For five days in a row I woke up earlier than everybody else… to read … I had to, when you are on holidays surrounded by people who want to do all sort of things and you start a book like Graceling it can be ABSOLUTE TORTURE (I am sure you understand what I mean).
Graceling it’s compelling, once you get sucked into the story you have to keep going.
Katsa…is there something special in names that start with K (Katsa, Katniss, Kate) that conveys strength and personality into an heroine?
Cashore’s idea of coming up with the “grace” concept really impressed me, here it’s a fantasy novel without monsters, witches, talking animals, wizards, there are Gracelings instead. Gracelings are specially gifted humans, born with special abilities.
Katsa is a noble Graceling Lady, she is a Killer, she is respected and feared in all eight kingdoms but her gift is also her curse.
Katsa feels manipulated by her uncle, the King, into killing his enemies , she feels sick every time she is ordered to break a neck of perform an act of violence that can be spared.
Together with her cousin Raffin and other loyal friends she creates a council, a sort of secret society, whose mission is to prevent injustices committed by kings at the expense of honest citizens.
Katsa is not afraid of getting her hands dirty, she is a survivor, a free spirit, compassionate, smart, it’s impossible not to love her.
And then there is Po.
Po is a Graceling Lienid Prince, the world believes him to be a fighter, indeed he is the only one who can challenge Katsa in a fight. When the council rescues Po’s grandfather and starts investigating what’s behind the kidnapping, he gets involved into the mission.
Po and Katsa embark in a journey that will keep you engrossed until The End. A page-turner.
I loved Po, his good humor, his courage, his choices, he is very much an anti-hero which is probably why he is so dear to me.
The love story between Katsa and Po is very special, Cashore is smart enough to avoid literary stereotypes and stick to reality (surprisingly for a fantasy), Katsa and Po are first of all friends, plus they are both adults so you can expect a certain degree of sensuality.
Be aware of spoilers.
What makes this book exceptionally good to me:
* it’s a fantasy coming-of-age story meaning that both Katsa and Po develop during the story, they acquire a better understanding of their graces but they also realize their priorities and what is important to them;
* no sloppy romance, it’s labelled as YA but is more insightful than most adult books, I strongly believe that facts are more important than words or grand gestures, those two stick together for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish ;
* no obvious choices, no compromises. I am a huge supporter of compromising but you can’t compromise on those values that define your essence;
* a perfect ending in its imperfection (what I mean is that Katsa and Po find themselves dealing with some serious consequences but I appreciate the way Cashore doesn’t amend does consequences with some “literary trick”);
I would have loved a better understanding of Leck’s sadism, great villain but he could have been better.
My grade: 5/5
Em
Emily and Her Little Pink Notes 