Month: September 2012

Book Spotlight: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Series by Kenneth Oppel

Elizabeth J. Norton
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on September 30, 2012.***

Book Spotlight: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Series by Kenneth Oppel

GOOD EVENING, Beardies,

Call me indecisive if you will, but making “Best of the Best” lists is my own personal brand of librarian kryptonite. I just can’t decide! Usually, the best book I’ve read this year is the one I’m reading right now. So, instead of making my own list, most of the time I read the books that are on everyone else’s lists.

This Dark Endeavor, the first book of Kenneth Oppel’s The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Series, was on a 2011 list from one of my librarian idols, Lynn Rutan. Along with colleague Cindy Dobrez, Lynn writes a blog called Bookends that I follow religiously. She called  This Dark Endeavor  “a steampunky Frankenstein retelling,” and from that description alone, I was hooked. Everything Lynn promised, the book delivered, and when the second book came out in August, the series skyrocketed to the top of my “Books to Spotlight” pile.

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{—PREMISE—}

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD Victor Frankenstein lives the typical life of a young gentleman of privilege in eighteenth-century Geneva. Victor idolizes his twin brother, Konrad, and the two are virtually inseparable. One day, exploring in Chateau Frankenstein with their cousin Elizabeth and best friend, Henry Clerval, they discover a secret room filled with arcane tomes—the Dark Library that once belonged to their ancestor Wilhelm Frankenstein. Victor is intrigued by the contents of the Dark Library, but his father makes him promise never to return there. Then, Konrad becomes gravely ill, and even the best physicians in Europe seem unable to help him. Heartsick and desperate, Victor returns to the Dark Library in search of a cure, embarking on a quest to brew the Elixir of Life and save his beloved brother from certain death.

{DISCLAIMER: Normally, when doing a Spotlight on a series, I would include the premise of the second book, too, but doing so would spoil the ending of the first. You’ll just have to read it for yourself.}

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. CLASSIC INSPIRATION...

THE retelling of archetypal and classic stories is currently one of the most popular trends in young adult publishing. While retelling is one of my favorite literary techniques, I always approach these books with some wariness because so much can go so very wrong. Kenneth Oppel does everything right in his reimagining of the classic story of Frankenstein. All the hallmarks and the spirit of the original story are present, but the retelling breathes new life into the classic. The portrayal of Frankenstein as a teenager makes the old story accessible to a new generation, and hopefully, more readers will discover the original through the retelling.

2. FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

ONE of the things I love about retellings is how they make me think about familiar material in new ways. Although I am quite familiar with the story of Frankenstein, this is the first time that I’ve really connected with the protagonist. When it comes to saving a loved one, how far is too far? Is it ever okay for humans to play God? These are just a few of the questions with which the teenage Frankenstein grapples, and somehow, by putting them into the mind of a teenager, Kenneth Oppel made them resonate with me even more deeply. There are, of course, no easy answers for either Frankenstein or the reader, so the book continues to echo long after the last page.

3. CHARACTERIZATION...

AS stated, though this was far from my first exposure to the story of Frankenstein, it was the first time I have been truly able to connect with the protagonist. This connection is, in part, due to Oppel’s outstanding characterization, which humanizes the protagonist. The teenage Victor Frankenstein has a brash, larger-than-life personality. His emotions run deep, particularly his love of his twin brother, and though he sometimes makes the wrong decisions, he always does so for the right reasons. Based on past experience, I never expected to love this character, but I found myself viewing him as a much-loved but highly-exasperating younger sibling, wanting to strangle him one moment and loving him to pieces the next.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

IN The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Series, Kenneth Oppel tackles an old subject in a new way, portraying a familiar protagonist in a new light and leaving the reader with many lasting questions. This portrayal makes a classic accessible to a whole new generation. The first two books of this planned series are a treat for speculative readers and I can’t wait for the next installment.

Happy Reading and Happy Scribing!

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ELIZABETH J. NORTON

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***This Dark Endeavor (2011) and Such Wicked Intent (2012) by Kenneth Oppel are published by and copyright Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.
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Book Spotlight: Enemy Mine by Barry Longyear & David Gerrold

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***Reviewed by Kelsey J. Mills and originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on September 26, 2012.***

Book Spotlight: Enemy Mine by Barry Longyear & David Gerrold

GUTEN TAG, Beardies!

