Graceling (Graceling Realm, 1)

So, one of my 7th graders has been on me to read this book since December. I started it in April when we went on a trip to Oregon for our anniversary, but had other things to read as well. Also family to see, food to eat, and animal-themed parades to observe. As a result, I didn't get very far. Since then, I've had very little time for reading. My excuses are gone, now, because summer break has hit. Thus, I am slogging my way through this book. I say slogging because I am. Even though the writing is easy and fast-paced, I am 80 pages in and not hooked yet.

Things I Don't Particularly Care For
1. So far, Katsa is highly unlikeable. I have yet to feel any kind of sympathy for her, despite the fact that I can I'm supposed to.
2. I don't understand how I'm supposed to feel about things except that I'm supposed to like Katsa and don't. I feel like there's romance coming from Raffin but he's her cousin, so I'm creeped out that I'm feeling that. I get that she doesn't like the king, but I still don't know how to take any of that whole relationship.
3. HIS NAME IS "PO"??? ARE YOU EVEN KIDDING ME? I mean, it was bad enough when Poe Dameron was named that (I think I am literally the only person who would rather be gagged by a beetroot than think the name Poe Dameron is any good). But just plain "Po"? Like the teletubby??? This is a situation that is so upsetting it calls for many, many incredulous question marks.
4. It took me 200 pages to be vaguely interested in this story. I still don't like the main character much and I still don't like the name "Po".
5. It feels like they're setting up a love interest between Katsa and Raffin...but he's her cousin. That creepy me out.
6. Wouldn't it be great it Raffin and Bann were gay lovers? I'm totally up for that.
7. Okay, so Katsa's never so much as kissed someone before and all of a sudden she and Po are going all the way? I just find that unbelievable.
8. Like every fantasy heroine, there are several things I find annoying about Katsa. 1.) She has no clue that she's beautiful and beloved. Sigh. 2.) She's oh so special. Oh wait! She's not just special, she's extra special because her skill isn't killing, it's SURVIVAL. So that means she's literally good at EVERYTHING. Gag me.
9. Alright, so Katsa killed Leck. Suddenly and without much struggle. There's still SIXTY PAGES LEFT. What on Earth is Cashore going to do with sixty pages?
10. Oh, sixty pages of vaguely boring falling action. Fun.

All in all, this book wasn't for me. I can respect some of the things it was going for. For example, the idea that you don't have to get married. You don't need boys to save you. I appreciate that. I didn't like that Katsa was practically invincible. I didn't like that Leck really wasn't much of a threat. His villainy wasn't really properly explained (plus, such rape-y undertones! Jesus!) and he was an unformed evil. Thus, I wasn't really scared of him and his subsequent death didn't carry much weight. I feel like I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop while I was reading this. And it wouldn't never drop quite like I thought or hoped it would. I don't think I'm going to spend my time on the sequels. I have too many other books to read. Thanks anyway.

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.

A full, well rounded story that has been suggested to me for over a decade it seems and I'm so proud to check off this TBR staple.

Just ok. I think some of the world building was cool, but I didn’t love the characters. I got bored a lot, maybe because most of the book is just traveling details. I think other stories in this world could be interesting, but I don’t really want to put the effort into reading the rest of the books to find out. Main take away- the surprises/big plot points we’re good and interesting, everything else was really mid.

I really liked this. The imagined setting (made-up kingdoms) reminded me a bit of Eragon, but the story was its own. I loved how the characters developed over time. For a fantasy, it felt very realistic; the struggles and triumphs, heartbreak and joy were universal, no matter the strange "Graces" that some characters possessed. I look forward to reading [b:Fire|7822784|Fire (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, #2)|Kristin Cashore|http:photo.goodreads.com/books/1267828423s/7822784.jpg|6128277], and I hope there is a sequel to find out what happens with Katsa, Po, Bitterblue, and the rest!