kdaven8's review against another edition
4.0
I love this series. Every time she writes a new one I go back and re-read the older ones. They feel like old friends. This is my favorite YA Fantasy series.
natcommon's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
I really enjoyed seeing Bitterblue's story and the aftermath of the events in Graceling.
I really enjoyed seeing Bitterblue's story and the aftermath of the events in Graceling.
jkrahtjen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
crystal_reading's review against another edition
4.0
I loved Graceling, but cannot really remember Fire. I think Bitterblue will stay with me like Graceling. Bitterblue has living breathing characters that mattered to me as I read. The story is intense and I appreciated its uniqueness.
moirwyn's review against another edition
5.0
Just as a disclaimer, I haven't read the first two books in the series. I saw Kristin Cashore do a reading of the first chapter of the book at the New York Public Library and had to read the rest. It was that good.
The story is set in a world where some people are born with a magical power known as a Grace. Graces are very specific, which means that the magical system isn't a get-out-of-jail-free card. Bitterblue's father had a Grace that allowed him to tell lies that were always believed, which he used to become king and tyrannize his people. After her father's death, Bitterblue becomes queen and is now responsible for healing her kingdom. She quickly realizes how naive and sheltered her life has been, and starts sneaking out at night to learn more about her kingdom. She soon realizes that even though her father may be dead, his influence in the kingdom has not ended.
Cashore's writing has an exquisite literary quality. Unlike many popular YA novels, there are no obnoxious love triangles. It's fantasy as fantasy is meant to be. I would highly recommend it, and I can't wait to read the first two novels in the series!
The story is set in a world where some people are born with a magical power known as a Grace. Graces are very specific, which means that the magical system isn't a get-out-of-jail-free card. Bitterblue's father had a Grace that allowed him to tell lies that were always believed, which he used to become king and tyrannize his people. After her father's death, Bitterblue becomes queen and is now responsible for healing her kingdom. She quickly realizes how naive and sheltered her life has been, and starts sneaking out at night to learn more about her kingdom. She soon realizes that even though her father may be dead, his influence in the kingdom has not ended.
Cashore's writing has an exquisite literary quality. Unlike many popular YA novels, there are no obnoxious love triangles. It's fantasy as fantasy is meant to be. I would highly recommend it, and I can't wait to read the first two novels in the series!
readliftbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I am so impressed by the whole trilogy. Kristin Cashore goes into so much depth with her characters. She places them in so many scenarios where we get to better understand who they are by their actions rather than being told how to feel about them directly. I found myself loving and hating certain people in the story simultaneously. I really enjoyed that I couldn't predict the endings of each book. I couldn't predict what would happen within the next chapter. I had a hard time ever putting this book down and I have a "book hangover" because of that. I am glad I discovered this series so late, it allowed me to binge read them within a week.
jennifersiyuanzhou's review against another edition
3.0
tru 3 stars
argh i swear i ranted about this, wish i wrote it down
i was SO EXCITED to read about how Bitterblue would rebuild her country after that other kind i forgot the name of. and we got to see a lot of the problems but like i felt the story was 90% problems and 10% "solutions" it was a long book too so at a certain point i rly was like okay i get it, things are whack and more things were happening but it wasn't getting us closer to an answer and aosfhasdfads
AND I THOUGHT THE IDEA BEHIND THE FINAL REVIEW WAS SO GOOD
the country had different ways of dealing with healing: some wanted to burn everything and get rid of it, some wanted to preserve THAT'S SUCH AN INTERESTING THING TO EXPLORE. and Bitterblue's OWN journey of reliving and remembering parts of her childhood. there were some really good lines in there. this is rly what kepy me going
however.
and then the book just ends??? i thought this book was supposed to be about how we fixed all that but that was handwaved at the end of the book and were to assume it;s just gonna happen after the book ends. oh and we get a cameo from Fire et. al. but like I'm not sure that rly adds anything?? other than I guess a little smth for ppl who read Fire
oh and the romance was just. afioasfoad blargh. didn't feel it, nearly forgot it happened.
argh i swear i ranted about this, wish i wrote it down
i was SO EXCITED to read about how Bitterblue would rebuild her country after that other kind i forgot the name of. and we got to see a lot of the problems but like i felt the story was 90% problems and 10% "solutions" it was a long book too so at a certain point i rly was like okay i get it, things are whack and more things were happening but it wasn't getting us closer to an answer and aosfhasdfads
AND I THOUGHT THE IDEA BEHIND THE FINAL REVIEW WAS SO GOOD
the country had different ways of dealing with healing: some wanted to burn everything and get rid of it, some wanted to preserve THAT'S SUCH AN INTERESTING THING TO EXPLORE. and Bitterblue's OWN journey of reliving and remembering parts of her childhood. there were some really good lines in there. this is rly what kepy me going
however.
and then the book just ends??? i thought this book was supposed to be about how we fixed all that but that was handwaved at the end of the book and were to assume it;s just gonna happen after the book ends. oh and we get a cameo from Fire et. al. but like I'm not sure that rly adds anything?? other than I guess a little smth for ppl who read Fire
oh and the romance was just. afioasfoad blargh. didn't feel it, nearly forgot it happened.
sunny_with_0_chance's review against another edition
1.0
Disappointed.
No spoilers but the dramatic ending wasn't terribly surprising. Bitterblue has poor choice in men, I was confused the entire time but not in the who-done-it mystery way but in the what-the... sort of way!
I didn't appreciate the constant reminders of homosexuality and feminism throughout the book, repetitive and not needed. It showed the author trying far too hard to make a point of something irrelevant to the book.
I found Katsa annoying in this book too!
I was completely disappointed. It was far too long, the story just plodded along until the ending and that was rather predictable too.
No spoilers but the dramatic ending wasn't terribly surprising. Bitterblue has poor choice in men, I was confused the entire time but not in the who-done-it mystery way but in the what-the... sort of way!
I didn't appreciate the constant reminders of homosexuality and feminism throughout the book, repetitive and not needed. It showed the author trying far too hard to make a point of something irrelevant to the book.
I found Katsa annoying in this book too!
I was completely disappointed. It was far too long, the story just plodded along until the ending and that was rather predictable too.