My name is Kelsey J. Mills, and I come to you all the way from Canada. I am The Bearded Scribe‘s youngest Scribe—a Science Fiction reader and writer, a sucker for aliens or robots, and a lover of social commentary. I’m so honoured to be here on The Bearded Scribe, and I hope that I manage to entertain you.

The book—technically novella—I will be spotlighting today is Enemy Mine by Barry B. Longyear and David Gerrold. Please note that this is not the original version—the copy that I have was based on the screen play written by Edward Khmara, which was based on the story written by Barry B. Longyear. Also note that I have not yet seen the movie for which the aforementioned screenplay was written.

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{—PREMISE—}

EARTH and the Dracon Empire are locked in an interstellar war based on mutual hatred and ignorance. The only thing as hostile as the Dracs and humans are to each other is Fyrine IV, the planet where a Drac and human pilot crash during a heated battle. But the human, Willy Davidge, and the Drac, Jeriba Shigan, face an even greater battle on Fyrine IV than the rough terrain: overcoming their hatred of each other, as it quickly becomes clear that the two enemies need each other to stay alive. As the two work to overcome their differences, a friendship forms that will change both of their lives, and possibly the way the humans and the Dracs see each other. Forever.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. CHARACTERIZATION...

IN a novella with only two characters for the majority of the story, the characterization had better be bang on—and Enemy Mine delivers. Both Willy and Jeriba (nick-named “Jerry” by Willy) are real, living, breathing people that come off the page and engage the audience. Willy, the human and POV character, is an especially good example. At first glance, he seems to be the typical space cowboy: not too bright, but full of piss and vinegar; a manly man who seems to personify humanity’s arrogance and offensiveness throughout the beginning of the book. However, as the story goes on and he interacts more with Jerry, his true personality is revealed; Jerry’s personality, too, is shown through his interactions with Willy. The characters’ interactions with each other become less guarded, playing off each other beautifully.

That’s what makes this story work, and what makes it worth reading. My personal favourite example of both the uniqueness of Willy and the way the characters play off of each other is a scene where Willy is explaining the teachings of the Mickey Mouse (the Dracs are under the impression that dear old Mickey is a great spiritual leader). This scene is driven by Willy and Jerry reading and responding to each other. Willy shows his uniqueness through his ability to analyse the role of Mickey Mouse in human popular culture, and the ideals and messages Mickey portrays. Jerry, who up to this point has been teaching Willy about his culture, and being a bit of a jerk about it sometimes, takes the role of a student. This shows his humility and his eagerness to learn previously alien concepts. If nothing else, it makes you appreciate Mickey a whole lot more.

The author’s characterization of the races themselves was also refreshing. It wasn’t like other popular alien films and books (Avatar, Starship Troopers), where cut and dry stereotypes of “humans are bad” and “aliens are good” or vice versa are used. Both races have their not-so-pleasant sides, but there are redeeming factors to both of them; both races are equally flawed, and this makes the friendship between Jerry and Willy even more lovely and profound, especially after key events in the story.

2. MIRROR, MIRROR...

THIS story’s main strength is in its social commentary. It does what Science Fiction is best at: holding a mirror up to humanity and forcing us to see things a different way, from the point of view of another. This can often be painful because it’s hard to show humans how much we suck without whacking us over the head with how much we suck. The author shows us our ugly tendency to discriminate and hate those we don’t understand through the characters’ dialogues about their respective cultures.

Most of the first part of the story is Jerry and Willy learning each other’s language. Willy learns Drac from the teachings of Shizumaat, a religious book that Jerry keeps around his neck. This gives the author the chance to explore the cultural differences without preaching to the reader. It makes sense that Willy would have questions about the things he is reading, and it also makes sense that Jerry and Willy would have to explain their turns of phrase to each other. This gives the author a chance to insert comments on our society through comparison with the Dracs. One example is when, during a discussion about food, Jerry calls Willy a “slave eater” because of the way humans eat. Willy is confused about this, and Jerry explains to him that, during the history of the Dracs, there was a war in which the victors took slaves—and, well, ate them. Willy compares the Dracon events to the Holocaust on Earth, yet another example of how being different doesn’t necessarily equate with not being alike.

