Graceling (Seven Kingdoms Trilogy #1)

Doesn't the plot sound absolutely kick-ass? Yeah, I agree. Unfortunately, the plotline overall failed to meet my expectations.

Let’s start with Katsa, though. Meet the protagonist: young, beautiful, powerful—and controlled by her cruel uncle, the king. The premise is just reaching to tug your heartstrings. And it does suck, the situation she is in, because she finds it difficult to stand up for her own self and be independent. That said, she is also one of the most clichéd characters I have ever read. Cashore tries too hard to make her unique, and in doing so, makes her completely ordinary for YA books these days. A girl who rebels against the norm, by not wanting to get married, not wanting children, hating dresses and makeup and hair, preferring practicality over beauty. Add in to that the fact that her Grace – her natural born talent – gives her the ability to kill, and you’ve got the typical, against-societal-expectations, bright, independent girl, whose main flaw, after the first third of the novel, is that she’s got a bit of a temper and that she doesn’t think she actually is all that.

Mary Sue, much?

Other than Katsa, the characters range from average to awesome. Unfortunately, two of my favorite characters, Oll, Katsa’s mentor, and Raffin, Katsa’s cousin, only show up in the first third of the novel before Katsa goes on a road trip, so to speak. Po is a great character, though, and of course, he’s in pretty much the entire book. He’s kind, but unlike a lot of the boys on YA shelves these days, he’s not a bipolar, mysterious young man whose only attraction is his sulkiness. At least, not for most of the book.

The plot was really just great, and intense. I was almost always at the edge of my seat, wanting to know what’s going to happen next… almost always. There happens to be this one stretch of pages that just goes on and on and on and on about how COLD it happens to be in this extraordinary leg of adventure of Katsa’s and it really just talks about how cold and how tired Katsa is for about twenty pages. Needless to say, it killed the suspense.

I also wasn’t a fan of the climax. After all of that traveling and worrying, the main antagonist is defeated in roughly 0.2 seconds. A little bit of a disappointment, as it sort of just happened, and it barely registered because of the lack of focus on it.

The ending was sad, but not heartbreaking. It was wrapped up cleanly and neatly, with no loose ends, so you can just stop and not read the prequel, or the sequel that is coming out later this year. It didn’t leave me any desire to read any more books by this author, unfortunately. Fortunately, I have the fortune of having friends, who highly recommended the prequel Cashore wrote to this book, Fire, which, believe it or not, I actually loved, especially compared to this bore of a book.

I was interested in this book at first because of the plot; sounds pretty good doesn't it?? But quite honestly I was a little disappointed in it. There was so much that could have been done with this book, but it fell short. I think maybe a good squeal could redeem the story, but the characters didn't come to life on the page like they should in a good book. I would recommend it if you were bored and just needed something new to read.

At first, I was quite reluctant to read this book, for I was prejudiced with the idea that it the story was similar to Incarceron, a book I didn't really quite get. You see, the idea of both books are quite similar, from my point of view, and so I expected Graceling to be as okay as Incarceron. But, silly me! It was nothing like it. This book left me wanting more of this author's writing. So, you see, there can be two similar stories, with too different authors, and one can be good as the other can be bad. It's all in the author.... and the reader'S taste.

I just couldn't get into this book. The characters didn't appeal to me and I found the story to be too slow to be interesting.

Reader reviewed by Cheezyfeet

In a world where people born with an exceptional skill, known as a Grace, are both feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despise: the Grace of killing. 
Feared by the court and shunned by those her own age, the darkness of her Grace casts a heavy shadow over Katsa's life. Yet she remains defiant: when the King of Lienid's father is kidnapped she investigates and stumbles across a mystery. Who would want to kidnap the old man, and why? And who was the extraordinary Graced man whose fighting abilities rivalled her own? 
The only thing Katsa is sure of is that she no longer wants to kill. The intrigue around this kidnapping offers her a way out - but little does she realise, when she takes is, that something insidious and dark lurks behind the mystery. Something spreading from the shadowy figure of a one eyed king...  - From the back of the book.

I read Graceling because it was recommended to me by a friend. It had always been on my 'To Buy' list, but every time I went book shopping, I picked it up, and put it back again. I don't know why that was, it just was. And, now, having read it, I'm very glad that said friend recommended it.
Katsa is a very strong female lead, in more ways than one. She's feisty, and she stands up for herself. She has a Grace for killing, and she hates it. She's being used by the king to do his dirty work, and she hates it. So, after being sent on a mission to force a lord to sell one of his daughters off for marriage, she refuses. She leaves him unharmed, and the king is furious. But Katsa has never felt better.
Cashore is an amazing writer. She describes things beautifully, so you get a very vivid picture in your head of what is happening, where and when, and the whole book just plays like a movie inside your head. The author also writes emotion extremely well, and all the characters emotions rub off on the reader, and you can't help but feel happy when they're happy, and angry when they are too.
Po, Katsa's love interest, is calming and charming. He calms down Katsa, therefore calming the reader, and, though Katsa can rescue herself physically, she still needs a man to rescue her emotionally, and Po is that man. He really helped Katsa to grow as a character, and by the end of the book, because of Po, I much preferred Katsa as a character. She was more relaxed and calm, and she was happy.
There is a lot that happens in this book. There is adventure, mystery, a little romance, betrayal, intrigue, and loads more, packed into 370 pages. It's fast paced, and you can't stop reading. You just get lost in the world of The Seven Kingdoms, and it's difficult to leave. There is so much culture connected to the world Katsa and Po live in, that it feels like a place you could actually visit, it feels so real.
I would definitely recommend Graceling, especially for people looking for something a little different. Unlike all the popular books going round at the moment, it doesn't have vampires, or werewolves, or fearies, or any other mythical creature that there may be out there. Graceling is unique, and will be loved by everyone, teens and adults alike.

