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Graceling: Katsa Doesn't Need a Weapon...She IS a Weapon!
Unavailable
Graceling: Katsa Doesn't Need a Weapon...She IS a Weapon!
Unavailable
Graceling: Katsa Doesn't Need a Weapon...She IS a Weapon!
Audiobook12 hours

Graceling: Katsa Doesn't Need a Weapon...She IS a Weapon!

Written by Kristin Cashore

Narrated by David Baker and Full Cast

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Set in a world where some people are born with a Grace—a unique, sometimes uncanny, gift—this is the story of Katsa, whose Grace—demonstrated at an uncomfortably early age—is for killing. This makes her a perfect tool for her uncle, King Randa.

But Katsa chafes at the way she is being used—and even more at the injustices she sees around her. Then she meets Prince Po, who has a Grace to match hers... perhaps.

Featuring FCA favorite Chelsea Mixon as Katsa, and sensational newcomer Zachary Exton as Prince Po, the most fascinating and praised fantasy debut of 2008 now springs to life in a sensational full-cast recording.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 1, 2009
ISBN9781934180976
Unavailable
Graceling: Katsa Doesn't Need a Weapon...She IS a Weapon!
Author

Kristin Cashore

Kristin Cashore is author of many New York Times best-selling books, including Graceling, Fire, Bitterblue, and Jane, Unlimited. She received a master's from the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons College, and she has worked as a dog runner, a packer in a candy factory, an editorial assistant, a legal assistant, and a freelance writer. She currently lives in the Boston area. kristincashore.blogspot.com Twitter: @kristincashore

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Reviews for Graceling

Rating: 4.134688880731441 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Little BookwormBorn into a world where some people are born with special "Graces," Katsa discovers at an early age that she has a Killing Grace. Made into her uncle the King's special enforcer, she decides to do some secret good to counteract the orders she carries out for the king. In the midst of rescuing a noble, she encounters Po, a prince for another kingdom and also Graced although harboring a secret. This sets off a chain of events that lead to an epic adventure and to Katsa discovering the truth of her own Grace.I'd seen Graceling reviewed in a couple of different places and I knew I had to read it. This book certainly did not disappoint. I love when the female character is the strongest and can kick some serious butt. Katsa, despite doing some questionable things, is a sympathetic character and I enjoyed her. She is strong and willful, but doesn't recognize her true power in the beginning since she has been treated as an attack dog by her uncle and the people around her fear her. Po brings out the best in her and the way he treats her like a person makes her understand that she is more than how she was raised. Po was also an awesome character. He is strong and determined and tries to do right by Katsa. I loved him. I loved them both.Now I can't wait for Fire, the companion novel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Katsa, a young woman who possesses the Grace of Killing, must deal with a corrupt ruler whose power seems to be beyond what even she can fight.You know all the good things you've heard about this book? They're true. Every one of them.Cashore's setup is reminiscent of Mercedes Lackey or Tamora Pierce. We've got a young woman with an extraordinary power who feels like an outsider because of it. Her uncle, who also happens to be the king of her country, has exploited her for years, forcing her to dole out punishment to anyone who displeases him. Katsa hates her job, but she feels helpless. Her uncle has kept her under his thumb by convincing her that her gift makes her little better than an animal, and most of his court backs him up. She has a small group of loyal friends, but she's done such a thorough job of hardening her heart against the abuse she endures from every other quarter that she won't really allow them to support her. From an emotional standpoint, she's in a bad place. She's unwilling to reach out to anyone else, and her belief in her own self control is shaky at best.It's a great setup, and Cashore makes it pay. She takes us inside Katsa's head and lets us experience her emotional journey as it unfolds. We're right there with her, every step of the way. I teared up more than once. Katsa's story kept me involved and tugged at my heartstrings in a pretty big way.And it's exciting, too! The fight scenes are beautifully choreographed; they really come alive. Katsa's internal struggles are as tense and exciting as her physical battles. Her unconventional romance is handled very well, and in such a way that it blends perfectly with the action. And once the main bad guy enters the fray, the story sweeps the reader up and refuses to let her go. Cashore's pacing is great; she keeps you involved in the action from start to finish. I was hard pressed to put the book down.it's very good stuff. I definitely recommend that you check it out, especially if you're looking for fantasies with strong female leads.(Also reviewed on my blog, Stella Matutina).
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is an interesting book. Interesting to read, and interesting to rate.

    I liked the story well enough, but the thing that I liked best about the book was the characters. Katsa is a very interesting character, with a lot of internal struggle, and Kristin Cashore does a great job of displaying them. The same is true for Po.