The biggest mirror held up to us, however, is in the overall theme of the novel: that one’s enemies are often just like us, even if they appear to be vastly different. Even though this story was written in the 1970’s, I thought it was an interesting parallel to the conflicts that the United States are having with Muslim countries, religious discrimination in the States and in my own country of Canada, and the conflicts between Israel and Palestine. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but the religious book that Jerry gives to Willy to learn Drac is called the Talman, which sounds similar to Torrah, Talmud, and Qu’uran combined. I also found it interesting that, like Christianity in North America and Islam in the Middle East, both of the characters’ belief systems hold the same tenants, namely “love thy neighbour.” The social comment in this book was truly ahead of its time. What writers can take away from this is that commenting on complex—yet broad—issues can make your story timeless, and it will give the reader the ability to insert their own cultural context into the comment you are trying to make.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

THIS is the book to read if you like stories about the power of friendship. It provides writers with insight on how to use the dynamic relationship of only two characters to create a powerful and meaningful story, and how to comment on society in a timeless way without being too preachy about it. This all combines into one moving story. This story will tug your heartstrings and make you think. If you can’t already tell, I love this story. I think you will, too.

***Enemy Mine (1985) by Barry B. Longyear and David Gerrold, published by and copyright Charter Books (Berkley Publishing Group).

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Book Spotlight: The Alchemyst (Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Book 1) by Michael Scott

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***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on September 17th, 2012.***

Book Spotlight: The Alchemyst (Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Book 1) by Michael Scott

GOOD Evening, Beardies,

Back in May, we did an Author Spotlight and giveaway with Michael Scott, author of the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series. The contest, and his subsequent interview, were very successful, so it didn’t take us long to decide to do a collaborative series of Book Spotlights featuring each of the Michael Scott, author of the Flamel books. Unfortunately, finding time to collaboratively write the posts took much longer, but we finally did, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring you the first in this series of Book Spotlights.

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{—PREMISE—}

FAMOUS alchemist Nicholas Flamel died in 1418—at least that’s what the records say. There’s only one problem: his tomb lies empty, a suspicious coincidence for someone who supposedly discovered the secrets of immortality.

While their parents are on an archaeology dig in Utah, twins Josh and Sophie Newman are forced to stay in San Francisco with their Aunt Agnes for the summer. Both quickly find jobs in order to save up money for a car. Josh’s boss, Nick Fleming, seems like a great person, but a strange turn of events reveals that “Nick Fleming” isn’t who he seems, and Josh and Sophie find themselves on a journey in which they discover that they may have legendary powers of their own.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. MYTHOLOGY...

AS we were reading this book, we were astounded by how many of the world’s mythologies were seamlessly united in the story, but in his interview, Mr. Scott enlightened us about his inspiration for this:

"The original idea was to create a series that unified all the world's mythology, based on the simple premise that at the heart of every story is a grain of truth. As I research folklore all over the world, it has become clear to me that so many of the world's myths and legends are incredibly similar, and some are almost identical. So I came up with the idea that I would feature as many of the world's folklore and myths in one story, and populate my world with immortal human characters. The only created characters in the series are Sophie and Josh."

THE premise of a unified world of mythology, wherein the truths of one legend are retold in each of the others, is masterfully set in The Alchemyst. We are intrigued by this premise, eager to continue our joined efforts, and curious what Mr. Scott has in store with the other five books of the series.

