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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the Graceling Realm book I like the least so far. It was just a bit too miserable for me. I wasn't expecting both the internal and external conflicts to be as grim as they were. There was a definite shift in tone from the last books to this one.
Hava is a different character than the one I knew from past books. She was angrier, lashed out like never before. I could empathize with her, but being inside her world was depressing. This is wonderful writing, because she was insufferable at times, but I still understood why she reacted the way she did. She is a survivor, both physical and mental.
The weakest part of the story is the "chemical", bomb-related stuff. The translations, the political aspects, the actual worldbuilding... you know, the reason why I wanted to read this book in the first place? I just couldn't connect that plot with Hava, even when she was the one translating the chemical formulas. Hava wasn't interested in that either, because she's moving away from that world. It makes sense in theory, but in practice, wasn't this the hook of the book?
The internal conflict of Hava is masterful. I loved her relationship with Hope, the blue mamma fox. Everything related to them was beautiful. I wish Bitterblue/Hava's or Giddon/Hava's interactions were more impactful. Especially because of how the novel ends, and how invested I was in their relationships from previous installments.
I guess it just wasn't what I expected or wanted. And that is not Cashore's fault. This is not a bad book. However, I wouldn't give it a higher rating because I did not have a positive reading experience for most of the book.
Hava is a different character than the one I knew from past books. She was angrier, lashed out like never before. I could empathize with her, but being inside her world was depressing. This is wonderful writing, because she was insufferable at times, but I still understood why she reacted the way she did. She is a survivor, both physical and mental.
The weakest part of the story is the "chemical", bomb-related stuff. The translations, the political aspects, the actual worldbuilding... you know, the reason why I wanted to read this book in the first place? I just couldn't connect that plot with Hava, even when she was the one translating the chemical formulas. Hava wasn't interested in that either, because she's moving away from that world. It makes sense in theory, but in practice, wasn't this the hook of the book?
The internal conflict of Hava is masterful. I loved her relationship with Hope, the blue mamma fox. Everything related to them was beautiful. I wish Bitterblue/Hava's or Giddon/Hava's interactions were more impactful. Especially because of how the novel ends, and how invested I was in their relationships from previous installments.
I guess it just wasn't what I expected or wanted. And that is not Cashore's fault. This is not a bad book. However, I wouldn't give it a higher rating because I did not have a positive reading experience for most of the book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I put off reading this for a long time, so I'm happy I finally got around to it. However, it was a rough start. Typically I like rereading a series before reading a new book, but I think that ended up hurting more than helping this time around. I had to remind myself of how Cashore describes them - "Each Graceling Realm book is a standalone novel and can be read independently of the others." Because the books are set in the same world and progress through the same timeline, we like to think of them as a book and its sequels, but that sets a certain expectation.
With it in mind, this addition really takes you out. The change in point of view was jarring for me. It's not just that we're unfamiliar with seeing Hava's perspective, but that she's talking to the reader rather than simply narrating the story. And honestly, Hava isn't the most likeable main character. I can understand her, for sure; she's not all that complex. It doesn't make her any less frustrating and annoying.
One of my favorite characters ended up being Moth. The first time she spoke, I worried that it would be super annoying (I listened to the audiobook), but I actually loved seeing her growth and sass. I loved and hurt for Hope. I wasn't surprised to find out she was LV, but I don't know that I ever acknowledged it as a possibility.
The end was a bit anticlimactic, though, I suppose the action never felt overly high (if that makes sense). One bit that felt especially heartwarming, giving me the kind of feeling I expect to have when reading Graceling Realm books. It honestly felt way overdue, all things considered, but Bitterblue wearing and giving Hava their sister ring really made me feel. The family rings are something I love about the Lienid, even if it sounds extremely bothersome to wear them. Hava deserves it, and so does Bitterblue.
All in all, I did enjoy it. I think it just wasn't what I was hoping for.
With it in mind, this addition really takes you out. The change in point of view was jarring for me. It's not just that we're unfamiliar with seeing Hava's perspective, but that she's talking to the reader rather than simply narrating the story. And honestly, Hava isn't the most likeable main character. I can understand her, for sure; she's not all that complex. It doesn't make her any less frustrating and annoying.
One of my favorite characters ended up being
The end was a bit anticlimactic, though, I suppose the action never felt overly high (if that makes sense). One bit that felt especially heartwarming, giving me the kind of feeling I expect to have when reading Graceling Realm books.
All in all, I did enjoy it. I think it just wasn't what I was hoping for.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not my favorite in the series but still very enjoyable. The pacing dragged along at times, but that's my only major complaint. Hava is often not very likable but nearly always sympathetic. It was a very real portrayal of someone with serious trauma and baggage. I loved her interactions with Giddon and Linny. Giddon and Bitterblue were adorable whenever we saw them together. Adventure and the other foxes were great. I didn't expect to like this one as much as I did, so props.
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There's an irony at work: we readers wait years for our favorite authors to deliver us a new book. Authors work years at crafting 200, 350, 600- or however-many-pages of story.
In the veritable blink of an eye, one devours the latest and then thinks, oh, crap, I meant to savor that one!
This novel takes up after Winterkeep in Cashore' Graceling Realm novels –– this time focusing on the next adventures of our characters by way of Bitterblue's secretive and damaged sister, Hava.
If you liked any of the other Graceling novels, I don't need to puff this one. If you have not yet read Kirstin Cashore, go straight to Fire and see if it warms you. (Was that too much a labored metaphor?)
In the veritable blink of an eye, one devours the latest and then thinks, oh, crap, I meant to savor that one!
This novel takes up after Winterkeep in Cashore' Graceling Realm novels –– this time focusing on the next adventures of our characters by way of Bitterblue's secretive and damaged sister, Hava.
If you liked any of the other Graceling novels, I don't need to puff this one. If you have not yet read Kirstin Cashore, go straight to Fire and see if it warms you. (Was that too much a labored metaphor?)