Bitterblue: Graceling, Book 3

Bitterblue is the best book in this series by far. After we left Princess Bitterblue in Graceling, I was curious to see how her future would turn out now that Leck isn't at the helm of her life. I'm glad she got her own story, and I can't believe I almost didn't read this book because I didn't love the last two. This book is worlds better than the other two, and Cashore's writing has significantly improved since book one. Although Bitterblue follows characters introduced in Graceling and features cameos from characters in Fire, I do think it could be read as a standalone, or as a sequel to Graceling, omitting Fire. I will say having the knowledge from Fire definitely added to my reading experience of this book, but it is not pertinent to read that book prior to Bitterblue.I loved the characters in this story. Bitterblue is lovely (I actually like her more than Katsa), and it was so nice to see how she's matured since her childhood in Graceling. Moreso, I loved the evolution and progression of her character and strengths from the beginning of this book to the end. Cashore has a talent for writing really strong female leads that have great arcs of character development throughout the story, being tested in many ways but always emerging triumphant and stronger in the end. Of all the characters in this book, I think I liked Sapphire the most (and his name is pure gold). He was unpleasant at times, but I continued rooting for him and I loved when he showed up in scenes. He, too, goes through some nice moral changes as the story progresses.My very favourite scene in this whole book is when Bitterblue walks into the courthouse while Saf is on trial. I listened to that part of the book on audio, and I was laughing so much at how ironically funny it was. Simply charming.One thing I wish we were given more details about was the romance. Bitterblue and Sapphire had a kind of relationship that could have been more intimate than we saw it, but we don't know what happened to them after the story ended. Bitterblue also seemed fond of Giddon, but their relationship was always only platonic. I could see it turning into something more in the future, but we readers won't know what happens with Bitterblue's possible suitors because the story was left open-ended with this matter.In Bitterblue, the use of ciphers and codes and secret messages is paramount to the story. I've always been interested in that kind of thing but never had an aptitude for it, so I enjoy reading about it in books from time to time, watching the characters figure out the puzzles piece by piece. Each new message that Bitterblue deciphers or each code that she had to break had me completely enthralled with how detailed they were, how complex they were to solve. And their prevalence goes to show that Bitterblue really couldn't trust anyone. Truly, I had no idea who was on her side and who was putting on a facade. People were changing their allegiances in the middle of the book, discovered to be an enemy but then ended up being an ally, and vice versa. That is one thing Cashore did really well in this book: she had me completely unable to trust any of the characters. Even the main characters that were most present in the story were under scrutiny from Bitterblue, and I can't imagine that strain on her as an emerging queen. Luckily, all answers were elucidated by the end of the book.I did think it was weird, for how focused on characterization Cashore is in her writing, that we never got to meet the spies. Bitterblue mentions her spies quite a bit, and at first I thought that was a pretense for her guards, that her "spies" were actually herself and Saf and Teddy. But then I realized she actually does have spies, but we never got to meet them or know their names. I found that a bit strange with how much this book revolves around secrets and the acquisition of information.I like that this book heavily relied on politics, but they didn't control the story like they did in Fire. In Fire, the politics were the story, and the plot became very dry and boring. But in Bitterblue, the politics enhanced the story, and that was so much more enjoyable to me. I think politics are crucial to any good fantasy that takes place in a medieval setting with castles and rulers, but I find that they can make or break my interest in the story.Overall, Bitterblue was an excellent conclusion to an otherwise ordinary trilogy. Cashore's writing has developed greatly since her debut novel, and I believe she will continue to grow even stronger in that skill as time goes on. She writes great characters and interesting political plotlines with shocking revelations throughout. This story was long, but it didn't feel that long because every bit of it was entertaining. One neat thing about this book in particular is the considerable amount of bonus content at the end, which really enhances the reading experience. We have beautiful drawings of the three bridges in Bitterblue City, detailed maps of different parts of the castle and the land, a character list with helpful descriptions, and Cashore's writing process for Bitterblue, which was actually very eye-opening. She wrote two complete first drafts of the story over the course of many years to get all the details of the plot where she wanted them to be. While that would have been a grueling rewriting process, I know that Bitterblue was only better for it in the end.

Originally posted 6/10/12 at Melissa's Bookshelf.Kristin Cashore's companion books, Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue are some of the most incredible YA fantasy books I have read in the last few years. Cashore's world-building is first-rate and she has given us a cast of characters that is truly unforgettable. I loved how Bitterblue masterfully ties together the stories from Graceling and Fire, particularly towards the end of the book. All of that said, I actually had a difficult time getting into this story -- it started off very slow and it took muddling my way through several chapters before I was finally hooked and didn't want to put it down. (The slow start is what ultimately caused me to deduct a star in the rating.)But once the story gets going, it moves along at full speed and doesn't let up or hold back. Bitterblue is much, much darker than the first two books as we take a closer look at the consequences of Leck's disastrous 35-year reign and what it is going to take to heal the kingdom of Monsea. I was left breathless by some of the dark deeds and events that are revealed. No, this was by no means an easy read, but that level of twisted detail with which Cashore wrote this tale was absolutely necessary to do the story justice.There are an abundance of new and familiar faces in Bitterblue. We are introduced to Bitterblue's four advisors, Thield, Rood, Runnemood, and Darby, their involvement in Leck's experiments during his rule, and the effect they have on Bitterblue and her own reign. She also crosses paths with small band of "truthseekers," leading to a few side plots that complicate matters for her. Perhaps my favorite new character is her cantankerous, crotchety librarian, Death (pronounced Deeth). And of course, we have the return of Katsa, Po, Raffin, and Giddon as they they travel to and from Monsea. With Bitterblue, Cashore again writes about a strong heroine -- this story is key to her growth and ultimately the truths she uncovers coupled with how she handles the discoveries is what causes her to truly come into her own as Queen of Monsea and the woman she has become.As for the rest, one of my favorite aspects of this novel was the use of mathematics and ciphers -- that provided yet another fascinating bit of intrigue to the tale. And once again we have a brewing romance, but as with Cashore's other books, the romance is not really a central theme. Interestingly, I think this practice is an important part of what makes her stories so successful and leave you wanting just a bit more. (And I mean that in a good way.)If you have not read these books, please be sure to read Graceling and Fire (in whatever order you please) before reading Bitterblue. If you've already read the first two, you will absolutely want to get your hands on Bitterblue.

A warning: do not read this book at night, or when you are already feeling down. I quite love Bitterblue, but the legacy she is dealing with is from her monster of a father. This story contains mentions of torture, rape, child abuse, self harm and suicide. In a way that does not take any of this lightly, and with a satisfying end point in my opinion, but until you reach that it hurts quite bit.I loved the glimpses of Katsa and Bo you get here, though they aren’t the protagonists. Giddon was one of my personal highlights, seeing how the years that have passed since book one made it possible for him to grow into a much more mature and conplex person.

This was a gift for my daughter and she loved it!

I love the fantasy of it all. A wonderful way to get through the pandemic. Easy to read and hope there will be more.

The series just keeps getting worse...I should have stopped at the first book and avoided the irritation and waste of money.

Approached this book quite excitedly, as I'd already read both Graceling and Fire which I found quite gripping and with a great pace. But this one, this one was very slow, claustrophobic, the storyline didnt seem to go anywhere anytime and also the big mistery around the secret grace of one of the protagonists, was resolved in a very shallow manner. In a way, as a reader, I felt trapped as much as Bitterblue is trapped in her castle... It has good intentions (mainly to bring together the stories told in books 1 and 2) but it's not carried out so well this time.