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A review by jenni_elyse
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
5.0
I was a little worried I wouldn’t like Bitterblue very much because of all the mixed reviews I’d read. Reading these reviews kind of disappointed me because I loved both Graceling and Fire so much. Fortunately, I had nothing to worry about because I ended up loving Bitterblue.
I felt like Bitterblue was so much deeper than Graceling and Fire. Sure, both Graceling and Fire had awesomely strong female protagonists, but I felt like Katsa and Fire did everything they did for love, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Whereas, Bitterblue did everything she did because she wanted to help her people heal, become a better queen, and subsequently a stronger person. Her journey for self-awareness and empowerment was very moving and powerful.
If I remember correctly, the reason so many people didn’t like Bitterblue was the lack of romance. I actually really enjoyed that. There was enough to satiate my need for romance, but it didn’t impede Bitterblue in any way. Bitterblue realized that with or without man, she could be a whole person. I think more YA novels need to set that example. Too many novels scream that girls can’t be whole unless they have a boyfriend, which just isn’t true. Even married women can be whole and their one unique person. Their husband, or boyfriend in the case of YA novels, (or even children) aren’t the only reasons a woman has any purpose in this life. And, I really liked that Bitterblue portrayed that.
I loved the characters. I loved seeing Bitterblue older. I loved seeing her grown up. I loved seeing how she fared after being given such a monumental task at such a young age. I loved seeing my old favorite characters again, especially Katsa and Po. And, I loved seeing them from a different point-of-view. I also loved that all three novels were tied together; it brought things full circle. And, while Leck was creepy, horrible, evil, etc., I enjoyed learning more about him and what happened during his reign. Learning about his atrocities and what the kingdom and its people had overcome helped make their happiness and sorrow feel more powerful.
I’m really glad I finally took the time to read Bitterblue. It was well worth the wait. I look forward to reading anything else Kristin Cashore publishes. And, I hope she continues to explore the world she created in the Graceling Realms in future novels.
I felt like Bitterblue was so much deeper than Graceling and Fire. Sure, both Graceling and Fire had awesomely strong female protagonists, but I felt like Katsa and Fire did everything they did for love, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Whereas, Bitterblue did everything she did because she wanted to help her people heal, become a better queen, and subsequently a stronger person. Her journey for self-awareness and empowerment was very moving and powerful.
If I remember correctly, the reason so many people didn’t like Bitterblue was the lack of romance. I actually really enjoyed that. There was enough to satiate my need for romance, but it didn’t impede Bitterblue in any way. Bitterblue realized that with or without man, she could be a whole person. I think more YA novels need to set that example. Too many novels scream that girls can’t be whole unless they have a boyfriend, which just isn’t true. Even married women can be whole and their one unique person. Their husband, or boyfriend in the case of YA novels, (or even children) aren’t the only reasons a woman has any purpose in this life. And, I really liked that Bitterblue portrayed that.
I loved the characters. I loved seeing Bitterblue older. I loved seeing her grown up. I loved seeing how she fared after being given such a monumental task at such a young age. I loved seeing my old favorite characters again, especially Katsa and Po. And, I loved seeing them from a different point-of-view. I also loved that all three novels were tied together; it brought things full circle. And, while Leck was creepy, horrible, evil, etc., I enjoyed learning more about him and what happened during his reign. Learning about his atrocities and what the kingdom and its people had overcome helped make their happiness and sorrow feel more powerful.
I’m really glad I finally took the time to read Bitterblue. It was well worth the wait. I look forward to reading anything else Kristin Cashore publishes. And, I hope she continues to explore the world she created in the Graceling Realms in future novels.