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Chalice
Mirasol is a beekeeper, a honey-gatherer, with an ability to speak to the "earthlines" -- the sentient parts of Willowlands, where she lives. The concerns of Master, Chalice, and Circle, who govern Willowlands, have nothing to do with her -- until the current Master and Chalice die in a fire and leave no heirs to take their places. The Master's closest relative has been a priest of Fire for the past seven years; he is not quite human anymore. And then the Circle comes to Marisol and tells her that she is the new Chalice, and it will be up to her to bind the land and its people with a Master, the touch of whose hand can burn human flesh to the bone...
263 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2008
About the author
Robin McKinley
40 books7,101 followersBorn in her mother's hometown of Warren, Ohio, Robin McKinley grew up an only child with a father in the United States Navy. She moved around frequently as a child and read copiously; she credits this background with the inspiration for her stories.
Her passion for reading was one of the most constant things in her childhood, so she began to remember events, places, and time periods by what books she read where. For example, she read Andrew Lang's Blue Fairy Book for the first time in California; The Chronicles of Narnia for the first time in New York; The Lord of the Rings for the first time in Japan; The Once and Future King for the first time in Maine. She still uses books to keep track of her life.
McKinley attended Gould Academy, a preparatory school in Bethel, Maine, and Dickinson College in 1970-1972. In 1975, she was graduated summa cum laude from Bowdoin College. In 1978, her first novel, Beauty, was accepted by the first publisher she sent it to, and she began her writing career, at age 26. At the time she was living in Brunswick, Maine. Since then she has lived in Boston, on a horse farm in Eastern Massachusetts, in New York City, in Blue Hill, Maine, and now in Hampshire, England, with her husband Peter Dickinson (also a writer, and with whom she co-wrote Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits in 2001) and two lurchers (crossbred sighthounds).
Over the years she has worked as an editor and transcriber (1972-73), research assistant (1976-77), bookstore clerk (1978), teacher and counselor (1978-79), editorial assistant (1979-81), barn manager (1981-82), free-lance editor (1982-85), and full-time writer. Other than writing and reading books, she divides her time mainly between walking her "hellhounds," gardening, cooking, playing the piano, homeopathy, change ringing, and keeping her blog.
Her passion for reading was one of the most constant things in her childhood, so she began to remember events, places, and time periods by what books she read where. For example, she read Andrew Lang's Blue Fairy Book for the first time in California; The Chronicles of Narnia for the first time in New York; The Lord of the Rings for the first time in Japan; The Once and Future King for the first time in Maine. She still uses books to keep track of her life.
McKinley attended Gould Academy, a preparatory school in Bethel, Maine, and Dickinson College in 1970-1972. In 1975, she was graduated summa cum laude from Bowdoin College. In 1978, her first novel, Beauty, was accepted by the first publisher she sent it to, and she began her writing career, at age 26. At the time she was living in Brunswick, Maine. Since then she has lived in Boston, on a horse farm in Eastern Massachusetts, in New York City, in Blue Hill, Maine, and now in Hampshire, England, with her husband Peter Dickinson (also a writer, and with whom she co-wrote Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits in 2001) and two lurchers (crossbred sighthounds).
Over the years she has worked as an editor and transcriber (1972-73), research assistant (1976-77), bookstore clerk (1978), teacher and counselor (1978-79), editorial assistant (1979-81), barn manager (1981-82), free-lance editor (1982-85), and full-time writer. Other than writing and reading books, she divides her time mainly between walking her "hellhounds," gardening, cooking, playing the piano, homeopathy, change ringing, and keeping her blog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,712 reviews
January 21, 2021
Upping my rating from 2 stars to 3 on reread. Chalice is a YA fantasy that has distant echoes of "Beauty and the Beast," a favorite theme of Robin McKinley, but only in the most general sense: a young woman has to figure out how to save a worthy man who is caught in a magical bind.
Mirasol, a beekeeper, is the "Chalice" for the Willowlands demesne. The Chalice is one of the most important roles of the Circle, the group of people endowed with magical powers to protect their land. She binds the land, the people and the Master of the land together. When the Master and the previous Chalice unexpectedly died, the Circle's magic pointed to Mirasol as the next Chalice, though she was totally untrained and unprepared. Most of the Circle aren’t thrilled about Mirasol’s choice, and not inclined to help her adjust and learn her duties as Chalice.
Worse still, the new Master - the younger brother of the one who died, and who had been sent away to become an elemental priest of Fire - is called back to be the new Master, but his experiences of the last several years as a fire priest-in-training have left him dangerously changed. He can burn with a touch, his skin has turned coal-black and his eyes red, and he is barely in touch with this world. No one is at all sure if he'll be able to be an adequate Master of their land, but all of the alternatives seem worse.
It's an odd tale, dreamy and introspective, and a little disjointed. The world-building is hit and miss; McKinley doesn't seem to feel the need to fully explain everything, and she has a way of unexpectedly dropping significant facts (like that Mirasol is physically unable to leave her demesne) in the middle of other discussions. But McKinley's writing is lovely, and the charming details about Mirasol's magical connection with her bees, and how that relates to the story, made Chalice a worthwhile read if you like quieter, pastoral-type YA fantasies.
Mirasol, a beekeeper, is the "Chalice" for the Willowlands demesne. The Chalice is one of the most important roles of the Circle, the group of people endowed with magical powers to protect their land. She binds the land, the people and the Master of the land together. When the Master and the previous Chalice unexpectedly died, the Circle's magic pointed to Mirasol as the next Chalice, though she was totally untrained and unprepared. Most of the Circle aren’t thrilled about Mirasol’s choice, and not inclined to help her adjust and learn her duties as Chalice.
Worse still, the new Master - the younger brother of the one who died, and who had been sent away to become an elemental priest of Fire - is called back to be the new Master, but his experiences of the last several years as a fire priest-in-training have left him dangerously changed. He can burn with a touch, his skin has turned coal-black and his eyes red, and he is barely in touch with this world. No one is at all sure if he'll be able to be an adequate Master of their land, but all of the alternatives seem worse.
It's an odd tale, dreamy and introspective, and a little disjointed. The world-building is hit and miss; McKinley doesn't seem to feel the need to fully explain everything, and she has a way of unexpectedly dropping significant facts (like that Mirasol is physically unable to leave her demesne) in the middle of other discussions. But McKinley's writing is lovely, and the charming details about Mirasol's magical connection with her bees, and how that relates to the story, made Chalice a worthwhile read if you like quieter, pastoral-type YA fantasies.
March 27, 2012
I always rather suspected I'd reread this book, and now seemed like a good time, when I'm doing a lot of revisiting of other books. It stuck in my mind for a long time, in a way not many books do. I found myself still wondering how Mirasol would deal with certain situations, how she and the Master would get on.
I found the worldbuilding fascinating. The idea of a Chalice, the idea of the earthlines, all the roles of the Circle... I still think it would be fascinating to see the Circle functioning properly, to see the results of Mirasol and the Master's work. And then, on the other hand, I do like it the way it is. (Not enough fantasy stands alone, in my opinion; this does so admirably well.)
I think the appeal (to me) is that it's quite an ordinary kind of magic. Honey, and water, and bees. Talking to the earth. And it's also fun because while it is sort of familiar as being basically medieval Europe with magic, the magic isn't pastede on yay. The magic is absolutely integral to the world McKinley's created, and feels natural.
I remember being not sure what to think of it, the first time I read it, and initially giving it three stars. Then I upgraded the rating to four stars, because of how it stuck in my head. This time, I'm going to have to give it five stars, even though I still can't pinpoint exactly what I loved so much about it, even though I know other people found it disappointing. It just felt, in an odd way, like home. Like a place for my heart to rest for a while.
I found the worldbuilding fascinating. The idea of a Chalice, the idea of the earthlines, all the roles of the Circle... I still think it would be fascinating to see the Circle functioning properly, to see the results of Mirasol and the Master's work. And then, on the other hand, I do like it the way it is. (Not enough fantasy stands alone, in my opinion; this does so admirably well.)
I think the appeal (to me) is that it's quite an ordinary kind of magic. Honey, and water, and bees. Talking to the earth. And it's also fun because while it is sort of familiar as being basically medieval Europe with magic, the magic isn't pastede on yay. The magic is absolutely integral to the world McKinley's created, and feels natural.
I remember being not sure what to think of it, the first time I read it, and initially giving it three stars. Then I upgraded the rating to four stars, because of how it stuck in my head. This time, I'm going to have to give it five stars, even though I still can't pinpoint exactly what I loved so much about it, even though I know other people found it disappointing. It just felt, in an odd way, like home. Like a place for my heart to rest for a while.
