Graceling
November 11, 2009
Yes, I finally finished Kristin Cashore’s Graceling. I only had to check it out of the library three times. Wait…that makes it sound like I didn’t want to read it or that I had trouble reading it. That wasn’t the case at all.
You see, I often get more books out of the library than I can reasonably read. Because I knew that I’d like Graceling it tended to get bunted down the list because I knew that once I started to read it I’d finish it quickly. The problem is I’d either forget that I had it checked out or that I started it and then things came up and I didn’t have time to finish it and I couldn’t renew it. Frustrating. But I sat down this weekend and was able to finish it.
I don’t think I fell completely in love with it the way that many people did but I certainly liked it a lot. At one point I looked up from it and told Lee, who was sitting at the other end of the couch, that it seemed like something could happen that I did not want to happen and I did not approve of that at all. I told him that this book was being put on notice and if it did happen I was likely to take book abuse action and throw it across the room. Thankfully it did not happen.
Graceling had some great characters. I think I actually liked them all, which is rare. The bad guys were good baddies (not too bad, just bad enough). I liked the idea of the Council a lot, though I found that it got a little bit lost as the book went on. I found that the book didn’t flow quite as well as it could have between segments (I’m thinking Randa, with Po, after Bitterblue, the ending). I did find many of the character’s names hard to remember. I struggled to remember Raffin’s name. Speaking of Raffin, am I the only one who thought that the relationship between him and his assistant was more than a professional relationship?
Graceling reminded me of Goose Girl a bit. Not so much while I was reading it, but after I was finished. There are certain similarities to the stories I think. And YA authors – no more Kat—- names. I can keep Katsa and Katniss separate enough but if you throw more Kat’s into the bag I just might get all muddled up.
November 11th, 2009 at 9:51 am
I really liked Graceling but I think I liked Fire even better! Do you have plans to read that one as well?
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sassymonkey Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 10:12 am
I’m on the request list for it. I don’t have an urgent need to read it immediately but I think I’ll get to it eventually. Hopefully I won’t have to check it out of the library three times before I read it like I did with this one.
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November 11th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Raffin was totally gay. I don’t know why the book didn’t just come right out and say it but he was.
Denise´s last blog ..Eccentric Neighborhoods
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sassymonkey Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 10:13 am
There was one point where I thought they were going to to. When Katsa was talking to Po about how her and Raffin had discussed their getting married. The moment was there.
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November 11th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I have a habit of returning books unread as well! I just borrowed this one from the library. Hopefully I will get to read it and not return it.
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sassymonkey Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 10:14 am
For me the third time was the charm. I sometimes feel guilty about returning books unread but try as I might to plan it so that books come to me at a reasonable level it just never seems to quite work out.
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November 11th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
I do the same thing with library books. I usually end up renewing them 3 times (the most the library will allow) in order to read them all. I’m like you and end up checking out too many! I’ve read a few other blogs today that have reviews on this book. I’m starting to think I am missing out on a popular one!
Kathleen´s last blog ..A Question about Reading Habits
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sassymonkey Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 10:15 am
The problem I was running into with Graceling is that there was always a request list for it so I couldn’t renew. Which to be honest, made me feel guiltier for not having read it when I had it out because someone else clearly wanted to read it.
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November 11th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
I am so glad you finally read this!
Kailana´s last blog ..Remembrance Day 2009
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November 12th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Hahaha, I just had this exact same library books problem & had to return Graceling to the library. I SWEAR I am going to read it next time I check it out – darn those other library patrons putting holds on my books. Don’t they know?
Jenny´s last blog ..The Magicians, Lev Grossman
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sassymonkey Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 10:16 am
lol. The first time I checked it out I don’t even think I cracked the cover. The second time I read a chapter or two. The third time was the charm.
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November 13th, 2009 at 7:07 am
At one point it says that Raffin and his assistant “did all things together”, or something close to that. haha.
I liked Po. I think the whole Bitterblue sequence was page-filler… yes, Katsa can survive anything/anywhere, we already got that without the detour that did nothing for the overall plot.
The whole never getting married thing wasn’t really explained so I thought that was a little weird and the ending was just so-so to me. The characters were the best part.
kat´s last blog ..Let me entertain you
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sassymonkey Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Yes, they did say something like that. It was there, it just wasn’t stated. There were parts of the Bitterblue sequence I liked. Bitterblue at least had some character development through out it.
The never getting married thing could have been done better, but I’m glad it was there. I’m glad that marriage wasn’t the only option for Katsa.
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November 13th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I am currently on my library’s waitlist for this book. And it’s a LONG waitlist!
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sassymonkey Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 10:19 am
I’ve been on the waitlist three times for it. It got much faster towards the end! I think it coming out in paperback helped speed it up a bit.
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November 14th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
just wanted to say I’m glad to have found your blog! which i found by doing a google search on ’shadow of the wind’ ( a book i’ll be starting soon.
i’m a book lover as well (and torontonian!) and think i’ll be visiting your site often!
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