"I've heard you have one eye green as the Middluns grasses, and the other eye blue as the sky."

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Synopsis:

In a world where people born with an extreme skill- called a Grace- are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him. 

When she first meets Prince Po, who is 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.

Review:

First and foremost...I loved this book. I think this story is better than Romeo and Juliet (which I have loved forever and it has now been passed over for Graceling.) I loved the adventure of this book, I loved the love story, I loved the fear that I felt when reading this. I have to say, I have probably experienced every emotion possible while reading this story. I laughed, I cried, I wished I was living in this world. I wondered what my Grace might be if I had one...then I decided I probably wouldn’t have had one. But how cool would it be to have two different colored eyes?

So back to the review. This book is a complete fairy tale, set in a different world with kingdoms and royalty and special abilities. It had the love story that all disney princesses get, but it had the adventure of a James Bond film. It was just a complete story that seemed very real. I read this book and kept thinking that if they made this into a movie, who would play who? Could a movie really portray the beauty of Lienid? I don’t think my imagination could even see all the beauty of this world, as much as I wanted too (maybe on the second read?) 

I loved the beginning of the book where we learn mostly about Katsa and her life as a killer. I loved the ending of the book, I think Kristin Cashore did an amazing job with a last sentence. Even though I really didn’t want the book to end, I just wanted to keep going and read more about Katsa and Po and where their lives would now take them. I really enjoyed how the story unraveled and I loved the thought process I put into trying to figure out what was really going on along with Katsa and Po. Kristin Cashore did an amazing job with her characters. She must have one crazy imagination that I wish I had as well. 

I feel as though Graceling would be a book that both boys and girls, adults and teenagers, would thoroughly enjoy. I think it had something for everyone and it was just very well rounded. I was so satisfied with this book that I feel I feel I must thank the author for writing something so brilliant and I cannot wait to pick up Fire (once I read the other 10 books on my nightstand.)

Cover: 10/10

Beginning: 5/5

Ending: 5/5

Plot: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Satisfaction: 10/10

Grade: 50/50 = A+