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paigelamoureux's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.0
cupnoddles's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
tani's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
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
5.0
fuchsiarascal's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
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
4.5
A very, very solid book. I enjoyed all of it (although the info dump about how ships work at the beginning was a bit heavy-handed), and Hava may be my favorite Graceling character yet. It was wonderful to watch her form real relationships for the first time in her life, even if she didn't realize it at the time. Learning to trust someone after a lifetime of (literal) hiding? It's not something that comes naturally to Hava, but she's learning.
I don't think they have therapists in the Graceling realm, but the entire Monsea kingdom could use them. (I think I made the same remark when I read Bitterblue.)
I received this for Christmas and was determined to not have to pack it into my luggage (since I'm moving back in a couple months), but thankfully the 600 pages were a quick read despite the length. Part of that was the formatting (every scene was a separate chapter with full page breaks, instead of just a small break mid-page, which increased its page count a bit) but also, it was just an easy, enjoyable read.
I don't think they have therapists in the Graceling realm, but the entire Monsea kingdom could use them. (I think I made the same remark when I read Bitterblue.)
I received this for Christmas and was determined to not have to pack it into my luggage (since I'm moving back in a couple months), but thankfully the 600 pages were a quick read despite the length. Part of that was the formatting (every scene was a separate chapter with full page breaks, instead of just a small break mid-page, which increased its page count a bit) but also, it was just an easy, enjoyable read.
hannahhbic's review against another edition
5.0
I am going to buy this book specifically to hug it and pretend I’m hugging Hava, my traumatized but resilient daughter. What a masterpiece. Will return to this review when my thoughts are more in order.
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this. I liked the first two thirds the most, but the whole thing was great. The only negative is that the main character was in her early twenties, but read much younger. Like pre-teen almost.
ellieeyessmile's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
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
imchelsi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.75
My favorite Graceling book yet! I would die for those foxes.
mkat1580's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
- 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