July 7, 2008
This was the type of Robin McKinley book I like -- sweet yet powerful female main character with a job to do, an otherworldly land, and an understated but moving romance. It's not her best book ever, but it's a return to the kind of book she used to write in the days of my favorites, THE BLUE SWORD and BEAUTY, and I enjoyed it. The bees were a wonderful touch.
Read
March 27, 2019This book is basically the most delightful and heartwarming fever dream I have ever had.
September 27, 2008
Robin McKinley knows first lines. You read just the first sentence and immediately feel like you've entered a world entirely complete and utterly its own. And you want to sit down and stay awhile. Chalice is no exception to the rule. The world reminded me a bit of the kingdom in Spindle's End, both of them deeply entrenched in a sticky sort of magic with a heritage and weight to it. The characters reminded me a bit of those in Rose Daughter, purposefully a bit vague and left up to your imagination to carve out clearly. All of them living their lives as best they can with a sure but undefinable sense of doom hanging over their heads.
Mirasol occupies a position known simply as Chalice. She is the second-highest ranking individual in the Willowlands and it is her job to bind relationships and ties within her domain, between the people and the land they both live on and belong to. At the opening of the story, a new Master (the highest-ranking individual in the land) is coming home to take control of the Willowlands and try to restore some order and peace after the debaucheries and mistakes of his older brother, the previous Master. Mirasol and the new Master have their work cut out for them as she is brand new to the position with no idea how to do what she must, and he is a third-level priest of Fire who is no longer quite human and must tread with extreme care so as not to burn everything (and everyone) he touches to ash.
Sigh. Chalice is a bit of the loveliness, to be sure. It is short and as sweet as the honey that pervades the story's every pore. In fact, just as Sunshine left me with a killer craving for cinnamon rolls, Chalice made me wish I was five years old again and sitting in the kitchen with my Grandpa sucking fresh honey straight off the comb. There are only a few characters in this story and so it seemed that much more important that the ones I had make it through their challenges well and whole. I liked how they seemed to gain additional form and substance as they grew closer and closer to the final test. Until, at the end, they seemed like friends. Full of familiar light and color.
Mirasol occupies a position known simply as Chalice. She is the second-highest ranking individual in the Willowlands and it is her job to bind relationships and ties within her domain, between the people and the land they both live on and belong to. At the opening of the story, a new Master (the highest-ranking individual in the land) is coming home to take control of the Willowlands and try to restore some order and peace after the debaucheries and mistakes of his older brother, the previous Master. Mirasol and the new Master have their work cut out for them as she is brand new to the position with no idea how to do what she must, and he is a third-level priest of Fire who is no longer quite human and must tread with extreme care so as not to burn everything (and everyone) he touches to ash.
Sigh. Chalice is a bit of the loveliness, to be sure. It is short and as sweet as the honey that pervades the story's every pore. In fact, just as Sunshine left me with a killer craving for cinnamon rolls, Chalice made me wish I was five years old again and sitting in the kitchen with my Grandpa sucking fresh honey straight off the comb. There are only a few characters in this story and so it seemed that much more important that the ones I had make it through their challenges well and whole. I liked how they seemed to gain additional form and substance as they grew closer and closer to the final test. Until, at the end, they seemed like friends. Full of familiar light and color.
December 1, 2008
This book was too much in need of a good editing for me to enjoy it. I sat down with it 6 times, and only got to page 34...and then I quit.
What the book really should have done was have the beginning section, up until she gets burned, and then go back in time and talk about how she becomes Chalice, and then go on with the story.
Instead, there's a line of dialogue, such as "are you warm enough?" Then 6 paragraphs of something that reminded her of, and things she did in the past, and then finally, "yes, I'm quite warm." It made it too difficult to keep track of the dialogue.
Also the sentence structure was attrocious: Subject - various side paths and random things - predicate. By the time you reached the predicate, you forgot the subject-really the same problems as with her dialogues, but contained in each sentence.
I've never read Robin McKinley before, and have always wanted to, the plot did sound like it could be interesting, and the cover picture nabbed my interest...I just couldn't get past the horrible structure of it.
What the book really should have done was have the beginning section, up until she gets burned, and then go back in time and talk about how she becomes Chalice, and then go on with the story.
Instead, there's a line of dialogue, such as "are you warm enough?" Then 6 paragraphs of something that reminded her of, and things she did in the past, and then finally, "yes, I'm quite warm." It made it too difficult to keep track of the dialogue.
Also the sentence structure was attrocious: Subject - various side paths and random things - predicate. By the time you reached the predicate, you forgot the subject-really the same problems as with her dialogues, but contained in each sentence.
I've never read Robin McKinley before, and have always wanted to, the plot did sound like it could be interesting, and the cover picture nabbed my interest...I just couldn't get past the horrible structure of it.
December 24, 2023
So What’s It About?
As the newly appointed Chalice, Mirasol is the most important member of the Master’s Circle. It is her duty to bind the Circle, the land and its people together with their new Master. But the new Master of Willowlands is a Priest of Fire, only drawn back into the human world by the sudden death of his brother. No one knows if it is even possible for him to live amongst his people. Mirasol wants the Master to have his chance, but her only training is as a beekeeper. How can she help settle their demesne during these troubled times and bind it to a Priest of Fire, the touch of whose hand can burn human flesh to the bone?
A captivating tale that reveals the healing power of duty and honour, love and honey.
What I Thought
This is a beautiful, odd little book. Mock me all you want for using the term unironically, but this would probably be the perfect recommendation for someone looking for a cottagecore book. The plot is slow and quiet, mostly focused on the importance of kindness, and it is full of lush and/or cozy descriptions of nature and domestic life. I love the protagonist Mirasol’s connection to the demesne, her passion for making her magical honey, and her amazing relationship with her bees. There are so many lovely details, such as the way she takes down a little wooden dormouse statue to sit on her table whenever she studies in the library. In my opinion, Robin McKinely absolutely excels in creating truly beautiful, magical worlds that are full of charming details and comforting “mundanities” in this way.
The demesne might as well be a character itself, and the magic that binds the people to the land of the demesne is truly unique. Over the course of the book, we get to learn about the intricacies of this magic, from the nature of earthlines to the different roles of the Circle, the sensitivity of the land to harm and the importance of proper rites and ceremonies. In particular, I think the contrast between the natural world and the extremely precise rites, ceremonies, and etiquette that sustain it is very interesting.
Someone suggested this for my Trauma in Speculative Fiction reading project, and I think it’s one of the first books I’ve read for this project that is really about cultural, collective trauma recovery from a prior ruler’s abuses of power and destruction of his land. We get to see the characters learn how to weave their land and society back together again after large scale damage done to them and the very earth itself.
The reader never gets a particularly strong sense of any of the characters; instead of seeing this as a deficit, I think it’s just clear that McKinley was interested in a different kind of storytelling here. Similarly, I know that she can write a gorgeous romance but the romance here is just as sparse as the characters are. Lots of time passes without any dialogue or actual scenes with actions taking place. Instead, much of the book is made up of summaries of what is happening with the Chalice, Master, and Circle. I did think all of this was interesting, but with so many descriptions of protocol, procedure and magical rules, I sometimes found myself resisting the urge to skim these paragraphs. In the end, it still worked out to be an enjoyable, unique read for me. That being said, I don’t know if I would recommend it as someone else’s first Robin McKinley book and I understand why some would be frustrated by it.
As the newly appointed Chalice, Mirasol is the most important member of the Master’s Circle. It is her duty to bind the Circle, the land and its people together with their new Master. But the new Master of Willowlands is a Priest of Fire, only drawn back into the human world by the sudden death of his brother. No one knows if it is even possible for him to live amongst his people. Mirasol wants the Master to have his chance, but her only training is as a beekeeper. How can she help settle their demesne during these troubled times and bind it to a Priest of Fire, the touch of whose hand can burn human flesh to the bone?
A captivating tale that reveals the healing power of duty and honour, love and honey.
What I Thought
This is a beautiful, odd little book. Mock me all you want for using the term unironically, but this would probably be the perfect recommendation for someone looking for a cottagecore book. The plot is slow and quiet, mostly focused on the importance of kindness, and it is full of lush and/or cozy descriptions of nature and domestic life. I love the protagonist Mirasol’s connection to the demesne, her passion for making her magical honey, and her amazing relationship with her bees. There are so many lovely details, such as the way she takes down a little wooden dormouse statue to sit on her table whenever she studies in the library. In my opinion, Robin McKinely absolutely excels in creating truly beautiful, magical worlds that are full of charming details and comforting “mundanities” in this way.
