child abuse, gaslighting (mostly parental), prisoner starvation, near drowning, sexual assault (not rape but specifically rough, cruel sexual touching without permission), suicidal thoughts, kidnapping, claustrophobia, environmental cruelty/ deterioration, and bomb warfare.

[aphrodite]

NEW GRACELING REALMS BOOK????????

[Angelica]

authors need to know when to let their series end.
It's like all the authors of the previous decade have decided that this was the perfect time to come back into the spotlight.

First The Hunger Games, Twilight, Shatter Me, The Iron Fey, and now this?????

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This review is ALL spoilers, so if you are a fan of the series and plan to read it, go to another review.

I had the opportunity to review this book from an e-galley, thanks #NetGalley, #LibraryJournal #SchoolLibraryJournal, #DayofDialogue, #DialBooksforYoungReaders

This book left me with the same questions I had about the earlier books in the series, but more so. Who is the audience for this book? The world building is ok, but the elements, especially the political elements that drive the plot, are very simplistic -- which makes you think of middle grade fiction, as do the telepathic purple dolphins and blue foxes. And then there is the explicit and promiscuous sex. So not so middle grade. And then there is a sadism that is a feature of the series. I understand that, especially in a quest book, the children or young adults need to be on their own, but every parent in this series is a true sadist, or a homicidal maniac, or dead, often at the heads of their spouse. The story has no moral center, for any of the characters -- their motto is survival at any cost.

So, I can't see recommending it to older YAs, either. The lack of focus for the characters is the characteristic of the series -- they act both older and younger than they are supposed to be. If you want interesting role models in a medieval fantasy realm, with plenty of action and adventure, try The Girl of Fire and Thorns instead.

Recommended only for series fans. The adventure moves along, some of the ideas are interesting, and there are a few interesting characters, though the most intriguing, Nev, is not developed very far. The legend of the Keeper and its reality is also interesting, but again, presented and dropped.

[shre ♡]

2010 era authors are really keeping us going in 2020.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though Winterkeep was not without its merits, maybe we didn’t need a fourth Graceling Realms book after all.

Going in, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Cahsore’s return to this series. It’s been a long time since the original trilogy concluded and I admittedly don’t remember it well (aside from the fact that I liked it very much). This one? I liked...less.

Though I don’t believe it to be notably longer than the other books in the series, it *felt* hugely overlong. It’s a slow slog punctuated by redeeming moments that—while charming—aren’t enough to stop the reader from feeling mired in an unengaging political plot and entirely too much filler material.

Generally speaking, I like Cashore’s characters and am happy to witness their interactions, even the relatively trivial ones. I also continue to love Cashore’s unique and lovely treatment of non-human/animal characters. And major points for diversity that feels natural and not like tokenism.

I didn’t love the shift in worldbuilding from traditional high fantasy to some sort of steampunk meets Waterworld hybrid. And while the intrigue along the way is quite good at times, the ultimate reason behind all the villainous plotting and heroic derring-do is um, rather dull. A daring don’t? I’ll see myself out.

I also found the blasé, la la la, everyone is randomly sleeping with everyone thing to be a bit off-putting. Cashore clearly has something she wants to say about normalizing casual sex (as this stuff started showing up back in the middle of the trilogy and increases in fervor with each book), but it feels excessive and gauche.

There is a big difference between promoting sexual freedom for women and institutionalizing the idea of sleeping with lots of partners in whom one has no emotional investment, nor any interest in forming one. I don’t particularly see this as morally problematic, but it’s kind of an eye roll of an attempt at strident feminism.

In all, this one has its good points, particularly in some of its humor, it’s excellent animal characters, and in the always wonderful Bitterblue, but it’s hugely overlong and ultimately disappoints plot-wise. If you haven’t done so already, I recommend reading Cashore’s bizarre and exceptional stand-alone novel Jane, Unlimited instead.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic addition to the Graceling Realm series. New locations, new faces, but also following up with Bitterblue several years down the road, and it turns out she is bisexual thank you very much!