Reader reviewed by jedi145

This book is amazing! The backstory of all the kingdoms was well thought out. The idea of the graces was interesting.  The characters were excellent and very rounded. The writing style was different but good. There were a few slow parts but over all the plot kept a good pace.  It was really nice to find a fantasy buried in all the vampire and other paranormal romances.  The romantic relationship took time to build and evolve which was nice, it wasn't an instant, destiny love.  It was nice to read something that took place in a different world away from the cliche of the hot new mysterious boy at school.  I have the companion/prequel, Fire, on my shelf , TBR and can't wait for Bitterblue. 

Reader reviewed by Ruthie

This book was so different, so new it was hard not to fall in love with it. At first when reading I wasn't expecting to like it. The style was different to what I was used to and the reading wasn't as flowy as my recent reads. However the more I read the better I liked it. The adventure started from the first page and ended on the last. There were unexpected additions to the overall plot (especially the ending) and this book left me wanting more. I'm determined to continue with the sister book Fire.

Reader reviewed by Okapi

This addicting novel ate both my homework and three hours of sleeping time. This vivid novel will always remain prominent in my mind; Graceling will never melt into the blur of YA fantasy. It is the type of book that I will be quite sorry to return to the library; I have the strong desire to place it on the prized section of my bookshelf. With a flawed yet likeable ensemble of characters, a fast-paced plot, and an original concept, Graceling is one of the top five YA novels of the year. The actual idea of Gracelings is amazing; it made me jealous that I didn't think of it first. Gracelings are gifted with a supernatural power at birth, and the sign of this power is shown by eyes of two different colors. The Graces that Gracelings can be born with can be as useless as the ability to rotate one's entire torso, or as powerful as the ability to read minds. 

The characters are one of the strongest aspects of this book. Eighteen-year-old Katsa, the main character, is a fierce heroine who defies all weak women stereotypes. It's quite refreshing to have a female protagonist who can protect herself and those around her, opposed those stereotypical, helpless women who never engage in a battle. Katsa's character develops beautifully, and her mental journey is centered on her humanization and finding the ability to cope with love. In the early pages of the novel, Katsa reflects upon herself: 

"She knew her nature. She would recognize it if she came face-to-face with it. It would be a blue-eyed, green-eyed monster, wolflike and snarling. A vicious beast that struck out at friends in uncontrollable anger, a killer that offered itself as a vessel of the king's fury." - page 137 

Then we have Prince Po, who is a superb character. The only personal problem I have with him is his name - Whenever I read "Po", two other people jump into my head: Po from Kung Fu Panda, which is sort of fitting since both characters are gifted in marshal art skills, and the more dissimilar one, Po from Teletubbies*. Besides that miniscule and forgivable downfall, the author executes the romance between Katsa and Po fantastically by letting their relationship develop naturally, not at all like the annoyingly unrealistic sudden-true-love-within-twenty-four-hours romance scenarios in Twilight. 

Another aspect I like about this book is the villain. The author counters Katsa's powerful ability to kill anybody she desires by gifting the villain with an equally powerful skill, causing the plot to take many extremely interesting turns. Surprising us with unsuspected movements of the storyline, this book is not as predictable as it may seem. 

Though simple and clean, in some places, Cashore's writing bothers me. It is slightly choppy, and I would not agree with the praise on the book's back that describes her writing as "elegant, evocative prose". Fortunatly, the dazzling plot and characters outshine her mediocre writing. On the contrary, I noticed that Cashore manages to make her description, which is often the more boring part of a book, very exciting to read, sometimes by integrating it with the action. For example: 

"She couldn't believe the coldness of this passageway over the mountains. She couldn't believe wind couldblow so hard and so insistently, without ever easing. Every breath of this air was a blade gouging into her lungs. Her arms, her legs, her torso, especially her hands - every part of her that was not covered with fur burned with cold, as if she had thrown herself into a fire." - page 352 

Cashore describes the freezing conditions while still engaging my attention, which is part of the reason why this book is such an addicting read! 

In conclusion, this novel is a rich, well-blended medley of action-packed battles, violence, mystery, suspense, romance, heroism, snappy dialogue, and superpowers. If you have not read Graceling, go get it from your library, or even better: buy it! After finishing this book, fans will ravish down its prequel, Fire, and eagerly await the release of Bitterblue. 

Cover Rating (US Hardcover): 4/5 - I love the sword in the background and the color scheme, and the eye reflected in the sword adds more essence. Especially after reading the book, I realize that the pretty cover is quite well done, capturing the book's charm. Though it captures the feel of this novel, I wish it was more distinguished. Something about the cover reminds me of other fantasy novels, and I probably wouldn't pick it up if I was in a bookstore. 

Reader reviewed by TH

A fast paced page turner of a book that you will not be able to put down. I absolutely loved this book. The heroine is a strong female who is strong willed and is not a traditional heroine charachter. For those who loved the city of... series books by cassandra clare you will love this book! The plot was fast paced and in no way lagged like some adventure book. And of course there was a lovely romance in there too. But there is mention of sex so be warned. Overall a very enjoyable book with fantasy romance and plot twists! whats not to love?

Reader reviewed by Katie

This is on my list of books to reread over and over and over and over . . . you get the point. In the seven kingdoms, there are those who are "Graced" with different things, such as sewing, cooking, or other, non-profitable thing, such as tree-climbing. Katsa is Graced with killing . . . or is she? Her uncle the king makes her his assassin, and years later, she finally rebels. This is a wonderful first book, and there is a bit of romance in it as well. Read this book!