The demesne might as well be a character itself, and the magic that binds the people to the land of the demesne is truly unique. Over the course of the book, we get to learn about the intricacies of this magic, from the nature of earthlines to the different roles of the Circle, the sensitivity of the land to harm and the importance of proper rites and ceremonies. In particular, I think the contrast between the natural world and the extremely precise rites, ceremonies, and etiquette that sustain it is very interesting.
Someone suggested this for my Trauma in Speculative Fiction reading project, and I think it’s one of the first books I’ve read for this project that is really about cultural, collective trauma recovery from a prior ruler’s abuses of power and destruction of his land. We get to see the characters learn how to weave their land and society back together again after large scale damage done to them and the very earth itself.
The reader never gets a particularly strong sense of any of the characters; instead of seeing this as a deficit, I think it’s just clear that McKinley was interested in a different kind of storytelling here. Similarly, I know that she can write a gorgeous romance but the romance here is just as sparse as the characters are. Lots of time passes without any dialogue or actual scenes with actions taking place. Instead, much of the book is made up of summaries of what is happening with the Chalice, Master, and Circle. I did think all of this was interesting, but with so many descriptions of protocol, procedure and magical rules, I sometimes found myself resisting the urge to skim these paragraphs. In the end, it still worked out to be an enjoyable, unique read for me. That being said, I don’t know if I would recommend it as someone else’s first Robin McKinley book and I understand why some would be frustrated by it.
April 12, 2022
Edit 4/9/2022 - This book is gold. Plz read. I have officially read this book 6 times now and consider it a classic. Aha. Also don’t mind my childish review, but I had to keep it for memory’s sake. :)) -
Alright after my second reading I have determined to give this book the review it deserves! ;)
Mirasol is the type of character that I admire and respect. So getting to read this whole book from her detailed and backtracking personality was amazing. I felt sorry for her responsibilities that had been shoved upon her, and I loved her loyal bees.
Lipinar was definitely a creepy, but lovable male character and being that he was dealing with similar things as Mirasol I liked him immediately. As Master of the demense he has a lot to take care of and not a lot of strength to do so with. Also he was a Fire dweller, so it made the romance beautiful and unexpected.
The whole book is a Robin McKinley original and I don't know why she isn't more popular. Her work deserves to be known and her name placed on the shelf with C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Jane Austen. This book is a masterpiece of words and responsibility, that carries the weight of the whole demense with it.
I must add to this review that the bees are very well researched and the whole thing is accurate in its facts. I was surprised and pleased to find how much of the book had to do with life and carrying our responsibilities to the best of our abilities.
The design of her world and the ruling of leaders is crafted quite uniquely and I've never read anything like it. The circle was original and I appreciated how they each had their own positions and places in helping the Master rule even though they were breaking apart. The Circle I didn't appreciate in the way the behaved towards Mirasol and her newness to the demense, however, I did like the Third rank ( I forget his name ). .. he carried the whole demense by himself for seven months! *cough* Anyways.. it was an amazing build of rulers. Of course this all had to do with the plot build up and it added to the intensity of the MC's feelings. ^.^
I appreciated the book tons and I enjoyed the morals it taught. It's a good read, but some parts are slow I will admit, however, I didn't mind them. It was ( in my opinion ) a perfect book.
It's definitely not for everyone . . . xD And you have to love lots of details and backtracking to appreciate Robin McKinley's voice!! Her work is extremely unique, though, and I suggest everyone at least give her a try.
Alright after my second reading I have determined to give this book the review it deserves! ;)
Mirasol is the type of character that I admire and respect. So getting to read this whole book from her detailed and backtracking personality was amazing. I felt sorry for her responsibilities that had been shoved upon her, and I loved her loyal bees.
Lipinar was definitely a creepy, but lovable male character and being that he was dealing with similar things as Mirasol I liked him immediately. As Master of the demense he has a lot to take care of and not a lot of strength to do so with. Also he was a Fire dweller, so it made the romance beautiful and unexpected.
The whole book is a Robin McKinley original and I don't know why she isn't more popular. Her work deserves to be known and her name placed on the shelf with C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Jane Austen. This book is a masterpiece of words and responsibility, that carries the weight of the whole demense with it.
I must add to this review that the bees are very well researched and the whole thing is accurate in its facts. I was surprised and pleased to find how much of the book had to do with life and carrying our responsibilities to the best of our abilities.
The design of her world and the ruling of leaders is crafted quite uniquely and I've never read anything like it. The circle was original and I appreciated how they each had their own positions and places in helping the Master rule even though they were breaking apart. The Circle I didn't appreciate in the way the behaved towards Mirasol and her newness to the demense, however, I did like the Third rank ( I forget his name ). .. he carried the whole demense by himself for seven months! *cough* Anyways.. it was an amazing build of rulers. Of course this all had to do with the plot build up and it added to the intensity of the MC's feelings. ^.^
I appreciated the book tons and I enjoyed the morals it taught. It's a good read, but some parts are slow I will admit, however, I didn't mind them. It was ( in my opinion ) a perfect book.
It's definitely not for everyone . . . xD And you have to love lots of details and backtracking to appreciate Robin McKinley's voice!! Her work is extremely unique, though, and I suggest everyone at least give her a try.
October 13, 2014
For a book that I originally gave three stars, and found somewhat... disappointing, it probably seems weird that I've come back to it for a second time. But actually, I've grown very fond of it. I love the fact that it isn't just a generic medieval Europe, but something that has some of those aspects while having rules, rituals, histories and roles of its own. And yet at the same time, it's still rooted in the earth: in the common elements, in water and milk and honey, in the straightforward clear sight of a beekeeper called to higher things.
Mirasol makes a great character: neither so knowledgeable about the world she lives in that worldbuilding ends up being 'as you know, Bob', but not so ignorant that she's completely at sea. We come into the story when she's starting to find some purchase, starting to figure out what she needs to do, but even by the end of the story, she's not all-powerful, so special she can fix everything. I like that a lot: the down-to-earthness of her; the fact that she turns to books for the knowledge she needs and just reads desperately, almost indiscriminately; the fact that she is so overwhelmed, unready and untrained, and yet does what she has to do.
I also like the sense of strain and work that comes through. It's not effortless for Mirasol and the Master to save their land; it comes slowly, in fits and starts, as they adjust to each other and to the circumstances. The last section is one long hard slog for Mirasol, and she isn't even sure she's doing the right thing, only that she knows she has to do something.
I think I can still understand why people find it disappointing or unsatisfying -- there's so much unsaid about the world, so much more that could be done with it, and Mirasol's story is only beginning here. And yet Chalice is whole in and of itself, a standalone fantasy story in a world that feels bigger than the story, which is exactly the kind of thing I like.
Despite the fantasy setting, it's not really something to read for the sense of magic. One comparison that comes to mind now is Lifelode (Jo Walton) -- the importance of the domestic in that.
Mirasol makes a great character: neither so knowledgeable about the world she lives in that worldbuilding ends up being 'as you know, Bob', but not so ignorant that she's completely at sea. We come into the story when she's starting to find some purchase, starting to figure out what she needs to do, but even by the end of the story, she's not all-powerful, so special she can fix everything. I like that a lot: the down-to-earthness of her; the fact that she turns to books for the knowledge she needs and just reads desperately, almost indiscriminately; the fact that she is so overwhelmed, unready and untrained, and yet does what she has to do.
I also like the sense of strain and work that comes through. It's not effortless for Mirasol and the Master to save their land; it comes slowly, in fits and starts, as they adjust to each other and to the circumstances. The last section is one long hard slog for Mirasol, and she isn't even sure she's doing the right thing, only that she knows she has to do something.
I think I can still understand why people find it disappointing or unsatisfying -- there's so much unsaid about the world, so much more that could be done with it, and Mirasol's story is only beginning here. And yet Chalice is whole in and of itself, a standalone fantasy story in a world that feels bigger than the story, which is exactly the kind of thing I like.
Despite the fantasy setting, it's not really something to read for the sense of magic. One comparison that comes to mind now is Lifelode (Jo Walton) -- the importance of the domestic in that.
October 23, 2016
I don’t know why I keep coming back to this book — one I originally gave just three stars — but I think this is probably the fourth time I’ve read it. This time, because I saw a copy for three euros in Dublin and just had to, had to, had to; up to now, I didn’t actually have my own copy, which you can imagine was annoying and of course I had to rectify it.