Note that this can get heavy- it deals with child abuse and neglect, gaslighting, having a narcissistic parent, abduction etc. None of the books in this series are light, and Winterkeep is no different. Cashore has things to say and they aren't whimsical.

The book walks this line of feeling more mature in Bitterblue's perspective, with integrating a new teenage character to remain true to the YA nature of the series. As an adult reader it really worked for me, but I think teenagers would get on well with this as well. I loved the blend of politics, character work, and intrigue.

[Katya · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was...good enough. Just.

When I've learned of the new Graceling novel, I was excited for it, and I think for most of the book I've rode on the euphoria of reading a new Graceling book, so most of the things that snagged at me that I didn't find right with the characters and the plot and the worldbuilding were pushed down because IT'S THE NEW GRACELING NOVEL HOW DARE YOU NOT LIKE IT, right? It was nice to get back to the old world that I love, and it was nice to see some of the old characters, and I loved eploring the new lands of the old world. But. And there are many buts here.

1. Giddon and Bitterblue. They just didn't feel like people that I have came to know from Graceling and Bitterblue. (I have read all the other three Graceling realm books before reading this one). They almost felt like other people who pretended to be them.

2. Winterkeep and the other countries around it having airships. Please, please don't tell me that countries that are in the middle of what is actually an industrial revolution of sorts, and been at it for a few longs years, haven't been able to fly over the the mountains to their...West, I believe, to find out about the Graceling kingdoms.

3. The Graceling realm has been in what I'm guessing the European Middle Ages, and in the...4 years that have taken place between Bitterblue and Winterkeep, the story has gone from being in that region of time to pretty much either just before Industrial Revolution to being sort of, kind of in the middle of it? Even if it was a different continents, it's still the same world/planet. Even if they do have mountain ranges. Please, please don't tell me that the more technologically advanced nation(s) didn't want to go and explore?

4. Why is everyone having so much sex all of the sudden?

5. My personal fault here, I guess, but I kept reading Lovisa's name as Leviosa. "It's Lov-EE-sa, NOT levoi-SAR". Get wrecked, Harry Potter.

6. If there are telepathic animals in the word (and that sort of ties in with "monsters" mentioned in Fire, and Gracelings in Graceling), why are there only three animals that can be telepathic - the Keeper, the blue foxes, and the silbercows?

7. Is the Keeper the only one of its kind? Where are the others if it's not? Where are the others if it is? Why is it the only one?

8. What sort of a name is "silbercow"? That just doesn't quite sit all that well with me.

[H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Six stars for Adventure Fox's chapters. A million stars for Adventure Fox. All the baubles in the world for the Keeper. No stars or goodies for anyone else.

Spoilers ahead.

Winterkeep has many of the same issues as Bitterblue and revisited none of the things that readers loved in Graceling. Kristin Cashore's writing strengths are characterization and romance, and her weaknesses are plot and political commentary. Graceling was great because it had a small, well-developed cast of characters and a lot of time for Katsa and Po's relationship to swooningly bloom on the page. With every book in the series Cashore got further away from this, and Winterkeep contains a massive cast of forgettable characters and a tiresome plot. It has the same issue Bitterblue had, where the pacing is ruined by the characters constantly repeating the disparate threads of a mystery they know. At one point Giddon literally makes italicized bullet points of what he's learned so far, which is also what the reader has learned so far, making me feel like Cashore thought I was too dim to understand her book.

I think the book just should have been an entirely different sort of story, which is also how I felt about Bitterblue. For this book, (major spoilers ahead), Bitterblue should not have spent 80% of it locked in a room. Cashore seems frustratingly determined never to give this character any autonomy. And Giddon's first chapter was so exciting, with his jealousy and insecurities and difficult love. They should have spent the book together, with Giddon overcoming his emotional immaturity and developing into the kind of person that could redeem himself after his actions in Graceling. He could have had a clear arc—maybe even a scene where he's finally forgiven by Katsa. But instead his and Bitterblue's love develops when they're away from each other, and builds up far too quickly once they're reunited. It was the easiest and least interesting possibility.

