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I absolutely love to read. Books are basically my best friends. Dan and I even took some of our engagement photos in a secondhand bookstore. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that I particularly enjoy books that feature well-written, diverse female characters. Fantasy fiction is one of my favorite genres, and I’ve been lucky to find so many brilliant works of fantasy with kickass leading women. One of my favorite writers of feminist fantasy fiction is Kristin Cashore.
In Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue, Kristin Cashore creates an incredible fantasy world without magic and without religion. While each novel shares an overall setting, and a few overlapping characters, Cashore writes engaging plots with coming-of-age stories that are uniquely different from each other.
In the Seven Kingdoms, a few rare humans are Graced with unique talents, like incredible strength, speed-reading, and artistic skills. These so-called Gracelings become the legal property of the king, who uses them as he pleases. The protagonist Lady Katsa, Graced with the art of killing, is thus forced to do the bidding of her uncle, king of the Middluns.
In the Dells, a land bordering Monsea, humans and animals coexist with monsters, beautiful creatures who manipulate the minds of others. The protagonist Fire is the last of the human monsters.
In Monsea, the protagonist Bitterblue reigns as the only heir to her murderous father.
To summarize beyond that would result in major spoilers for Graceling, even though the companion novel Fire could technically be read before Graceling.
While Cashore’s plots weave intriguing tales with subtle foreshadowing to major revelations, and clever allusions to the other novels, her diverse portrayals of strength and femininity shine above all else. Each novel presents a female point-of-view, an independent protagonist with a strong sense of morality who faces difficult challenges to improve her kingdom. Despite their similarities, these characters are all entirely different from each other.
Katsa exhibits more traditionally “masculine” traits, not just the physical ones that accompany her Grace, but in personality as well. She keeps her hair short, she hates wearing dresses, and she vows never to marry. Katsa is quick to anger and slow to recognize the emotions of others.
Fire, on the other hand, epitomizes “feminine” grace, beauty, and sensitivity. She is a talented musician, a skilled archer, and expert horseback rider. Fire loves animals, and she desperately longs for a child of her own someday. As the last human monster, she is literally the most beautiful woman in the Dells.
While Bitterblue is about the same age as Katsa and Fire during their adventures, her personality is much younger. Bitterblue shares the intelligence and courage of Katsa and Fire, but her position as queen limits her ability to move freely about her kingdom. Her advisors both coddle her and overwhelm her with mundane details of the kingdom, hindering her ability to learn the terrifying truths of her father’s reign and the lasting effects. While she makes many mistakes, Bitterblue learns from her errors, seeks the forgiveness of those she harmed, and endeavors to undo the damage.
Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue are all beautiful and challenging novels that can be enjoyed by all fans of fantasy fiction.
What have you read lately? Any book recommendations for me? Talk to me in the comments!
LOVE your initial book cutouts! It’s very original and very you.
Thank you! My best friends know me very well. 🙂
Hi Brita, I also loved these books! Another recent favorite of mine was The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. The primary conflicts are political – lots of court intrigue. I think you would enjoy the feminist elves 🙂
I’ll add that to my “to-read” list on Goodreads. Thank you!
Thanks for the recommendation! I’m always looking for something new to read. . .and fantasy is a favorite of mine because I love how authors build new worlds. One of my favorites is Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Legacy series for her quaint language and uninhibited heroine. I have a post with a few other favorite lady books – http://mariellegreen.com/2014/07/feminist-books/
Next on my list are city of bones and city of ashes! I think they are considered distopian and not fantasy but I could be mistaken! Bitter blue and fire were two of my favorite books!!
I love dystopian, too. Keep an eye out for my review of the Divergent trilogy! I still need to finish the third one. 🙂
I have a hard time getting into high fantasy, but if I were going to read the genre, I’d probably like Kristin Cashore. I’ve heard a lot of good things about her books.
She’s seriously so awesome. The world-building is beautiful and easy to follow. I LOVE her books.
Always love reading your recommendations, Brita! I’ve read Graceling, but I didn’t even know Fire existed.
I just stayed up all night finishing Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins and, as I’ve already told you, I’m betting you would love it! xx
YOU HAVEN’T READ FIRE YET?! Blasphemy. I’m not sure we can still be best friends.
Adding your suggestions to my Goodreads list! xoxo
This sounds like a really cool book! Thanks for sharing. 🙂 I am really loving those book letter cut-outs you have on your shelf! Cute!
Thanks, my best friends have great taste. 🙂
Thanks for not spoiling the plot – these look super interesting and I’ll pick them up for sure as soon as I get over my last book shopping binge (and how in the world have I missed them!?).
I’ve never heard of Kristin Cashore but I think I would like this book!
Thanks for linking up with Jack of All Trades!
I’ve heard such, such great things about these books, but haven’t had a chance to read any of them. As for suggestions, have you heard of The Queen of the Tearling yet? It’s a new-ish books that seems to be getting great reviews that reminds me a bit of this series.
I have not heard of The Queen of the Tearling! I will check it out. I’m so lucky that you read as much as (probably more than) I do!
I actually haven’t read it yet, but I really want to. There’s already talk about turning it into a movie, and supposedly Emma Watson might be staring in it.
I *really* liked the 1st book, at least until the last few chapters… when Katsa decides she doesn’t need to get married; she can just have the relationship, sex and affection without “tying herself down.” As you can imagine, that soured it for me, especially as it’s marketed as a book for teens, and the last thing our teens need is yet another echo of the lies that Satan whispers about marriage, sex, and freedom. Marriage is a blessing, not a curse! And sex outside of marriage is not a pain-free option– it always hurts, always.
I was so disappointed about that point, because the book was so promising; unique (chilling in one case!) characters, novel form of magic/power, and memorable/believable moments.
I’m not usually a fan of fantasy but you described this trilogy in a way that has be intrigued! Can I also add that I absolutely love that you have some photos of you and your husband that were taken in book store? Genius! I wish I would have thought to do that. Thanks for linking up at Book Notes this month.