In the book 'Graceling' by Kristin Cashore, readers are introduced to a world where people known as gracelings possess extraordinary abilities such as mind reading and exceptional fighting skills. The story follows the protagonist Katsa, a skilled killer graced with fighting abilities who struggles with her own inner turmoil and questions her place in the world. When Katsa meets Prince Po, another graceling with unique powers, they embark on a quest to uncover the mystery surrounding King Leck, leading to unexpected plot twists and revelations that challenge their beliefs and abilities. The book features a blend of action, adventure, romance, and well-developed characters set against a backdrop of seven kingdoms and a compelling narrative style that keeps readers engaged.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Potential triggers include violence, themes of abuse, and references to sexual situations.
Has Romance?
The romance in Graceling is a significant aspect and is well-developed.
From The Publisher:
Enter the Graceling Realm with the beloved story that started it all, from New York Times best-selling author Kristin Cashore.
Katsa is a Graceling, one of the rare people born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she lived a life of privilege until the day her ability to kill a man with her bare hands revealed itself during a royal banquet. Now she acts as her uncle's enforcer, traveling the kingdom and threatening those who dare oppose him.
But everything changes when she meets Po, a foreign prince Graced with combat skills who is searching for the truth about his grandfather's disappearance. When Katsa agrees to help him, she never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace-or about a terrible secret that could destroy them all.
Ratings (206)
Incredible (36) | |
Loved It (79) | |
Liked It (44) | |
It Was OK (28) | |
Did Not Like (15) | |
Hated It (4) |
Reader Stats (492):
Read It (215) | |
Currently Reading (6) | |
Want To Read (209) | |
Did Not Finish (7) | |
Not Interested (55) |
9 comment(s)
Can't put my finger on it
This book was interesting in it's premise, but I was obvious to me that this was written by a new writer. Some pacing issues and uninteresting ways of explaining some things stood out to me, but the characters were mostly good and the story itself is interesting. I look forward to reading other books by this author in the future.
The first book in a long time that, after reading, I feel completely satiated. I mean, I have some minor complaints (I'd have liked the scene with Leck, Katsa, and Bitterblue in Po's castle to be longer, with all that tension). Still...the book had good pacing, excellent characterization, a strong female heroine who compromised when necessary but stuck to her goals, and a believable premise.
I could do with another book about Katsa and the others, but I'm also oddly satisfied with everything. So I don't need another book...although I'll definitely devour
Fire when I get it. Also, I liked that the happy ending wasn't entirely happy. Po's suffering was realistic and what happened to him was far better than "I'm perfectly fine and waiting for you!".
My only hope is that the next Percy Jackson is as good.
Upped to 5 stars on second reading. The full-cast audiobook is great! Highly recommended.
A whole lot of nothing happened. Longest most droll travel scenes. Her power was disappointing. It could have had so much potential but nothing was done with it.
Graceling was just as good as I remembered. I hadn't re-read it since my first time through in 2016, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I shouldn't have worried though—I enjoyed it just as much as the first time I read it.
Katsa is a great character, strong in her opinions, in her emotions, in her convictions, in everything she does. Her growth as a person throughout the book was amazing to see—even the second time around. I'm not sure if I'll continue this re-read to include reading Fire and Bitterblue, but I did enjoy my time with this book.
What a really cool idea completely wasted by being boiled down into the most generic YA power fantasy garbage ever.
Couldn't get past the first chapter. Boring. Dry.
Overdone Tropes
What can you read after
Graceling?
About the Author:
Kristin Cashore is author of many New York Times best-selling books, including Graceling, Fire, Bitterblue, and Jane, Unlimited. She received a master's from the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons College, and she has worked as a dog runner, a packer in a candy factory, an editorial assistant, a legal assistant, and a freelance writer. She currently lives in the Boston area. kristincashore.blogspot.com Twitter: @kristincashore
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