In a world where people born with an exceptional skill, known as a Grace, are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her Uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to carry out his dirty work, punnishing and torturing anyone who displeases him. Breaking arms and cutting off fingers are her stock-in-trade. Finding life under his rule increasingly unbearable Katsa forms an underground Council, whose purpose is to combat the ...
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In a world where people born with an exceptional skill, known as a Grace, are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her Uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to carry out his dirty work, punnishing and torturing anyone who displeases him. Breaking arms and cutting off fingers are her stock-in-trade. Finding life under his rule increasingly unbearable Katsa forms an underground Council, whose purpose is to combat the destructive behavior of the seven kings - after all, the Middluns is only one of the seven kingdoms, and each of them is ruled its own king with his own personal agenda for power. When the Council hears that the King of Liend's father has been kidnapped Katsa investigates ...and stumbles across a mystery. Who would want to kidnap him, and why? And who was the extraordinary Graced fighter who challenged her fighting skills, for the first time, as she and the Council rushed the old man to saftey? Something dark and deadly is rising in the north and creeping across the continent, and behind it all lurks the shadowy figure of a one eyed king ...
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Graceling is my favorite book, and that's saying something. I am an avid reader and have read and loved so many books I have never had a favorite till now. Everyone I've recommended this book to have loved it just as much as me, boys and girls alike. It is adventurous, thrilling, magical and has some romance and is very believable too. There constantly new twists to the story so you never know what's going to happen next. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes fiction!
MDB15
May 10, 2010
Boys aren't ALWAYS the hero
Graceling is one part love, two parts hardcore fighting, and 3 parts fabulous. Katsa, in a faraway kingdom, is Graced. But despite the name, being Graced is a curse and blessing. Yes, they're more advanced in a certain way, but they are a social outcast, considered something different, wrong, unnatural. On top of this, they belong to the king. They are owned like an animal, and their families has no say in the matter.
Worst thing? Katsa's Grace is to kill, and her Uncle the King uses her like a pawn. She has always accepted that she had to follow his orders. But then Po comes along... Suddenly, her head is filled with new possibilities besides helping in the shadows.
And so their adventures begin without a break in sight.
This heroine is no where close to a damsel in distress, to my intense relief. It's about time for a good heroine story to unfold beautifully, and I believe Cashore's fits the bill near perfectly. Her writing is woven beautifully with no scenes that make anyone cringe or shy away from. The fight scenes are just enough not to lose the readers' attention, but not too detailed to gross people out. Wonderful book.
Littlehobbit
Jan 21, 2010
Pretty Good
I thought this was a charming book. At first I found the plot a bit sporadic and without depth, but after finishing it my opinion changed a bit. I thought the story was creative. Very good dialogue carried it through a lot of the slower parts and eventually you fall in love with the characters. Super quick read. I really enjoyed this one.
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