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elizkacz's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Rape
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
queer_bookwyrm's review
adventurous
emotional
slow-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
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: (provided by the author) sexual assault/child sexual abuse mention, (provided by me) animal abuse mention, PTSD
Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore is the fifth and final book in the Graceling Realm series. I have loved spending time in this world with these characters. This one was a little slower than some of the previous books, but it still gives you so much.
We follow Hava's point of view after the events of the previous book. She and a group with Queen Bitterblue are sailing back to Monsea from Winterkeep, but are caught in a winter storm and pushed off course to the far north. Things get dire when they are in a shipwreck and forced to survive on the Arctic ocean and on the ice, with only their feet and wits to carry them to civilization.
Hava finds out that one of the crew has smuggled a pregnant blue fox aboard and drugged her. Have saves her and becomes the caregiver of a bunch of sentient blue foxes. I love that we got to see more blue foxes in this book. I desperately want one as a companion. A good chunk of this book is about survival. The last third of the book is mostly Hava trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs, and dealing with her anger, pain, and trauma.
Cashore does an excellent job of depicting the complexities of trauma and grief throughout this series, while also showing the potential for healing. I'm so glad we got to learn more about Hava and her Grace of making a person see her as what she projects herself to be (a sculpture, a curtain, a bundle of rope, trees). I read Hava as being ace-spec and maybe neurodivergent. It's bittersweet seeing this story end. I could go on reading about this world, following different characters forever.
Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore is the fifth and final book in the Graceling Realm series. I have loved spending time in this world with these characters. This one was a little slower than some of the previous books, but it still gives you so much.
We follow Hava's point of view after the events of the previous book. She and a group with Queen Bitterblue are sailing back to Monsea from Winterkeep, but are caught in a winter storm and pushed off course to the far north. Things get dire when they are in a shipwreck and forced to survive on the Arctic ocean and on the ice, with only their feet and wits to carry them to civilization.
Hava finds out that one of the crew has smuggled a pregnant blue fox aboard and drugged her. Have saves her and becomes the caregiver of a bunch of sentient blue foxes. I love that we got to see more blue foxes in this book. I desperately want one as a companion. A good chunk of this book is about survival. The last third of the book is mostly Hava trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs, and dealing with her anger, pain, and trauma.
Cashore does an excellent job of depicting the complexities of trauma and grief throughout this series, while also showing the potential for healing. I'm so glad we got to learn more about Hava and her Grace of making a person see her as what she projects herself to be (a sculpture, a curtain, a bundle of rope, trees). I read Hava as being ace-spec and maybe neurodivergent. It's bittersweet seeing this story end. I could go on reading about this world, following different characters forever.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Death
randomshai's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Body horror, Sexual assault, Grief, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Blood
how_sweet_the_sound's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
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
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. While the ending felt sudden, the rest of the book had me tearing up multiple times. What a stunning addition to the Graceling Realm series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Confinement, Blood, and Body horror
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
emilycfox's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement and Sexual assault
Minor: Homophobia and War
Detailed animal abusealyxbeau's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
I loved this on comparison to the 4th book. The love I have for this series has returned! I'm so glad we didn't have the same cast as before and instead we got to follow Hava!
I absolutely hated the loss ofTulip the cat. I swear they would have had time to find them based on the description in the books and it broke my heart to read and wonder if they would show up in a lifeboat later, one Hava wasnt in. Blueberry also broke my heart.
I found Hope delightful and enjoyed how much she really provided to the people on this journey the essence of her name.
This is certainly not going to be a book for everyone, a lot of it could be considered boring (it wasn't to me but if I see complaints I would understand why they were made) but I LOVED IT.
I absolutely hated the loss of
I found Hope delightful and enjoyed how much she really provided to the people on this journey the essence of her name.
This is certainly not going to be a book for everyone, a lot of it could be considered boring (it wasn't to me but if I see complaints I would understand why they were made) but I LOVED IT.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault
Loss of a limb (necessary amputation)lizziaha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
My main qualm with this book is that survival stories just aren’t really my thing. Luckily for me, there were other parts to this book. I particularly loved Hava’s relationships with Jacky, Linny, and Giddon. Something about the way that Hava is always expecting to be ignored or rejected and then someone (usually Giddon or Linny and sometimes Bitterblue) comes along and proves her wrong is so compelling. I love that even though there’s a broad cast of characters, each one feels distinct, and their personalities are complex, even if they don’t play a huge role in the book. The blue foxes are such a wonderful addition to the story and the way the audiobook narrator voiced them just made them so adorable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Abandonment, Murder, Animal cruelty, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
Moderate: Kidnapping, Blood, Gore, Trafficking, Drug use, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Grief, Homophobia, and Rape
Minor: Sexism, Misogyny, Torture, and Classism
dragongirl271's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Death, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse
rifmelody's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
3.0
It was very different from the other books in the Graceling realm, which I love. For starters, Cashore started writing in an I-perspective which was a big change. I had trouble feeling the tension of the adventure in this book but I loved the last few hundred pages because Hava is going through big transitions. All in all, worthwhile, but not my favorite in the Graceling series.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
erimore's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I’ve been in love with the Graceling books since I first read them in high school. Always so happy to go back into this world and this book doesn’t disappoint. I hadn’t thought much about Hava before this book and now I can’t stop thinking about her. Hava takes us through the struggles of grief and anger that comes from trauma (and piled on trauma) and that understanding it isn’t linear. Such cute and lovely moments among the struggles.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Grief
Moderate: Vomit, Animal cruelty, War, Sexual assault, and Rape