Bitterblue - Kristin Cashore

As someone who grew up reading science fiction and fantasy stories written mostly in the 1940s, 1970s and 1990s, sometimes I think about where fantasy as a genre is today. Gone are the days of Tolkien, clearly. Lord of the Rings was supremely brilliant for its time, and definitely holds a place of honor today, but because it's been such a staple of fantasy works feels dated today. Many, many authors try to emulate Tolkien in his style and his worldbuilding (and some, like Terry Brooks, straight down to his plot structure--I'm looking at you, Sword of Shannara). This seems to be a really common genre writer mistake, and one that I'm not exempt from. The next logical question is, what new road, then, do we take our fantasy down? I love the many-varied answers to this question. Nnedi Okorafor moves her fantasy into African roots instead of the medieval European standard. Urban fantasy is a growing market, as is supernatural romance. Magical realism is one that currently fascinates me. It's a question I try to answer for myself with my own pieces, naturally with varying shades of success. Is there still a market for traditional fantasy? Or are publishers and readers all looking for something new, different, exciting?

Every so often I run across an author like Kristin Cashore, who prove to me that traditional fantasy can still have new life. (See also Patrick Rothfuss, a post saved for another day.) Bitterblue is the third book of her Graceling Realm series, and it takes place eight years after the first, aptly titled Graceling. The cover says it is a companion to Fire, though I'm not entirely sure where it falls on the timeline in relation to that novel, because apparently in the year and a half since I read Fire I have completely forgotten the plotline and apparently have to go back to read it again because I apparently gave it four stars. Apparently.

Neat art in this print.

Bitterblue was a lesser protagonist in Graceling, the daughter of the depraved King Leck, who Katsa assassinated. Now she is eighteen, in charge of her kingdom, and learning how to take power in the shadow of the atrocities her father committed.

The backdrop of this novel seems quite traditional. The kind of world with a sketchy map in the front of the Seven Kingdoms, full of kings and wars and uprisings. In a way the world built here feels neutral, without real-world indicators of culture, which signifies to me that is is European based like many traditional fantasies. It's not necessarily bad, but it is the status quo for fantasy today. Cashore's twist on this basic setting is the addition of Graces, special powers that people born with odd-colored eyes have. Similar to Piers Anthony's Xanthian talents, with the exception that not everyone has them, a Grace is a unique skill conferred on the bearer that may be anywhere from as mundane as exceptional wine making or talking backwards, to as martial as Katsa's skill for survival, or those whose bearers' lives depend on them, like Po's mindreading or Hava's disguise. These Graces are what made King Leck's rule so insidious and so difficult for Bitterblue and her kingdom to move forward from: his skill was lying.

What I find the most interesting about this book is that it is less a story of adventure or royal intrigue or inter-kingdom conflict as it is a coming-of-age story about a young woman taking the reins of power for the first time. Bitterblue wants to be a good ruler to her people, but she needs to figure out who around her actually wants to help her grow into her role, and who wants to keep her under their thumb. It's more quiet evolution than grand revolution, and I like it.

On the downside, many of the minor characters are much less developed in this book than in previous. Katsa and Po feel like caricatures of their previous forms and are infinitely less interesting--in fact, most of Katsa's role in this book is to show up, go away, come back, leave again. I feel like if a character does not help drive your story forward, then there's really no point in including them in it. Similarly I think Cashore could have written the book without Po and his mindreading, because some situations resolve themselves just a little bit too easily by being able to 'think' at Po or have him know instantly if a person is telling the truth.

Also can I just point out right now that half the names in this series are ridiculous? They're ridiculous. "Death" that rhymes with teeth! Sapphire/Saf. Fire. Skye. Fox. Spook, Gray, Rood.

“You do trust him, though, Giddon?"
"Holt, who is stealing your sculptures and is of questionable mental health?"
"Yes."
"I trusted him five minutes ago. Now I'm at a bit of a loss."
"Your opinion five minutes ago is good enough for me.”

Overall: 3.5 stars

Amazon: Bitterblue

More reviews: Bitterblue on Librarything (Average 4.08 stars)

Bitterblue on Goodreads (Average 4.01 stars)