Book Review: Graceling

I've had Graceling by Kristin Cashore on my to-read list for some time. I heard really excellent things about it and the blurb was really intriguing. And the cover? OMG, so wonderful! I'm happy to say that Graceling lived up to my expectations.

From the book's blurb:

In a world where people born with an extreme skill--called a Grace--are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displease him.
When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.
She never expects to become Po's friend. 
She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Graceling was a little hard to get into at first, mainly because it was difficult to work my way inside Katsa's head. I think this was more of a personal preference, however, than any flaw in the narration. Also, I think it had to do with me in the YA reading mode, and this...yes, it's labeled YA, but it felt more like strictly fantasy to me. It didn't have that YA feel. First off, the age of the character (if mentioned) isn't all that relevant to the story. It's not a coming of age story, though the MC does grow into her power and gain confidence as the story progresses. The romance is a little more...mature. (No, not in sex scenes, but in the way it is viewed by the MC. No straightforward love story here.) I think the only thing, in my mind, that qualifies this as YA, is the unadorned style of the narrative. It's simple, it's straightforward. And it works.

The more I read, the more I had to read. The pace picks up significantly after Po comes to Randa's court and the plot just gets better and better. The ending was satisfying, leaving me with that ah-that's-a-good-book glow. However, while I liked Katsa as a character and enjoyed watching her grow into herself, it was Po who captured my heart.

Rating (out of 5 stars): 4.5

Recommended: Yes, for fantasy buffs and readers thirsting for a strong, dynamic female MC.