Bitterblue
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3.5 • 4 Ratings
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- €5.99
Publisher Description
Return to Kristin Cashore's captivating Graceling Realm with a heart-wrenching tale set eight years after the events of Fire
Eight years have passed since the young Princess Bitterblue and her country were saved from the vicious King Leck. Now Bitterblue is the queen of Monsea, and her land is at peace.
But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisers, who have run the country on her behalf since Leck's death, believe in a forward-thinking plan: to pardon all of those who committed terrible acts during Leck's reign; and to forget every dark event that ever happened. Monsea's past has become shrouded in mystery, and it's only when Bitterblue begins sneaking out of her castle - curious, disguised and alone - to walk the streets of her own city, that she begins to realise the truth. Her kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year long spell of a madman, and now their only chance to move forward is to revisit the past.
Whatever that past holds.
Two thieves, who have sworn only to 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, who possesses an unidentified Grace, may also hold a key to her heart ...
Readers love Bitterblue:
'Bitterblue features a cast of well-written, compelling side characters, a hilarious appendix written by an actual character, a cast that is around 70% queer and 90% characters of colour, a f***ing glorious slow-burn mystery, a f***ing glorious character arc for a young woman in a tight space, and a narrative around colonialism that sticks out in my mind to this day. I cannot get past how much I adore this book' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'This book! It was so wonderful and so sad at the same time! The feels..................... I love Queen Bitterblue so much!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Bitterblue met all of my hopes and expectations (and they were high, let me tell you) . . . I can truthfully say Kristin Cashore is one of my favorite authors ever, and I will wholeheartedly devour anything she writes' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'This series breaks my heart and patches it all back together again' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
'Bitterblue is near perfect. I haven't been this captivated while reading in a long, long time' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
When last seen, Bitterblue had been crowned queen of Monsea, after Katsa, the heroine of Graceling, killed her father, King Leck. (He had it coming.) Eight years have passed; Bitterblue, now 18, is in power, even as her counselors have attempted to sweep the wretched perversity of Leck's reign under the rug. Bitterblue objects not only because she thinks she needs to understand that history in order to lead but because she feels constrained by busy work that keeps her trapped in the castle. Spirited and frustrated, she dons a disguise, sneaks out, and quickly befriends a printer and a handsome thief. Complications, naturally, ensue. Her romance and growth into the role of queen are among the best parts of this sprawling story, which brings forward (but does not entirely resolve) plot strands from both Graceling and Fire. There are many pleasures fans will welcome the return of Katsa and her lover, Po; Bitterblue's court includes Death (rhymes with teeth), a dour librarian graced with the ability to read fast and remember every word. Once the narrative shifts from Bitterblue's clandestine adventures in the city to her convalescence inside the castle, the story loses some steam, even as the sick nature of Leck's abuses are unearthed. Nonetheless, devotees of the earlier books and fans of Megan Whalen Turner's intricate political fantasies will relish this novel of palace intrigue. Ages 14 up.