I think the thing is, it’s such a warm story. Mirasol and the Master’s relationship is so tentative, so careful; their attempts to reach out to the land they’re bound to and heal the things that have happened are so conscientious, untutored, sometimes even desperate, and yet they never give up. And I love all the domestic details: the honey, the woodrights, all the sensory stuff that comes with the honey… And the idea of the Chalice, both the office and the object, her duty to bind the Circle and all the little details of how to do that.
I also think it’s a very hopeful book, in the same sort of way as The Goblin Emperor or Uprooted, other books I’ve liked more recently. Okay, there is a conflict, but the outcome is almost totally positive, and the main characters seek as much as they can to avoid conflict. It’s gentle, calm, and thus calming.
I imagine I’ll reread it again sometime in the future.
Originally posted here.
I think the thing is, it’s such a warm story. Mirasol and the Master’s relationship is so tentative, so careful; their attempts to reach out to the land they’re bound to and heal the things that have happened are so conscientious, untutored, sometimes even desperate, and yet they never give up. And I love all the domestic details: the honey, the woodrights, all the sensory stuff that comes with the honey… And the idea of the Chalice, both the office and the object, her duty to bind the Circle and all the little details of how to do that.
I also think it’s a very hopeful book, in the same sort of way as The Goblin Emperor or Uprooted, other books I’ve liked more recently. Okay, there is a conflict, but the outcome is almost totally positive, and the main characters seek as much as they can to avoid conflict. It’s gentle, calm, and thus calming.
I imagine I’ll reread it again sometime in the future.
Originally posted here.
July 22, 2015
I'd go 3.5 stars, with a big buzz for novelty! My first fantasy by Robin McKinley, this is a unique rendition of Beauty and the Beast.
The "beast" (our hero), is a human who has been transformed almost completely into Fire, with blackened burnt skin. For about seven years he's been removed from humanity, learning how to be a Fire Mage. He must regain his humanity, to reluctantly take his newly inherited position in the community.
Referred to as The Master, he's got a hot body (too hot to touch.) ツ He's kind and wise, yet pessimistic about his ability to tend the earth's troubled spirits. Nonetheless, the task falls to him, as the new Master (a position passed down by bloodline, previously held by his deceased and reckless brother). The Chalice (Marisol) also has responsibility for the well-being of the lands.
Hmmm. We only encountered our hero in a handful of scenes. What I saw, I liked. I was happy to see him begin to regain his humanity. But his character got short changed. Indeed, the Fire Master is only the nominal hero of this tale.
The true heroes are honeybees!
Mirasol's beloved bees steal the show, drenched as they are in personality, generous with honey and comb, responsive to Mirasol (almost telepathic), fiercely protective of her, tender and nurturing. Huge bees with velvety black backs, they help save the day in the end and serve various purposes along the way.
Then of course, there's the honey they make. The best honey! Honey of various colors and strengths. Honey that will heal wounds. Honey that will cure a headache as fast as "snapping a twig" and honey that will cause the rain to hold off until the hay's been harvested. Pages and pages and pages of honey, and honeybees, and beekeeping techniques, and bee lore.
That's the "character" I cared most about and grew to understand. When even one bee died, I was sad, even though there are swarms of the little hummers.
Chalice / Mirasol is also a strong and sympathetic protagonist. She assists the Fire Mage / Master in tending the spirits of the ravaged earth and healing the demesne (domain). She's pretty cool as far as heroines go, but lacks self-confidence, frequently fretting that she's just a humble beekeeper, not prepared (trained) to serve in this exalted role. A natural reaction.
When the villain suffered, I didn't react. I had only met him a few times; he made little impression.
The HEA between Chalice and Master seemed absurdly hasty, given the few times they were together.
But I loved the dueling scene at the end of the book, between the Master and his challenger, a nasty interloper. Vivid scenes! And a little bit of the "sting" comes from the bees, of course.
Problematic writing style: McKinley could have made reading this book so much more enjoyable, but the pacing is slow as thick honey, and we hop back and forth in time constantly. Moreover, the heroine THINKS too much and for too long -- stopping to think right in the middle of conversations -- taking long trips down memory lane, pondering every possible word, remembering every prior action, considering every political action of the Circle, the Grand Seneschal,the Overlord, his agents, the heir, Clearseer, etc. There are more than a dozen secondary characters to keep track of, but some of them only appear once or twice.
Another book involving a "Beast" who is a Fire Mage is The Fire Rose, by Mercedes Lackey. I do not recommend it. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I also plan to read a few others by this author, starting with The Blue Sword and Dragonhaven.
Mirasol, humble beekeeper, newly promoted to the position of Chalice, who nurtures the lands.
"She thought, I need no cup. I am Chalice. I am filling with the grief and hurt and fear of my demesne; the shattered earthlines weigh me down; I am brimming with the needs of my people.”
The "beast" (our hero), is a human who has been transformed almost completely into Fire, with blackened burnt skin. For about seven years he's been removed from humanity, learning how to be a Fire Mage. He must regain his humanity, to reluctantly take his newly inherited position in the community.
Referred to as The Master, he's got a hot body (too hot to touch.) ツ He's kind and wise, yet pessimistic about his ability to tend the earth's troubled spirits. Nonetheless, the task falls to him, as the new Master (a position passed down by bloodline, previously held by his deceased and reckless brother). The Chalice (Marisol) also has responsibility for the well-being of the lands.
Hmmm. We only encountered our hero in a handful of scenes. What I saw, I liked. I was happy to see him begin to regain his humanity. But his character got short changed. Indeed, the Fire Master is only the nominal hero of this tale.
The true heroes are honeybees!
Mirasol's beloved bees steal the show, drenched as they are in personality, generous with honey and comb, responsive to Mirasol (almost telepathic), fiercely protective of her, tender and nurturing. Huge bees with velvety black backs, they help save the day in the end and serve various purposes along the way.
Then of course, there's the honey they make. The best honey! Honey of various colors and strengths. Honey that will heal wounds. Honey that will cure a headache as fast as "snapping a twig" and honey that will cause the rain to hold off until the hay's been harvested. Pages and pages and pages of honey, and honeybees, and beekeeping techniques, and bee lore.
That's the "character" I cared most about and grew to understand. When even one bee died, I was sad, even though there are swarms of the little hummers.
Chalice / Mirasol is also a strong and sympathetic protagonist. She assists the Fire Mage / Master in tending the spirits of the ravaged earth and healing the demesne (domain). She's pretty cool as far as heroines go, but lacks self-confidence, frequently fretting that she's just a humble beekeeper, not prepared (trained) to serve in this exalted role. A natural reaction.
When the villain suffered, I didn't react. I had only met him a few times; he made little impression.
The HEA between Chalice and Master seemed absurdly hasty, given the few times they were together.
But I loved the dueling scene at the end of the book, between the Master and his challenger, a nasty interloper. Vivid scenes! And a little bit of the "sting" comes from the bees, of course.
Problematic writing style: McKinley could have made reading this book so much more enjoyable, but the pacing is slow as thick honey, and we hop back and forth in time constantly. Moreover, the heroine THINKS too much and for too long -- stopping to think right in the middle of conversations -- taking long trips down memory lane, pondering every possible word, remembering every prior action, considering every political action of the Circle, the Grand Seneschal,the Overlord, his agents, the heir, Clearseer, etc. There are more than a dozen secondary characters to keep track of, but some of them only appear once or twice.
Another book involving a "Beast" who is a Fire Mage is The Fire Rose, by Mercedes Lackey. I do not recommend it. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I also plan to read a few others by this author, starting with The Blue Sword and Dragonhaven.
January 21, 2009
I did not like this book as much as I had hoped I would. Robin McKinley is one of my favorite authors and I was eagerly anticipating this release, as it seemed a return to the types of stories she did with The Blue Sword, Hero & the Crown and her fairy tale retellings.
The story was pretty good, but kind of uneventful. The language was lyrical, but without punch or impact. I was immediately drawn into the connection between Chalice and Master, but didn't see enough of them together over the course of the book to be satisfied with the ending. The villain wasn't really much of a presence, more like an excuse, and the action came through so passively that it was hard to engage in.
The story was pretty good, but kind of uneventful. The language was lyrical, but without punch or impact. I was immediately drawn into the connection between Chalice and Master, but didn't see enough of them together over the course of the book to be satisfied with the ending. The villain wasn't really much of a presence, more like an excuse, and the action came through so passively that it was hard to engage in.
