Graceling, Fire and Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Reading Dates : 31 Aug 2013 - 7 Sep 2013

Comparisons Between The Last Time I read the books and Now

Re-reading my own thoughts of Graceling and Fire the first time I read the books against my feelings this time when reading Kristin Cashore's 3 books, I can't help comparing my thoughts between then and now.

What Didn't Change

Of the 3 books, Graceling remains my favorite. The story was infinitely richer and more exciting as they fought a madman possessing a Grace which turned everyone, even their closest friends into enemies. There was visible growth in the characters as they learned to accept both their own weaknesses and those whom they loved.

Po too remains my favorite character. How could I not ? Warm, passionate and sympathetic, I can easily understand why he is the Lienid's most beloved Prince and believe that those who truly know him would  forgive him his secrets in time. Sapphire's willingness to do anything Po commands while being so contrary the rest of the time was one of the very few things I found funny in Bitterblue.

My favorite couple in all 3 books was still Po and Katsa. They make a great team. I loved that they were friends first before they fell in love and started wanting more. I loved that they brought out the best in each other, trusted and believed in each other once they decided to accept each other. Most of all, I loved that they weren't afraid of being diminished by the other's strengths.

What Changed

I had thought that I understood how insidious Leck's Grace could be in Fire and Graceling, but Bitterblue opens up far more tragic consequences then I could ever have imagined. In the face of such terrors, Bitterblue's feelings of uselessness and hopelessness is one I truly sympathize with. Really, even in the end, I couldn't help doubting that the wounds left by Leck could be healed.

Still I can't say that I loved Bitterblue. Right until the end, I felt that she was as much as fault as those who were conspiring against her. Her interest in solving the puzzles around her stems much more from her desire for adventures rather than a true concern for her subjects. If she'd taken more care in her pursuit of the truth, perhaps some of the tragedies that transpires later could have been avoided.

Bitterblue, Fire and Katsa

How did the heroines of the different books fare against each other ? Its hard to decide between Fire and Katsa. Right now, Katsa definitely wins over Fire and Bitterblue.

I confess that I can't quite forgive Bitterblue for making it sound as if Po and Katsa purposely made their relationship difficult. Bitterblue also gave off the impression her search for the truth arose out of boredom and curiosity than genuine concern.

As for Fire, she spent too much time worrying over becoming a monster, so much so that it got quite annoying. Did she have to take until nearly the end of the book to realize what all the people who love her had known all along ?

Katsa was the only one that I felt showed genuine growth throughout Graceling. She too started off believing herself to be a monster and letting herself be used as such. Once she decides to change though, she does so in spectacular fashion, despite her own insecurities. My only quibble with Katsa is that I think she protests too much on the topic of marriage. Must she make such a big deal of it ?

Sapphire, Gideon, Po, Briggan and Archer

Po wins this one no contest. He is simply my favorite character in all 3 of Kristin Cashore's books. Po's sheer joy in living and determination to keep that life, won me over early on in the story. What's truly admirable about Po though is not how he uses his Grace but how he can accept that not all he learns through his Grace defines the person whose secrets he is privy to.

Archer is another favorite character of mine, faults and all. Were it possible, I'd have wished that he and Fire end up together. More, that he had been given a chance to repent his ways. In a way, Archer reminds me of Po, albeit a less honorable and understanding one. Perhaps if he were a tad less possessive and careless, he and Fire would have had a better chance.

As for Briggan, while I liked him and his solidness and dependability, he was also overshadowed by all the other characters in the book.

Giddon makes himself infinitely unlikable in Graceling. So much so that I couldn't reconcile his character in Bitterblue to the one in Graceling. Of all the recurring characters in the 3 books, I though Giddon's showed the most discontinuity. Giddon in Bitterblue felt like a totally different person to the Giddon in Graceling. So, no matter how I tried, I couldn't help feeling that Bitterblue's Giddon was a fake and not someone to be trusted.

