Review: Graceling (Graceling Realm #1)

Title: Graceling (Graceling Realm #1)
Author: Kristin Cashore
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Dial Books
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 1, 2008
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. 

She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po. 

She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. 

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

Review:

Katsa is a Graceling, a person with two different colored eyes who has a special ability. Katsa can kill any man with her bare hands. Since she has this special skill, she is sent on missions by the king, her uncle. On one of her missions, she meets Prince Po, another Graceling. This meeting changes her life and sends her on a journey to find the reason behind Po’s grandfather’s kidnapping.

I’m so glad I discovered this series. This was a whirlwind adventure with danger, suspense, and romance. Katsa was a strong character, physically and mentally. She knew exactly what she wanted, so she was surprised when she learned new things about herself, such as when she found herself falling in love.

This story had so many shocking scenes. The characters suffered a lot, but they grew stronger because of it. There were a few times when I thought the characters had painted themselves into a corner, and I couldn’t think of a way they could possibly get past their challenges. This made the story very exciting.

I’m so excited to read the next book in this series!

What to read next:

Other books in the series:

• Fire
• Bitterblue
• Winterkeep

Have you read Graceling? What did you think of it?