October 18, 2008
A beautiful book. The simple, yet lyrical style of the writing reminded me of McKinley's "Door in the Hedge" stories, or her phenomenal "Beauty." I loved every minute of this book, which was romantic and suspenseful, with her trademark humor as well. Charming.
August 30, 2016
You know that one author whose books you reach for when you need the equivalent of a reading hug? Or maybe it’s just one book, but the prose somehow exudes cozy? Yeah. I have a whole shelf of those, and the name on the spine is Robin McKinley. Her books are great for anytime (they’re almost all about girls doing things), but I find my eye catching on that particular shelf most often whenever I’m in a rough patch. I’m in the midst of one right now – first I fractured my face playing hockey, then I got quite ill, right now I’m dealing with pest problems, and as a result my roommates and I have decided to move at the end of the month (whew!). So I picked up a McKinley book to (re)read myself into a better mindset. Chalice is a quietly powerful book, and it’s working like a healing balm for my soul.
Mirasol was a modest beekeeper before a terrible tragedy forced her into a position of power. The trouble is that she has had no training, a new Master, and work that must be done, or else everything will fall apart. Mirasol’s struggles are not small and simple as they once were: she is trying to hold together something much bigger than herself, while fighting ignorance (her own and others’), politics, and self-doubt. Chalice is a quiet book, focused on one woman thrust suddenly into a life she could never have imagined. At the same time it is a powerful story about an understated type of heroism – that of an ordinary person, stretching to (and past) their limits to make the world a better place.
That’s the story. What about the writing itself? I’m going to tell you what it’s like, and you’re going to give me a look and think, “Cecelia, are you serious?! That sounds boring.” And I’m going to say… just hear me out. McKinley is as her most McKinley-esque in this book: there’s little dialogue, the story is told in the third-person, and there’s a lot of exposition, a lot of time in spent in main character Mirasol’s head. Stay with me. It’s a cozy, warm sort of story for all that. Said coziness comes from: honey, Mirasol’s affinity with animals & bees, her modesty and thirst for knowledge, and the juxtaposition of the physical limits of the human body (small, immediate concerns) with “larger” matters like a land falling apart, loneliness, and the responsibility of power. The writing may not be galloping-along-action, but it’s suited to the size and scope of this story, and it perfectly represents the main character.
The first couple of times I read Chalice I simply read it, and was pulled into its calm. This time through I enjoyed it just as well as before, but I kept a somewhat more critical eye out – as I have been doing with all of my reading lately. Conclusion? Although the book’s focus is narrow, room could have been made to explore some interesting themes. I’m talking “issues” like gender stereotypes (inherent in the assigned power roles in this fantasy world, as it turns out), diversity (the Master has black skin that has been burned by magical fire, but otherwise there’s a monochromatic cast of characters), and world-building (what is lost with the hyper-focus on one woman?). As I said, I still enjoyed the book – but I am working on my awareness of diversity. My reading requirements have evolved.
In all, Chalice is a warm, genuine sort of fantasy – the type of story that will appeal to readers who don’t usually find themselves in the fantasy section at the bookstore but want the book equivalent of a cup of tea and a fuzzy shawl around the shoulders.
Recommended for: readers who prefer quiet, character-driven stories, anyone interested in books light on dialogue and heavy on beekeeping, and fans of Patricia McKillip.
Mirasol was a modest beekeeper before a terrible tragedy forced her into a position of power. The trouble is that she has had no training, a new Master, and work that must be done, or else everything will fall apart. Mirasol’s struggles are not small and simple as they once were: she is trying to hold together something much bigger than herself, while fighting ignorance (her own and others’), politics, and self-doubt. Chalice is a quiet book, focused on one woman thrust suddenly into a life she could never have imagined. At the same time it is a powerful story about an understated type of heroism – that of an ordinary person, stretching to (and past) their limits to make the world a better place.
That’s the story. What about the writing itself? I’m going to tell you what it’s like, and you’re going to give me a look and think, “Cecelia, are you serious?! That sounds boring.” And I’m going to say… just hear me out. McKinley is as her most McKinley-esque in this book: there’s little dialogue, the story is told in the third-person, and there’s a lot of exposition, a lot of time in spent in main character Mirasol’s head. Stay with me. It’s a cozy, warm sort of story for all that. Said coziness comes from: honey, Mirasol’s affinity with animals & bees, her modesty and thirst for knowledge, and the juxtaposition of the physical limits of the human body (small, immediate concerns) with “larger” matters like a land falling apart, loneliness, and the responsibility of power. The writing may not be galloping-along-action, but it’s suited to the size and scope of this story, and it perfectly represents the main character.
The first couple of times I read Chalice I simply read it, and was pulled into its calm. This time through I enjoyed it just as well as before, but I kept a somewhat more critical eye out – as I have been doing with all of my reading lately. Conclusion? Although the book’s focus is narrow, room could have been made to explore some interesting themes. I’m talking “issues” like gender stereotypes (inherent in the assigned power roles in this fantasy world, as it turns out), diversity (the Master has black skin that has been burned by magical fire, but otherwise there’s a monochromatic cast of characters), and world-building (what is lost with the hyper-focus on one woman?). As I said, I still enjoyed the book – but I am working on my awareness of diversity. My reading requirements have evolved.
In all, Chalice is a warm, genuine sort of fantasy – the type of story that will appeal to readers who don’t usually find themselves in the fantasy section at the bookstore but want the book equivalent of a cup of tea and a fuzzy shawl around the shoulders.
Recommended for: readers who prefer quiet, character-driven stories, anyone interested in books light on dialogue and heavy on beekeeping, and fans of Patricia McKillip.
August 19, 2024
ִֶָ𓂃࣪⊹✧ 3.25
September 19, 2008
I love pretty much everything Robin McKinley writes and Chalice is no exception. It is clearly her story with all the original world building, interesting characters, and unique situations we expect of her. But it also has her flaw – which is the long, long, long passages on things that don’t really move the story forward (in Sunshine this was cinnamon rolls, with Chalice it is beekeeping).
Chalice is the story of a beekeeper that becomes second in command of a ‘demesne’ (I’d liken it to a barony maybe?) and the person responsible for using the magic in the land to hold the land/people together. The Master of the land is only somewhat human – haven been given to the fire priests years before. It is Marisol’s duty to save the land from the Overlord, help the Master return to being human, and keep the land from going berserk.
If I am going to be critical of the book, my complaint is that too much of the story dealt with other less interesting things, and did so in a repetitive, almost cyclical way. One example of this would be Marisol saying that she’d just spoken to someone and the outcome of the conversation. Then we get several pages of ‘living’ through the experience. But because I already know what happened, I’m not all the interested in reviewing it.
McKinley does this same kind of thing with Marisol and the Master’s history. She tells us the same thing over and over again. (That the Master was only part human, that Marisol had been a simple beekeeper, that she’d been overwhelmed with milk and honey.) I felt like McKinley didn’t trust me to remember these basic things about the characters the first time that I learned them.
Even with the flaws, I’d recommend Chalice. I’m glad I read it, and the story is worth the money I paid for hardcover. Lovers of McKinely won’t be disappointed.
Chalice is the story of a beekeeper that becomes second in command of a ‘demesne’ (I’d liken it to a barony maybe?) and the person responsible for using the magic in the land to hold the land/people together. The Master of the land is only somewhat human – haven been given to the fire priests years before. It is Marisol’s duty to save the land from the Overlord, help the Master return to being human, and keep the land from going berserk.
If I am going to be critical of the book, my complaint is that too much of the story dealt with other less interesting things, and did so in a repetitive, almost cyclical way. One example of this would be Marisol saying that she’d just spoken to someone and the outcome of the conversation. Then we get several pages of ‘living’ through the experience. But because I already know what happened, I’m not all the interested in reviewing it.
McKinley does this same kind of thing with Marisol and the Master’s history. She tells us the same thing over and over again. (That the Master was only part human, that Marisol had been a simple beekeeper, that she’d been overwhelmed with milk and honey.) I felt like McKinley didn’t trust me to remember these basic things about the characters the first time that I learned them.
Even with the flaws, I’d recommend Chalice. I’m glad I read it, and the story is worth the money I paid for hardcover. Lovers of McKinely won’t be disappointed.
Read
November 13, 2016I so looked forward to this book, but it was so disappointing to me. Yet another iteration of Beauty and the Beast, this one with the Beast character even farther away, so we rarely hear him speak, just get pages and pages and PAGES of Chalice talking to herself about him, and asking herself questions she couldn't answer. What little action there is gets mostly fed in flashback form.