Sapphire too was an absolute disappointment measured against all of the main characters in the 3 books. There is simply no depth to him. For almost the entire book, I failed to grasp the motivations for any of his actions. Even when he's supposed to be badly hurt by some of Bitterblue's actions, I couldn't attribute any such feeling to him. The only truly genuine emotion that I sensed from Sapphire was his devotion to his Lienid Seventh Prince.

Would I Read the Books again ?

Definitely. Especially, Graceling. I couldn't get enough of Po and Katsa and would welcome another foray into their world. I'd love to find out what happens with their revolutions and their future explorations into the new world opening to them. Bitterblue also leaves me with a sense that there are so many untold stories, both happening in the gaps between Graceling, Fire and Bitterblue and in the aftermath of whats to come.

Review : Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Title : Graceling Author : Kristin Cashore Reading Dates : 10 Apr - 11 Apr 2011
The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy
Graceling Fire Bitterblue
From 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.

Book Review of Graceling.
As I said previously, I chose to read Fire prior to Graceling since it was set before Graceling. Did it make a difference ? Well, that depends. It didn’t make a difference to my enjoyment of the story but if you don’t like spoilers, then you should avoid reading Fire first. Other than that, I’d say it doesn’t make any difference which you read first.

Additionally reading the books back to back, I couldn’t help making comparisons between them. There are strong similarities between the plot lines and personality traits of characters in both books. Still, there were plenty of twists to keep me interested and the characters were just as likable as ever. As it is, I not only enjoyed Graceling, I’d say I liked Graceling more than Fire. When it comes to the storytelling, Graceling offers more in terms of plot and characterisation.

What I loved best about Graceling was the interaction between Po and Katsa. A huge chunk of the book is devoted to the 2 main characters relationship. We really get to see them getting to know each other, work out their differences and make all those adjustments that any relationship demands. Whether apart or together, their devotion to each other is obvious. More importantly, they make a rather formidable team.

The other thing I really liked was Po’s Grace. Not only his ability but the knowledge that he was still growing into it. I can’t help wondering at his limits and how he might use it in the future.

Definitely a series I’m looking forward to reading more of.

My conclusions :

• Would I re-read the book ? Definitely.
• Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Yes.
• Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes.
• Who would I recommend this too? Any romance and fantasy readers.
• For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Buy it.

Read another review on the book by :

• about happy books
• Aleksandra's Corner
• Good Books & Wine
• Reading with Tequila
• Storywings
• YA Addict

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Review : Fire by Kristin Cashore

Title : Fire Author : Kristin Cashore Reading Dates : 5 Apr - 10 Apr 2011
The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy
Graceling Fire Bitterblue
From goodreads :
Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored-- fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green-- and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans. Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story.

Book Review of Fire.

While Fire was the second book in the trilogy, I made a conscious decision to read it first since it was set before Graceling. Hopefully, this decision doesn’t come back to haunt me later but in any case, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of Fire.

The first thing that struck me about the story is how beautifully it is written. The author has a way with words which just leaves me wanting more. The world of Fire seem so vivid that it’s almost as if I can see it in my mind’s eye as I read it. If for no other reason, this alone makes me want to read more books by Kristin Cashore.

The other reason to enjoy this is Fire herself. I liked that the heroine is uncertain and afraid of her own powers at the start, not only because of what she imagines she could do but with the very real example of what her father and she herself has done in the past. And I like it even more that she learns to face this fear and even accept the necessity of her actions as the story progresses. Again not so much because of what any one person says, but through her experiences. What I loved about Fire though are the contradictions surrounding her feelings for her father and Archer. To know that it is possible to love someone and be beloved by that person and know that the person we love can be unkind or even cruel to others. And that it is not only possible to continue loving them in spite of it all, but that it is okay to do so.

My conclusions :

• Would I re-read the book ? Definitely.
• Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Yes.
• Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes.
• Who would I recommend this too? Anyone who enjoys fantasy or a good story.
• For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? I'm reserving judgement on this until I read the next book.

Read another review on the book by :

• Emily's Reading Room
• Storywings

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