I loved Graceling, and liked Fire. Bitterblue falls somewhere in between. By the end I thoroughly enjoyed it, but it was very slow starting. I wondered how the city had managed for the eight years between Graceling and Bitterblue. I felt that Bitterblue had lost a lot of her calm pride and leadership potential from Graceling. I really disliked how Katsa has not appeared to have matured at all in eight years.

However, I very much enjoyed everything having to do with Po, Giddon, Raffin, and Bann. Bitterblue's love interest was not all that interesting, but some of the other new Gracelings were, as was Saf's friend Teddy.

The best new thing in Bitterblue is of course Death the librarian and his cat Lovejoy. (Although, since Death's name is pronounded "Deeth," I wish the author had just named him Deeth.) I wish Death could narrate whatever book comes next (I hope there is one) - I loved his "Specious, Arbitrary, and Altogether of Doubtful Purpose" list of characters at the end of Bitterblue. (Ror: King of Lienid. Father of Prince Po and Prince Skye, uncle of Queen Bitterblue. Presumably not the ass the other kings are.)