Graceling by Kristin Cashore

YA Fantasy, 2008 by Harcourt, 471 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

Starting mid action, in this case, is off putting because you feel immediately confused like you’re missing something.
Not reflected in my rating but the noises between scenes on the audiobook get old FAST.
This is YA (which I would agree with) but there is some fade-to-gray implied relationship stuff going on. Just be aware if that bothers you.

Characters are GREAT. Their gifts are interesting and they have good chemistry.
Interesting premise and set up. A fantasy world where some people are graced with a gift that feels magical? Kings and queens? It has a lot going for it and it’s all well done.
Pacing is good. This one spans time and distance and covers a lot of events. Sometimes in fantasy this can lead to slow points in the book. In this case the pacing is expertly done. It moves fast and stays interesting.

Fantasy fans will enjoy this one. The depth of the characters and the world is fascinating.