2. USE OF HISTORICAL FIGURES...

MICHAEL SCOTT seamlessly weaves many real historical figures into his story, and manages to preserve their integrity while using them in creative, yet believable ways. This blurs the line between fantasy and reality, making it even easier for the reader to slip into the fictional world. It would take ages to list the whole cast of historical characters in this book, but here are a few:

  • Nicholas Flamel (1330-1418) worked as a bookseller and scrivener in Paris. After his death, he developed a reputation as an alchemist because of his work on the philosopher’s stone and his quest to understand an alchemical tome called The Book of Abramelin the Mage. Flamel’s wife, Perenelle (1320-1412) served as his assistant and became known as a sorceress and alchemist in her own right. The Flamels were known as great philanthropists in their lifetime and both have streets in Paris that bear their names. They were buried in Paris, but their grave is empty, paving the way for further speculation about their immortality—and for Michael Scott to set them down in a twenty-first century bookstore under the assumed names of Nick and Perry Fleming.
  • Dr. John Dee (1527-1609) was a noted mathematician, occultist, astrologer, and served as an advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. He developed a plan for the British Navy, determined the coronation date of Elizabeth I through an astrological reading, was imprisoned for treason for reading the horoscopes of Elizabeth I and her sister Mary, and is rumored to have hexed the Spanish Armada. He is also said to have been the inspiration for the Shakespearean characters of Prospero and King Lear. He is the villain-in-chief of the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series and has been chasing the Flamels for centuries. According to Scott, Dee’s relentless pursuit of the Flamels is to blame for many disasters, including the Great Fire of London in 1666.
  • Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851) was the daughter of an anarchist and an acclaimed feminist. At the age of eighteen, she conceived the idea for her best-known novel, Frankenstein, on a dare while staying in a summer home in Switzerland with her husband, the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and her husband’s friend Lord Byron. The trio had been reading ghost stories and had a contest to see who could write the scariest story. In The Alchemyst, Shelley is said to have based her novel on a story she heard from Dr. John Dee.

3. WORLD BUILDING...

WITH the above-mentioned use of actual Historical figures and integration of Mythology from several different cultures, Elizabeth and I agreed that Michael Scott‘s pile of notes must have been extensive. He is, indeed, nothing short of a master when it comes to world-building. His blending of ancient and modern, of legend and truth, and—most amazingly—of fantasy layered within an urban reality are all done seamlessly and with delicate precision. Specifically, within the area of world-building, the following areas need spotlighting.

  • Magic. Scott’s system of magic is one of the most unique we’ve encountered. His use of Auras is a blend of the existing belief that auras can be perceived as colors, and the introduction of his own creation—that they also have an aroma unique to their owner.
  • Shadowrealms. In The Alchemyst, we are only privy to view one Shadowrealm—a separate dimension created by an Elder upon banishment from the Earthly realm—but we are told that there are many. By introducing us to Hekate‘s Shadowrealm, Scott is able to set aside his Earthly setting for one that doesn’t conform to its limitations. Within this Shadowrealm we are introduced to several fantastical creatures—both of legend or otherwise—and we are also reminded of Scott’s love affair with mythology with his inclusion of Yggdrasil.
  • Landmarks. We know from reading other reviews that Mr. Scott uses several landmarks around the world within the Flamel series, but it’s his exceptional ability to describe said landmarks—such as Alcatraz—with great detail that blows our minds. Again, just thinking about the size of his research notes humbles us. Given the size of the research notes for our own respective writing endeavors, we can only imagine!

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

The Alchemyst pulled us in with its stellar world-building, creating a unique magical system and using real historical figures and pinpoint descriptions of real-world landmarks to make a solid, believable world. On top of being an exceptional writer, Mr. Scott was gracious enough to allow us to pick his brain about his inspirations and creative process in a fantastic interview. We are, and will continue to be, huge fans of Michael Scott and the Flamel series; stay tuned for our collaborative Spotlights on the next five books.

Happy Reading & Happy Scribing,
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Joshua A. Mercier

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Elizabeth J. Norton

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***The Alchemyst (2007) by Michael Scott is published by and copyright Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books.

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Book Spotlight: Bitterblue (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 3) by Kristin Cashore

Elizabeth J. Norton
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on September 8, 2012.***
Since this post was published, two more books—Winterkeep (2021) and Seasparrow (2022)—were released, and the 5-book series was re-released as The Graceling Realm Series.

Book Spotlight: Bitterblue (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 3) by Kristin Cashore

WELCOME back, Beardies!

