Reviews

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

shortstack1030's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

hungry_book_monster's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

bum_bear's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

allison_reader's review against another edition

3.0

This was well written, detailed, intricate, like Graceling & Fire. Otherwise it was nothing like those two books. You're really in the head of Bitterblue, a young queen, who is really limited in many ways: she can't go off adventuring, she can't fight, she's not a Katsa or a Fire. She's confined. So all of the events are pretty much confined. And in that way the book seems to me to be an accurate depiction of her situation. Lots of thinking, lots of slow piecing things together, lots of being apart from the actions of everyone else. Kristin Cashore could have just made her heroine a rebel-teen queen who cares more about her own desires and who flies in the face of what's expected of her, but she didn't, which was a nice change of stereotype so to speak. She's young and inexperienced and the writing does realistically portray this- she's a believable character, if slightly wise in her compassion for her age of 18. The only thing is that, unlike Graceling and Fire, I didn't feel strongly compelled to finish the book. It took me a long time to read because there was really no impending action/climax/event so instead of being engrossed I would just pick it up and read a few pages/chapters to move along through it. When Bitterblue finally discovers the truth of Leck it was a bit anti-climactic, only because you already knew Leck was a psychopath - the revelation seemed a bit gratuitous. And I think the answers to a lot of the questions were really only important to Bitterblue and nothing really revelatory. But I guess so is the curse of the followup novel (to which this was to Graceling since Fire goes off on a different path). Still overall well written and if there is to be another in the series, a must read.

hjswinford's review against another edition

4.0

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had its flaws, but as a writer and lover of fantastic worlds, they were not flaws that bothered me. I enjoyed this whole series and I hope to see more from it in the future.

jobird's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars. I wanted to love it.

I was so excited to get my hands on this book. It was not what I thought it would be. But I am not sure what I wanted it to be. I think I hyped it up so much that I was disappointed. But it is still a great read. I guess I wanted more from it. It feels like I read Graceling and Fire so long ago. I think that one day I will re-read all three books and I think I will appreciate Bitterblue more.

winterbee's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

bxrrose's review against another edition

5.0

This book came as an utter surprise to me. After reading Graceling, when I began Bitterblue I felt really disorienting seeing everything in a different character's point of view. Though I loved Bitterblue in Graceling, it was just so different. After the first couple chapters it just became outstanding. I love Bitterblue so much and I was rooting for her through all of the different aspects of this book. Cashore, I must say, did an excellent job with this book. First off, the storyline was amazing with so many twists and turns that everything was a surprise and I sat constantly on the edge of my feet wanting more and more. Though the end seems to leave room open for another book, I felt like the ending was perfect and everything fit right into place where it should have been.

kaoden39's review against another edition

5.0

I really enjoyed this book. I was afraid that like most books in series that it would depend too much on the others book in the series. Possibly even a replay of of specific parts of the book. My fear was unfounded. Although this book is a sequel I feel that it could stand alone.


I am glad with the way that Bitterblue grew up. She is a queen that cares about her people. She wants to help them to move on from the horrors of King Leck. Face it we all want to move on from King Leck but unfortunately before we can move on we really need to look at who he really was and what he did as king. This is the story of Bitterblue coming of age and discovering just how deep her dads cruel and sadistic nature went.


This is a story of her coming of age and wanting to know more about her kingdom and feeling stymied by her advisers. Bitterblue decides to go into to her kingdom in disguise to see for herself what is going on. She discovers the world of Story Houses where people go to tell the stories of the things that went on during Leck's reign of terror. She becomes enthralled with hearing these stories, she wants to complete her own history. She wants to see her kingdom and see what Bitterblue City looks like. What she finds is that her advisers have been lying to her. This her voyage of the truth.


There are so many characters that are a wonderful addition to the series, and there the characters of Katsa, Po, Giddon, Bann and Prince Raffin that were in Graceling. It was nice to see a resolve for these characters and I felt as though like Queen Bitterblue that I was with old and trusted friends. This was like a comfortable old shoe to me, and now I am left with wanting more. I want to finish the story of Bitterblue and the rest of the kingdoms.

Should you read it? Yes!!!!! Will I read it again? Yes!!!!!

storyflowsolutions's review against another edition

5.0

I read Graceling and Fire with unbelievable speed and extreme enthusiasm. I loved both books so much and could not wait for Bitterblue to come out. I waited at least two years and all that waiting was certainly not in vain. Bitterblue is incredible. It is so much more complex than the first two books, but it brings everything together. In it we discover how Monsea is still plagued by King Leck's tortuous reign. Bitterblue becomes suspicious of her advisers, clerks, the Monsean guard, and her own friends. By venturing out at night to peruse her city streets, she discovers truths about her kingdom that she could never have imagined. With Po, Katsa, Giddon, Saf, Teddy, and Death, Bitterblue is able to create a new way of life for Monsea. With new neighbors to the East and friends both new and old, Bitterblue realizes that she is strong enough to be queen.