Showing posts with label romantic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romantic. Show all posts

Friday, 10 May 2013

Graceling

Title : Graceling
Author : Kristin Cashore
Citation : Cashore, Kristin. Graceling. Orlando, Fla. : Harcourt, 2008.

Grace, that is a term for people born with an extreme skill, are feared and exploited. One of them is Katsa who carries the burden of the skill, the Grace of killing. Living under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, she is expected to punish and torture anyone who displeases the king. Then, meeting Prince Po who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no idea of how her life is about to change: to learn the truth about her own Grace and the secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms. Those who are Tamora Pierce fans must love this thrilling, action-packed fantasy adventure with a slight hint of steamy romance. Every character is depicted with the same meticulous devotion to human understanding, making this novel is compelling with its strong heroine, political intrigue and action. The author juggles her complicated plot with effortlessness rivalling Katsa's. Although there are some undeveloped plots, the exquisitely drawn romance will satisfy the thirst of Twilight fans, but one measure of this compelling novel's achievements lies in its broad appeal

Wednesday, 8 May 2013

The Goose Girl

Title : The goose girl
Author : Shannon Hale
Citation : Hale, Shannon. The goose girl. New York : Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2003.

The Crown Princess of Kildenree, Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, spends the first years of her life under the guidance of her aunt to learn to communicate with animals. Developing the skills of animal speech as she grows up, she is never comfortable when speaking with people. Then, Ani is helpless and cannot persuade anyone to assist her when her silver-tongued lady-in-waiting steals her identity and distract control of the guards during Ani's journey in a foreign land, Bayern. She, eventually, acknowledge her own special powers to find her way to her true destiny. This retelling story maintains many similarities to the original tale of Brothers Grimm, including the harsh punishment for treason. Also, similar to Robin McKinley's heroines, this leisurely-paced story is rich, full of eloquent description and beautiful imagery with a complex plot, a large cast of characters and a strong female protagonist. Readers who enjoy getting lost in an enchanted world will be satisfied not only by the conclusion but also by the suspenseful tone, full of danger and surprising twists. These appealing elements make the novel the winner of Jossette Frank Award and of Utah State Book Award.