I finally found a book I couldn't put down! 

I loved Graceling!! 

Finally I found another Twilight-Esq action, adventure, romance that was interesting enough and gripping to get me to the point where I couldn't set it down!

I lost hope in the first several chapters as I was having trouble getting involved.  Mostly because it takes place in a fictional place during mid evil times.  The seven kingdoms are made up as well as the odd names of the characters, the kings, the underlords etc.  It was hard to follow who was who and from where.  For this reason, I think I failed to get the good descriptions of the characters and the author never really touches on that again.  Regardless, however once I got a handle on who was who, I ate it right up!

I've read reviews that it feels like a feminist novel.  I never got that while I was reading.  Instead I felt I was just reading an amazingly gripping story with a great, well written heroin and her almost as equal counterpart, fellow hero.  When he needed to be the one to save them, she allowed it.  I never felt like she was making some kind of 'I am Woman' stand...I felt like it was more of just an independence stance. 

I would agree with another review that the climactic parts were very...well, anti climactic.  She describes weeks battling the mountains in the winter.  A very well described hand to hand combat with a mountain lion.  Even the detailed spin, jabs and stabs of the battles against random soldiers, but when the villain finally comes into play....he's barley mentioned.  Then when she finally comes face to face with him, it feels very underplayed and quick.  That part could have had a little more meat to it

Regardless, the love story was excellent.  As well as the adventure and the obvious and unbreakable ties to the people that she loved.  The book wrapped up nicely and then left the characters in a way that was 'happily ever after,' but not necessarily in the way that you wanted it.

There were surprises.  There were nail bitting moments!  It was good.

What saddened me the most is the fact that it ended.  With about a hundred pages left I googled the book to see if there was a major motion picture in the works.  There's not.  And the book trailer on youtube, was awful and I wished I would have never watched it, as it left the characters now differently in my mind.  Then I learned that there is not yet a follow up novel starring my beloved Katsa and Po.  Instead there is a prequel that takes place roughly 35 years prior to this story.  Cashore is however writing a sequel at this point tentatively titled Bitterblue.  But that's not due for release I understand until 2011. This all makes me very sad.  The prequel Fire is supposed to be even better, and I shall dive into that next, but I can't at the moment get over Katsa and Po.  I feel lost with out them.  I think I will return to Graceling and re-read the first few chapters and make better sense of how it all started.  That way at least I can have my new friends back in my life.


It's driving me mad...

I wish I could shake them...


This is why I don't read....