Thank you for sticking with me through a week of posts about the Seven Kingdoms Trilogy! I hope you have enjoyed the posts as much as I enjoyed reading the books—and then dissecting them from a writer’s standpoint! Today we reach the final installment of Seven Kingdoms, Bitterblue, which is the sequel to Graceling, set eight years after the conclusion of that book and forty-eight years after the end of Fire.

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{—PREMISE—}

EIGHT years ago, Princess Bitterblue and her mother, Queen Ashen, escaped the evil clutches of her father, King Leck of Monsea in the Seven Kingdoms. Ashen was killed in the escape attempt, but Bitterblue survived and went on to assume the throne of Monsea at age ten. Now, though, Bitterblue is Queen of a nation with many problems. Leck was a tyrannical, sadistic ruler and had the Grace, or supernatural talent, of deception. During his thirty-five years as King, Leck’s Grace forced his subjects to accept every word he spoke as truth, rendering them completely unable to think for themselves. Bitterblue wants to set things right, but her advisers seem determined to drown her in useless tasks, refusing to answer her questions about Leck’s reign or even allow her to make amends for his wrongdoing. Frustration leads Bitterblue to devise her own way to seek the truth, and she discovers that Leck’s cruelty went far beyond her wildest dreams. Not only that, there are those in Bitterblue’s court who would rather see her killed than expose the truth about her father.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

A Special Thanks to Ali St. James, a.k.a. The Polite Yeti for re-blogging this image from an original post from Penguin Teen, as it is through her Tumblr that Joshua and I found it.

1. MAPS...

MAPPING is an important part of world-building. It keeps the writer from geographical inconsistencies–and the need to edit for those inconsistencies! Maps also help the reader visualize the setting. Kristin Cashore‘s mapping is second to none, with double-page maps of Bitterblue’s castle and rooms, Leck’s rooms, the East City, the Seven Kingdoms as a whole, and more. I am a huge fan of maps in fantasy books, and when I purchased my copy of Bitterblue, I spent an hour in the Barnes & Noble café just ogling the maps. Ironically, on that same day, Joshua did a great post on world-building and maps. If you haven’t already, please take a minute to go check it out!

2. CHARACTERIZATION...

I have loved the characterization in these novels from the beginning, but it is especially well-done in Bitterblue. The last time the reader saw Bitterblue, she was an immature girl of ten years, on the run from her cruel father, and she acted like it. In this volume, the reader sees how her memories were distorted by her father. She feels this distortion acutely, which makes her a sympathetic heroine. In the beginning of this story, Bitterblue is in many ways still a child and very naive. By the end, however, she has grown into a remarkable young woman and a good monarch, able to see that not all cruelty is intentional and that sometimes the best way to make amends for the past is to offer hope for the future.

3. GRACES...

AT the center of Kristen Cashore‘s fantasy world are the Gracelings, each with a unique, supernatural talent known as a Grace. Not every character is Graced, and the previous books only explored Graces in major characters. Bitterblue, however, contains several Graced minor characters, many of whom work in the castle. Queen Bitterblue employs a kitchen hand Graced with the ability to tell by the look and smell of a person what they would most like to eat at any given time, and a servant Graced with absolute fearlessness. Perhaps my favorite Grace of all, though, belong’s to Bitterblue‘s librarian, Death (whose name rhymes with “teeth”). Death’s Grace is speed-reading, with perfect recall of everything that he reads. The descriptions of the Graces keep the reader interested in characters that would otherwise simply fade into the background.

4. love IN MANY FORMS...

SOMETIMES I feel like writers forget that love comes in other forms than just romance. Even worse, I have read many books where a romance seems to be forced into the plot. Thankfully, Kristen Cashore avoids both of these pitfalls. Confused and afraid, Bitterblue is constantly surrounded by people who love her. She has friends to laugh with, shoulders to cry on, and people to give her advice. Bitterblue never finds lasting, romantic love, but love is not missing from the story. I also truly enjoy the portrayal of homosexual characters in this trilogy. They simply exist in these pages as a matter of course, and, for the most part, are accepted by all. I only wish the same held true in our world, and I applaud Kristen Cashore for celebrating love in so many forms.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

IN The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Kristin Cashore has built a world that is complete and real, populated it with characters I would love to have as my real-life friends, and made me eager to visit it time and again. In Bitterblue, Cashore leaves the characters in a place where I am content to let them go, bringing the trilogy to a satisfying close—though, if she ever did write another book, I would read it gladly.

