Graceling Sparknotes

Graceling Is a Fantasy Novel Masterpiece
The San Francisco Chronicle

Kristin Cashore’s debut fantasy novel, Graceling, is a truly thrilling book. While it can be confusing and seem too intricate for certain readers, it proves its brilliance in many different ways. Graceling by Kristin Cashore is an exquisite novel because of it’s intricate plot, well developed characters, and a well planned out story. Even though this is only Cashore’s first fantasy novel, readers will not be able to put down this book due to its complex plot. While it is hard to understand at times, readers will enjoy unraveling the storyline. The book starts with Katsa attacking a dungeon and overpowering guards with her fighting grace, and then gives them
The main protagonist is Katsa, and she is very different from most women in the book. She is brave, fearless, and a warrior, but also a genuinely good person. Even as an assassin, she knew that “She wouldn’t kill, not even if she had to.” (Cashore, 17) However, she also shows some softer sides of herself when the book shows parts of her relationship with Po. This dynamic is particularly interesting as the roles seem to be flipped. In that time period, the caring, nurturing characteristics of Po were more commonly associated with women, and the strong, fearlessness of Katsa was more commonly associated with men. Po is also a well developed character because he is painted as a more intellectual warrior, than the instinctive one that Katsa is. He is also a very kind person, as that is reflected in his treatment of Katsa and Bitterblue in the novel. Katsa describes Po using many of these traits. “Po was perceptive. And talkative...She didn’t have to explain herself to Po, and he explained himself to her without her having to ask.” (Cashore, 193) Graceling is also Cashore’s first book and has many different layers to it with the various characters in the book. But King Leck and Bitterblue have the most interesting dynamic in this