It felt like a short story stretched out over endless paragraphs of verbiage that never quite added up to more than two scenes of actual action: the arrival of the Beast, and the dispatch at the end.
I did love the bees--that was the single thing that reminded me of the McKinley I love so much in other books.
It felt like a short story stretched out over endless paragraphs of verbiage that never quite added up to more than two scenes of actual action: the arrival of the Beast, and the dispatch at the end.
I did love the bees--that was the single thing that reminded me of the McKinley I love so much in other books.
January 25, 2013
Oh, my. I knew early on how it would end, more or less (Robin McKinley is, after all, the writer who said perhaps we all have only one story to tell, and everybody knows which one is hers), but that didn't stop me from devouring CHALICE. It's up there with THE BLUE SWORD and SUNSHINE for me.
Also, as a writer, I admire the passage of time: the book takes place over a year and a bit, and she moves through weeks and months at a time with a few elegant sentences. It's not easy to do well, and I love it when I see it well done.
Also, as a writer, I admire the passage of time: the book takes place over a year and a bit, and she moves through weeks and months at a time with a few elegant sentences. It's not easy to do well, and I love it when I see it well done.
March 14, 2019
Another buddy read with Keikii of Keikii Eats Books, this time gone much better than the last.
Beekeeper Mirasol has recently been chosen as Chalice, the second most powerful person in Willowlands, whose task is to bind the land and its people together. Inexperienced and struggling, her task is made even harder by the fact that the newly chosen Master is a former priest of Fire and no longer entirely human. They have to learn to work together and care for their demesne, which is still reeling from the sudden loss of the previous Master and Chalice.
This book had one of the worst beginnings I have ever seen. Repetitive, infodumpy, full of randomly capitalised words, with the words "Master" and "demesne" probably repeating ten times each in the first two pages, pages-long digressions, and no dialogue whatsoever until about 30 pages in. All tell, no show. Despite the promising-sounding concept and my love of slice of life, I was afraid I'll have to drop it.
Fortunately, it got better.
The setting is excellent. It's very small-scale, concerned with the events of a single community, and magic coming from bees or the land is an approach I really liked (and the bees are basically a character of their own!). It's also very uplifting - the developing trust between Master and Chalice and their growing confidence in their new roles are incredibly sweet.
After the rough start, after they start talking and interacting with each other, I found myself unable to stop reading. It's chill, it's relaxing, it's nostalgic, it's predictable - in short, it's a good slump-breaker.
Unfortunately, I also couldn't help but be slightly disappointed with the ending. Personal preference? Probably. Minor? Yup. But disappointed nonetheless.
Aside from that? Probably still recommended if it sounds up your alley.
Enjoyment: 2/5 that transitioned to 4/5
Execution: 3.5/5
Recommended to: slice of life fans, if magic bees sound interesting to you, those looking for an uplifting/comfort read who can overlook a bad beginning
Not recommended to: those who dislike deus ex machina, impatient people
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
"It is a strange Mastership and a strange Chalicehood," he replied. "The last Master and Chalice died ill, and without Heir or apprentice. We are making new ways because we must. We have had one burning between us. Let us have the sweetness now."
Beekeeper Mirasol has recently been chosen as Chalice, the second most powerful person in Willowlands, whose task is to bind the land and its people together. Inexperienced and struggling, her task is made even harder by the fact that the newly chosen Master is a former priest of Fire and no longer entirely human. They have to learn to work together and care for their demesne, which is still reeling from the sudden loss of the previous Master and Chalice.
This book had one of the worst beginnings I have ever seen. Repetitive, infodumpy, full of randomly capitalised words, with the words "Master" and "demesne" probably repeating ten times each in the first two pages, pages-long digressions, and no dialogue whatsoever until about 30 pages in. All tell, no show. Despite the promising-sounding concept and my love of slice of life, I was afraid I'll have to drop it.
Fortunately, it got better.
The setting is excellent. It's very small-scale, concerned with the events of a single community, and magic coming from bees or the land is an approach I really liked (and the bees are basically a character of their own!). It's also very uplifting - the developing trust between Master and Chalice and their growing confidence in their new roles are incredibly sweet.
After the rough start, after they start talking and interacting with each other, I found myself unable to stop reading. It's chill, it's relaxing, it's nostalgic, it's predictable - in short, it's a good slump-breaker.
Unfortunately, I also couldn't help but be slightly disappointed with the ending. Personal preference? Probably. Minor? Yup. But disappointed nonetheless.
Aside from that? Probably still recommended if it sounds up your alley.
Enjoyment: 2/5 that transitioned to 4/5
Execution: 3.5/5
Recommended to: slice of life fans, if magic bees sound interesting to you, those looking for an uplifting/comfort read who can overlook a bad beginning
Not recommended to: those who dislike deus ex machina, impatient people
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
October 16, 2021
2021 reread:
As a young child (and even as a young teenager) I loved playing outside and I especially loved climbing trees. I still maintain that there are few joys in life greater than reading a book while lounging on a comfortable tree branch, with birds singing in the background, and I'm hugely fortunate that my brother and I could enjoy such pleasures during our childhood. So I've always loved the idea of communicating with nature, and I've always had a soft spot for 'Fisher King' like powers.
Chalice incorporates many of these themes, which I'm particularly partial to. It isn't really all that surprising that I enjoyed this book, although it's is supposed to be one of McKinley's less beloved novels. This is an unpopular opinion, but I actually liked Chalice more than the author's more popular works.
In Chalice, instead of just one Fisher King type character, we have an entire Fisher Court (called the "Circle"). The 'demesne' (basically the township and lands) is ruled by this Fisher Court, at whose head is the "Master" (basically, the King), with the "Chalice" at his side (who's not exactly the Queen but is a woman). The members of the Circle all have a strong "landsense" for their demesne.
Mirasol is a former woodskeeper and beekeeper upon whom the responsibility of being the "Chalice" is thrust upon suddenly. She's unprepared for her new duties, and the politics which suddenly engulf her. The narrative is third person limited, from Mirasol's point of view.
The book opens with the welcoming of a new Master, who had previously been sent (all but banished) to become a Fire Priest seven years back by his now-decreased spiteful and indolent brother. The new Master is only vaguely human in appearance, with destructive fiery powers which make it difficult for him to live amongst humans. But he's also kind and has a deep sense of responsibility. The Master tries his best to stabilize and safeguard the demesne with Mirasol's help, all the while facing sinister political threats by those who wish to unseat him.
McKinley's prose has its trademark incisive beauty and is at its most beguiling when describing honey and bees. I found Mirasol's compassion towards her bees endearing, and I generally thought that she was a fairly sympathetic character. I also liked the Master for his gentleness and self-sacrificing nature. This was a solid 4-star read for me. However, your mileage may vary: if you don't like the characters, or are not overly enamoured of the setup and prose, then you may not enjoy this book. Romantic elements are minimal and practically non existent, but still present. Full disclosure: my brother, whose taste in books is usually quite similar to mine, really disliked this book, and other reviewers whom I trust didn't really love it either. I would recommend Chalice somewhat cautiously, to fans of the author's signature writing who enjoy low fantasy nature themed stories.
As a young child (and even as a young teenager) I loved playing outside and I especially loved climbing trees. I still maintain that there are few joys in life greater than reading a book while lounging on a comfortable tree branch, with birds singing in the background, and I'm hugely fortunate that my brother and I could enjoy such pleasures during our childhood. So I've always loved the idea of communicating with nature, and I've always had a soft spot for 'Fisher King' like powers.
Chalice incorporates many of these themes, which I'm particularly partial to. It isn't really all that surprising that I enjoyed this book, although it's is supposed to be one of McKinley's less beloved novels. This is an unpopular opinion, but I actually liked Chalice more than the author's more popular works.
In Chalice, instead of just one Fisher King type character, we have an entire Fisher Court (called the "Circle"). The 'demesne' (basically the township and lands) is ruled by this Fisher Court, at whose head is the "Master" (basically, the King), with the "Chalice" at his side (who's not exactly the Queen but is a woman). The members of the Circle all have a strong "landsense" for their demesne.
Mirasol is a former woodskeeper and beekeeper upon whom the responsibility of being the "Chalice" is thrust upon suddenly. She's unprepared for her new duties, and the politics which suddenly engulf her. The narrative is third person limited, from Mirasol's point of view.