    The story itself does not win any prices for originality, but it does not have to. For me, the story was a good framework for writing about the characters, about the world. And I absolutely love the last few chapters, as they are a pretty unconventional ending (sadly, they were also the only part of the story that was not pretty much completely predictable for me).

    I liked this book, and I would recommend it. And I will keep reading the series (especially curious about the third book, for reasons you will understand when you read this book). I am hoping for less predictability with the same quality of characters, and it might be enough for a five star rating.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Um.

    So. I think it's safe to say that this is the worst book I read in 2017.

    I didn't like the plot. I didn't like the romance. I didn't like anything, except for the characters. But even they were ruined, as they became nothing more than overpowered Mary-Sues. Thinking back on it now, did Po even have a personality, or was he just a flat romantic interest? Even Katsa-- who should, by all means be a horrible person and completely badass and chaotically good-- is nothing less than some perfect person who never suffers consequence and has everything handed to her. I wanted to like her but ugh. When it comes down to it, these characters are utterly empty.

    The plot is so boring. I kept reading and reading, suffering through the first 100 pages where nothing happened. Then, things began to happen and I thought "oh hey, here we go" but...... NOTHING. HAPPENS. It's so flat, flat, flat. Is there even a plot? It felt like a lot of traveling to a place they never get to. What is a climax? This book doesn't know. Maybe it needs to retake grade 9 English and learn about "plot maps" and what is "rising action" and how to write a climatic scene.

    But the worst... the absolute worst... is the fighting. So Katsa's gift, her graceling, is supposedly killing, which means she's this fantastic fighter, a master in the art of war. Great!, you're thinking, this book is going to have awesome fighting sequences! And guess what? You are entirely wrong! The fighting scenes in this book are TERRIBLE: they're either completely skipped over and written so sloppy you can't follow what happens.

    The premise of this book is cool, but the story and execution are horrible. In the end, this book is nothing more than a lot of words.