Regarding Lovisa: I didn't care for Lovisa's plot (which was most of the book). I've never enjoyed young adult boarding school drama, and couldn't remember who all the people in her life were. And I just didn't care. Also: It is gross for an adult to write on-page sex scenes about a sixteen year-old girl. But Cashore additionally just isn't good at writing sex; the fade-to-black moments in Graceling were so passionate and lovely, but the scenes in this book involve excessive dialogue about...scrotum-stroking? Characters suddenly talk and think like robots? It was very peculiar and uncomfortable and I hated it—not because it was on-page sex, but because it was bad on-page sex.

Also, yeah, re: This poor, abused 16 year-old using casual sex to solve her problems and never facing any emotional consequences for it—other people are mentioning this so I thought I would, too. This is the first YA with on-page sex that I've ever read, mostly because I no longer read a lot of YA, but I'm under the impression that it's becoming more common in publishing and that one of the arguments for it is that teens are doing it anyway, so shouldn't they see healthy models of sexual relationships in books? I think this book is a great example of why adults should not be writing teens having sex. There's a difference between being anti-slut-shaming and up-to-date with what is actually happening in the world of teens and sex. The whole "girls can have casual sex without emotional consequences!" has sounded like feminism to a lot of people, and clearly does to Cashore, but it's not true. Like it's statistically, provably wrong. People—and especially women—tend to leave casual sexual encounters feeling worse off. Lovisa is depicted using people on-page, and they're literally treated like disposable bodies. This was awful to read in so many ways, for both Lovisa and the people she sleeps with. Ditto with Bitterblue, who sounds like a literal psychopath at the beginning of the book, being mad that someone expressed their emotional pain to her after she decided to end their sexual relationship. I guess clear communication is what makes casual sex healthy, as long as none of the communication involves expressing inconvenient emotions...? I recommend picking up Peggy Orenstein's Boys & Sex if you want to dive into the issue of young people + contemporary casual sex more deeply.

While I'm complaining about stuff: I've overlooked the Graceling Realm's fake diversity in the past because Fire's two little lines acknowledging queer female love just meant everything to me as a kid. In Winterkeep the little, teensy hints of queerness felt like slaps in the face. Either have a queer main character or don't. It honestly made me mad. And regarding race: It was super annoying that every time a "brown" character appeared the prose had to be like "AND THEY WERE BROWN-SKINNED." She never highlights the whiteness of white characters and never uses any word to describe dark skin except "brown," which just started to be a sound instead of a word to me. It was the most loveless and uninteresting word to choose.

Here's an example of where I felt it interrupted the prose, in the very first chapter, which is narrated by a kind of mind-reading squid: "The human with the white streak in his black hair, who had brown skin, dove deep again, looking for the ship. He thought about a woman sometimes as he dove, a human woman with dark braids and gray eyes who wore glimmering rings on pale brown fingers." It's that repetition of "brown" and the phrase "...who had brown skin..." ruining the rhythm of the prose that first brought it to my attention, and it proceeded for the rest of the book. I think it's a little embarrassing—and also interesting—to watch white writers become more race-conscious on the page, and to see the ways they mess up.

The world-building: It is so tedious that American fantasy authors can't stop putting Twitter politics into their books. As an American myself, it's embarrassing. There's a whole world out there! You can be inspired by anything! Readers don't need your basic thoughts on the Republican party loosely disguised as "the Industrialist" party. Arghibojgojfiovv so embarrassing and boring. I can't believe I'm saying this, but medieval Europe was the more creative setting in this world. I can't even start on Cashore's change of dialogue style in this book, which is much less traditional fantasy, as the other books were, and much more Twitter-y. (Bitterblue's, "You took my hinges!" made me physically cringe. So many lines were meant to be cutesy and made me feel like I was dying inside.)

