Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1)

by Kristin Cashore

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

I find the variety of reviews on this one *really* interesting. From people loving the world to hating the pacing to being unhappy it isn't feminist enough to hating the audiobooks - people have a lot of feelings about Graceling.

I have a lot of feelings about Graceling, too. They're overly positive.

High fantasy is my jam. I love reading it, I love writing it. If I had my own personal portal into any genre where I could step in and have my own novel-worthy adventures, it would unquestioningly be high fantasy. And Graceling does it all. So. Well.

Starting with the characters - they feel real. They're not too big, not too small, not too easily changed. They defy certain expectations of traditional fantasy character but still fit perfectly in their world. The romance is beautifully done and it's so different. Not just for YA, not just for fantasy, but for just about anything I've ever read. I think the discussion about feminism is really interesting (I wouldn't call this a feminist book by any means - I don't think that was Cashore's intent? Or if it was, it didn't come off well to me). I think the blurred line between YA and adult in this book is fantastic.

I love the depth of description. I could *feel* Katza and Bitterblue's cold. I could taste the terror as they ran. And my heart broke near the end, when Po reveals his secret. The consistency in the world is really great as well - guess what? They hunt, they eat, and it's not pretty but it's correct within the setting.

I feel utterly robbed that I can't go grab book two and pick up this story right where they left off. Because that's not how this trilogy works.

Like so many other readers, I am ravenous for more. I recommend this book wholeheartedly, doubly so if you enjoy high fantasy.