Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling by Kristin Cashore has been sitting on my shelf for a long time - like, for several years. It's been so long that I don't even remember where I bought it, or what attracted it to me in the first place. I used to love young adult fantasy when I was...well...a young adult, I guess, but I've lost some of my zest for it in recent years. Thanks to book reviews on Youtube, however, I'm slowly making my way back to the genre. After hearing a few reviewers talk about this one, I decided to give it a go and finally check it off my TBR.

Graceling takes place in a realm known as the Seven Kingdoms. In this land, a small segment of the population is born with a "grace," or a special talent. The graces people can be born with take many forms, from mundane activities like being really excellent at swimming, to supernatural skills like the ability to read minds. Those born with a grace are regarded with suspicion by the rest of the ordinary citizens of the kingdom, so to be a Graceling is a mixed blessing at best.

The plot of the novel follows King Randa of the Middluns' niece, a young woman named Katsa. Katsa was born with a killing grace - she is able to defeat anyone in combat with ease. As this sort of skill is quite useful for a monarch, the king uses her like his own personal weapon. He sends her out to do his dirty work, killing, beating, and torturing his enemies. Inwardly, Katsa hates using her grace for this purpose, but she feels like she has no choice but to comply. To make up for some of her actions, she works secretly with a network of sympathizers to help out people in need all across the land.

As part of this secret work, Katsa rescues a man who has been kidnapped and hidden in a neighboring kingdom. It's a mysterious case; Katsa can't determine who gave the original order to kidnap the man or uncover any motives as to why. In her investigation, she ends up working together with the kidnapped man's grandson, Po, to try and uncover the truth of what happened. Their investigation ends up leading them into a dangerous adventure full of danger, conspiracy, and, of course, romance.

I was surprised at how much I ended up enjoying this novel. The plot is full of interesting ideas, the characters are likable and well-developed, and the pacing is excellent. The idea of the graces is unique and adds variety and suspense to the story, along with some good opportunities for character growth. There were no points where I was bored or felt like reading was a slog. Even the romance, which can easily be cringe-worthy in young adult fantasy, was believable and sweet to read. While this doesn't rise to the ranks of giants in this genre, like Harry Potter, it is highly entertaining and worth the time.

Katsa is an admirable heroine for young readers to look up to. The days of damsels in distress are long gone in young adult fantasies these days, but I found Katsa to be different than the new sort of "tough-girl" characters we see now. While she is undoubtedly independent and able to take care of herself, her feelings about those abilities are complex. Her skills are a result of her grace, and she is constantly using it in a way she is uncomfortable with for the king. Beyond that, she finds it difficult to control it, with anger often driving her to impulsive and dangerous actions. Part of her story is learning to take ownership of her grace and to use it in ways that she sees fit. She changes quite a bit from the beginning of the novel, and that growth arc is satisfying to read. Her feelings and emotions feel genuine, even if her abilities are impossible. It makes it easy to suspend your disbelief and go along for the ride.

There are two companion novels in this universe, which I an interested in reading soon. Kristin Cashore has created an interesting world in Graceling, and I want to spend more time there. If I had actually read this book as young adult, I feel like it would have ended up being a favorite of mine. Reading it now, I am still impressed and entertained. It's simply a great story, and you can't ask much more than that from this sort of novel.


Challenge Tally
Finally in 2019: 16/6 Books Read - Complete!

Total Books Read in 2019: 31