On things I enjoyed: I am surprised by the degree to which I liked the animal narrators. I adored them. I love how Cashore painted this very earnest animal—who named himself Adventure! Like! I love this good boy so much!—as simultaneously an adorable fox but also a serious creature with his own culture, values, and needs. I love that the decent human characters are all willing to learn about his culture and respect him as an intelligent, autonomous being, even while scratching his ears or feeding him pastries. The same goes for the Keeper, who I wish had had a bigger role: I loved that in the end Lovisa gives her attic key to the Keeper, not thinking any mocking thoughts or making fun of this creature for valuing an object that Lovisa finds gaudy. She just learns that there's this strange creature in the sea that wants some shiny ring-like object and decides to give her one as a sincere gesture of respect and gratitude. That honestly warmed me so much.

Overall I think what I want from this series is much smaller than anything Cashore wants to explore (one tough girl + one romance + a bit of revolution = all a book needs to be terrific), but she also doesn't explore the right places and times of her universe, as strange as that sounds. It just doesn't work for me.

[jenny✨]

how... how did i not know this was HAPPENING until now???

first graceling reread in almost a decade, here i come!

[The Nerd Daily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Nathalie DeFelice

The Graceling Realm series came out when I had started high school (once upon a time), and I devoured each book as it came out. It’s unforgettable worldbuilding and riveting characters just hold you in place, and you can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen next. Bitterblue, I thought, marked the end of the series until Kristin announced the arrival of Winterkeep, along with a whole new re-envisioning of the series covers. To say that I was excited is a severe understatement. Even with quite a bit of time having passed since Bitterblue, I was able to pick up this story and fall within its pages as if I had never left the Graceling realm. This book was not only captivating, but intense, and as Kristin did so many years ago, she made me fall in love with each of the characters despite some of their choices. I didn’t want this book to end. Like the others, Winterkeep does have some triggers, and if physical abuse (in regard to children) is one, I might approach this book with caution.

Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, Kristin Cashore. How far you've fallen. Your debut with Graceling was so strong, and now... ugh. I had some reasonably high hopes for this, which evidently was a very unfortunate mistake. This book was boring, way too long, and stupid.

Four years after the events of Bitterblue, a new continent has been discovered to the east, with a nation known as Winterkeep lying parallel to Bitterblue's own kingdom of Monsea. While venturing over on a ship to investigate the disappearance of her envoys, the queen is knocked overboard and assumed dead, leaving her friend Giddon and sister Hava to investigate the strange goings on themselves.

So there is an absolute army of characters in this book. Honestly, it makes Fire and Bitterblue's large pool of characters seem tiny by comparison. As a result, I will only discuss a couple of the new characters to avoid this paragraph being long as hell. Bitterblue is probably the best character in the whole book, much like in the previous entry of this series. The only thing that kinda threw me is she's suddenly turned into someone who just sleeps with dudes just for the hell of it, which doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing, but it just wasn't what I was expecting. Then there's Giddon, who has gotten much less whiny and surprisingly likable, despite his annoying devotion to Bitterblue even though I never really found that they had much chemistry. Hava is pretty cool; she's up there with Bitterblue in terms of likability and is probably the most independent character in the book. And then we have the new character Lovisa, who I fucking. Hated. This girl has one personality trait: sleep with everyone who has a y chromosome. Like with Bitterblue, this doesn't have to be a bad thing, but she just lampshades it so many times and is constantly saying how she does it for comfort and it's just so poorly handled. But I'll discuss this more later. Pretty much all the other characters are lame and forgettable, so I won't waste any time on them.

