By Meghan Mazzaferro
Content warning: grief, animal death, child abuse, confinement, sexual violence, death of a parent
Seasparrow is the fifth book in Kristin Cashore’s Graceling series. It follows Hava as she, Bitterblue, and the Monsean delegation sail home from Winterkeep through dangerous northern storms. Hava is working hard to translate top secret information that will govern the fate of the entire world, and after discovering a conspiracy on board and realizing that the ship is further north than it should be, Hava and the crew have to contend with the dangers of the North as they struggle to get home. Faced with new dangers outside of anything she’s ever experienced, Hava is forced for the first time to figure out who she is and what she wants outside of her Grace and her identity as Bitterblue’s spy.
Unlike previous books in the series, this book focuses less on the complex politics of the Graceling universe and more on Hava’s individual struggle for identity. While slightly different in tone, Seasparrow still fits seamlessly into the established world. Cashore has a unique writing style that is immersive and feels timeless and complex; and yet she also has the ability to alter her writing style to suit each story she tells while still maintaining a consistent voice that allows the expansion of the Graceling universe to feel connected and unified. It’s such a difficult skill, and I can’t think of any other series that has such a varied writing style while still feeling so cohesive. This is also the first book in the series told in first person, bringing the reader into Hava’s mind and really allowing us to explore how this incredibly closed off character thinks.
Hava is one of the most interesting characters in the Graceling series and getting to be inside her mind was a delight. Her whole life has been based around her ability to disappear, so I really appreciated how this book’s plot was more simplistic, allowing the focus to be on Hava’s personal journey. That being said, I did find myself looking for a bit of a more complex story at the beginning of the book, but once I settled into the story I really enjoyed the plot we were given and loved how it complemented Hava’s journey. While there is an undercurrent of political scheming, the main premise of this book is the journey Hava and the crew take to return home from Winterkeep, and the struggles they face as they get trapped in the North and have to survive. I really enjoyed the way this plot let not just Hava but all of the characters in this story breathe and stand out. The foxes in particular were vivid and interesting to read, and they added both stakes and humour to the story.
Seasparrow is the third book in the Graceling series that I have read, and each book so far has stood out for me in a different way. That is part of what makes this series so appealing to me, and why I love reviewing these books. With Seasparrow, long-time fans of the series will love returning to this world, exploring Hava’s past, and getting insight into her character. New readers who enjoy character-driven stories will really enjoy the exploration into the complicated psyche of a girl who was raised to disappear. I would definitely recommend this book to existing Graceling fans and fans of character-driven stories alike.