By Lexxi Swanson
I love how easily normal people can relate to how the main characters of Graceling are. It helps you to get deeply attached to them, and understand the pain they go through daily. It’s easy to understand how Katsa ,the heroine, doesn’t know exactly who she is during most of the book. That conflict is one of the main reasons why I love Graceling.
I also found that the romance and how the characters interacted with another made me love them even more. It’s just amazing to read how Katsa goes from someone who finds love pointless to how she comes to need Po, the hero. Also, how Bitterblue comes to trust people is one of the most sweet moments in the book.
My favorite part of the entire adventure would have to be near the end of Graceling when a really heartfelt moment happens. But, there is also a huge plot twist that did make me cry and want to scream at the book out of pure pain for the main characters.
My overall rating out of 10 lightning bolts is 9.5. I knocked off the .5 because there is one or two chapters that didn’t seem exactly necessary. Other than those chapters, Graceling is an amazing book in my eyes. Graceling is easily in my top 5 of the greatest books released in this era.
“It is so engaging, it’s one of those books that you absolutely can’t put down since the 1st page,” Michaela Stephens, an LHS Media Center Specialist, said about Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Graceling was published in 2008, and was published by Harcourt in the USA. Graceling is the first of three amazing books by Cashore. Graceling is easily in my top 5 of the greatest books released in this era. Graceling is a great book for anyone, even if you’re not into fantasy books. “I think this is a book that could appeal to any reader at all… It’s one of those rare books that touches on every genre, and everybody loves it,” Stephens said. Every genre does blend into this book very well.
It is a fantasy fiction book that takes place in land called “The 7 Kingdoms”, which is kind of an alternate reality. Graceling follows the adventure of two gracelings. Which are humans with enhanced natural abilities or talents. Gracelings are classified by both of their eyes being a different color. Graces, the enhanced talent, can vary from something as being a great cook to an advanced swordsman or even being able to read minds!
Three of the main characters are named Katsa, Po, and Bitterblue. Katsa often compares herself in the beginning of the book to a dog with the king holding her leash. People often avoid any contact with Katsa because of her very bloody reputation and killing grace.
Po, on the other hand, is very relaxed and easily gets along with other people. Bitterblue is basically a sweet and tiny 12 year old girl when she comes into the plot. She is the princess of Monsea, and is also Po’s cousin. Bitterblue doesn’t show up until halfway through Graceling, but after she does the plot is like a giant rollercoaster.
The plot of Graceling has many twists and turns. Some of which are about surprising deaths or even the main characters discovering something about him or herself. Though, the overall plot does begin with the kidnapping of Po’s grandfather. Then goes through the story as Katsa and Po traveling to Monsea, one of the seven kingdoms, to figure out the kidnapper.
There are also points in the story where Katsa, Bitterblue, and Po change in major and small ways. Even the smallest thing can have a major effect on someone with so much pride. A quick example is when Katsa has to rely on someone for the first time in her entire life. Just her reaction is priceless, and quite funny.
There is a lot of person vs. self conflict in Graceling. Katsa constantly finds herself in a place where even she doesn’t know who or what she is. Then there is, of course, a main villain in the plot whom the duo of Po and Katsa clash with.
If you want to check out Graceling from the LHS library, there are 4 copies in the library. There are also 15 paper copies in between all the Lincoln public libraries, and 5 audiobooks too.