Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Graceling (Graceling Realm Book #1)

This book I finished just this morning because I was so bored and I woke up at 5:30 AM for some odd reason. I actually started it last Saturday because my family was driving to Quebec City for the Spring Break and I was getting bored in the car. I've been reading it continuously for I think two nights and then two hours this morning.
                                
Well, I found out about it because a friend of mine (the same friend who recommended me a lot of books on this blog ((I think she should write this instead of me...))) had told me about it, but she said it was boring. I looked at the cover and then read the summary. It seemed like a good story. I didn't know what could be so boring about it. I have yet to ask her about why she found it boring, but to me it seemed quite interesting. Then one day I requested it from the library. It took me a long time, but finally I got to read it.

Here's the cover (I have written it in my to do list to draw the sword on the cover since I liked it so much)-



In the seven kingdoms, the Graced are either exploited or completely shunned by society. Enter Katsa, a girl Graced with killing who has been used by her uncle King Randa to do his dirty work in killing people and going on rescue missions. One day, the prince of the neighboring kingdom Lienid visits Randa's castle to have him aid the boy in his search for his missing grandfather Prince Tealiff. Prince Greening or Po as he is called is Graced with the talent of fighting. Katsa brings Po to his grandfather who is living with one of Katsa's friends in Randa City. Po really had no need to go through all the trouble of finding him because only a few days before, Katsa and her friend Oll had rescued him from the dungeons of a kingdom far away.
The problem is that Tealiff can't remember who kidnapped him. Katsa and Po come up with a list of suspects and narrow it down to King Murgon of Sunder or King Leck of Monsea. On their adventures, Katsa and Po find Leck and try to kill him. It ends badly with Katsa's mind getting warped when she tried to shoot Leck.

They meet Princess Bitterblue, the daughter of Leck, who is scared of them at first. Po and Katsa determine that she could be useful in their killing of Leck. When they fight Leck again, Po hits his head and receives amnesia. He can't seem to remember what they were doing in the forest.
Bitterblue and Katsa have to cross through the treacherous mountains to reach Sunder where they will catch a ship to go to Monport where Leck's castle is.

My thoughts-

A very good first novel. It is interesting and I can't wait to read the sequel and the companion book. I have to admit that the beginning is a little boring and it doesn't pick up speed until page one hundred where Katsa and Po set out on their adventure.
I was pretty happy to see their goal acheived and Leck dead. Actually, I liked how Katsa was only spared from Leck's mind-ensnaring Grace for a moment and she threw her dagger at him. It hit him not in the heart, but went through his mouth and pinned him to the wall with his mouth open. I thought that was quite interesting for some very odd reason.
Honestly, this was a good first novel for someone who is quite new to the writing profession. Hey, I'm a real newbie. I've only been seriously writing since about fourth grade which was three years ago.


((If you like this one, read the sequel Bitterblue and the companion novel Fire))

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