Happy Reading and Happy Scribing!

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ELIZABETH J. NORTON

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***Bitterblue (2012), by Kristin Cashore, is published by and copyright Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.
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Book Spotlight: Fire (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 2) by Kristin Cashore

Elizabeth J. Norton
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on September 7, 2012.***
Since this post was published, two more books—Winterkeep (2021) and Seasparrow (2022)—were released, and the 5-book series was re-released as The Graceling Realm Series.

Book Spotlight: Fire (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 2) by Kristin Cashore

WELCOME back, Beardies!

Thanks for joining me for the second installment in my series of posts on Kristin Cashore’s Seven Kingdoms Trilogy. Today, we’re discussing Fire, the second book in the trilogy. First published in 2009, Fire is a prequel set forty years before the events of Graceling, in a neighboring kingdom called the Dells. Fire has only one character in common with Graceling, but as unorthodox as this may seem, it is a stroke of genius for the trilogy as a whole.

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{—PREMISE—}

ACROSS an impassible mountain range from the Seven Kingdoms lies the Dells, a kingdom populated by both humans and monsters. Fire is the last of her kind, a human-shaped monster, arrestingly beautiful, skilled in archery and music, but taught to hate and fear herself by her father. Like all monsters, Fire can read and control the thoughts of others, but she finds the ability repulsive and uses it as little as possible. The Dells, however, stands on the brink of civil war, and the King’s men arrive to take Fire to King City to serve as a spy and interrogator. On her journey, she forms unlikely alliances that allow her to reconcile her human and monstrous natures and explore feelings she never knew she had.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. RACES...

THE monster races are the centerpiece of Fire. Nearly every species in our world has a monster counterpart. These creatures all look more or less the same in our world, except gloriously colorful. All monsters are physically attractive and have the power to control minds. From bugs to birds to fish and even a human, the various monster species are described in perfect detail, bringing them beautifully to life. Among humans, monsters are as despised for their bloodthirstiness and mind control abilities as they are in demand for their beautiful pelts and feathers, which are used as decorations in the homes and clothing of the wealthy. Fire is proof positive that fantasy isn’t all vampires and zombies—unconventional races make for unforgettable world-building. For more on races, please check out Joshua’s post on this topic.

2. CONFLICT...

CONFLICT is the core of any story, and a great story will contain not just one conflict, but rather a series of conflicts that play off each other like ripples in a pond, driving the plot forward. Kristin Cashore weaves an intricate web of conflict in Fire. Fire is the last of her kind and her father taught her to hate herself and fear her powers, so the human side of her is constantly at war with her monstrous nature. As civil unrest grows in the Dells, however, the King demands Fire’s services, forcing her to use the powers she so despises. Further conflict arises when Fire begins to fall for the commander of the Army, Prince Brigan, who may die in the looming war.

3. SETTING & CULTURE...

PHYSICAL description of setting is important, but for world-building to be solid, cultural norms within a fantasy world must also be explained. Kristin Cashore fully explores the culture of the Dells. Culture is a vital part of Dellian life. Fire is revered for her skill with the violin, and the reader learns that medicine in the Dells is highly advanced. Other cultural norms such as funeral customs are also established, and the frontispiece of the book contains a Dellian mourning poem. Descriptions of culture help to establish the setting, but also allow the reader to be fully immersed in the lives of the characters.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

KRISTIN CASHORE continues spectacular world-building in Fire, adding unforgettable characters and expanding her setting. Though it does not continue the story as started in Graceling in a conventional sense, Fire is a welcome addition to the trilogy and leaves the reader eager to return to the world of The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy.

Happy Reading and Happy Scribing!

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ELIZABETH J. NORTON

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***Fire (2009), by Kristin Cashore, is published by and copyright Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

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Book Spotlight: Graceling (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 1) by Kristin Cashore

Elizabeth J. Norton
***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on September 6, 2012.***
Since this post was published, two more books—Winterkeep (2021) and Seasparrow (2022)—were released, and the 5-book series was re-released as The Graceling Realm Series.

