Chalice
Chalice
By: Robin McKinley
I am a big fan of McKinley's. I have thoroughly enjoyed quite a few of her books and I was quite excited when I heard she would have a new one out. Her latest title, Chalice, is the story of Mirasol, a woods and beekeeper, who finds herself overwhelmed with honey and mead when the Master and Chalice die. She fears losing her home when the Grand Seneschal shows up to tell her that she is the new Chalice (hence the overflow of honey and mead). She is a unique Chalice in that she was never apprenticed so she has to learn on her own and as she goes, and also in that her vessel is honey and not water, wine or even milk.
Besides her own learning curve, Mirasol needs to support the new Master, the younger brother of the old Master who had been sent to become a Priest of Fire. This provides many challenges for the young and untrained leaders of the demesne. He has to be careful to not burn everything he touches, and walking itself is exhausting for him.
Overcoming the obstacles in their paths is no easy feat, especially when you throw in an Overlord who seems to have his own personal agenda for this little community.
I really enjoyed the premise of this book and found the whole world that McKinley created fascinating, but it was a bit slow at the beginning. Once I hit the half-way point things started to pick up and I started to really get an idea as to what Mirasol's world is like. By then, you'll have a hard time putting this one down! You'll be anxious to see if the demesne survives or if Mirasol's fears come true.
Notes on the Cover:
I love the picture of Mirasol outside of her little cottage. It's just like I pictured it. I also love the circular frame around that with the bee designs on it. The bees are a major part of this story and definitely deserve to be shown. On that note, they are also separators for the separate parts of the story.
Recommended To:
- Fantasy Readers
- Fans of McKinley's
- Those who love their books with loads of delicious language
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