Cashore, Kristin - Graceling

[oyceter]

I think magicnoire and rachelmanija would like this in particular, if they haven't read it already.

Katsa has grown up Graced; she has the different-colored eyes that set Gracelings apart, and her Grace is to kill. As such, she's been trained to be the assassin for her uncle the king. Katsa hates it, but she's trapped, and it doesn't help that people are already frightening of Gracelings, much less ones with a Grace like Katsa's.

When she tries to find the kidnapped Prince of Lienid, she ends up meeting his grandson Po. Adventures commence!

I'd avoid reading the back cover copy; it's not horribly spoilery, but I think some elements of the book are more fun to stumble into.

I adore Katsa. She's extremely physical and determined and every inch a fighter without ever being spunky or spirited, and I especially love that she's not completely socialized. She's horrifically awkward around people in a very believable way, and I like that she never does become emotionally proficient and that the physical always calms her down. And! She doesn't want to get married or have kids, and she doesn't change her mind about this!

Po is also wonderful, and I am so glad that even though he's great, he's also still a supporting character. The book remains Katsa's, no matter how large a part Po has to play in her journey. I did roll my eyes a little at his precious-metal-colored eyes (gold and silver), and I think both his Grace and Katsa's could be powered down a little, but overall, the characterization of the two characters and how they interacted was marvelous.

There's another character who comes in halfway through the book whom I also adore.

Aside from gender-role examination (sometimes handled well, sometimes a wee bit clunky), there's also a good look at power and kingdom that I liked.

Anyway, this was well written and well thought out, I loved loved loved Katsa and Po and the two of them together, and I'm looking forward to whatever Cashore writes next.

Links:
- gwyneira's review
- rachelmanija's review

Comments

[magicnoire.livejournal.com]

I started this a while ago but put it down because the voice wasn't engaging me. Of course, this was because I'd just come off reading The Hunger Games, which was epic in both voice and intensity so I think that judgment might have been unfair. I'll give it another go in a couple months when I'm out of my reading blahs.

[oyceter]

Yeah, the voice on this can definitely be uneven, but oh, Katsa! She is so awesome! And I love the relationship between her and Po!

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I never heard of this before, but will look for it now.

[octopedingenue]

You will LOVE IT to pieces and drink it like honey wine.

I make violent slow-mo Lord King Bad Vids of Katsa in my head, and I am not ashamed.

[oyceter]

I think you will love Katsa! She is fierce and fighty! And I love the relationship she has with Po! It reminds me a lot of the platonic and yet totally not relationships like Ki and Vandien or Morgaine and Vanye even though it bears very little similarity to them. I think it is just how Po gives Katsa room to be herself.

[gwyneira.livejournal.com]

Oh, I just read that and really liked it too, particularly for a first novel. Katsa could so easily have been a super-powerful, beautiful-eyed Mary Sue, but she really has some significant challenges to work out, and I loved her relationship with Po. I thought there were some little issues (uninspired naming -- what's up with the kingdom names, really? -- and the middle is a little slow), but the worldbuilding and characters totally made up for them.

Apparently she's written a prequel which deals with the origins of Graceling's villain (which is good, because I thought that was a little hand-wavy) and is working on a sequel, contents unrevealed.

[octopedingenue]

On naming, oh, Po's is most unfortunate.

[gwyneira.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. And also all the names that are just one letter off from a real-world name: Katsa, Giddon, Randa, etc.

Oh, well, undoubtedly it's something she'll get better at.

[oyceter]

Oooo, yay! I can totally do a sequel all about Katsa training girls! Or with more Bitterblue! I loved Bitterblue.

And yes, omg, I squeed so much at the relationship between Katsa and Po and how they were working it out and just... awwww! It hits all my buttons, and it is so rare to get a hero who gives the heroine room to be herself, and I love that Cashore doesn't have Katsa compromise herself.

[sarahtales.livejournal.com]

I have different coloured eyes, I am a Graceling! I must read this for sheer geekish joy.

[oyceter]

You must! Also, I ship Katsa/Po LIKE MAD!