Book Spotlight: Graceling (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 1) by Kristin Cashore

WELCOME back, Beardies!

Back at the beginning of May, Joshua asked me for a list of titles I’d like to feature for Book Spotlight. Bitterblue, the final installment in Kristin Cashore’s Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, had just come out, and the trilogy as a whole topped the list. I even owned all the books and had already read the first two. Because of all the reading I have to do for my job, though, often the books that I own fall to the bottom of the pile because I have all the time in the world, rather than the three weeks allowed by a library checkout, to read them. Thus, months passed, and a Spotlight on Seven Kingdoms never came. Then, one night, I asked Joshua for my weekly assignment, and he specifically asked me to read Bitterblue. Turns out, in his words, he’d “been waiting for that Spotlight with white knuckles.” Well, what could I do but oblige him?

Originally, I set out to do just one post on The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, but quickly realized that the trilogy simply had too many strong points and too much depth for one post to do it justice. So, at Joshua’s encouragement, I have decided to cover this trilogy in three separate posts. The first installment of the trilogy, Graceling, hit shelves in 2008 with immediate success, bagging tons of literary hardware. It was named a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association; was a finalist for the William C. Morris Award for best young adult debut novel that year; and also snagged the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature.

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{—PREMISE—}

IN the Seven Kingdoms, sometimes a child is born with a supernatural talent known as a Grace. A Grace can be anything from mind-reading or weather prediction to the ability to climb any tree in creation. Katsa has a frightening Grace: She’s been able to kill people with her bare hands since she the age of eight. Katsa’s uncle, King Randa, has used her as an enforcer and thug for years, sending her to kill or maim subjects who don’t obey his every whim. Tired of being used, Katsa takes matters into her own hands, forming a group called the Council that operates undercover to prevent her from having to do Randa’s bidding. Then a Council mission leads her to a new friend, a young princess in grave danger, and a sadistic ruler with a secret even more deadly than her Grace.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. HEROINE AS ARTFORM...

KATSA is a heroine for the ages and truly stars in her role as Graceling’s protagonist. Her character arc is complete and realistic. In the beginning she is only able to see herself as the Graced thug that her uncle has made her to be, but the moment when she has the courage to take matters into her own hands makes the reader want to stand up and cheer. By the end of the book, she sees herself as far more than just King Randa’s enforcer, and her process of self-discovery is beautifully done. This stellar piece of characterization landed Graceling on the Amelia Bloomer Project List of best feminist literature for young adults in 2009.

2. PLOTTING & PACING...

The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy as a whole is a fine example of complex plotting, and this first volume sets the stage. Graceling is perfectly paced. It hits the ground running with Katsa’s dramatic rescue of a kidnapped prince, and it never looks back. The action is nonstop, but also organic, never feeling forced or contrived. There are enough quiet moments to allow the reader to catch their breath, but the plot doesn’t drag down. The ending, too, leaves the reader content, with plenty of room for a sequel.

3. WORLD BUILDING & CULTURAL VIEWS...

KRISTIN CASHORE’s Gracelings are so realistically drawn, it takes an effort not to look for them in real life, but what really resonates with me is the way that Gracelings are treated by society—and the way that Cashore builds this flawlessly into her world. A Graced person has eyes of two different colors, so they are easy to pick out from a crowd. In most of the Seven Kingdoms, Gracelings are feared or reviled. All Graceling children are given to the King as soon as their eyes “settle” into two different colors. If the child’s Grace is useful to the King (such as Katsa’s killing), the child becomes the property of the King; if not, the child is sent home in disgrace and usually lives as an outcast for the rest of their life.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

Graceling is the perfect blend of solid world-building, fast-paced adventure, and phenomenal characterization. It stands alone easily, but also leaves the reader eager for more stories about these characters. While I don’t often agree with award selection committees, I do agree that Graceling has all the makings of a modern classic and is a feast for readers and writers alike. I hope you’ll join me in the next few days for my Book Spotlights on Fire and Bitterblue.

Happy Reading & Happy Scribing!

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ELIZABETH J. NORTON

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***Graceling (2008) by Kristin Cashore, are published by and copyright Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

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