Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Rating: PG-13; 5 stars

Summary: Bitterblue is a sequel to Graceling and a companion to Fire. Taking place eight years after Graceling, the story follows Queen Bitterblue in her journey to help her country recover after Leck's reign. The book is filled with political intrigue, romance, science, war, and much more. Although the book focuses on Bitterblue, familiar characters, such as Katsa, Po, and Fire, do make an appearance. The book is both a companion and a sequel in the truest sense: it directly continues events set forth in Graceling, and characters and events from Fire do return in a significant way. The book follows both the progress of the country of Monsea and development of individual characters.

Opinions: The first year that I started this blog, I named Graceling my top book for the year. Later, I raved about Fire. However, it is only with Bitterblue that I am fully appreciating what Cashore has managed to do with the written word. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Cashore is the next Dickens or Twaine. I'm not going to speak to that. Her first book is less than ten years old.

However, I think that what Cashore is writing is incredibly relevant today. Bitterblue alone discussed issues of homosexuality, parental pressure, self-injury, birth control, and pre-marital sex. And you know what? None of these were the focus of the story. While I'm all for the importance of books like Baby Be-Bop, by Francesca Lia Block, and Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson, I have to say that sometimes it's refreshing to read a book that opens and encourages a dialogue on these topics without making them the focus of the entire novel.

Besides these social issues that were present without being the focus, the novel did focus on issues of abuse and brainwashing. Cashore handles all issues deftly and sensitively. I think the choice of Queen Bitterblue as the protagonist works to the story's advantage: she discovers things along with the reader, which allows Cashore to really delve into the issues she is opening up a discourse on.

Before a friend of mine kindly loaned me her advanced copy of Bitterblue (thank you, Emily!), I read some reviews on Goodreads in anticipation of this book. I have to say, I was really upset by the amount of people who gave the book negative reviews because of the lack of focus on marriage. As much as I'm a romantic and enjoy a good happily-ever-after, the world isn't about marriage, and I think it's important that books show that there are other options. I won't say more on the matter, so as not to spoil anyone, but I was frustrated enough by these reviews to include it in mine.

I can't really say enough how much I enjoyed this book. Consistent with her two other books, Cashore manages to weave together many subtle themes and subplots into Bitterblue. To me, Bitterblue is part political novel, part psychological mystery, part mystery, part adventure, and all wonderful.

I'd recommend this book to any fans of Cashore's previous books, as well as anyone who enjoys high fantasy, and even historical fiction. The amount of psychology and politics in Bitterblue do make it rather similar to some historical fiction I've read. There is some violence and sexuality in this book, though I wouldn't call any of it explicit. There are also scenes which may be triggering to some people. In particular, I am thinking of scenes recounting abuse of both adults and children. Just a warning to folks. I enjoyed every page of this book, even when it frustrated me. It's definitely a worthwhile read, and it'll make a great summer read, too.

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Fire
by Kristin Cashore

Rating: 5 stars; PG-13

Summary: In the Dells, which is not part of the Seven Kingdoms where Graceling takes place, dwell monsters. They look like ordinary animals: a horse, a dog, a bird, but they are brightly colored, very beautiful, can read and influence thoughts, and crave human flesh. Fire is the last of those monsters born looking like a human. While she is growing up, the Dells is falling further and further into ruin, and when the book picks up, it's right on the brink of war. Fire must decide between denying the monster within her, and trying to save the kingdom.

Opinions: Cashore's Graceling was my favorite book of last year (read, not released), and although it's rather early to call it, it looks as though Fire might be this year's top pick. Aside from the intriguing writing, any book that a) makes me cry several times and b) throw the book down in shock, is going to be a good book. Like Graceling, Fire had a good plot and excellent characters. Fire's (the character, not the book) struggle with her humanity (no pun intended) was really moving and had me in tears (or close to it) at least five times during the course of the book.

I have to hand it to Cashore for writing a book about a war that is about so much more than the battles. A lot of the book was the interaction between all the characters, and only a surprisingly small bit focused on actual fighting. That does not mean the book was boring, far from it (of course, you say, I rated it a 5!). Cashore managed to convey all the emotional tension of war even through the perspective of those more behind the scenes. Cashore truly writes believable characters that are completely real and flawed. Not a single character was completely perfect, which made them all the more compelling.

I rated this book a five because I was so completely blow away by it. It had that “wow-factor” that I look for in a book. The kind that has me telling myself I should not cry in front of the small children I babysit because I don't want to scare them. I gave it a PG-13 because there's some violence and some sexual content, but really all of that was very light. I don't recall any profanity, although that doesn't mean there wasn't any. For me, Kristin Cashore is 2 for 2, and I can't wait until her next book comes out.