Epic Recs Review: Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1)

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Recently I signed up for Epic Recs, a book pushing book club where you get to recommend books for each other to read every month. I was fortunate enough to be paired with Bec @ Ransom Reads which is pretty cool since I have been following her reviews on Readers In Wonderland for quite awhile now. For February, I recommended Bec The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston knowing her passion for historical fictions and high fantasy novels. In turn, she suggested me Graceling by Kristin Cashore since I too am a high fantasy addict. Is it truly an epic rec, you ask? Yes, of course! Read along and you will know exactly what I mean :) 

Author: Kristin Cashore
Series: Graceling Realm, #1
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Release: Sep 7th 2009 (first published in 2008)
Source: Purchased
Pages: 481 (ebook)
( Amazon | Goodreads )

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.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

I'm happy to say that I have been making some real progress with my TBR pile lately. *clap*clap* Graceling has been on my radar for quite a long time due to its widespread popularity, though it is only now that I finally stepped into Kristin Cashore's intriguing Medieval world - the realm of the Seven Kingdoms - and got to know these Gracelings who bear different colors in their eyes. With high expectations in mind, I started it off anticipating great things from Ms. Cashore and I'm glad that not one of them was left unfulfilled.

Katsa is a Graceling - someone who is exceptionally gifted in a particular skill, may it be dancing or swimming. But Katsa's Grace is far more unique than just mundane talents; she is Graced with the mastery of killing. With this unparalleled skill comes the neverending fear people project upon her, constantly reminding her that she is nothing but the King's royal thug, bent to his every will to torture and threaten whomever he wishes. As conflicting as it may seem, Katsa is also a rebellious soul who would go against cruelty and injustice time after time in hopes of saving those who suffer from the tyranny. It is when these two sides of her collide and crash into each other that we witness her evolving into the free and independent spirit we come to love even more.

No longer bound by her uncle's orders, Katsa sets destination for Monsea. There she intends to solve the mysterious kidnapping that prompted her and Po's first meeting. It is not easy to remain untouched by Po's charms. His kind and considerate nature, always able to find its way to soothe our nerves, traps us in his loving presence. Our affection towards Katsa and Po grows stronger as the distance between the two lessens, but not even the tenderest moments can take our minds off of the deathly encounter that would lie ahead - something much more frightening than the secrets they each hide beneath the surface.

Among all the spectacular pieces that compose Graceling as a whole, romance is the one that stood out the most for me. There can be no one who is more appropriate than Po for Katsa, I'm sure of it. He understands and respects her in a way no one else can (okay, maybe also Raffin). He knows what freedom is like to her, so much so that he would never dare to hold her back from anything, not even in the name of love. He is not just Katsa's lover or admirer, he is her source of support and tranquility. There was a time that I felt Kristin Cashore was planning to seriously injure or even kill Po based on where the story was going. As a result, I basically held off reading for a couple of days because I was simply not ready at all, both mentally and physically, to process something like that, not to mention accepting it. Though luckily for both you and me, Ms. Cashore picked another path instead, one that is equally heart wrenching but a hint less devastating.

While the two main characters in Graceling are portrayed superbly, the rest of the crew are a lot less fortunate. Although I enjoyed their company at the time, they didn't leave me any memorable impressions with Raffin being an exception. Another minor complaint I have with Graceling is that the ending isn't as grand as I expected. Considering the buildup is so irresistibly compelling, it felt way too anti-climatic and convenient in comparison.

I have often seen people labeling Graceling as "feminist propaganda" and I agree to that in some ways. However, even though there are indeed opinions and stances immersed in this book which I do not approve of, they did not stop me from enjoying this excellently-done high fantasy novel and you shouldn't let them stop you either.

The story of Katsa and Po ends here, but Kristin Cashore has much more to offer in the realm of the Seven Kingdoms. I'm eager to see what other incredible heroines and stories she has sprung up for us readers, and I will make sure to keep you all in the loop :)

My Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 and 1/2 stars)