2020 EDIT: I am very sad to have to give this new rating.
I'll start from the top, the biggest problem: I must have been a much more patient reader in my younger years than I am now, because good lord, the pace of 'Graceling' is GLACIAL. Practically nothing would happen between each of the hundred pages it would take for a major plot point to occur; everything else, but ESPECIALLY the middle and the end, as the book starts out strongly enough, is 'Lord of the Rings'-esque walking around. It's a pet peeve of mine in all fantasy. 'Graceling' is 370 pages long. It really could have benefited from being shorter and getting to the bloody point already. Near the final one hundred pages I couldn't take it anymore - I skimmed through the rest, knowing what was going to happen anyway as I still remembered a few details from my first read.
Aside from the pacing issues is the sexism issues. While 'Graceling' is mostly good at subverting and highlighting backward and dangerous gender politics, especially for a 2008 publication, the overall worldbuilding is still patriarchal, with rigid gender roles still being overlooked in the narrative. The tough and capable protagonist, Katsa, is the only female in the book who can and is allowed to fight. She hates seeing other women victimised by men, but other men keep stopping her from doing anything about it. Worse, when emasculated men say anything sexist, whiny and entitled to her face, she thinks of calling them out on it, and has legitimate reasons to do so... but she doesn't, because OTHER "NICER" MEN have told her to keep calm always, and never directly make men see the error of their ways. What a crock of shit. I don't need to see awfulness like this perpetuated in escapist fantasy and in real life, over and over and over again!
Not holding men (ALL MEN, not just the villains) accountable for their words and actions - not expecting them to change - is part of rape culture, Kristin Cashore!
Katsa also thinks that, because she doesn't want children, she's unnatural. This is never brought up again, so I can assume that the narrative wants me to agree with her. Women are defined by whether or not they have children in 'Graceling', just like in every high fantasy book ever. It's twisted logic, too: If it's Katsa's own choice never to be a mother, why should she care if it's "unnatural"? It's HER choice. So women's freedom of choice over her own body and agency is inherently unnatural? WTF?
Katsa's relationship with the prince Po is also kind of icky and not so romantic. Po is manipulative and a smartarse, and the highly strong, assertive and independent Katsa grows comfortable with crying on him and him treating her like a child. It looks like she's, after all, merely a stubborn, petulant child and a wild animal, needing to be trained, tamed and told what to do by Po, whom it would be literally impossible for her to have any privacy from. For all of Katsa's talk of not wanting to be treated like a caged animal and pet for men to control and do with what they will, in a way she will be trapped by Po if she stays with him, as he keeps reading her mind against her will. I did not care for them in the long run.
Final note: When I first read 'Graceling', I'd thought that Po had dark skin. His character, culture and kingdom share similarities with stereotypical indigenous tribes, such as possessing ringed markings on their arms, and jewellery. It is a little stereotypical, but I overlooked it because it was a novelty at the time for a YA heroine in fantasy to have a POC love interest. It was a novelty for any heroine to have a POC love interest, period. But no. Upon rereading, Po is described as only having dark hair. He's pale or tan depending on weather exposure. That's it. Dark hair and silver eyes are what make him and his people stand out. Everyone is white in 'Graceling', as far as I can tell.
So much for that.
Bloody high fantasy bullshit.
It's heartbreaking, but here we are. I didn't have the patience for 'Graceling' this time round. What a shame, because I was enjoying it at first. Additionally, it is exceptionally funny and witty when it comes to character banter. Cashore knows how to write dialogue.
I'd even forgive the questionable gender roles and attitudes of 'Graceling', if only it had a stricter editor. Now that I think of it, the same could be said for nearly all fantasy novels.
It became a chore, and I don't consider reading books to be a chore.
Final Score: 3/5
P.S. Prince Raffin and his lab assistant Bann are totally a gay couple. If only Cashore were more explicit about their relationship.
Original Review:
Immensely entertaining, to-the-point YA action fantasy. I was never bored whilst reading 'Graceling'; which, in terms of reading in general, is a rarity for me these days. Kristin Cashore writes with urgency in the complex world of the Seven Kingdoms, and she never strays from character development and the emotional connections shared in the major relationships.
The protagonist is Katsa, a girl with the gift - called a Grace - of killing. People with Graces in this book's world are the equivalent of what we would call mutants, like in 'X-Men'. Some of these people are good (or try to be), some are used for another's gain, and some will want to abuse their gifts to the extreme. Above all they'd prefer to hide their Grace if not for their one-eye colour giving them away. But that can be covered up, easier than anyone thought...
When Katsa was eight she accidentally killed her distant cousin after he fondled her at a ball. Since then, instead of being banished or executed, she is used by her uncle Lord Randa to carry out his assigned missions that involve the other kingdoms. She can refuse them, but she has no where else to go. She has no other family.
Even though she can survive any climate, and is distant from most people due to her Grace, she won't risk killing anyone else who might come in her path. But is her Grace really to kill, with the strength and flexibility she possesses?
Katsa is an assertive, capable and funny heroine. She doesn't take nonsense from anybody. I have huge respect for her common sense and dry wit, as well as for her badass fighting skills.
But she is not written like a Mary Sue to me. Her endurance is put to the test on her journey across the Seven Kingdoms for a mission where there is much at stake; not just for the kingdom of Lienid but potentially for all the kingdoms. Throughout her story she learns how far her Grace will reach its zenith. She also discovers her own emotional and mental limitations that not even her "curse" can protect her from. And despite this she has to protect not only herself but others who are not as blessed as she is with a powerful Grace.
She will realize she wants to protect others fiercely, because she grows to really care for them.
So therefore I cared for Katsa and her struggles.
She also vocally challenges women's clothing when she's made to wear a dress by Randa so he can show her off. This makes sense in context, as dresses are impractical for fighting and running. Much like high heels. She feels trapped in feminine clothes, much like how she feels trapped by Randa. Ms Cashore challenges women's roles in general in 'Graceling', which is a step up from other fantasy books set in a medieval-like world.
Katsa becomes reluctant companions with Po, a mysterious Lienid prince who has as much skill as she does. Po is jokey without being annoying, and he is genuinely sweet and sympathetic; contrasting with Katsa's hard shell. He has hobbies and cool rings that link him to his royalty. He also becomes affected by an ironic tragedy at the end, which I won't reveal due to spoilers. It is something to behold when reading up to it, so that its emotional weight pays off.
I liked reading the banter between Katsa and Po, and how their relationship develops throughout the book. It felt real, especially with the external dangers they end up in together. They have more in common than you might think at first. Po does have an important part to play in Katsa's story; he does not exist just to bring out her repressed sexuality. She is still assertive with her priorities as a hero after she gets to know more about Po.
'Graceling' as a whole is an enjoyably refreshing and surprising fantasy debut. The world created is rich with inns, mountains, castles and climate changes. The characters aren't half bad either. I particularly loved Captain Faun - another awesome female.
'Graceling' explores themes such as free-will, using people as weapons, keeping up tradition, and finding out what it means to have friends and love someone else.
Plus I was fond of all the cute fantasy names. I mean, I find Bitterblue to be adorable and creative.
Kristin Cashore also breaks YA tradition in 'Graceling' by writing a brief but realistic sex scene, with the after-effects it has on the virginal character. There is adult material in this book, not just in its violent content. It is not a girly read.
Final Score: 5/5
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