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  • Graceling

  • Graceling Realm, Book 1
  • Written by: Kristin Cashore
  • Narrated by: Xanthe Elbrick
  • Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (9 ratings)

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Graceling

Written by: Kristin Cashore
Narrated by: Xanthe Elbrick
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Publisher's Summary

Discover the Graceling Realm in this unforgettable, award-winning novel from bestselling author Kristin Cashore.

A New York Times bestseller * ALA Best Book for Young Adults * Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature Winner * Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, and BCCB Best Book of the Year

“Rageful, exhilarating, wistful in turns" (New York Times Book Review) with “a knee weakening romance” (Los Angeles Times). Graceling is a thrilling, action-packed fantasy adventure that will resonate deeply with anyone trying to find their way in the world.

Graceling tells the story of the vulnerable-yet-strong Katsa, who is smart and beautiful and lives in the Seven Kingdoms where selected people are born with a Grace, a special talent that can be anything at all. Katsa’s Grace is killing.

As the king’s niece, she is forced to use her extreme skills as his brutal enforcer. Until the day she meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, and Katsa’s life begins to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

And don’t miss the sequel, Fire, and companion, Bitterblue, both award-winning New York Times bestsellers featuring Kristin Cashore’s elegant, evocative prose and unforgettable characters.

  • ALA Best Book for Young Adults
  • Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature Winner
  • Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, and BCCB Best Book of the Year
©2023 Kristin Cashore (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Captivating

Great book and excellent narration. I went on to listen to the next 2 books and enjoyed them just as much!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved the book as a teenager, still love it now

Cashore draws you in with common tropes and gives you the sense that you can predict where it leads, "just like every other YA book, powerful girl meets boy who makes her see her power in a different way yadda yadda yadda", but the plot does not revolve around romance.
The tropes that Cashore employs are common, true, but she finds wonderful, inventive ways to flip them on their heads. This book is about perceptions and the way people with power exploit those around them in order to change the narrative. Katsa has been a killer all her life, but that is not who she wants to be. Her independence is the most important thing to her, and she will have it-- no matter the cost.
The characters are intelligent and driven, not stuck in a railroading storyline with a predictable ending. The Graceling is about survival and independence and subverting expectations! It is a wonderful read and Elbrick does an excellent job bringing the world and its characters to life.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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Not For Me

I'm so sick with straight women's writing. Another book I couldn't finish.
The opening of the story is an cliché. A powerful female killer is a hook, but she isn't proud of her skills. Rather, she's shamed to be a killer. I completely can't understand how she can be so dumb.
I imagined that she was confident and cold, who could take down anyone who dare displeased her and complete the order from her uncle with no mercy, and enjoyed others' fear of her. I imagined she would say "who dare touch me, I swear I won't let him see the sunrise again" after she took the cousin who sexually harassed her. She would have no strange pity to any lords, but had compassion with women, and she would decided to resist her uncle's order on her own when it came to harm innocent women.
The author writes a girl who feels she isn't good enough, and anyone dare ignores her, even her servant can suggest the clothing she doesn't like to wear. Her uncle's underlord can talk to the king's niece like that, and dare propose her, who thinks he can be Katsa's hero, so arrogant. Her friends are all guys, no girls. And after I have tolerated so far, of course, there is a prince-like character, the moment Po shows up, this book already has failed me, Yeah, no surprise, he gives her comfort and compliments, offers her positive comments which warm her soul. Then, of course our dumb Katsa's feeling is hurt by his secrets, then he has to coax her. By the way, if the author wants to write two young adults with overflowed hormones, please don't emphasize they're friends, I don't remember how many times I see this cliché in straight women's writing. It will be so hypocritical when they end up with romantic love. Obviously, Katsa enjoys the flirting tension with Po, despite some conducts from Po are actually sexual harassments. I guess straight women like this kind of shit very much. Again, though Katsa is the one more skilled, Po is the one smarter and more rational, really, I'm sick with it. She judges King Leck by his reputation without even seeing him on her own at first, but Po doubts it. How can she not know everyone wears a mask, and never judge anyone easily. In reality, many women thinks some men are kind because they fake themselves with a good impression as a mating strategy. How shallow, you never know, you can't read their mind. I guess that realizing patriarchy is formed by every single man (and woman) in the world will break women's good man fantasy which triggers their mating anxiety.
This story could be rewritten like Katsa as I said in the third paragraph. Her peers around her are all girls, Princess Raffin and Bann are a lesbian couple. Katsa's Helda servant never suggest anything she doesn't like, and is supportive with loyalty always, Lady Giddon admires her. Princess Po is one of the daughters of Queen Ror, who wants to find out the kidnapper of her grandmother. King Randa and Leck could be remained the same because they're
villains.
I'm done with this book anyway, even Katsa and Po doesn't end up falling love with each other, they better not.

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