Graceling: The Graphic Novel by Kristin Cashore

Abstract

Reviewed by: Graceling: The Graphic Novel by Kristin Cashore April Spisak Cashore, Kristin Graceling: The Graphic Novel; ad. and illus. by Gareth Hinds. Etch/Clarion, 2021 [272p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780358250425 $24.99 Paper ed. ISBN 9780358250470 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780358505051 $12.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 8-12 Katsa is Graced, one of a limited number of people in the Seven Kingdoms who have certain powers, and hers is particularly deadly: she can kill almost effortlessly. She’s reckoned with such a power all of her life, trying to undermine her uncle’s authority as king while he essentially uses her as a mercenary. When she meets Po, an earnest and complex boy who also has a dangerous Grace, the two connect quickly, joining forces to defeat a sinister neighboring king whose powers could easily overwhelm either of them if they were alone. This graphic novel will likely please both existing fans and draw in new ones who haven’t yet explored Cashore’s gripping series. The action is terrific, the story is well-developed for readers unfamiliar with this world, and the ethical questions raised (are we more than our genetics, for example) are compelling and handled with nuance. The true heart of this version, however, are the illustrations themselves. Hinds trusts readers to find meaning in silences, sometimes pages long, and hover there, soaking in subtle gestures that tell the story as much as the fast-moving action scenes. Love is demonstrated in the lightening of hues, the lean of two bodies toward one another, and the lingering gaze on a back as much as in the dialogue. Of course, every scene from the original novel is not duplicated here in this trim graphic outing; nevertheless, what is captured conveys the same tone, depth, and exceptional world building of the original. Copyright © 2021 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois