Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1) in YA and Beyond

Mar 30, 2010 Elizabeth *Swords for Fighting* rated it it was amazing

I loved this book! The world that Kristin Cashore created is amazing, and the added map at the beginning was a nice touch. I loved the characters. The plot was amazing. I loved everything about this book. I was hooked from the very beginning and never grew tired of reading this book. In fact, I could not put it down!

The main character, Katsa is a strong woman from the very beginning. I love that she thinks for herself even when her uncle, the king, seems to control her. I am so glad she broke f ...more

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Feb 22, 2010 Ashley rated it it was amazing

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change:

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth abo Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change:

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away.... A secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

First off, I really enjoyed Graceling because it brought something fresh and new to the table. The concept of Graces was very interesting. Graces are special powers that some people are born with, hence the term "Graceling". Gracelings can be identified by their eye color: the right and the left eye are two separate colors. Normally, Gracelings are not favored in society.

{The whole eye color thing was one of my favorite parts, because I actually do have that. Just in case anyone is wondering, it's called heterochromia. I have partial heterochromia, which means that, while my eyes are brown, I actually have this massive glob of bright green in my left eye. Okay, back to the review.}

Katsa was a new kind of heroine. I'm really not used to brusque and aloof females in fantasy as the main girls, and Katsa was very... tomboyish. It wasn't bad, just different. For instance, she's completely and one hundred percent opposed marriage, like, she never ever in her entire life wants to get married. Even though she loves Po and wants to be with him, she refuses to marry him.

Speaking of Po......... LOVE HIM! He was so well fleshed out, and I really appreciated the slow build to his and Katsa's relationship. They started out as friends, and then slowly blossomed into lovers. It was very nice, and led to some very romantic moments.

The plot was great, although a little drawn out at the end. But it wasn't anything unmanageable. It was actually pretty suspenseful, and I found myself biting my nails sometimes as I read. Also, I really wasn't expecting what happened to Po, but I guessed it a little before it was revealed. Still, it added depth and reality. Life isn't all completely happy endings, and while this is fantasy, it certainly is not fairy tales.

I also enjoyed reading about Katsa's friends, who were very well portrayed. I love side characters that actually mean something, and are not just there to fill space.

Overall, this book was an amazing read and more than worth the price. A definite recommendation.

Review from "What's Your Story? YA Book Reviews":
http://whatsyourstorybookreviews.blog... ...more

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