The book opens with the welcoming of a new Master, who had previously been sent (all but banished) to become a Fire Priest seven years back by his now-decreased spiteful and indolent brother. The new Master is only vaguely human in appearance, with destructive fiery powers which make it difficult for him to live amongst humans. But he's also kind and has a deep sense of responsibility. The Master tries his best to stabilize and safeguard the demesne with Mirasol's help, all the while facing sinister political threats by those who wish to unseat him.
McKinley's prose has its trademark incisive beauty and is at its most beguiling when describing honey and bees. I found Mirasol's compassion towards her bees endearing, and I generally thought that she was a fairly sympathetic character. I also liked the Master for his gentleness and self-sacrificing nature. This was a solid 4-star read for me. However, your mileage may vary: if you don't like the characters, or are not overly enamoured of the setup and prose, then you may not enjoy this book. Romantic elements are minimal and practically non existent, but still present. Full disclosure: my brother, whose taste in books is usually quite similar to mine, really disliked this book, and other reviewers whom I trust didn't really love it either. I would recommend Chalice somewhat cautiously, to fans of the author's signature writing who enjoy low fantasy nature themed stories.
June 6, 2018
In Chalice, McKinley crafts a world in which the ruling class has a deep connection to the land and keeps the kingdom stable by using that connection to calm the land and encourage it to flourish. Mirasol has been appointed as Chalice, second only to the Master himself, and it is her job to keep the Master’s Circle (his team of advisers), the land, and the people united. However, her Master is different, since he has been chosen only since his brother died, and nobody knows if he is quite human anymore since he has been training as the Priest of Fire. Mirasol has to keep everything together, despite the unique challenges and lack of training she has as Chalice.
This is a slow-moving story that is largely interior; the reader spends a lot of time in Mirasol’s head as she attempts to learn everything she can about being Chalice while also soothing the land within the kingdom. With all the worldbuilding and only 265 pages, there’s a lot of information to cover, and I would have liked to learn more about the world and about the characters, but there simply wasn’t enough page space for McKinley to do that. Because of that, everything is a bit more superficial than I would have liked: characterization, plot, and worldbuilding alike. While the information is enough to understand what’s going on, it’s not quite enough to make everything a satisfying, thrilling read.
I did appreciate all the conflicts that happen between different groups, so that Mirasol really has a large puzzle to fit together. The people are distrustful of the Master, the Overlord wants to put in a lackey as Master so that he has more control of the kingdom, which creates more tension, and then some of the Circle are distrustful of her, a girl with no training and who is second-most in status in the entire kingdom. The intrigue of it all was what got me through the story. That, and Mirasol’s sweet nature and the fun stories of her bees and her making different honeys as different remedies for people.
Overall, it’s a decent fantasy, but it’s not as exciting or interesting as I was hoping it’d be. If you’re looking for something simple that has an interesting world concept, you may enjoy this, but it’s not something I would suggest you go out of your way to read.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
This is a slow-moving story that is largely interior; the reader spends a lot of time in Mirasol’s head as she attempts to learn everything she can about being Chalice while also soothing the land within the kingdom. With all the worldbuilding and only 265 pages, there’s a lot of information to cover, and I would have liked to learn more about the world and about the characters, but there simply wasn’t enough page space for McKinley to do that. Because of that, everything is a bit more superficial than I would have liked: characterization, plot, and worldbuilding alike. While the information is enough to understand what’s going on, it’s not quite enough to make everything a satisfying, thrilling read.
I did appreciate all the conflicts that happen between different groups, so that Mirasol really has a large puzzle to fit together. The people are distrustful of the Master, the Overlord wants to put in a lackey as Master so that he has more control of the kingdom, which creates more tension, and then some of the Circle are distrustful of her, a girl with no training and who is second-most in status in the entire kingdom. The intrigue of it all was what got me through the story. That, and Mirasol’s sweet nature and the fun stories of her bees and her making different honeys as different remedies for people.
Overall, it’s a decent fantasy, but it’s not as exciting or interesting as I was hoping it’d be. If you’re looking for something simple that has an interesting world concept, you may enjoy this, but it’s not something I would suggest you go out of your way to read.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
May 25, 2009
As I read, I compared McKinley's approach to Stephen Donaldson's in the Thomas Covenant series. I think that Donaldson portrays the land as an object that is acted upon and magic as largely dependent on artifacts that must fall into the proper hands. In Chalice McKinley portrays the land as alive and reacting to human events. Magic in this novel involves speaking directly to the land. Donaldson's heroes are forever fighting villains over artifacts. McKinley's fight villains with their minds and hearts. Artifacts are not as important as magical intention.
So this was wonderful conceptually, but it was also an entertaining read. The central character's relationship with bees was so extraordinary.
If there is a sequel to this book, I would very much like to read it. There certainly should be one. Chalice is one of the finest fantasy novels I have ever read.
So this was wonderful conceptually, but it was also an entertaining read. The central character's relationship with bees was so extraordinary.
If there is a sequel to this book, I would very much like to read it. There certainly should be one. Chalice is one of the finest fantasy novels I have ever read.
September 20, 2008
Yeah! Robin McKinley is back in fine form after the disappointing Dragonhaven. I loved this story. Sort of a Beauty & the Beast but with a lot more fire and honey.
February 4, 2009
Mirasol is a happy beekeeper in a little cottage in the Willowlands--until the Chalice and her Master die. First, her goats suddenly must be milked thrice a day and her bee hives are literally overflowing with honey. Then, the Circle tells Mirasol that *she* is the new Chalice, even though she had no apprenticeship or training, an unheard of disaster. And *then*, the new Master arrives--and he is no longer human. He has trained for seven years to become an Elemental priest of Fire, and returning to the moral realm is hard for him. Between his weakness and Mirasol's ignorance, will the Willowlands survive?
Of course they will. Unlike McKinley's other novels, there is no darkness here, and thus, little tension. The pace and writing are good--so good I could hardly put the book down--but I never doubted the outcome. Mirasol has a common-sense, good-hearted approach that I admired immediately. She is understandably increasingly worried and desperate to find a way out of disaster for the Willowlands. For her, McKinley perfectly captures the confused circling of a mind searching for a solution. Mirasol's spiraling thought processes provide a narrative energy that the antagonists of the story lack.
This is a sweet little book, but there are moments of depth to it. Mirasol is a peasant who has abruptly come to power, and her difficulty at her new class is both obvious and subtle. She cannot make herself sleep on new sheets, or reprimand the Heir even though she outranks him. Her friendships are damaged by her new power--the other peasants are uncomfortable with her. She thinks paper is a wild extravagence. I was pleased that Mirasol's diffculty being Chalice does not just lie in the magical portion of the role, but also the social/political. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for good-willed fantasy.
A quote I particularly liked:
"'We are all only mortal,' said the Master, even more slowly. 'We do only what we can do. All the Elemental priests have certain teachings in common: one of them is that everyone, every human, every bird, badger and salamander, every blade of grass and every acorn, is doing the best it can. This is the priests' definition of mortality: the circumstance of doing what one can is that of doing one's best. Only the immortals have the luxury of furlough. Doing one's best is hard work; we rely on our surroundings because we must; when our surroundings change, we stumble. If you are running as fast as you can, only a tiny roughness of the ground may make you fall.'"
Of course they will. Unlike McKinley's other novels, there is no darkness here, and thus, little tension. The pace and writing are good--so good I could hardly put the book down--but I never doubted the outcome. Mirasol has a common-sense, good-hearted approach that I admired immediately. She is understandably increasingly worried and desperate to find a way out of disaster for the Willowlands. For her, McKinley perfectly captures the confused circling of a mind searching for a solution. Mirasol's spiraling thought processes provide a narrative energy that the antagonists of the story lack.
This is a sweet little book, but there are moments of depth to it. Mirasol is a peasant who has abruptly come to power, and her difficulty at her new class is both obvious and subtle. She cannot make herself sleep on new sheets, or reprimand the Heir even though she outranks him. Her friendships are damaged by her new power--the other peasants are uncomfortable with her. She thinks paper is a wild extravagence. I was pleased that Mirasol's diffculty being Chalice does not just lie in the magical portion of the role, but also the social/political. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for good-willed fantasy.
A quote I particularly liked:
"'We are all only mortal,' said the Master, even more slowly. 'We do only what we can do. All the Elemental priests have certain teachings in common: one of them is that everyone, every human, every bird, badger and salamander, every blade of grass and every acorn, is doing the best it can. This is the priests' definition of mortality: the circumstance of doing what one can is that of doing one's best. Only the immortals have the luxury of furlough. Doing one's best is hard work; we rely on our surroundings because we must; when our surroundings change, we stumble. If you are running as fast as you can, only a tiny roughness of the ground may make you fall.'"