Alright, so as we all know, Kristin Cashore is a big believer in women's sexual freedom and not having to get married or be tied down. I tolerated it in Graceling, barely managed to move past it in Fire, and actually somewhat enjoyed it in Bitterblue. But here, it dragged the whole book down. Oh my god, I don't know what the hell kind of message Cashore is trying to send here, but Lovisa just fucks so many dudes in this stupid book and it contributes nothing. And on two separate occasions, her decision to sleep with someone either results in that person's life being ruined or their fucking death. It makes the character so unlikable, and it wastes so much fucking time. Like, this was just such a weird choice and I did not understand it at all. Fuck this character; she's not as bad as Fire, but she's definitely the second-weakest of the leads in this series. Bitterblue had this trait too, but at least her sex-capades never resulted in ruining someone's life. There are also a few instances of background characters being described as "oh, well she had plenty of lovers before she met me". Wtf, book??? What does this add? I honestly think that Kristin Cashore included this stupid "sex with everyone" element in this book so twelve-year-olds can read it and think it's "grown-up". And please don't misunderstand me here. It is so refreshing to have an author include themes on women's sexual freedom, and I have no problem with Bitterblue and Lovisa sowing their wild oats and exploring this area. My problem is that Kristin Cashore's presentation of this element, particularly with Lovisa, basically equates to her going "look! Look how progressive and feminist I am!" She's so in-your-face about it and I HATE IT.

Bitterblue and Giddon do end up together, which means once again we get a pairing in a book where the guy is like 10 years older than the girl. I mean, I know that sometimes this does happen, but can we please see it reversed at some point? Why is it always the younger girl with the older man?

The worldbuilding was another failure of this book, in that most of the ideas were just so random and stupid. Like this world has telepathic foxes in it. Why? I don't know. What purpose do they serve? I don't know. I mean, the book does try to convey that people keep the foxes as servants or something, but it's explained early on that not many people make use of the telepathy for spying or anything, so... why??? There were also several instances where we were randomly following this weird sea creature who was obsessed with one of Bitterblue's envoys' sunken ships, but this thing didn't really do much except for something near the end of the book, so again, it seemed pretty pointless. Even the airships were barely described, and the characters from Monsea never react to them, so what's the point??? I'm sorry to keep saying this, but I don't understand the purpose of making a continent so different but then when visitors to that continent see these differences, they don't care.

My only real positive of this book was that Cashore's grammar and punctuation has seen a definite improvement, which is such a relief. However, similarly to Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series, she tried to flesh out this world by adding terms and insults like "weaselbugger" and "kitten-head". No. Just no.

At this point, I don't know if I'll read anything else that gets released in this series. Kristin Cashore has gone from a brilliantly creative name in YA fantasy to a preachy, lazy, aggressively feminist wannabe. Maybe I'll check out Jane, Unlimited, though. We'll see. 1.5 stars.

My review of Graceling

My review of Fire

My review of Bitterblue

My review of Seasparrow

[Sara the dreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was, without any shadow of a doubt, everything I wanted.

How do I start talking about this book? It was complete perfection. Being reunited with some of my favorite characters was just so wonderful, and I couldn't believe that I could read more about them. Giddon, in this book, is absolutely delightful. His growth throughout the entire series is one of the most amazing thing I've ever read, and Kristin Cashore deserves all the praise for how well she turned a selfish, privileged male character into a caring and refreshing one. Truly, reading about Giddon fighting toxic masculinity left and right while also battling his own demons and flaws is something that everyone should experience. He is such a well rounded character and his relationship with Bitterblue will never fail to make me incredibly emotional and happy. The care and the deep bond they share moved me to tears, and I will think about it for years.

Speaking of Bitterblue, I can't tell you how proud I am of my girl in this one. Seeing her grow and understand her own power, and how she should use it, makes me so happy. She has always been one of my faves, but with every book I relate to her and care about her even more. I love how stubborn, kind and thoughful she is, and how she always strives to do the right thing, even if it's not easy. Her insecurities also make her so dear and near to my heart, and I'll always cherish her.

The new world we discover in this one is also so mystical and wonderful, and it was amazing to get to see it through the character's eyes for the first time. I loved the whole mystery that propels the plot forward, and all the angst Kristin Cashore put her characters - and her readers!! - through. The suffering was wonderful and oh, so worth it. The humour is also stellar in this one, as with all of the graceling books, and I laughed out loud so many times. Did I really care about Lovisa and the new characters that were introduced? Not as much as the others for sure. But did I still have the time of my life and will reread this book as soon as possible? Absolutely.

