Once you’re in high school, reading for pleasure becomes a luxury that many students can’t afford. Reading a novel about the struggles of a young woman or young man in a historical timeline becomes much more common than the epic tales of sword fights and kings and queens and fantasy battles of the books that stole our hearts when we were younger. It’s important to return to those fantasy books every now and then, and what better series to begin than the Graceling Realm series by Kristin Cashore.

The Graceling Realm series begins with Graceling, the book which introduces the Graceling world and customs. The book is so named for the people within it; well-known and normal people like kings and soldiers and civilians, but also the strange people known as gracelings. These gracelings are rare within the kingdoms, and they are characterized by having an extraordinary skill or talent, but most of all by having two differently-colored eyes.

The book follows a young girl named Katsa, who is under the employ and control of her king, as all gracelings are. Her grace gives her particular skill with combat and fighting, and her king uses her to punish those who have wronged him; that is, until a graceling named Po comes to her kingdom in search for his kidnapped grandfather.

They train together and become close friends, and when it is time for Po to leave her kingdom, Katsa breaks from her king and accompanies him. They scour the land in search for information about the whereabouts and reasons for the grandfather’s kidnapping. Along the way, they begin to piece together information about a king from another land which becomes terribly confusing and sickening when the truth is revealed.

Graceling is a magnificently written story, full of adventures and emotion. Cashore places great detail on the lives and customs of every person in this world. Her writing style is simple and easy to understand, but still enjoyable.

The second book in the Graceling Realms series is Fire, a companion novel to Graceling, which is followed by Bitterblue, a companion novel to both Fire and Graceling.

The Graceling Realms books are by far one of my favorite series. I recommend them highly to anyone who enjoys action-adventure, romance or fantasy.