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Graceling (Graceling Realm #1) by Kristin Cashore is a book I had mixed feelings about. I loved the idea of having these skills or Grace. The first couple of chapters had me very interested but then it started leaving me flat. I like the premise of the story, the potential, and some of the characters. I just found that it didn't have 'something' that made me want to get deep into this world. It was an okay read but I doubt I will follow the series. I got this book from the library.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book is okay. It’s an interesting concept to have a grace that is a special ability like strength or strong swimmer or even mind control. There are some evil people who use their abilities for bad. Lots of killing and some warm hearted moments.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In the land of the Seven Kingdoms there are people born with special abilities, and the way to tell them apart is by their eyes – one of each colour. They are called Gracelings, and their power is their Grace. Katsa is a Graceling, and her Grace is killing, which is exploited by her cousin, the King – Katsa is his assassin and thug, doing his dirty work intimidating, maiming and killing whoever opposes him. But Katsa keeps her mind, and has started to do some work on her own, trying to put right the wrongs done by all the Kings of the Seven Kingdoms. And when the Lienid King's father is kidnapped, she has to investigate.This kidnapping is the connecting thread in the story, present from beginning to end, and although more quests and subplots are added to it, it does not deviate from wanting to know who kidnapped Grampa. That was one of the main things I loved about Graceling, the fact that by the end of the book I could still see the connection to the beginning of the story.One thing that I can say about this book is that it was so much fun to read. I had a smile plastered on my face the entire time (which meant people looking at me oddly on the train), and there were a lot of parts where I was chuckling and snickering.The story was very captivating, even if not exactly surprising. It reads well as a standalone (although there is prequel published and a sequel announced), the story has a beginning and an end. And regarding the ending, I confess to be dreading it when I was coming close to the last pages. There were merely 50 pages ahead of me and most of the plot was yet unresolved, and with no prospects of being resolved soon. But I needn't fear – when the end came about it was perfect and fulfilling. I loved the characters one this book (so much that it saddens me that Fire is a prequel and not a sequel). It was easy to love all the good characters, and fear the evil ones. And even if the ending was fulfilling to the point that I consider the story finished, I still want more, more adventures with those characters, more time exploring that world, because I absolutely loved it.Graceling is a very good fantasy book, that seemed almost impossible to put down. And that smile that I had when I was reading stayed on my face long after I finished the last page. Truth be told, it comes back every time I think about this book. A fun read, and most importantly a great read.Also at Spoilers and Nuts
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I read this book but can't remember it completely so I'm re-reading it starting 3/8/17 before I go on to the 2nd book.
    Wow I didn't remember most of that book. I enjoyed it
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is an action packed, absorbing novel that I found hard to put down. Cashore has created a fascinating world where various individuals are born (graced) with special abilities. Katsa is one such graceling and she is graced with the ability to kill. Despite this, Katsa is an incredibly likeable protagonist. She is independent, feisty, impetuous and warm-hearted. The tender romance between Katsa and Po adds another dimension to the novel and is filled with gentle humour. I was sorry to end this book, but can't wait to read Book 2.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I read this novel after reading Fire, which is a parallel novel that could be considered a prequel, as Fire is set when the main antagonist in Graceling was a child. This novel was intriguing enough to keep me wanting to read until the end, which was fortunate. I couldn't see how the stories of the two companion novels connected until almost the end. Unfortunately, I was disappointed that Graceling was less appealing than its monstrous companion. Fire's plot was tighter, the motivations of its title character were clearer and made her more likeable, and Fire's Prince Brigand was a stronger character than Po (whose name I had to look up to review). Bitterblue (in the third book) is introduced here, yet she didn't capture my interest enough that I intend to complete the trilogy.The magical system, not characterization, was easily my favorite aspect.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I LOVE this book. It took me a while to pick it up but I am glad I did. Kasta is an independent girl looking for her place in the world and trying to be free of her uncle. This sends she on an adventure that tests her limits and leads her to who she truly is. I would recommended it to anyone who wants a story of adventure.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Katsa has been graced with a talent for Killing, and often serves as her uncle the King's thug. It takes an adventure like this to turn her life around. Violence, romance and survival keep things exciting and I curled up with some tea and finished it this morning, satisfied.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    3.5 Stars. When I started reading this book, I love it. It had action, fantasy and mystery. It’s set in a medieval like setting and had a fairly original concept dealing with its “graced” characters, or characters with special enhanced abilities. But, as it went on I felt like it was two stories that got mashed together, and by the end I had lost interest and stopped caring about the characters.In the beginning when Po came into the story he was Katsa’s match, they were both graced and both perfect for one another – equals in strength and skill. Their relationship started out so wonderful. It had spark, and snark, and chemistry. But then I felt like they became friends too quickly and that spark turned amicable, and I found this a little boring. Conflict was later introduced again, but I wish that there had been more of it between them throughout. I also loved when Po told Katsa that he’d give himself to her however she would take him, but then I was disappointed that it took so little time for them to hook up. The suspense had little time to build and then was lost completely. By the time I got halfway through this book I felt like any piece of the plot that revolved around Katsa and Po was resolved and thus there was little reason to continue on.Part of this book is a love story between Kasta and Po, and the other part is a fantasy quest with Katsa and