As a dedicated bibliophile, I am often asked the question, "What is your favorite book?" And in the past, I would just as often reply, horror-struck, "You want me to choose?!" As soon as I read Graceling, however, all of that went out the window: I'd found my favorite book!
Graceling, by Kristin Cashore, is the thrilling story of Katsa, one of the rare people in her world who is born with a Grace - an extreme skill. As a Graceling, Katsa's life belongs to the king, who just so happens to be her uncle. Instead of living a life of privilege as the king's niece and ward, Lady Katsa, who is Graced with killing, is forced to work as the king's enforcer, sent out to maim and murder those who disobey his orders.
Then she meets Prince Po, who has the Grace of fighting. At first Po confuses Katsa, who does not understand the way he treats her, but as time goes on and they get closer, Katsa makes a shocking discovery about her Grace - one that changes the way she views herself and the world around her. As the novel progresses, Katsa and Po must work together to unearth a horrific secret – a secret that could bring all of the Seven Kingdoms crashing down, taking Katsa and Po with them.
At first, I was wary of reading this novel: when whole new worlds are created in fantasy novels they are often not developed enough, making the book confusing. In this case, however, my fears were for naught. Cashore developed the world of the Seven Kingdoms brilliantly, explaining everything we need to know and not leaving any room for plot holes. This is a unique world, entirely different from our own but still similar enough in its human interactions to make it realistic. It seems as though Cashore drew inspiration from our history, when kings ruled over everyone and their word was law; in that way, we can relate to this strange new world she created. Just as the setting is realistic, so are the characters. Katsa is portrayed as a real girl, one who has both strengths and faults. Just as she is brave, determined, and clever, she is also obstinate, short-tempered, and at times too proud. She is not perfect, but she is real and can be related to.
The plot is fast-paced and unpredictable - the kind of book that cannot be put down. There are several twists that completely surprised me, which made the novel much more interesting. And although the love interest is obvious, he is perfect for the protagonist and readers get to see their relationship evolve. That relationship - the one between the protagonist and the love interest - is one of the things I enjoyed the most about this book. Unlike many stories where the strong heroine turns into stuttering mess at the sight of the handsome prince, Katsa remains strong and independent. The society where they live is extremely sexist, but Katsa refuses to fall into her gender's stereotype and remains unique in many ways. Po does not begrudge her that, which is another thing I enjoyed. In fact, Po likes Katsa at her strongest, and the relationship between them is entirely equal. A relationship that disregards the stereotypical gender roles is entirely unique in these types of books, and was extremely refreshing to see.
Altogether, I can definitely call this book my favorite, and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to read a novel that is captivating, mysterious, and feministic.And, once you have finished Graceling, there are two more books after it that will capture your attention.
-By Romi E. - TAB Member
