Finding the Present in a Different Time

Kristin Cashore's Graceling is the story of a girl, Katsa, born with the extraordinary ability to kill people with her bare hands. Set in a fictional world, those like Katsa are said to possess "graces" which are extreme powers. Unfortunately, these powers are exploited occasionally as Katsa is forced to torture those demanded by her uncle, King Randa. Meanwhile, she meets a boy named Po, who also possesses a grace, and the two become extremely close after battling each other.

The main character, Katsa, is a very intriguing protagonist for a YA novel. She is ostensibly female but many of her character traits are ambiguously gendered. She is a lethal weapon with the capacity for instant death. She says that she will never marry anybody because it would compromise her freedom and independence. I am not saying that these are distinctly male or female traits, but it is rare to see a strong female lead in a novel who acts like that.

The main intrigue of the novel lies in its setting or time and place when considering its intended audience. Here is a world where people are born with special powers and kingdoms clash in violent competition. Certainly something every young adult runs into everyday, right? Thus, some people would argue that the novel is difficult to relate to because of the fantasy setting. Yet this is where I disagree. Imagine a young reader who feels ostracized and alienated as he/she grows up. Surely these feelings are rooted in the sometimes painful experience of adolescence more than most other periods of life. Now, this reader must think that they are totally alone with their respective problems and that nobody on Earth has ever had this problem before.

Now enters Katsa. She is born with this unique ability which nobody around her has. And lo and behold it makes her feel alienated and ostracized as well. Moreover, she lives in an entirely different place and time. If the reader can realize that some of these problems are universal to the human condition and that, yes, even people who lives in a world of make-believe can feel alone and alienated, then maybe there is hope for them yet. Not everything that relates has to come from your own backyard, much less planet.

Recommendation: I think this book would be great for a dream-filled reader who enjoys fantasy (because it is pretty heavy on the fantasy aspect) or someone you might think needs a counterpoint for their own troubles. As for adults, if you like the fantasy genre, then this could be right up your alley.