Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1) in The Dusty Bookshelf

Feb 07, 2013 diana rated it really liked it

I wasn't sure at first if I was going to like the book but I read it anyway because of the so many good reviews and all the positive feedback I heard about it.
And damn. It was unexpectedly good and I loved every bit of it!

"I love you," he said. "You're more dear to my heart than I ever knew anyone could be. And I've made you cry; and there I'll stop." ...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Bror (Abrar) rated it it was amazing

Love love love this and i want the next one now, too many books to add to my tbr and i'm loving it.
RTC ...more

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Nov 18, 2011 Jennifer added it · review of another edition

Some great world building in this book, I would find myself trying to map out the seven kingdoms in my head. I’m horrible with directions and I think it’s possible that I might even be able to find my way from Randa’s realm to Ror’s kingdom. It was very descriptive about the kingdom terrains and the culture. To me I thought it was so fascinating and I wanted to hear more about all the kingdoms. This book is really about the characters. In a way it’s 3 books..Katsa’s story, Po’s story and Bitterb Some great world building in this book, I would find myself trying to map out the seven kingdoms in my head. I’m horrible with directions and I think it’s possible that I might even be able to find my way from Randa’s realm to Ror’s kingdom. It was very descriptive about the kingdom terrains and the culture. To me I thought it was so fascinating and I wanted to hear more about all the kingdoms. This book is really about the characters. In a way it’s 3 books..Katsa’s story, Po’s story and Bitterblue’s story and how the three affect one another and kind of merge together.
I found Katsa to be a really intriguing character. Even though she’s killed or severely injured gobs of men, she was still innocent. She seemed almost robotic at the beginning of the book, just functioning how she was told to function in part because she believed herself to be a trained killer and nothing more. Though you do see that she actually does care about people and the world around her, it takes the saying “actions speak louder than words” to heart. Even though we never see her really embrace being a girl, we see her change as the book progresses and especially when she meets Po. I didn’t mind that she is set on the fact that she doesn’t want to get married. I don’t think it has anything to do with hating men. The way I saw it, is that the way the world she’s in works is that your husband has the ability to make your decisions for you. This is what has happened to her for her whole life. She felt like that Randa had control over her and there was nothing she could do about. For her not marrying someone does not mean she doesn’t love them but she is afraid of being trapped.
Po is a great character. For some reason he reminds me of the pirate Peter Blood from the book Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini. He has that witty sarcastic charm about him. He radiates a laid back and care free persona even though you can tell he is kind, caring and would do anything for the ones he loves.
I also really enjoyed Bitterblue, which makes me excited to read the book dedicated to her. Her character definitely stands out.
Of course there is a love story. It’s sweet and strange all at the same time. It actually seemed more comfortable than anything else. The progression of it was natural and it didn’t come slap you in the face. I loved Katsa’s reaction to it when she realized what was going on because she really had not thought of anyone in that way before. Very cute.
The plot was good, like I said the book is more about world building and the characters. It’s like the plot revolves around the characters rather than the characters revolving around the plot. I thought it was well done though. There were points when I was wondering how they were going to get themselves out of the mess that they were in. I was good with the ending it just felt right.
Definitely an enjoyable read. ...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Lynne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, fantasy, dystopian, chic-lit, romance, cultural, youngadult, have-to-read

When I first heard about Graceling by Kristin Cashore I was excited for the story and ran out and bought it ... THEN turned to read some of the reviews here.
At that point, sadly, because of other readers' displeasure concerning distinct personality traits of the main character, I allowed this book to sit on my shelves collecting dust as I continued to push it down the TBR pile for over a year.
However, that all changed as I recently won a copy of Bitterblue, the third book in this series, and w When I first heard about Graceling by Kristin Cashore I was excited for the story and ran out and bought it ... THEN turned to read some of the reviews here.
At that point, sadly, because of other readers' displeasure concerning distinct personality traits of the main character, I allowed this book to sit on my shelves collecting dust as I continued to push it down the TBR pile for over a year.
However, that all changed as I recently won a copy of Bitterblue, the third book in this series, and what better reason to start reading the series, right? I finally picked up this book, blew the dust off of it and began reading.

Katsa is a Graceling. A Graceling is a person who possesses a natural grace and/or superhuman abilities (these abilities can be anything from really awesome to the more mundane skills including cooking or baking abilities, mind reading, or possibly being double-jointed, the ability to sense dangers or creatures hiding in the woods or, as in Katsa's case, ninja-like fighting skills!).

Katsa is INCREDIBLE and I LOVED her character! She is a mashup of Indiana Jones, Bruce Lee and Katniss, plus SO MUCH MORE!
The story is based in a medieval/fantasy time so the fighting is done with bow and arrows, daggers and swords and the occasional swift duck 'n roll into a roundhouse to the jaw type maneuvers. Fantastic!

Most of her life, Katsa has been controlled by her uncle, King Randa (he is one of seven kings of the seven kingdoms in this book). She is his 'strongman' - the person who delivers punishments throughout the kingdoms at the command of King Randa.
One of the first things you learn about Katsa is that she hates being controlled. In the beginning of the story, we learn that she is the leader of an underground group of mercenaries who are going against the King and their group is in the process of saving an elderly man from kidnapping and imprisonment.
During the rescue, Katsa meets the secondary main character, Po (who turns out to be the grandson of the elderly man she's rescuing) and they eventually team up to continue the fight against the King Randas demands, as well as discovering who was originally behind the kidnapping of the old man and why.

I may be in the minority of readers who DIDN'T have issues with Katsa's preferences to NOT getting married and having babies. But I know women in real life who feel this way and yet they are still strong, capable women. So, Hurray for having a book character who felt this way! And honestly, it was refreshing to read a bestselling YA book whose top priority was not hooking up the main characters.

Not to say there wasn't a bit of romance in the book - there is. Katsa and Po are a believable pairing. The romantic bits between the main characters came at plausible times and it didn't feel rushed or pushed into the story.

I finished Graceling on Friday afternoon and as soon as I was off work, I ran to Books-A-Million and bought Fire (the second book in this series) and have just started it.

Overall, I am crazy about this story, the characters are fantastic, I love the incredible world they live in and the possibilities of where these next two books will take us are exciting.

It is an understatement to say I am sad I allowed the negative slant of the reviews here to scare me away from reading this series for so long. I LOVED the story! and maybe you will too! So please don't be like me and let the negative comments about the main character stop you from reading this series.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to lovers of young adult and fantasy world readers who appreciate a strong, capable, kickbutt heroine with an agenda for justice. However, due to some adult-ish content, I'd suggest this read to ages mature teens and up. ...more

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Feb 07, 2025 Darlene rated it liked it

Shelves: audio-1000, audiobook, books-i-own, young-adult, debut, fantasy

3.5 stars

Took me a bit to get into, found my mind wandering and I had to rewind and go back to re-listen to the same portion a couple of times, but I stuck with it and ended up enjoying it. It is a bit slower paced. I will be continuing on with the series.

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