Description
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.
When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about 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.
A Graceling is a person with Graced. Being Graced is like having an exceptional talent. But it does not only refer to singing or dancing, it could be that you are Graced with holding your breath for 30 mins without dying or killing like in the case of Katsa, the heroine of the story. You can also distinguish a Graced from an Ungraced by his or her eye color. If it’s two different eye colors, then voila you’ve spotted a Graceling.
A Graceling if deemed worthy will serve under the king’s order whether they like it or not. Katsa is feared for she is Graced with killing and is used as a striking hand to punish the people who defies the king. However, Katsa is not the monster the people think she is and despises doing the king’s order. She even created the Council to help the oppressed and their latest mission was to save the father of the King of Lienid. But even as they completed the mission, they have still no clue as to who is the mastermind beyond the kidnapping, and as she continues to unravel the mystery, Katsa found herself in the middle of everything she had not foreseen. It is changing her and challenging every bit of her surviving skills.
The love story was just like WOW. I find myself loving every character and investing on each of them. Prince Greening Grandemalion a.k.a. Po was just so charming and funny, I immediately rooted for him. And Katsa is not your typical heroine. She’s no damsel in distress. She can do her stuff, carry her own, and sacrifice even if it meant breaking her heart. I just love their banter and sweet moments.
Reading this was like a breath of fresh air. The pacing’s just right. The character building was great. Cashore is as of now enlisted as one of my favorite authors and knowing that this is her debut novel, I am looking forward for her books in the future. She made my first book this year very worth it! This is definitely a must-read people! xD
It's prequel ---
Description :
Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored-- fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green-- and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans.
Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story.
Set across the mountains from the Seven Kingdom in the Dells Kristin Cashore has created another amazing world with another beautiful set of characters. The Dells do not have Gracelings, but they do have “monsters.” Monsters are brightly colored and extremely beautiful versions of their normal counterparts. They have mental abilities that allow them to communicate with and control non-monsters. ( Think bright green mice, pale blue spotted leopards, and beautiful florescent birds.)
Fire is the last remaining human monster. She has flaming pink, red, orange, and gold hair and a face of unparalleled beauty. She lives in the north of the Dells with Archer (her best friend and sometimes lover) and the rest of her adoptive family. Her existence is simple. She teaches music, hunts with Archer, and does her best to stay alive. Fire is hunted by other monsters that would love to eat her and is persecuted by humans who do not understand her.
War is brewing within the Dells. King Nash and his brother, Prince Brigan, are training their army to fight off their encroaching neighbors. Nash recognizes that Fire’s mental capabilities would be an asset to the army and could tip the balance in their favor. Fire reluctantly agrees. Fire becomes an interrogator for the King and helps Nash and Brigan plot to put down the usurpers.
Fire’s very appearance provokes strong emotion. In some it’s hatred and others it’s infatuation. Brigan is completely closed off to her at first, but he is controlled and not unfeeling. Respect and not infatuation change their relationship into something more. They naturally evolve as enemies become allies, as allies become friends, and as friends become lovers.
Kristin Cashore is an absolute gift to our world. Fire is EVEN BETTER than Graceling. I just kept feeling so grateful to even be reading such incredible work. The characters are amazing. The pacing is perfect. Again, I felt like Cashore carefully selected each word she wanted to use before putting a sentence out for the world (although I do have to gripe about the use of "irregardless" somewhere in there).
Mmmm. Passion and secrets and a very HUMAN heroine. One of those fantasies where the danger is real, and therefore, you care.
p/s : It's sequel is named Bitterblue ( one of the characters from Graceling )
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