Synopses & Reviews
The long-awaited companion to
New York Times bestsellers
Graceling and
FireEight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.
Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.
Review
"Some authors can tell a good story; some can write well. Cashore is one of the rare novelists who do both. Thrillingly imagined and beautifully executed, "Bitterblue" stands as a splendid contribution in long literary tradition."
Review
"A story that transcends the genre with its emotional and philosophical weight."
Review
"Devastating and heartbreaking...those willing to take the risk will--like Bitterblue--achieve something even more precious: a hopeful beginning."
Review
"Readers will gallop through [Bitterblue], eager to catch up on beloved characters and hopeful that the Seven Kingdoms can at last find peace. There are astonishing and sometimes heartbreaking discoveries...Buy all three volumes, in multiple copies."
Review
"Cashore's imagined world is brilliantly detailed and brimming with vibrant and dynamic characters."
Review
"Fans of...intricate political fantasies will relish this novel of palace intrigue."
Review
* “A story that transcends the genre with its emotional and philosophical weight.”—
BCCB (starred review)
* “Devastating and heartbreaking.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* “Brilliantly detailed and brimming with vibrant and dynamic characters.”—SLJ, starred review
* “Fans of . . .intricate political fantasies will relish this novel of palace intrigue.”— Publishers Weekly, starred review
“An exceptional book: heartbreaking, deep, and beautiful.”—wandsandworlds.com
“Cashore is wonderful, tough and nuanced—everything you could want from a writer.”—Junot Díaz, author of This is How You Lose Her
Synopsis
Enter the Graceling Realm and let it work its magic in this unforgettable novel from New York Times bestselling author Kristin Cashore. When Queen Bitterblue took the throne of Monsea, she was a child, and her advisers ran the kngdom for her. Now she is beginning to question their decisions, especially how they handle the legacy of her father Leck, who who ruled through his Grace--a special talent for mind-altering--and his taste for darkness and violence. Bitterblue needs to know Monsea's past to lead it into the future, so she begins exploring the city sreets at night, disguised and alone. As she does, she meets two thieves, who hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.
Bitterblue is a gateway to the Graceling Realm that braids together magic, memory, and romance.
Look for Kristin Cashore's highly-anticipated standalone novel, Jane, Unlimited, coming out September 2017
"Some authors can tell a good story; some can write well. Cashore is one of the rare novelists who do both. Thrillingly imagined and beautifully executed, Bitterblue stands as a splendid contribution in a long literarly tradition." --The New York Times Book Review on Bitterblue
* "Brilliantly detailed and brimming with vibrant and dynamic characters." --SLJ, starred review of Bitterblue
A New York Times bestseller
ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A BCCB Blue Ribbon Title
Synopsis
Enter the Graceling Realm and let it work its magic . . . When Queen Bitterblue took the throne of Monsea, she was a child, and her advisers ran the kngdom for her. Now she is beginning to question their decisions, especially how they handle the legacy of her father Leck, who who ruled through his Gracea special talent for mind-alteringand his taste for darkness and violence. Bitterblue needs to know Monseas past to lead it into the future, so she begins exploring the city sreets at night, disguised and alone. As she does, she meets two thieves, who hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.
Bitterblue is unforgettablea gateway to the Graceling Realm that braids together magic, memory, and romance.
About the Author
Kristin Cashore grew up in the northeast Pennsylvania countryside as the second of four daughters. She received a bachelor's degree from Williams College and a master's from the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons College, and she has worked as a dog runner, a packer in a candy factory, an editorial assistant, a legal assistant, and a freelance writer. She has lived in many places (including Sydney, New York City, Boston, London, Austin, and Jacksonville, Florida), and she currently lives in the Boston area. Her epic fantasy novels set in the Graceling Realm--Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue--have won many awards and much high praise, including picks as ALA Best Books for Young Adults, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, Booklist Editors Choice, and Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. In addition,�Graceling was shortlisted for the William C. Morris Debut Award and Fire is an Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Winner.