Parents' Guide to

Winterkeep: Graceling Realm, Book 4

By Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Fascinating fantasy high in discussion-worthy sex content.

Winterkeep: Graceling Realm, Book 4 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 16+

More mature and not as good as beginning of the series

I found this book much harder to follow and less engaging than Graceling or Bitterblue. It has a lot more sexual themes and more explicit sexual content than the earlier parts of the series. I would not recommend this book to my 13 year old for these reasons, although I do recommend the earlier books in the series for her.

This title has:

Too much sex
age 12+

This title has:

Educational value
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (3 ):

Author Kristin Cashore is known for the eccentric worlds she creates, but this is one of the most fun. With the kidnappings of people hidden who-knows-where, sneaky telepathic foxes running all about, and airships everywhere, there's no shortage of wonder. Winterkeep even begins with a tale from the perspective of a giant sea creature whose reluctance to remove herself from her small aquatic world and help others mirrors the main character's own struggle. Still, it's hard to rate this fantasy with a complex female hero and wild embellishments such as a singing sea monster because it's just too fascinating to dwell on its many flaws.

Lovisa, the main character, will remind you in many ways of other female heroes from the Graceling Realm. She's clawing her way out of a traumatic upbringing and trying to see herself as a person worth loving who has something to offer the world. Here's where Winterkeep falters, dwelling on her missteps, which are mostly sex scenes. After the third awkward encounter you'll desperately want to get back to Bitterblue and her sweet romantic story. Readers who were sorry when Giddon was rejected by Katsa in Graceling will be rooting for him here. It seems like this storyline wraps up too early, but there are still many mysteries to solve that require the help of sea creatures, a Graceling spy, an airship, and some wily foxes. Truly fascinating until the end.

Book Details

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