politics was certainly an influence as the story came together. When asked about her inspiration for Winterkeep’s strained political system and the environmental themes of the story, Cashore said that she “started writing and planning this book before the last election” but admitted that the divisiveness of U.S. The adventure starts from there,” Cashore said. “When Bitterblue’s envoys drown under mysterious circumstances, Bitterblue decides to go to Winterkeep herself.

In this new book, again edited by Dawson, Monsea, led by 23-year old Bitterblue, hopes to forge a relationship with the unfamiliar nation Winterkeep, a democratic republic with advanced technology similar to Monsea, but with a great deal of political division, especially regarding environmental resources. The trilogy continued with Fire (Dial), the prequel to Graceling which is set in the kingdom adjacent Monsea, in 2009 and, six years later, Cashore seemingly said goodbye to the Graceling Realm with Bitterblue (Dial). For Katsa, the heroine, that Grace is to kill, a skill she employs as an unwilling henchman to her uncle, the king. The original trilogy, which began with Graceling (Harcourt) in 2008, edited by Kathy Dawson, established a nation called Monsea, where some are born with a special talent, known as a Grace. Winterkeep introduces a new continent and nation, located on the far side of the world from the characters of the first three books. Winterkeep, a story set a few years after the events of Bitterblue, will be published on Januby Dial Books for Young Readers Eight years after the publication of her last Graceling Realm novel, having seemingly left the series behind, Kristin Cashore is returning to the popular fantasy world.

Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore