graceling, by kristin cashore

fantasy, young adult | t | 4.5 stars

heterochromia is the trademark of a graceling - someone born with a supernatural talent. some of those talents simply elevate fairly normal activities - fighting or swimming, for example. others defy logical comprehension entirely - mind reading is particularly noted as something that the main character, katsa, is deeply uncomfortable with. regardless of the talent, gracelings are both very rare and somewhat stigmatized.

katsa’s killing grace announced showed itself when she accidentally killed a cousin at the age of eight. her uncle, the king of the middluns, saw potential to increase his own power, and rather than send her away, he allowed his spymaster teach her to control her powers. when she turned ten, he started using her to kill and main subjects who offended him. the novel opens when katsa is eighteen, and she’s gotten tired of being used as her uncle’s muscle.

there’s so much to like about graceling. the overarching setting is a classic one - most of the rulers in the seven kingdoms, including the middluns, are deeply selfish, corrupt, and at times downright inhumane. katsa’s attempts to break free of that, as well as come to terms with her grace and what it means about her humanity, provide a creative lens for that struggle - as do her relationships with the people she cares about.

but where graceling really shines is in cashore's characterization of both katsa and the supporting cast. katsa is not necessarily "likable" (tm) - her reactions sometimes seem disproportionate, and at times, she comes off as both resentful and ruthless. she patently refuses to consider marriage or motherhood as acceptable paths for herself, to the extent that she'll pick a fight at any suggestion of it... and that makes her compelling, especially to girls and women who have been called abrasive or stubborn or angry for behavior that gets excused or lauded in men.

the supporting cast is no less wonderful. katsa’s cousin raffin is nothing like his father, and though he's the heir to the kingdom, he'd like nothing more to meddle with herbs and potions all day with his lover, bann (their relationship is strongly implied in graceling, but not confirmed until the sequel). prince po of lienid's fighting grace makes him and katsa become fast friends when they meet at the beginning of the novel, and the trust and support that follow their daily training fights is absolutely wonderful.

the first time i read graceling, i reached the last page and immediately flipped back to chapter one to reread it. it’s the only book i can remember reacting to in that way, and there’s a reason for it. cashore does a wonderful job with her debut novel.