Graceling, by Kristin Cashore

    
What an exciting debut book!  I am fascinated by stories with strong heroines.  This story delivered a strong, ferocious teen who challenges herself at every turn.  Katsa has a Grace- she is lethal.  At a time when most children are surrounded in love and gentleness, Katsa is separated from humanity.  She is an outsider who is always watched and feared. 
     Katsa's Grace is controlled by her uncle, King Randa.  He is a power hungry king who uses his deadly niece to maim and kill his enemies.  Katsa is so separated from her humanity, that she believes what others believe of her.  She is animalistic and not to be trusted to interact with others.  Yet, her Uncle doesn't control all of her actions. 
    The young Graceling tries to balance her gruesome acts by restoring the wrongs in her kingdom.  She creates the Council to help the innocents escape the petty war-mongering of the 7 kings of the kingdom.
     The book opens with Katsa on a dangerous, dark mission.  She rescues an old man.  The readers are unsure of her motives, but are astonished at her skill.  She moves swiftly and catlike.  She is able to demolish all of an enemies guard without raising a single alarm.  Kristin Cashore surprises the reader because Katsa does so without killing a single one of them.  We know she could kill any of them easily, yet she demands the guards will not forfeit their lives. 

Cashore does a great job to develop her heroine.  Katsa struggles emotionally with the age old question of who she is, what she wants, her struggles to fit in.  She may be Graced, but she struggles with emotions that an ungraced teen can relate to. 

When Cashore introduces Prince Greening, he is the only person who can challenge Katsa.  He is also a Graceling.  He understands her problems, but also understands how to interact in the world around him.  His Grace in fighting provides him enough skill to keep him alive.  Without fear of Katsa’s killing Grace, he is able to force humanity onto her.  This makes her incredibly conflicted and confused. 

     The Prince is mysterious in his own right.  He shrugs off titles and prefers to be known as Po.  When he looks at Katsa, he seems to look into her.  He senses her confusion, anger, and curiosity.  As she relates to him through her physicality, he relates to her with his easy communication. 
     I don't want to spoil any of the plot or story for you, so I will not give away any more of the delicious events.  This is an adventure story that will capture your heart.  I saw similarities to Katsa and Po in some of my other favorite literary characters.  She is strong and capable at defending herself, like Katniss in Hunger Games.  Katas also struggles with what she is and what she has done like Jasper in Twilight.  I wouldn't say Cashore stole or copied these characters.  They just seemed so familiar to me.  I understood so much more of whom they were and possible choices they would take.  Great job for a debut book! 

http://kristincashore.blogspot.com/2008/02/my-books.html