Bitterblue

Bitterblue is a young adult fantasy novel written by American author Kristin Cashore. It is preceded by Graceling and Fire, and followed by Winterkeep. The book was released on May 1, 2012. Plot Eight years after the events of Graceling, Bitterblue, now eighteen, is Queen of Monsea. She is determined to restore peace and justice to her land, and rebuild the kingdom left in ruins by her father, King Leck. Her advisors Darby, Rood, Runnemood, and Thiel seem to be keeping her in the dark, and want her to act as a figurehead. Bitterblue disguises herself as a servant and begins a truth-seeking campaign in the city. She stops at a tavern, which she learns is a story-room, where she hears stories about her kingdom and history. She meets the young thieves Teddy and Sapphire (Saf), who is also a Graceling, but oddly, does not know what his grace is. She discovers that the two young men and their cohorts are involved in an underground movement to educate the kingdom's people. Unaware of her true identity, they nickname Bitterblue "Sparks". Bitterblue discovers new disturbing information about her father, the information he destroyed, and that her advisors are former healers who were forced to treat those Leck tortured. Lord Danzhol tried to kidnap Bitterblue, and she kills him in self-defense. Saf tells her that he only steals things formerly stolen by Leck. Teddy is stabbed, and later his family's printshop is burned down. These events are somehow connected, but the connection is elusive. Hava, who unintentionally helped in Bitterblue's attempted kidnapping, is a Graceling with a talent for disguise, and Bitterblue evade an attack. Bitterblue realizes that she has romantic feelings for Saf. Bitterblue goes to a murder trial, and finds that Saf is the one accused of murder. Saf realizes Bitterblue is the queen, not the commoner he believed her to be. When his alibi is proven and the case is over, he steals Bitterblue's crown and sells on the black market. Bitterblue manages to decipher hidden messages from her mother and discovers the depth of her father's depravity. She visits Saf to apologize, and as she leaves she is stabbed, an assassination attempt orchestrated by Runnemood. Runnemood is later found dead and blamed for acting against Bitterblue. She suspects that she is still being lied to.