Tiera McMillian's Reviews > Graceling

*Reread Review*
Went with the Audio off Audible for the reread on this one. This is my very first full voice actor cast Audio.. It was very jarring at first but after a while I was totally into it. You never, ever got confused on which character was talking that's for sure. Honestly though the switching back and forth between the characters and then straight back into the narration shook me for quite some time. I did notice however that I didn't have the feeling that Katsa was "bored" this go round. Maybe the narration and the voice actors changed my perspective? I have to say that I had forgotten everything about this book other than the one scene when she makes an exit from being her uncle's assassin. That was the only scene I remembered while starting this again.. and that was definitely not the most memorable scene.. at all lol.

While I didn't sense Katsa's "boredom" this go round, I will say that Katsa's character is very flat.. but she is so freaking bad A that its hard not to like her anyway. She just really doesn't have much depth of emotion.. I feel like she was written this way on purpose due to her upbringing as an assassin but I would have liked to see her broaden herself throughout the story. I found that I, as the reader, began projecting the feelings I "thought" she should have onto the girl making me closer to her as a whole, but the author really didn't give her much range.

I still like the book but I'm thinking more along 3-3.5 stars this go round for me. I think the story spends a lot of time guessing, and world building, and also explaining our MC's grace's and then just explodes into climax the last several chapters. Those chapters for sure keep a reader on the edge of their seat. While justice may end up being served.. I feel like it was served up so swiftly that I had to double take and may have been left a tiny bit unsatisfied. I'm definitely interested to continue the series this go round since the last time I read it neither of the other books were out yet.. I say if your going to do the reread you should at least try the audio it was pretty interesting and unique!


*Original Review*
This ended up being quite a good book. It was a little difficult to get into at first due to Kastas character being melancholy with her life and lot. I can understand her feelings as the book progresses I mean how bored would you be if you never faced any challenges and were great at pretty much everything you needed to be good at and too good at some things as well. I feel like maybe this isn't taken into account as much in the reviews the book didn't lack action however how the character handles action and death defiance as well as impossible situations is with this boredom because that's her Grace. All in all this was an enjoyable read.