April 5, 2009
Confusing and rambling. The cover is lovely, the story is lovely, but I spent my time reading it going back because what I was reading just didn't make sense with what I'd read previously.
For example, we have Mirasol's memory of the week before the faenorn, how she had no sleep and she was so tired, etc etc etc, and you get the impression that she was sitting around in her cottage doing nothing and not sleeping, and then after all that we go back and learn about every single thing that ever happened during the week before the faenorn. We hear about every single drop of water that she dropped as she wandered on and got no sleep. Why didn't we hear about the Chalice ritual thing dropping of water first, and then her memories of being tired?
And of course there's the flashbacks, in the middle of important happenings, that just end up confusing you about whether or not you're actually reading about what's going on, or some random thing that happened years before.
Another thing that I disliked was the constant repeating that Mirasol used to be just a small lowly woodskeeper who had the position of Chalice thrust upon her with no warning at all, and she had no training,and she didn't know anything and it was so hard for her and she had to do so much reading. We get it. Can we move on now? We don't really care.
And then the dialogue, lots and lots of dialogue. By the time someone finishes talking, you've forgotten who's speaking and have to go back 16 pages to figure out who's talking and what they're talking about and why are they talking to each other anyway? And then there's another 16 pages of the other person replying to the first person, and by the time you're finished with them, you're confused all over again. 16 pages is an exaggeration. Exaggerating makes me feel better.
I did like the story. It just wasn't written very well. Mirasol was an interesting character, and I loved the bees, however unrealistic their actions might be. I'm not very fond of bees, and I think I'm allergic to them, but Mirasol's bees were fascinating.
I fear my review has ended up as confusing and rambling as Chalice was, but really, after reading it, my brain is whirling and how can I ever be expected to write coherently again?
For example, we have Mirasol's memory of the week before the faenorn, how she had no sleep and she was so tired, etc etc etc, and you get the impression that she was sitting around in her cottage doing nothing and not sleeping, and then after all that we go back and learn about every single thing that ever happened during the week before the faenorn. We hear about every single drop of water that she dropped as she wandered on and got no sleep. Why didn't we hear about the Chalice ritual thing dropping of water first, and then her memories of being tired?
And of course there's the flashbacks, in the middle of important happenings, that just end up confusing you about whether or not you're actually reading about what's going on, or some random thing that happened years before.
Another thing that I disliked was the constant repeating that Mirasol used to be just a small lowly woodskeeper who had the position of Chalice thrust upon her with no warning at all, and she had no training,and she didn't know anything and it was so hard for her and she had to do so much reading. We get it. Can we move on now? We don't really care.
And then the dialogue, lots and lots of dialogue. By the time someone finishes talking, you've forgotten who's speaking and have to go back 16 pages to figure out who's talking and what they're talking about and why are they talking to each other anyway? And then there's another 16 pages of the other person replying to the first person, and by the time you're finished with them, you're confused all over again. 16 pages is an exaggeration. Exaggerating makes me feel better.
I did like the story. It just wasn't written very well. Mirasol was an interesting character, and I loved the bees, however unrealistic their actions might be. I'm not very fond of bees, and I think I'm allergic to them, but Mirasol's bees were fascinating.
I fear my review has ended up as confusing and rambling as Chalice was, but really, after reading it, my brain is whirling and how can I ever be expected to write coherently again?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2009
Enjoyable - but so confusing and so slow (see: confusing) that I only really had a grasp on the world & its politics after a hundred-some pages. And now that I understand, I feel like I ought to read it again.
McKinley does an admirable job of creating a totally distinct world & immersing us in it, as usual, but I swear at one point I was going to give it up, just to get away from 'but she was Chalice', or 'the Chalice must' or 'this, too, was Chalice'. And then she started on with honey. And bees. (If you are phobic about bees - or honey - or fire - this is not the book for you. Stay far away. This is a bee lover's wet-dream.)
... The experience of reading it reminded me of reading Beauty. But god! I wish publishers would actually place books into the applicable age group. Chalice is not young adult - no way, no how - no more than Sunshine is - there's no sex, no swearing, no particular violence, but this is an adult book. The protagonist is an adult, the problems & situations are adult ... gah. So annoying.
McKinley does an admirable job of creating a totally distinct world & immersing us in it, as usual, but I swear at one point I was going to give it up, just to get away from 'but she was Chalice', or 'the Chalice must' or 'this, too, was Chalice'. And then she started on with honey. And bees. (If you are phobic about bees - or honey - or fire - this is not the book for you. Stay far away. This is a bee lover's wet-dream.)
... The experience of reading it reminded me of reading Beauty. But god! I wish publishers would actually place books into the applicable age group. Chalice is not young adult - no way, no how - no more than Sunshine is - there's no sex, no swearing, no particular violence, but this is an adult book. The protagonist is an adult, the problems & situations are adult ... gah. So annoying.
February 3, 2009
So, don't get me wrong, I am all about the girl-power-plus-magic genre, and this had added beekeeping, so extra points, but I've discovered that I have a problem with Robin McKinley.
She builds these fantastic worlds... populates them with interesting and well rounded characters... there is a dramatic build up... and then the book is over.
It feels like once she sets everything in motion, she feels it can all be concluded in, you know, four pages. While this is technically true, it feels like a cheat in most of her books, and I really felt robbed here. Which isn't really to say that it's not an appropriate conclusion to the story she built, it's just so top heavy with exposition and world building that her "then the bees fixed everything! and they all got married and lived happily ever after! the end!" ending seems rushed.
And also: I desperately wanted a little chart of the stupid positions within the circle and what their actual jobs. Twelve non-major characters are a lot to keep up with, but I was curious, and I did want to know.
Denouement is nothing to fear, Ms. McKinley!
She builds these fantastic worlds... populates them with interesting and well rounded characters... there is a dramatic build up... and then the book is over.
It feels like once she sets everything in motion, she feels it can all be concluded in, you know, four pages. While this is technically true, it feels like a cheat in most of her books, and I really felt robbed here. Which isn't really to say that it's not an appropriate conclusion to the story she built, it's just so top heavy with exposition and world building that her "then the bees fixed everything! and they all got married and lived happily ever after! the end!" ending seems rushed.
And also: I desperately wanted a little chart of the stupid positions within the circle and what their actual jobs. Twelve non-major characters are a lot to keep up with, but I was curious, and I did want to know.
Denouement is nothing to fear, Ms. McKinley!
January 20, 2009
Let me first say that I love Robin McKinley. I think she is an excellent writer. I loved Beauty and many of her other works. I don't know if it was my mood, but I just couldn't get into this book. I kind of felt that the editing was not clean enough- first of all, the whole setting is a new world, and was explained so slowly as to be excruciating. I felt the book kept going from present to past in a way that was distracting. I wish that the world would have made sense quicker and that the book opened with Chalice getting her calling. That would have been a lot more smooth for me. I still highly recommend Robin McKinley- she is excellent at characters and developing worlds. I wouldn't dicourage you from trying this book either, you might love it.
November 9, 2012
In Robin McKinley's Chalice, Mirasol the beekeeper holds her alternative medieval manor house together through the rituals of Chalice.
Not quite McKinley's usual funny witty retold fairytale, the pacing is a bit slow and repetitive at times, but the writing is stellar and very lyrical, almost as though McKinley has her McKillip hat on.
It's now been a few years since I first read this book and the memory of it still lingers on, but I do continually forget that it's not a McKillip offering. I wonder, if I hadn't been surprised by how unlike the usual McKinley it was, if I might not have liked it more?
This review based on an ARC received when I was reviewing for the Horn Book Guide.
Not quite McKinley's usual funny witty retold fairytale, the pacing is a bit slow and repetitive at times, but the writing is stellar and very lyrical, almost as though McKinley has her McKillip hat on.
It's now been a few years since I first read this book and the memory of it still lingers on, but I do continually forget that it's not a McKillip offering. I wonder, if I hadn't been surprised by how unlike the usual McKinley it was, if I might not have liked it more?
This review based on an ARC received when I was reviewing for the Horn Book Guide.
August 3, 2016
Only Robin McKinley could take something as boring as local government systems and make a fascinating and beautiful story about it! Chalice is perhaps one of my all time favorite books. The language is beautiful, and I deeply sympathize with the poor heroine who is trying to deal with huge changes in her life and hold everything together for her home. The end wraps up rather quickly, but in typical McKinley fashion, it really makes you wish she would write a sequel!! Love it!
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