Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:
Synopsis for Graceling (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.
She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po.
She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.
With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.
Series: Graceling Realm
Author: Kristin Cashore
# of Books: 5 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Connected Standalones
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance
Heat Rating: warm **suggestive content**
Point of View: Third Person, Single
Publication Dates: October 2008 – October 2022
Source & Format: Public Library–Hardcover (#1); Audiobook (#2)
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
I honestly thought I had a review of Graceling up because I read it many, many years before I started blogging. But alas, I don’t! I kinda forgot about this series. I read Graceling after a co-worker recommended it in high school. And I always meant to read the sequels but life just got in the way. Flash forward a decade later and I decide to read Fire as an audiobook for a sequel-only month.
What I Liked About Graceling (#1) & Fire (#2):
The Concept / The World:
The world building is a highlight of this series. The whole idea of the magical powers of characters in a lush world of kingdoms is very fascinating to read. I was easily captivated by the setting.
The Romance:
The romance stole the show for my in Graceling. It’s just a beautiful story. It just has this great slow burn to it so the characters really get to know each other.
One of the big highlights for me is the sex positive message these novels have. It’s just a normal part of everyday life and it’s never shied away from. I found it just added some realism to this fantasy series.
What I Didn’t Like:
The Approach of the Delivery
All these books have a different flavour to them which can make it hard to get into. Overall, I find they are a little mundane in their delivery sometimes because we focus a lot on the everyday life of these extraordinary girls. And that can make for a slower book if you aren’t a fan of the lead.
That was the case with Fire(#2) for me. I found her to be a very dull character and part of the issue is that I have built up Katsa (Graceling) in my head as this amazing heroine in the 10 years since I read her book. I really don’t think Fire stood a chance against this monstrous character I had concocted in my head when I picked up the sequel years later.
Why I didn’t Read Bitterblue, Winterkeep and Seasparrow:
I had every intention of reading Bitterblue but I didn’t love Fire like I had Graceling and I just found myself passing over the opportunity to pick it up when I had the chance. And I didn’t even know that 2 more books had been published! Maybe one day I’ll return to this entire series and do it justice but I’m just not interested in reading it at this time (maybe if I could find all the audiobooks and restart from the beginning?).
Reading Order?:
Each book focuses on a different heroine but their stories interweave with the others. So I think you will get more out of these books by reading Fire then Graceling and then Bitterblue, Winterkeep and Seasparrow if you are looking for the chronological order of world events.
My Audiobook Experience:
I read Fire as an audiobook and it was a great production. For a third person POV it was a very easy listen.
Series Rating: DNF
Graceling 4/5 | Fire 2.5/5 | Bitterblue N/A | Winterkeep N/A | Seasparrow N/A
I think this series for me is just a casualty of bad timing. I really did enjoy Graceling but I think if I had binged this series instead of reading it in parts I would have found myself more invested in this great world and the strong characters within it. I really haven’t read a series like it in the years since.
Read if You Like: adventure, action, complex characters
Avoid if You: dislike long books, want one continuous set of leads to follow in a series
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