Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1) in What's the Name of That Book???

Oct 03, 2010 karen rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, and-so-this-is-grad-school, why-yes-i-ya

it is so hard to write reviews for books i actually like. no, love.

talking about this book is like trying to describe to someone a relationship from long ago that was bittersweet and is now over, but i have never had a relationship that involved so many horses and swordplay, not even metaphorically. and fewer people care about my love life than about this book.

(i see you ariel - you are glowering at me with tiny slitted eyes)

but this book is like a wonderfully sweet relationship. at the beginni it is so hard to write reviews for books i actually like. no, love.

talking about this book is like trying to describe to someone a relationship from long ago that was bittersweet and is now over, but i have never had a relationship that involved so many horses and swordplay, not even metaphorically. and fewer people care about my love life than about this book.

(i see you ariel - you are glowering at me with tiny slitted eyes)

but this book is like a wonderfully sweet relationship. at the beginning, you can't even imagine how you ever got along without it.and your friends (ariel) try to talk you out of it "oh, don't get with that guy, he gave me herpes" or whatever... but at the beginning everything was shiny and magical and when things started to go a little bit awry, i wrote it off as a glitch - a bad day that didn't necessarily mean that we weren't super awesome soulmates.

(because it's true - the "girl time in the mountain" sequence was the weakest, but i really thought the book rebounded to perfection afterward. we can forgive one drunken dalliance, can't we? one lapse in judgment?? what happens n graceling stays in graceling? yes?)

i just loved so much about this book - i never ever get invested in the love story side plots of these teen fiction books - i have yet to be on a "team". but this time, i fully believed in their attraction, and i really wanted these crazy kids to get together and kick ass together forever. their fighting scenes, when they were fighting each other, were hugely erotic,and for once the male lead seemed worthy in a way that others have not been. their shyness, their tenderness.... i found it very sweet. and if i was a crying type of girl, i would definitely have cried at this one.

so i am seriously bummed that the sequel is about the early life and times of king lamewad and not about anyone i actually cared about. but i will probably read it anyway, completist that i am.

and eventually, because i think i have largely abandoned this metaphor, and it is very important to follow through, even though there were bumps in the road and people got hurt and friends were less free with advice in the future, the experience was a generally positive one, and the memory lives on as an Important Time where everything seemed possible. even liking a book ariel said was bad...

come to my blog! ...more

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Jan 02, 2009 Lisa Vegan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, orphaned-and-quasi-orphaned-kids, readbooks-female-author-or-illust, young-adult, reviewed, novel, speculative-fiction, z2009, zz-5star

I love it when an author can create a full alternative world. This story has a rich and believable unique world, and it contains a fascinating premise, interesting characters, and a wonderful storyline.

I was captivated; it hooked me from the beginning and I actually continued to get more engrossed as the book progressed.

I love Katsa and Po and Bitterblue and some other characters too.

I was afraid it would be more of a romance than I’d be interested in but, while the romance was a crux to the sto ...more

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May 01, 2009 Wealhtheow rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

In the world of the seven kingdoms, gifted children known as Gracelings are prized--and feared. Marked by mismatched eyes, each Graceling has a specific and almost superhuman skill--excellence at baking, at swimming underwater, at dancing or fighting. At age 8, Graceling Katsa killed a man. Ever since, her uncle, King Randa, has used her as his enforcer and assassin. Despite her reputation as a mindless killer whose bloodlust is only held in check by her uncle, Katsa is growing increasingly unco In the world of the seven kingdoms, gifted children known as Gracelings are prized--and feared. Marked by mismatched eyes, each Graceling has a specific and almost superhuman skill--excellence at baking, at swimming underwater, at dancing or fighting. At age 8, Graceling Katsa killed a man. Ever since, her uncle, King Randa, has used her as his enforcer and assassin. Despite her reputation as a mindless killer whose bloodlust is only held in check by her uncle, Katsa is growing increasingly uncomfortable with her missions. Randa and the other kings are so focused on power that they neglect their citizens. With her two fellow enforcers and the king's son Raffin, she creates the Council. Through small, grassroots oriented actions, the Council helps the citizens of all seven kingdoms learn how to keep themselves safe.
All this is background--the true plot begins when Katsa encounters the Leinid prince Po. He is a Graceling as well, and for the first time Katsa can let loose while fighting someone. From training together, they develop a close friendship. Together, they must discover the true plot behind the kidnapping of Po's grandfather.