Bitterblue. I feel like I would have liked it better had it been one or the other, especially because the angst and sexual tension that were building between Kasta and Po at the beginning was entertaining. But, it wasn’t completely fleshed out and was resolved far too quickly. It left me wanting and feeling like the second half of the book was restarting with a new story that slowed things down because it was completely different from how it started. After the halfway point of this novel I felt like almost all of the questions I had, all of the mystery, had been resolved and then for the next 30% of the book things slowed down as you see some really awesome locations, but many of them we only get to see as Katsa is moving through them where there’s little action. It was nothing more that Cashore telling us about this awesome world she created- which it is, but I could have done without that. The second half of the book lost the story for me. In the second half this book becomes more of a quest and the characters change, but not in a way I liked. The relationship between Katsa and Po that I felt was even matched turned into Katsa being stronger than Po. She also held all control in their relationship telling Po that she may just leave one day. I understood her need for freedom, but healthy relationships should involve compromise and commitment which this lacked. It felt just a little to radically feminist as if Cashore was trying to make the point that women are better than men. I’m all for strong female characters and I understood why Katsa was how she was, but there were parts of her personality that I had trouble relating with. I hated that she cut her hair off. I understand that it was practical, but this just bothered me. Kasta may not be a girly girl, but her hatred of wearing dresses, cutting off her hair, dislike of marriage and really anything considered a traditional female role, made it hard to find softness in her. I can understand her not wanting to get married, but she often looked at marriage as extremely oppressive of women and in a very negative light. To her being married meant to be a possession, and it made me feel like her opinion was rather biased. I felt too much like Cashore was trying to make a point with Katsa and that her character lacked some development because of it. I will say, Katsa’s relationships with the men around her, particularly Po helped make her feel real, but I felt like they were somewhat glossed over and rushed through. There is a definite theme of wanting to protect young girls from being forced to do something against their will. Cashore looks at power and control and how these things change who we are. This theme is repeated with the king’s daughters who Randa sends Katsa to force one of which to marry, with Katsa herself and dealing with Randa’s control, with the servant girl in the tavern, and then of course with Bitterblue and Katsa’s dealing with Leck in the end. I didn’t mind the theme, but I felt that it was a little strong. In the end, I enjoyed Katsa and Po’s reunion but the few questions I had left such as, what did Leck want with Bitterblue, and why were there cut up animals and children dying, were still unanswered. I get that there’s another book and guess that this will be answered then, but all my other questions were answered before I was even halfway finished with this book. So, this was the only question that kept me reading, and then not having it answered left me feeling frustrated.Overall, I think there is an audience for this book but I’m not it. If you like that stronger, feminist, ‘women are better than men’ kind of characters you will relate to Katsa, but I didn’t. Also, if you like books about quests and don’t need the suspense of romance to carry you through a novel, you might enjoy the second half of this book more than me. There is some good writing here, and a wonderful idea, but it wasn’t for me.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I'm super late on this one, but I found Graceling to be a super original medieval, young adult fantasy. It seemed very fresh even though teen fantasy has been more than a bit lackluster in recent years. In this tale, there are many kingdoms close together, currently they are at a peace, but that doesn't mean that all is well. Katsa is a Grace, every kingdoms has Graces, individual with different colored eyes and varying special abilities. Katsa is graced with killing. She is unmatched in brute force and strength. Her uncle is a king and sends her out to do his dirty work and she is sick of it. To try and balance the scale she created an underground council that operates in all the kingdoms and works to root out evil and injustice. When she helps rescue a kidnapped old man, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. She encounters unheard of dangers, an unthinkably evil plot, and the biggest threat to herself and the kingdoms; someone nearly equal to her in strength and cunning. A mild romance, plenty of adventure, and lots of intrigue. Great fun and I think I may continue the series!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    My best friend has been asking me to read this for so long. A few months ago, I picked this up and I literally made it through chapter one when I told her this was just not for me. I really have to be in the mood for a Fantasy, and it was just not the time. I honestly did not think I would pick it back up, but I decided to give it another try before unhauling it. Recently, I have been craving a Fantasy and it was between starting Mistborn or this. I asked my Bookstagram and Graceling won! I am so happy I gave this another chance.I loved Katsa and Po, and I preferred the story when they were together. Once they separate (will not spoil why) it did slow down for me a little. I still loved the characters and the storyline. Katsa is an assassin type character. She was what I wanted from the Throne of Glass series that we just did not get. I liked seeing how dangerous she really was and not only hearing about her being dangerous.There were some things I did not like in regards to the writing such as a character laughing constantly. I felt every other sentence at certain points involved someone laughing. It is rare I say a Fantasy is fast paced, but I did not want to put this down. I read it in only a few days, where normally I put down Fantasy not being able to get into the story. Once you start to learn about the Kingdoms and the characters, everything just flowed together. I really enjoyed the side characters as well. There is a little bit of a one-sided love triangle (I liked both guys actually as far as book one-I do not know if that will change the more I read). I also love Bitterblue.Overall all, this exceeded my expectations and I am so excited to continue on with the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Loved this book! Katsa is a wonderfully strong female protagonist whose character grows and develops through her relationships, specifically with Po. She is a graced killer in the fantasy kindgom of Middluns. When she meets Po on a rescue mission, she realizes more about her true self.

