Review: Graceling

Title: Graceling (Graceling Realm #1)

Author: Kristin Cashore

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Published: October 1, 2008

One of my favorite things about the book was the name, Graceling, to have a Grace. I thought the word choice was really interesting. The idea that a person was favored or honored with a skill that could be beautiful and can be associated with the concept of mercy. Then to have Katsa's grace take the form of killing was interesting. Throughout the story the word was used many times, the more it was used the more the meaning would come to my mind and I would be impressed with the author's choice in using that word.

I've had a difficult time coming up with words that describe my feelings about this book. I enjoyed the pace and flow. I wasn't wild about the names mainly because each time one of them came up I would do a double check because I knew I was saying it wrong. Katsa was one example I kept switching the t and the s in my head. It was distracting.

I liked Po, in my head he is very sigh worthy. I liked how Katsa was able to break away from her situation and realize she was more than the labels place on her. Her life choices weren't necessarily ones I would make, but I did like that she managed to work through her decisions and why she was making them. I really liked Po for respecting her feelings and not pushing his wants onto her.

Overall I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.