This is not a perfect book. The writing is a bit clunky, particularly at first, and I don't think the Council was as rounded out as it could have been. Princess Bitterblue was unbelievably thoughtful and articulate for a 10 year old. The ending was a little rushed.
But.
This was a really exciting, enthralling story. I found myself reading as quickly as possible, just to find out what happened next. I literally shouted out loud when Katsa *runs for days over mountains* with Bitterblue on her back, fighting mountain lions all the way. Although she seems like a cliche in the first few chapters, Katsa is far from it. She loves having superhuman physical powers, even though she is aware of how it sets her apart from an ordinary life. She refuses to be tied down--even after she falls in love, she maintains her stance against marriage and children (take THAT, Tamora Pierce!). The characters aren't stupid, either. I realized who the villain of the story was only a few pages before the characters themselves, and there is an actual, plot-related reason it took them those extra pages.

This is not the most well-written fantasy novel, but it is one of the most exciting, least problematic books I have read in some time. Given that this is the author's first novel, I can't wait to see what she does next. ...more

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Sep 21, 2011 junia rated it liked it

Shelves: ya

Okay, the story is addicting and it is WELL-WRITTEN.
I'm just jealous because Kristen Cashore looks so young.

But, I guess with all fantasy, I have my issues.
First of all, the last part with the whole "training girls how to fight" thing was kind of.. lame... I mean, the soapbox was kind of over obvious.
ALSO what bugs me is when the story is about the romance rather than the adventure.

Don't get me wrong, I like the development of any sort of relationship, but I hate it when the story takes the back ...more

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Aug 31, 2015 Janet rated it liked it

Shelves: yanovels, fantasy

I liked it, don't get me wrong, but I think I've read too many action hero books lately. It's great that the main character is so strong and capable and an amazing fighter, and basically has super powers, but I found her a little boring. Despite that, I was chugging along happily enough until the ending. I couldn't figure out why I disliked it so much; then I remembered the ending of Jane Eyre. They're remarkably similar, and I have always hated Jane Eyre. Especially the ending. I wonder what th ...more

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Apr 11, 2009 Emma rated it really liked it

Graceling (2008) by Kristin Cashore is, in many ways, the fantasy novel I have been hoping to stumble upon all summer.

In the world of Graceling certain people are graced in their youth with a powerful ability. Some might call these Gracelings lucky, blessed even. But Katsa knows that her own devastating Grace of killing is more burden than blessing. Forced to do the bidding of her uncle, King of the Middluns, Katsa is dispatched to dole out tangible examples of the King's disfavor.

Katsa lives he Graceling (2008) by Kristin Cashore is, in many ways, the fantasy novel I have been hoping to stumble upon all summer.

In the world of Graceling certain people are graced in their youth with a powerful ability. Some might call these Gracelings lucky, blessed even. But Katsa knows that her own devastating Grace of killing is more burden than blessing. Forced to do the bidding of her uncle, King of the Middluns, Katsa is dispatched to dole out tangible examples of the King's disfavor.

Katsa lives her life apart from the rest of the court in her uncle's castle, avoided both because of her fearsome Grace and her startling eyes--one blue and one green--that mark her as a Graceling. Though far from content, Katsa has reconciled herself to this life.

At least until she meets another Graceling, a prince called Po. Skilled in the art of combat, Po is the first worthy opponent Katsa has encountered. The prince might also be the first friend Katsa has made since her Grace first revealed itself.

Together, the two embark on an adventure the likes of which neither can imagine in search of a truth almost too diabolical to believe.

Katsa is a strong and complex character that readers are sure to adore and admire. She is also headstrong, almost to the point of absurdity. Her opinions on marriage and children are central to the plot and indeed to Katsa's identity. Still, by the end of Graceling I couldn't help but wonder, if two people love each other and know they want to be together, what is the harm in being married? Katsa says repeatedly that she won't compromise her freedom by marrying anyone which is a very difficult but admirable position to take. And yet. It seems to me that loving someone at all is a compromise whether you marry themor not.

The plot itself is no less compelling. Though I was sorry to see so little of Giddon (I took an instant liking to him as a character), it was a joy to read about Katsa and Po's blossoming relationship and to see Katsa come to terms with her Grace and the responsibility that comes with it. Cashore's villain is stunningly diabolical and cunning--so much so that I have to admit the ending did feel anti-climactic.

