Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1)

by Kristin Cashore

[Angie]

I don't have much experiencing reading High Fantasy, but I can tell it's a genre that I'm going to end up loving, especially thanks to Graceling. I absolutely loved the idea of Gracelings: humans with "Graces," or heightened talents and gifts. These talents can range from extreme smarts in a particular subject, increased strength, to mind reading. Our main character, Katsa, has the Grace of killing. She could kill a grown man with her bare hands since childhood. Needless to say, she's pretty feared among the Seven Kingdoms. The king of her home kingdom is using her as his own personal assassin, but Katsa tries to incapacitate rather than kill when she can.

Katsa is truly a kick ass heroine! Not just because of her talent for killing, but she also refuses to conform to society's ideals of femininity. She wears trousers and loathes the gowns and jewels she must don for royal dinners. She'd rather run and practice her various fighting skills than take up lady-like pass times. She'll also pass on the tradition of marriage, and ignores all of the suitors her uncle brings to the castle. She reminds me a lot of Katniss from The Hunger Games. Both are skilled fighters, brave, stubborn, and generally unlikeable except by those closest to them.

Normally third person narratives are missing something for me, but in this case it really works. I couldn't imagine it told any other way. The author's writing has an almost fairytale-like quality to it, but I suppose that comes partially with the genre. I was easily engrossed in this story from the very beginning. The plot in the first part of the book is slower in comparison to part two, but I still loved getting to know the characters and trying to figure out who kidnapped Po's grandfather.

The second half is fast paced and exciting! There's a puzzle to be solved, a blossoming romance, plenty of action, and survival elements. It was a lot of fun to see Katsa and Po work out the extents of their Graces and practice on each other. Their romance was also sweet and steamy, although I always had this nagging feeling that it would not end well. Katsa is too stubborn, but Po is super understand, so maybe they can make it work?

I really enjoyed this one! It has an imaginative world, action, adventure, and romance. All things I love in books. I am sad to learn that the following books don't continue with Katsa and Po, but I am very eager to read more about little Queen Bitterblue.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.