05 July, 2014

#BookReview :: Graceling (Graceling Realm #1) by Kristin Cashore

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... 



There’s a saying that never judge a book by its cover. I would like to add that never judge a book by its blurb either! Though this book popped up in a lot of bookish conversation, I had no interest in reading it because the blurb led me to believe that I wouldn’t like it much. But then this book came up on sale and me being the addict I am, I bought it and ended up reading it too! And now I must report that I absolutely loved it.

Katsa is graced with the power to kill. That has never endeared her to the people of her country but her uncle, the king, has use for her. Sending her off on missions to dole out bloody punishments, her uncle keeps her under his thumbs. But Katsa has other plans and starts a council that helps people in need of it. On a mission for the council, Katsa meets Prince Po and her life takes on an unexpected turn. Getting to know her Grace and understanding it better, Katsa realizes that she can be much more. Prince Po is beside her in every step of the way. But things change as Katsa defies her king and Prince Po finds a lead to the man behind the kidnapping of his grandfather. They head out on an adventure that will reveal dangerous secrets and change the destiny of a kingdom and their lives will not be the same ever again.

I loved Katsa. Well, I always had a soft spot for female assassins and Katsa only manages to take it a step forward. Her no nonsense attitude and her need to be in control is something that I found endearing. Prince Po is the perfect match for Katsa. He is strong, reliable and in control too. Together they form a formidable duo. I also liked the side character of Prince Raffin. I couldn’t help but wish to read more about him. Bitterblue turned out to be an old soul in a child’s body. Sometimes it amazed me and sometimes it amused me to see her composure. The author’s narration had a straightforward and no nonsense nature that made it fun to read. Every bit of information provided is relevant in some way. The language used is simple and easy to get into.

Overall and interesting page turner that I devoured in one sitting!


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