Graceling is everything a reader can hope for in a fantasy. Cashore's writing and her world building are utterly unique--the only disappointment is that I didn't think of it myself. The book is filled with action, fights, journeys, and even some romance. The setting, like the characters, are straightforward and evocative. Lienid particularly jumped off the page with Cashore's descriptions. ...more

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May 14, 2012 Christina rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

I really enjoyed this! It was kind of like a cross between "The Hunger Games" and "East," with shades of Robin McKinley as well. There were certain sections when I was so absorbed in the book I felt very confused when I finally looked up. The Grella's Pass sequence was one of them, and I don't usually go for "survival in harsh nature" scenes or stories. I felt as if I was right there, all the more impressive since I was reading outside at the time, in direct sunlight on an 80-degree day.
I'll adm I really enjoyed this! It was kind of like a cross between "The Hunger Games" and "East," with shades of Robin McKinley as well. There were certain sections when I was so absorbed in the book I felt very confused when I finally looked up. The Grella's Pass sequence was one of them, and I don't usually go for "survival in harsh nature" scenes or stories. I felt as if I was right there, all the more impressive since I was reading outside at the time, in direct sunlight on an 80-degree day.
I'll admit to having some trouble in the beginning when it seemed like "exposition everywhere, and not a drop to drink." Katsa frustrated me, but she grew on me as she, well, grew. I also liked Po most of the time, although my favorite character, late-introduced though she was, was definitely Bitterblue. I was also very impressed by the fight scenes; there were a lot of them, and I thought they were described well, in a way that made me feel that I knew what was going on and didn't jar me out of the book with being overly-descriptive.
I saw a couple of reader comments on Goodreads, actually I think they were on the next book but may be on this book as well (I'd check but I don't really care), where people were complaining about Cashore's "anti-marriage and pro-casual sex agenda." This struck me as absurd. First of all, there's nothing in this book that says "all marriage bad"; it's more like "given the way marriage works in our world and the relative position of our characters, at this time it would be a wicked bad idea for me to marry you." That's...that's not really an agenda, and personally I found it refreshing, considering marriage is usually the result of fantasy romance. I also found the sex scenes suitably vague and fairly romantic. There's nothing casual about sex between two people who are in love and committed to one another, especially when neither one of them has sex with anyone else in the whole book. Oh, Kristin Cashore, your agenda! Your terrible agenda! It's because of you the teenagers are having the premarital sex these days, because they never would have thought of it before! ...more

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Jan 22, 2009 Kelaine rated it really liked it

Shelves: teens, fantasy

Thanks to Beth for recommending this one. Strong female character.

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Dec 10, 2009 Jessie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: readaloud, coffee-and-books

This is one of the best first novels I've read in a long time. It's rare that I find a book that works well as a read-aloud, enthralls both me and my husband, and includes amazing characters and a truly vibrant and fully realized world. Graceling has it all. We both loved the story of Katsa and Po, which was one of the most unique "teen romances" I've ever read. I put that in quotations because it's so much more than just a teen romance. It's a heartbreaking, uplifting and amazing story. We were ...more

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Oct 11, 2009 emily rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, 2008-to-2010

this was very obviously a first novel, but for all that it was really enjoyable. the characters are sympathetic and the plot surprised me at many turns. nothing felt tacked-on as an afterthought; it read quickly, felt cohesive, and at the end i was satisfied with where everybody had ended up. it wasn't the most riveting book i've ever read, but as i said, it was her first, and cashore has shown she knows how to write. i don't doubt her future works will only get better. ...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Hannah added it

Shelves: ya, high-fantasy, for-class-masters

This was pretty awesome. I know I've seen it around for years, and I know Cashore graduated from the MA program I'm in, but somehow I never really heard much about it, so I'm glad it was assigned for class. A very solid book, indeed. I don't feel compelled to create more hours in the day to read the rest of the series right away, but I dare say I will get to it pretty quickly the next time I have some vacation time. ...more

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Dec 03, 2008 Melissa Rochelle rated it liked it

Shelves: library, young-adult, scifi-fantasy

I liked it...I didn't love it. I wanted to love it, but the lack of a clear, well-thought out conclusion was a little annoying. But was it good enough to keep me reading the series? You betcha. ...more

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