Friday 7 October 2016

Review by Ruhme of "Graceling" by Kristin Cashore

Graceling is a highly addictive, thought provoking Young Adult fantasy-adventure novel. I read this book a few years ago but to this day the story, the fascinating world and the illustrious characters still resonate with me.

Set in a world where some can be born with special gifts (those that are Graced), we have our main protagonist, Lady Katsa. Graced with the ability to kill, she is used by her uncle, the King, for his own political and personal agendas. In order to search for her kidnapped grandfather, Lady Katsa sets off on a quest in search of answers with Prince Po (royalty from a foreign land with his own secrets). Her adventure takes her to lands she thought never existed and faces challenges which test her abilities and endurance to levels she had never imagined.


Targeted at the young adult demographic, it should appeal to all groups, with themes of identity, equality, and political governance running throughout against a backdrop of well thought out world-building, intrigue and fantastical elements. It is fast-paced, gripping and full of unexpected twists and turns that keep readers invested in turning those pages. Cashore has the ability to draw in readers, experiencing the Lady Katsa’s adventures with her writing, descriptive atmosphere and most importantly its complex, raw characters that one cannot help feel drawn to. This is a brilliant debut novel from Cashore and most important a thoroughly worthy and enjoyable read.

About the reviewer

Ruhme works as a Library Assistant to feed her love of reading. She believes books are 99% of the time better than the movies and refuses to watch one unless she has read the book first. She continues to buy books and add to her extensive library, even if space is becoming a challenging issue to contend with.


No comments:

Post a Comment