Prepare yourselves, Graceling fans! Author Kristin Cashore is here to spill all the tea on 8 easter eggs true Graceling fans will recognize in her newest novel, Seasparrow.

Hi there, I’m Kristin Cashore, author of the Graceling Realm books. The latest installment opens on a ship and focuses on Hava, a Graceling who has the power to change what you think you see when you look at her. In other words, Hava is an expert at hiding, which also makes her an expert at spying. In Seasparrow, Hava, Bitterblue, and the royal entourage are heading home across the seas from Winterkeep… But things do not go as planned.

I introduced Hava in Book 3, Bitterblue, but there are tie-ins to all the Graceling Realm books in Seasparrow. Penguin Teen challenged me to share a few things readers will discover — and maybe recognize — when they pick up Hava’s tale. Warning that while there are no giant spoilers ahead, there are some mild spoilers. With that in mind, here goes!

• Readers of Graceling may remember a conversation between Katsa and Bitterblue. “Who is Grella?” Katsa asks, while contemplating a mountain pass labeled Grella’s Pass on a map. “A famous Monsean mountain explorer,” Bitterblue replies. “He died in the pass that bears his name.” Then Katsa comes up with a plan that doesn’t impress Bitterblue much: They will cross the mountains via Grella’s deathly pass. As it happens, Hava too has read Grella’s journals. In Seasparrow, she finds herself with reason to think about them a LOT.

• In Seasparrow, we learn that Hava has always liked to wander by herself into the fields and valleys west of Bitterblue City. These are the very same fields and valleys Katsa and Po look down upon while climbing the mountains from Sunder into Monsea in Graceling.

• In Graceling, let’s face it, Giddon is an ass. I hope you enjoy how much he’s grown up over the years when you meet him again in Seasparrow.

• …. Just as I hope you’ll enjoy meeting Katsa and Po, Raffin and Bann, Helda and King Ror again!
• In Fire, we learn that Brigan lives in an odd little forest-green house that sits on the grounds of the Dellian palace. In Seasparrow, guess who finds herself inside that house? And guess whom she meets there?

• In Fire, we learn that many Dellians practice archery as a matter of course, to protect themselves from monsters, especially raptor monsters. In Seasparrow, there’s one Dellian among the ship’s sailors. His superior archery skills become more important than anyone could have anticipated.
• In Bitterblue, we meet a grouchy old cat, Lovejoy. He’s still alive, and he’s still grouchy.

• In Bitterblue, we get to know Bitterblue’s castle through Bitterblue’s eyes. But Hava also grew up in that castle, sneaking and hiding. Her experience of castle life was very different from Bitterblue’s. We get to see this in Seasparrow, and we also get a window into the life of Hava’s mother, the sculptor, Bellamew.
• In Winterkeep, we meet a few telepathic blue foxes. In Seasparrow… Let’s just say that blue foxes are claiming their place, firmly, in the Graceling Realm!

Thanks so much for reading, everyone. Seasparrow is on shelves now. I hope you have a wonderful time immersing yourself in the Graceling Realm again!

Get your copy here