    Great characters, plot and setting...a fun, fantasy adventure that has the grip of "The Hunger Games" without the depression and death.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A fun book with a really interesting main character. I liked the world building on this one a lot. It was hard for me to not jump right into the next book. The live story in the book was really touching also. This book was a lot of fun to read. I am glad the the scone one is out and the third one is coming in May.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book wasn't great, but it wasn't bad. I didn't really care about the characters, the writing was weird and the end of the story dragged. The idea of graces was really cool, I wish it had gotten explored a little more. And the climax was so anti-climatic...It was okay, guess I remember why this was on my maybe to read list.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This one is my new all time favorite YA book! I was looking for something unique with a magical feel and this one surpassed all expectations. It was suspenseful, romantic, and emotional. It's a story with a paranormal presence and a royal feel. The Heroine is a bada$$ and Po is the book boyfriend of my dreams.

    I really can't say much about this story without spoiling key points, but I will say this... It's a story of survival. The gracelings are graced with special abilities and some are not always favored by others. Katsa, the lead female is graced with a very unique ability. She is feared by many and even looks down on herself at times. When her and Po pair up, her eyes are opened to how truly blessed she is. At first they don't care for one another, but feelings quickly form and an unbreakable connection links the two together.

    It's an epic romance in my eyes and I never expected the twist near the end. I am looking forward to reading the others in the series & highly recommend this one to all readers!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    a touch of Tamera Pierce in this, but with fight & pluck like Bujold as well.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Some reviewers have been critical of character depth and complexity; granted, they have a point. Others have criticised the plot - I don't understand that, the plot was great. This is excellent entertainment, highly satisfying escapism, not great literature. And at least we have a kick-ass heroine and a boyfriend who doesn't try to own her. Leck is one of the scariest villains I've come across. And the writing flows beautifullly, with just enough description to be immersive without becoming a burden. More please!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    So great! Katsa and Po's relationship is really the star of the book - well, that and Katsa's super badadd attitude, and all the cool fight scenes. And the great writing. But in the midst of it all is this relationship that's somehow supernatural and *so real* with people not understanding their own emotions and physical symptoms of attraction.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I received this book from Amazon's vine program. They warn that arc's (advanced readers copies) often have small editing issues and those are not to be commented on, rather look at plot and characterization. If there were small editing issues, I didn't see them, because I was swept up in the plot and characterizations. In the seven kingdoms, people born with 'graced' powers - magical enhancements - usually come to serve the king. Graced people are known by their dual colored eyes and most of the regular folk won't meet a gracelings eyes... Some graced powers are more useful than others, but Katsa, the King's niece, revealed herself as a killer when she was 8, and the king then isolated and treated her as his rabid dog assassin since then, using her skills to enhance his power. Slowly she grows to find an ideal of justice of her own. There were lots of interesting ideas explored here and the magic was so entrenched in this world, it felt natural and real, rather than something grafted on. Someone commented that it felt like a Young Adult's book and that felt rigth - this book is not as dense/complex as say, George RR Martin's Ice and Fire series, and suitable for those 12 +. I really enjoyed this book and I definitely look forward to reading the next one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    the power balance of the romance isn't disgusting!the world isn't just like every other fantasy world!many things happened in ways i did not expect!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Interesting read. The world Cashore creates is somewhat scary and exciting. I enjoy Katsa and Po's relationship for what it is. Katsa is a strong character and a joy to read about. She's incredibly intelligent and capable of handling anything thrown at her which is awesome. She also doesn't perpetuate the "need" for a man to take care of her or even be tied to her in any way. She values her freedom and is more of a "you can come along if you wish but I'm going to go regardless" kind of woman which I personally find agreeable and interesting. Finally, a character after my own heart.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    To be born with a Grace means you excel at one particular thing and if it is a useful skill then the King will put you to use. For Katsa her Grace manifested itself at the age of eight when she killed a minor noble when she'd hit him so hard she pushed the bones of his nose into his brain. He had been making leering advances and attempted to paw at her so perhaps it was justified. Her uncle, King Randa of the Middluns - one of the Seven Kingdoms, thinks a killing Grace would be a useful tool with which to enforce his rule and so after some training employs her as a killer and assassin and a threat to anyone who happens to disagree with him. Eventually this doesn't sit too well with Katsa and with the help of some friends sets up a secretive council to try and offset some of the excesses of Randa's actions by doing some good in the world. One such deed has Katsa and her closest allies rescuing the father of a neighbouring king from the dungeons of another. It's whilst during this endeavour she meets Po and shortly afterwards her life is forever changed.This is a fairly decent YA fantasy with a kick-ass heroine for a main character. It's very easy to read and with it being an action-oriented plot means you come to the end of the book very quickly. The main characters are developed well enough though the secondary ones are a bit more cliched but with this being a debut novel I'm prepared to overlook this. The settings were described very well with each place Katsa visits on her travels evoking a real sense of place and being quite distinct from the others. Despite a few minor issues this is a good story that shows promise from a new author and (thankfully as I already have the 2nd book sitting on the tbr shelves) I'm happy to continue reading. Seeing that the 2nd and 3rd books are not direct sequels to this one is a little disappointing though as I do feel there is more to be had from Katsa and her exploits with the council.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    "Oh this is dreadful. Whatever shall I do?" This was the line that ended the book for me. Flat characters and robotic dialogue weren't enough to sustain me for another 300 pages. I thoroughly enjoyed the concept, but not the execution. The book has gotten high marks on here, so I'm fully aware that it's just an issue of my own preference toward the book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Just ok

    I don't guess I knew what to expect with this book but for me it was just OK. The characters were sort of likable and the story was sort a clever but it did not draw me in like some other books. As a mom I wouldn't let my young teens read it due to the anti marriage sentiment.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved this series
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent - loved the characters and the premise.