Nothing, and I will always say it, compares to the Graceling series.

[John Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Graceling saga is rejoined by Kristin Cashore. What should have been a celebration, is really a disappointment. Although continued in the world started in Graceling and with a few characters from earlier books, this muddle does not deliver.

Having loved her earlier books, I had high expectations for Winterkeep. There are still a lot of things present that has made this series so enthralling, but from the start it never coalesces into a coherent story. Far too long, far too many diverse characters who are not developed well and meander through this story looking for something solid to hold onto. There are virtually no Gracelings to start with. One is Bitterblue's sister Hava, who plays a fairly minor role in the scheme of things, and another Trina, who is a background character at best. So what made the first three books so good, is mostly missing here.

And of course the 'monster' also believed by some to be the legendary Keeper and the silbercows and blue foxes all try to lend magic to the story, but don't really work in the end.

I'm hoping Ms Cashore can move on from this disappointment and bring back the magic from her earlier writing, as it was so good.

[Kilikina]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dial Books for this ARC chapter sample in exchange for an honest review

The Graceling Realm series is one of my all time favorites. I prayed & hoped Kristin would continue to write another book/series in this world, and I was elated when I saw Winterkeep was finally announced.

What I’ve loved most about this series so far, besides its characters, is it’s incredible world building. It’s been years since I’ve read Butterblue, yet when I read this chapter sampler it seemed like only yesterday I read that book. It was so easy to jump right back into her world and story.

This chapter sampler was perfect. It set up the story and now I’m dying for more. I cannot wait to jump back into Bitterblue, Gideon, and Selie’s world.

——————-
(FINALLY) A FOURTH BOOK IN THE GRACELING REALM SERIES?!?! THIS IS EASILY THE BEST NEWS OF THE DECADE FOR ME

[Hannah]

NOT HUMBLE, JUST A BRAG

You're gonna love it. I can't wait to read the final.

[Heather M · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* (on actually reading what I wrote here and with time I’ve dropped the rating lol) on god i'd die for lovisa. such an angry, brittle, cunning, funny, heartbreaker of a kid. as usual cashore does beautiful trauma writing and grief writing. this one kinda snuck up on me because it doesn't have the kind of large scale devastation leck visited on the entire cast, but gets into abuses more insidious and closer to home, no less difficult to read. but it was such a treat to see bitterblue in the position of taking care of a traumatized child, for a bit.

at the same time this was the funniest maybe of all the books? between lovisa, nev, bitterblue, hava, the damn foxes??? all deeply funny and distinct voices. i enjoyed the overall widening of the universe. the creature was perfect.

and look i had. hopes. for bitterblue that are well established and decidedly not giddon but it's fine, i'm actually glad that i reread the series beforehand because this was very heavily telegraphed in her book, even though cashore says she wasn't consciously intending that. and there are worse things in a love interest than ...basically just pining and being large? my grudge against him from the first book is my business and it's fine. the fact that hava was in all of his chapters just DUNKING on him really made it go down smooth. i love her. i love her. two of my favorite characters are liars and i love that for me.

i do want to talk about how much sex is in this book, not because i have trouble with it but because there's so much it really underlines how timid cashore is about f/f. more than a few mentions of queer desire and offscreen queer couples, but all of the onscreen sex is het sex. she gets a lot of credit for sprinkling queerness throughout her books, but it isn't treated the same and i don't think that's arguable. to be fair she has started something with lovisa and nev and it's nice to see that in her main characters for once but they don't even kiss and i don't know what her next book will focus on so it's just a bit frustrating.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading: Omfg I can’t believe I’m alive to read the continuation of Bitterblue/Giddon in canon. 😱

After reading: Top tier pining. I made so many highlights it's actually embarrassing lolol.

