Review: Fire - Kristin Cashore

Seven Kingdoms, 2

Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 384
Published: 2010 Gollancz

Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored-- fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green-- and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans.

Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story.

Plot:

Fire is a monster. She is beautiful beyond words, and people either love or or want to kill her.  The animal monsters want to eat her. And the Kingdom of Dell is in trouble and she is called to court to help.

My thoughts: 

This is not a series that needs to be read in order, since this book takes place before book 1 Graceling. And this one takes place in Dell, and they do not even know about the seven kingdoms. But there is a young boy here, a graceling, with a terrible power and he was later in Graceling.

I really enjoyed this book. Which is funny because I did not like Graceling, which was too YA (yes I know but for me it was too much, too simple and too sweet.) While Fire was the opposite. And it did not feel YA either, it walked that line in between. The language was more YA, but the rest not.

And it had such a great heroine, Fire was broken, yet strong, and she did not want to bend people to her will. She would rather be shot (and was) than to stop someone with her mind. And her power was terrible. Some loved the sight of her and wanted to touch her, while other men saw her, knew they could not have her and wanted to kill her. 

The kingdom of Dell was also well-written. There were animals, and then monsters, people would stop in awe and get eaten. They were as terrible and beautiful as Fire.

The book had some wonderful characters, Archer who slept around a lot, Brigan, the prince who leads the armies and who does not trust her. King Nash who wants her the minute he sees her, and more. 

There was also this tone in the book, like I was there but at the same time not. Like I was hearing a story about the beautiful monster who wanted none of the powers she had.

Recommendation and final thoughts:

Do read this one, great fantasy, nice world, and a remarkable woman. The book also shows what beauty can do, and it is not always pretty. A rich world, strange magic, a hint of romance and the struggle for a kingdom.

Reason for reading:

I wanted to give her another go and I am so glad I did.

Cover:

Stunning!

Review: Graceling - Kristin Cashore

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Genre: YA fantasy
Pages: 480
Published: 2008

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug. She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po. She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace - or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away, a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

 I will once again go against the flow. I have heard great things and I expected so much, but honestly, it was ok, nothing more nothing less.

Katsa was supposed to be really dangerous, and everyone was scared of her since she killed her cousin when she was eight. She saw herself as a monster, a beast, well, yes that is ok, but I was not scared of her. I know she was doing all these kinds of right things so make herself feel better. But I wanted to be scared of her, at least a tiny bit. To see her as others saw her. But there was nothing. And that actually went on through the entire book. It was rather sweet. This was a killer, there was blood, treats, but that atmosphere did not change and the book felt too cute.

Other than the overall cuteness of the book, and that I never felt oh no danger danger, Katsa was a good heroine. I liked her, she was nice. Po was a cutie too, and they made a good couple. if you can call them that.

Which brings me to my other point, ok yes yes she is all kick ass and stuff, but does she has to go out of her way to be so anti-girl, I hate my hair, cut it off, I do not want babies or a relationship. This love story, yikes. Just cos she is anti-woman does not mean she can't be in a relationship, that does not mean you give up your freedom, and that you can only see each other a few times in a year because or else my freedom will suffer.

Ok by now you might have seen that this is turning out to be one of those negative reviews. But it was ok, and that is the problem. I always get so disappointed when a book turns out to be ok. I always expect more and had so from this one. But it was too cute, too YA. Too simplistic.

 But yes do not listen too me, I always find faults in ok books. They just makes me sad cos they have so much potential, and I expected more.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: I do like both, the first really shows how she is, and the other is rather mysterious. Nice covers.

Reason 4 reading: Borrowed from a friend

Final thoughts: Everyone else loves it so go on give it a try.