Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore Review

5/5 Stars

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only 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, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

Like many Kristin Cashore fans out there, I waited 3 painful long years for Bitterblue. I didn’t know what to expect from it. I did however hope for some kind of merge between Katsa and Fire’s world. Other than that, I knew that I would love whatever Cashore decided to do with Bitterblue. Did Kristin Cashore grant my one and only wish of uniting Fire, Katsa and Bitterblue? Ha, I won’t tell you, but I have to say that I was very happy with the overall outcome of the book.

Bitterblue’s plot didn’t revolve around romance, unlike Graceling and Fire (the 2 previous books in the series), which were full of swoony moments. Yes, there was a love interest but I didn’t feel an intense connection between the two parties involve. Maybe the connection was there but I’m so used to Katsa and Po’s “larger than life” love for each other that I probably missed it. BUT, whatever Bitterblue was lacking in the love department, it compensated with everything else. 

After finishing Bitterblue I know why it took the author so long to write it. It was amazing the amount of details Cashore has woven into this story to create the epicness that it is now. Full of lies, heartbreaks, Gracelings, adventure and badassness, Bitterblue was a perfect addition to an amazing series.

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