Graceling

Have any of you read this book? It's a Young Adult, and it's a bit long to read. I think for me it was because I was reading it and going to school. I find it hard to really relate to her character because she has what seems like a great dislike for men. I understand in a way why she would have this view because of her Uncle. But, she has other positive men in her life that I think would have at least killed this negative view.  And, she has this annoyingly pathethic like need to "proof" she's fucking awesome. Toward the end of the book, King Ror (or Tor? cant remember) is telling her to take the best men, and be careful or whatever. And she annoyingly asserts that she can manage and if they cannot keep up that she'll leave everyone that he sent to help her behind.  Which I found unnecessary. Why did she not just agree and keep things moving? Why did they have to sit there and argue over this? There is times to assert that you can manage something on your own and there are times when you just need to go along with things just for the sake of time. it has nothing to do with your abilities, and arguing like this makes you seem inadequate, that you still have something to prove. She's stronger than armies, and can survive anything why does she feel she still needs to  do this?

It just was annoying because this king wasn't saying that she couldn't do it. He wanted the soldiers with her to help ease  into things because the city they were going into still believed she and the little queen were enemies. If it wasn't for familiar soldiers to assist and explain it would ALSO slow things down and risk their life. Why the author couldn't just let the Katsa character just *get this* and not pout over it would have been nice.

I like strong characters. I don't like cutsy or artificial romances in stories (the kind that wouldn't ever really happen iRL). But, this character doesn't really have an attachment really to her person. Like, OK, she does because this story is telling me that she does. The author doesn't really do the characters justice in allowing them to explain or communicate their love and affection toward one another. We are simply told that they do. Which I guess she was trying to do this because Katsa at the start was kind of oblivious to others around her and the affections that they may or may not hold toward her. Which is understandable as she is 18, and most eighteen year olds are quite self-absorbed.  But the author could have allowed Katsa to demonstrate her selfish/absorbed love for Po. I mean, you can love someone and still be quite self-absorbed and not understand the full weight or whatever to what it feels to love someone until you are no longer focused in on yourself.

I am in the story where they are rescuing Bitterblue, the little queen, and are living in a house/cottage where Po had been left. And, how King Ror is communicating with her and letting her decide things that are going on in her kingdom. She's only, like, ten. So this stuff is huge. I like her a lot because she seems to be able to think fully on her own. She told Katsa they had to kill her Father to fix everything, and she was able to stand up to King Ror and make them quit trying to attack Katsa. Bitterblue has her own book, and haven't got to it yet so I hope she hasn't turned into something like Katsa. But, someone who is very aware of the things that are going on around her like int his book. Because she knows what is going on and she is aware of everything. She knew she had to have her father killed to save their kingdom because he was quite a cruel person. But, I hope things don't change.

If this doesn't make any sense even if you read it, I apologize.