So Graceling is a novel set in a semi-medieval world. This is a fantasy novel, and in it some of
the characters have special graces, whether it be good at swordsmanship,
swimming...ECT. This novel follows a young girl named Katsa whom everyone
including herself believes to have been graced with the skill of killing. I won’t
say too much about the story I will let you read that for yourself. However it’s
about this young girl helping to find the mystery of a kidnapping.
The novel keeps you thinking trying to solve the mystery as
well. At times it can be a bit predictable but it does have some very good
twists in the book.
The structure of the novel itself is not all that
impressive, that is where Cashore loses a lot of peoples interests. There are a
lot of awkward sentences, and descriptions that don’t flow. There is usually a
quite basic descriptive vocabulary through this novel, and sometimes seems to
be a whole heap of adjectives all strung together to try create something and
failing. However I do giver her credit, this is the first book this author has
ever written and I believe it to be a good start for her. Cashore has some
great ideas that she puts into books, I just seemed she was tiring a bit too
hard and wasn’t able to completely make it. I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It
was the start of her career and with a bit more work on structure and editing
she will be a great author.
The major theme in this book is of course feminism. Reading
this book you get quite an idea that the author herself is a feminist. You see
this through the main character Katsa, who is opposed to everything that is
deemed girly. The messages that I believe that Cashore was trying to show her
readers is that you don’t need a man and that women are just as capable as men
and are not as fragile. That women can stand up for themselves. However she does have a love story within the
novel but is not the dominate part, so she can also be implying that you don’t
have to be alone but the women doesn’t need to depend completely on the man.
She does force her ideas of feminism quite strong through the book; it is quite
in your face and not just a subtle message. At times she does go a bit too
extreme with it. She really does use very chance she can to show how feminist
the main character is and tries to show people her views. It would be more
appropriate if it was less intense and was just a theme that you get through
the book instead of having the author try cramming these beliefs down your throat.
However one may argue that Cashore was unable to
consistently keep Katsa’s beliefs the same. In some reviews I have read, people
have said that her character is being all strong and says that she doesn’t need
a guy however when Po leaves she cries because he left which contradicts Katsa’s
independence. However I believe what Cashore was trying to accomplish which
people may have failed to notice is that Katsa did not cry because of Po
leaving yet because of the fact that she cared that he left. She is so
determined to not have to rely on someone and not need someone as she had been
hurt before and she was upset with herself when she found that she cared for
Po. So in truth I do not believe that Cashore contradicted herself with her
character Katsa. Cashore keeps her ideas throughout the book the same but she
does let her characters grow while still maintain the sense of feminism and not
relying on the guy.
I think that if you like a fun light read, if you like
strong female characters, mystery, and don’t mind not having a major love story
then this will be a good book for you. This was a book I read towards the start
of my obsession with reading, it really is a great novel if you want something
easy to read. If you are only just starting to read then I would defiantly recommend
it.
Also I feel that most people should, as even though there is
some structure problems and some people believe her to over indulge in the
feminism, she really does improve through her other novels which spin off this
one.
