Author Kristing Cashore made quite a splash in the YA Fantasy genre with Graceling. It's a good book but so standard for the genre that its mostly forgettable except for the world defining gracelings, people blessed with an extraordinary ability with the physical mark that their eyes are two different colors. It can be virtually anything but the most feared are those with mental gifts which brings us to the worst of those, King Leck, who used his Grace to brainwash and control an entire country. His assassination in the book Graceling leaves his daughter Bitterblue as queen of a people who have no idea how much of their past is real and have to live with the horrible things they did under his control. As Bitterblue delves deeper into the secrets of the past she discovers her father was worse than she ever imagined and quite literally a Monster from beyond what they thought was an impassable barrier. The companion novel Fire takes place on the other side of the barrier in a strange land with Monsters instead of Graces with their own story of Leck that will bring the two lands together.

Bitterblue is not only the queen's name but also the tone of the book. The kingdom of Monsea is rediscovering what it means to live after decades of mental and emotional abuse. Leck's ability was to make people believe with their heart and mind what he said. He claimed to be the beloved adopted child of the previous King and Queen and so that became their reality. Then he killed them. Bitterblue also grew up believing the strange tales he told of fantastical brightly colored Monsters that could enthrall their prey. To escape the stifling protection of her advisors Bitterblue sneaks into the city at night and goes to the underground Story Places. Much like a speakeasy during prohibition these bars were illegal under King Leck because people go to tell what true stories they remember which often contradicted what Leck's brainwashing. There she meets a couple of rebellious publishers who produce pamphlets and banned books such as textbooks. In this way Bitterblue learns what's really happening in her country.

Fire is the strangest book of the series. While it lacks the emotional pull of Bitterblue it makes up for it with the most original world building. Instead of Graces marked by their amazing eyes the Monsters are known by anything of unnatural color about them. Not only the fantastical beasts described by Leck can be Monsters, some are human like Leck himself and a young woman named Fire who is marked by her blazing red hair. Monstrous humans are often killed because others are enthralled by just seeing them. Fire was lucky. A local Baron offered his protection and his son is her best friend but she can never know if he actually loves her or if its fascination for the Monster. She is also in constant danger from other Monsters because if they see her hair they will attack instantly. Keeping her hair covered is inadequate protection when she is summoned along with the Baron to the King's court to discuss a new dangerous organization in the behavior of Monstrous beasts. They will find that the land beyond the barrier mountains is very different and that one of Fire's kind did what her people fear most, enthralled and abused other humans. Fire must overcome her distrust of her own nature or lose everything.

The series is well written and each of the three books I've read, there is now a fourth book Winterkeep, has new characters who face different challenges. Bitterblue is about unraveling the hidden past of not only the kingdom but also the individuals affected by Leck's control. Its a large scale version of what mental abuse can do to a person. Fire explores a more bazaar world but its underlying struggle is about an individual accepting who they are even if its different. Although I read Bitterblue (2012) after Graceling (2008), Fire was published in 2009 and described as a sort of prequel to Graceling. Since the later events of Bitterblue and Fire overlap I would describe them as companion novels. The events of Bitterblue definitely follow Graceling and a few characters make an appearance in the later book but I wouldn't say that Graceling is necessary reading to enjoy Fire and Bitterblue. Reviews are mixed about the series. Most readers who really loved Graceling were disappointed by the more subtle plot and romance of Bitterblue. Some of us clearly preferred the subtlety.

The books are available in all formats, paperback, ebook, and audio. There are two sets of releases available on Audible. Graceling had its own set of narrators then the original publication of Fire and Bitterblue were narrated by Xanthe Elbrick. The series was re-released with Emma Powell doing the narration for all three. The fourth book, Winterkeep, was also released in editions for each narrator. Performance for both narrators was rated as 4.5 stars. Elbrick has only three other titles on Audible while Powell has a long list to her name.