Kristin Cashore's YA novel Graceling is far better than its book trailer, which comes as no real surprise. The trailer does give you the basic information: Katsa is a Graceling, a person born with an unusual gift. You can spot Gracelings by their eyes, each a different color. These graces vary in kind and importance: one might be able to talk backwards. Another might be able to predict the weather. Katsa's grace is....well, killing people.
It's a grace she uses in service to her king. She's not required to kill all the time, just when necessary. Often it's her fighting skills that are called upon as in the book's opening. Katsa is sent by the king to rescue a man kidnapped by the leader of another kingdom. While on this mission, Katsa learns that there's more to this rescue mission than she was led to believe. She's about to begin a journey that will reveal things about the seven kingdoms that she's never suspected. And, of course, she's going to learn something about herself. This is, after all, a "quest" fantasy.
Graceling will be familiar enough to most fantasy readers, yet sprinkled with fresh ideas and interesting characters. Sure, there's some formula at work, but the story kept me engaged, although there's a little too much romance for my taste. This is definitely one of the better of the Books for the Beast selections I've read this year. Recommended.
(Note that the new book in the Graceling series, Fire, is actually a prequel.)
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