Many great elements that make up Paladin’s Grace. There’s a mystery to unravel, genuine suspense, fantasy elements, and plenty of humor. My only real reservation was the ending.
Title: Paladin’s Grace
Author: T. Kingfisher
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Mystery
Publication Date: February 11, 2020
Review Date: November 2, 2026
Number of Pages: 366 (kindle)
My Rating: 4.5/5
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Book Blurb of Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher:
Stephen’s god died on the longest day of the year…
Three years later, Stephen is a broken paladin, living only for the chance to be useful before he dies. But all that changes when he encounters a fugitive named Grace in an alley and witnesses an assassination attempt gone wrong. Now the pair must navigate a web of treachery, beset on all sides by spies and poisoners, while a cryptic killer stalks one step behind…
From the Hugo and Nebula Award winning author of Swordheart and The Twisted Ones comes a saga of murder, magic, and love on the far side of despair.
Book Review of Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher:
I’ve read and really enjoyed short stories by T. Kingfisher before, so when I discovered she’d written a novel, it was an immediate yes for me. Then I realized Paladin’s Grace was the first book in a series, and I hoped I’d enjoy it enough to want to continue.
I absolutely loved it!
Paladin’s Grace is a funny, well-written fantasy mystery with suspense, romance, and a cast of genuinely wonderful characters. And how naturally all these elements came together! The humor, the mystery, the fantasy setting, and the relationships all contributed to an entertaining, engaging story.
The characters were a particular highlight. Grace is my favorite character here, and I loved her personality, her awkwardness, and the way she interacts with other characters. Stephen is equally compelling in his own way, and their dynamic was one of my favorite parts of the book. I also found Grace’s landlady and friend, Marguerite, fascinating. There’s a lot to enjoy in the wider cast, and the character interactions add so much to the story.
But one thing deserves special mention: Paladin’s Grace is an excellent example of women writing women well.
There’s something genuinely special about the way Kingfisher writes her female characters. They feel like complete people, with their own personalities, flaws, concerns, relationships, and interior lives. Their existence doesn’t revolve around the men in the story (definitely passes the Bechdel-Wallace test), and their interactions with one another are just as interesting as their romantic relationships. I love seeing women written this way and it was a bit of a moment for me!
That’s not to say the male characters are any less well-written. Stephen is a great character in his own right, and his relationship with Grace is a big part of what makes the book work so well. But the women stood out to me in a particularly memorable way.
I also appreciated how well the different elements of the plot worked together. There’s a mystery to unravel, genuine suspense, fantasy elements, and plenty of humor. My only real reservation was the ending. I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the resolution of the prince conspiracy, and the conclusion didn’t quite live up to the rest of the story for me. It wasn’t enough to diminish how much I enjoyed the book, though, and I still came away thoroughly impressed.
Overall, Paladin’s Grace more than lived up to my expectations. It confirmed that T. Kingfisher is an author whose longer fiction I want to read just as much as her short stories. I loved the writing, the characters, the humour, and the way everything came together, and I’m already looking forward to reading book two.
Who I’d recommend Paladin’s Grace to:
I’d recommend Paladin’s Grace if you enjoy fantasy that combines mystery, suspense, romance, and humor without sacrificing character development. It’s particularly worth picking up if you love awkward, distinctive characters and relationships that are as entertaining as the plot itself.
I’d also recommend it to readers who appreciate well-written female characters with personalities, flaws, and lives of their own. The women in this book were a genuine highlight for me. If you’ve enjoyed T. Kingfisher’s short fiction but haven’t tried one of her novels yet, this is a great place to start!