We stan a healthy relationship built on trust, respect, open communication, and friendship. How lovely that my babies found such amazing partners who make them want to be their best self.

Other jumbled thoughts:
- Parental abuse and 'sins of the father' is such a recurring theme throughout the series.
- Hava and Giddon's friendship and banter was A+.
- Kristin Cashore has revealed that the next Graceling Realm book is in revisions, and Hava is one of the characters. Imagine a whole book about war time espionage with this sarcastic BAMF. I CAN'T WAIT.
- Lovisa is the strong female protagonist that other YA books wished they had. Sex is normalized and she said NO to being called a slut. She's cunning but layered. Look at her love for her siblings. Her dynamic with Mari was fascinating. Love it.
- Cashore revealed that Nev's POV focusing on her animal medicine studies and her shitty boyfriend was cut in the final draft. It's a shame but understandable. We still got a lot of her story though and I enjoyed every bit of it.
- Creature POVs were written BEAUTIFULLY. So whimsical and pure.
- Kristin Cashore writes grief so beautifully??? I teared up so many times reading character reactions/processing their grief, even when I knew the character in question wasn't dead. I could just FEEL their devastation.

I can't wait for the next book, no matter how many years it'll take for it to release.

[Nickie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nope. Not part of the series. It is disgraceful for an author to try and pick up a series a decade later. Stop piggybacking on your old characters of which there was ONE graceling that made a brief appearance. There are telepathic foxes in this part of the world and that was about the only redeeming quality to this book. This book had tons of sex. An unnecessary and distracting amount. I think all but one of the female characters uses sex to drive the narrative. Have sex with this person that you don't care about just because you need a scapegoat. Have sex because you are bored. Have sex to show your husband who is in control. Offer sex to lure people this way and that. And obviously have sex with someone you love eventually.

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed the Gracing Realm series by Kristin Cashore.  Bitterblue in particular is a favorite character of mine throughout the series and so I was so happy to see that Winterkeep is another story that involves Bitterblue, years after she became the Queen.

It is time to explore an entire new land in the Gracing world, one with telepathic sea animals and blue foxes that bond with humans.  A place where the political machinations are extreme and the country is in on a precipice with a big political decision in the balance.  The story is told from multiple PoVs so the reader gets insight into all the machinations happening throughout.

Bitterblue has lost two of her envoys in a strange sinking of their ship.  They sent word before being lost at sea though that something was amiss and Bitterblue needed to look into a fuel that is used by most of the realms.  She wants to learn more about it herself and so, with her best friend Giddon and her graceling half sister, she takes off to get answers.  Everything does not go to plan and Bitterblue ends up in a new kind of danger.

Lovisa Cavenda, the daughter of a scholar and politician is thrust smack dab in the middle of something much bigger than she ever thought.  Her parents are not who she thought they were and she will become a big part of figuring out what is going on and why the little Queen has disappeared. Lovisa will have some very hard decisions to make, but she is a curious sort and once on the trail of a good mystery will not let it lay.

The Graceling series is an older one and so I think for fans of the series this will be hit or miss.  It was a hit for me as I loved seeing what happened with Bitterblue after her very dark book.  I wanted to see how she and Giddon got along and I was happy with the resolution to that storyline.  I loved getting to see a new land and how different it was from some of the others we have already visited.  For me this was a really good read in a world I missed.  That said, Graceling was published over a decade ago and it is an old school fantasy.  I’m not sure if you are starting the series how well it will hold up, but I did really like it back when I first read it.

“They’re stronger than me. But I’m stronger then the way they’re trying to make me feel.”

“No one can do anything with politics and government," Lovisa said scornfully. "It's just two bickering sides who are exactly the same, pretending to fight about good sense and ideals when really it's all about money.”

 
Narration:
Xanthe Elbrick seems like the perfect pick for the narration of the story.  She has been the narrator since the second book in the series and has the voice and the emotional conveyance down to really give the reader a great performance of the book.  I was able to listen to this at my usual 1.5x speed.

Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/penguin-audio/...