Book Review: Graceling (Audio)

Graceling by Kristin Cashore, performed by Full Cast Audio, Unabridged edition (June 1, 2009)
ISBN-10: 1934180890

Source: Random Public Library Pick, but I think I had read a review or heard of it somewhere
Rating: 5 of 5 STARS

I'm super far behind on book reviews. I think I've got about five I need to write. One goal for this Saturday at home is to get caught up on writing these so, bloggy friend, if book reviews aren't your interest, forgive me for dumping so many here today.

Graceling was one of the two audio books M and I listened to on our "quick" drive to and from Louisiana last month. When we're going home, I usually run by the library at the last minute and grab some random selections then let Mary chose the ones she wants us to listen to together. Out of the five or so I picked, Graceling's description intrigued her the most. I thought, "Ugh. Fantasy." (I'm not a fantasy person... literature, film, notta.)

But.

I was pleasantly surprised. Super pleasantly surprised. Great story, great characters, lovely writing. And to top it off, this version is produced by Full Cast Audio. I had never listened to one of their books, but really, it was like listening to a play. Wonderfully, wonderfully done. I don't remember exactly how big the audio cast of Graceling was, but it had to be at least 10! Awesome. I'll be looking for more books produced by them in the future.

Here's a short video worth watching: Behind the Mic: Graceling

There's lots and lots of reviews out there on Graceling, so I'll try to just give you a really quick summary: Cashore has created a world where some people are "graced," meaning they are born with a special gift. It could be as simple as being able to cook really, really well or (as in the case of the heroine) being able to kill. Katsa, with the grace to kill, becomes a tool welded by her evil uncle King. Both parents dead, she is raised as an instrument of death and learns nothing of love nor family. That's where we begin. But by the end, Katsa has both love and family plus she learns her grace isn't really about killing, but something much, much more.

My only caution is this book is marketed for ages 14 and up. I should have read that before Mary and I listened to it. A big part of the plot is the romance between Katsa and Po (another graceling) and there's one scene where Katsa gives herself to Po that is pretty sexually explicit. Well, explicit when you're listening to it with your 11-year-old. My fault.

But - some would see this part of the book as a negative, but I saw it as an opportunity: Po wanted to marry Katsa, but she did not want to be bound to anyone so restrictively, even Po. She wanted her freedom to come and go as she pleased. Po ended up capitulating and saying he would take her in any way she wanted. Overall, the author puts a pretty negative slant on marriage throughout the book, not just in one scene. This part of the story opened a great door for conversation with M about the covenant of marriage, so I didn't see it as a real negative, but if your child is reading or listening alone, you might want to consider this.

Here's a post by Noel and by Sherry that explore this negative view of marriage in Graceling.

So, a definite "listen" in my book. I see there's a second book, Fire. I'll be looking for that one now!