If you combined King Arthur's mysticism with the most exciting, realistic parts of Lord of the Rings, you would get Graceling, by Kristin Cashore. A new fantasy world complete with the Graced, or people born with special abilities, this book pulls you in from the very first page.
In the land of seven kingdoms run by seven very different kings, there are people called Gracelings. Gracelings are Graced with an ability. All Gracelings, once they are identified, become property of the Kings. If their Grace is useful to the King, they are kept and used for the Kingdom (special fighting ability, mind reading, controlling the weather, etc.). If it is a useless Grace (ability to swim, dancing, etc.), they are returned to their parents. Katsa, King Randa of Middluns's niece, has been most useful to his forceful control over his kingdom thanks to her Grace for Killing. Even though Katsa is under the King's control and carries out most of his dirty work, she still refuses to allow the people of any kingdom to suffer, and she formed the Council to fight against injustice. It was the secret Council work that led Katsa to Murgon City in Sunder to rescue Tealiff, the father of Lienid's King Ror. As she did so, however, she came across a very interesting Lienid Graceling, Prince Po.
Po knows Katsa rescued his grandfather, and together they set off to get to the bottom of his kidnapping. This journey leads Katsa to the truth behind her Grace, Po's Grace, and the very dangerous Grace of King Leck of Monsea. Katsa also comes to the conclusion that Po is more than the other men she has known. Po could be the one man she could trust enough to love, but will he be interested in a woman who never wants to marry or have children?
This is a captivating story. Everything from the world of the seven kingdoms, to the different kings and how they run their kingdoms, to the Gracelings makes this story phenomenal. This is a fantasy with just enough realism to keep both feet on the ground and just enough mysticism to entice the fantasy-minded readers. The characters are dynamic, and Katsa and Po worm their way into your heart immediately.
Graceling has a strong story that can be a little mature and complicated at times. It might be best saved for grades 9-12, and while the protagonist is female, the story would appeal to both male and female students. There is some violence and a few brief pages of intimacy, but the majority of the story is appropriate for all ages. It is beautifully written, and almost seems poetic at times. If you need a beautiful story in a beautiful and harsh world, Graceling is your story!
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