GRACELING; Kristin Cashore; NY: Harcourt, 2008; Young Adult: 471 p.The citizens of the Seven Kingdoms are either regular folk or Graced--endowed with a particular skill or ability that sets them above and apart from their fellows. Katsa, niece of King Randa and princess of the realm, is graced with the ability to kill and maim. Her uncle trains her and then requires her to be his Enforcer--to bully and threaten his neighbors into giving him whatever he wants. Katsa tries to make up for what she has to do by doing what she wants to do--she forms a secret Council to try to redress the wrongs she is forced to commit and then finally defies the king and leaves the castle with a prince of the Lienids who is searching for his grandfather's kidnapper. Their adventures as they race to stop the man with the most terrible of all Graces are the stuff of this sparkling adventure/romance/fantasy, a ripsnorting read from first to last (with just a bit of a bog-down, adventure-wise, in the center section). Katsa and Po are a remarkable couple who, unfortunately, give short shrift to the sacrament of marriage, but who do love one another as soul mates should.
LW
3 comments:
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are great and it is so easy to get into the story.
This book reminded me a lot of The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. Although the Blue Sword isn't as fast paced.
I enjoyed this as well. There is a love scene that is very lightly touched on in this book, but still you should be aware that it's there.
One of my favorite books I have listened to this year. Usually I am not a fan of full cast audio, but the narrator for Poe’s voice is perfect.
Post a Comment