After a few pages, I was sucked into this story. It's classic McKinley and reminded me a lot of The Blue Sword not only in tone and format, but the main character is named Mirasol, which called Harimad-sol of Blue Sword to mind.

As a classic McKinley story, however, it also has a few frustrating bits. The world McKinley has created is fascinating (like Blue Sword) and I want more of it. There is a lot of time spent on world building, frankly, and it can get a bit heavy.

Much of the book consists of Mirasol's ruminations on her new position as Chalice for the demesne of Willowlands. Like Harimad-sol of Blue Sword, she doubts her abilities and is constantly worrying whether she is doing a good enough job.

There's a touch of romance, just a touch. If you loved The Blue Sword, you'll probably love this book. If say Sunshine is your favourite McKinley, well, you might not love this one.

One note. The spellings are kept British rather than being Americanized. I liked this a lot.

Mirasol the beekeeper has unexpectedly become Chalice to a land in turmoil. Somehow she must hold her world together, and convince others to accept a Fire Priest as Master. McKinley creates for us an alternative medieval manor house, with Master and Circle tied to their demiese through magical earthlines.

This is a beautifully written almost poetical story, but if one is expecting the Robin McKinley of Spindle's End or The Blue Sword expect disappointment. The story moves gradually and repetitively. A skimmer will find this comforting, but the careful reader is left wondering if this book was sufficiently edited, or if the author was perhaps forced to expand from novella to novel length. There is little dialogue and a much of the McKinley wit we have all grown to expect and love is missing. Reading Chalice, it felt as though McKinley was getting in touch with her inner Patricia McKillip. Much is described, and most of it exquisitely and richly, but not very much actually happens. Please don't misconstrue, I adore McKillip, but it was a bit jarring to find her style coloring a McKinley novel.

However, one puts all expectations aside, Chalice provides a truly magical journey, leaving the reader satiated with imagery that lingers long after setting the book down. One's mind savors the flavor as one's mouth would the honey from Mirasol's chalice.

This book is split into 4 parts. After reading the first 2 parts, my husband asked me what it was about. Even though I had read half of the book, I really couldn't tell him what it was about. I'm still having difficulty trying to summarize this book. It's almost like it's not really about anything. Here is what I do know....

Mirasol, a woods keeper and beekeeper, has suddenly been given the responsibility of "Chalice," which is to be the cup bearer, 2nd to the Master of the Land, and one who binds and holds her land together. Having never received and apprenticeship, she is fumbling through her new role. Mirasol and the new Master do what they can to heal the land that had been abused by the previous Master and Chalice. Now, the Overlord sees this as an opportunity to usurp control from the Master and put in his own appointed Master over this land. Mirasol and the Master must find a way to save their land.

McKinley has a few flaws that she regularly shows in her books, and were VERY noticable here.

1. She has the tendency to start a story in the middle and fill you in on the beginning in spurts when she feels like it. So, there are always "flashbacks" happening that sometimes make it difficult to remember if it's happening now or in the past. Sometimes this improves the story because it adds more drama and suspense. In this case, it's just simple things like when Mirasol was first told she would be the next Chalice or how the previous Master and Chalice died. It gets real annoying.
2. She tells this story smoothly and brilliantly and then abruptly saves the day with some random "magical act."
3. Throws you in a world with different language, titles, customs, but never really explains what they are. She just assumes you know. That can be fine, but when it takes you half the book to even understand what a Chalice is and does....that can be a problem.
4. Very little dialogue. Everything was mostly "she did this and that then this and went there and thought this." When there was dialogue, the story actually finally moved forward and got a glimpse of other characters.

I did enjoy the story, but I don't think I will reread it like my favorites.

I love Robin McKinley's writing, but this book fell short of my expectations...its just not long enough to explore all of the possibilities!!! I kept expecting details, but felt rushed through the book. Its worth the read, but not on par with ones like Deerskin or The Blue Sword.

As in many other books, McKinley creates a harassed, likable, duty-bound heroine; and uses the well-paced action to show glimpses of her world. It's a lightly sketched world, but the glimpses we get are rich and homey. The land is filled with trees, animals and well-meaning but apprehensive neighbors, with high politics and grand magic in the far--very far--background.

Mirasol the beekeeper is sympathetic and harassed, her quest to calm the magical land serves as a background for the understated growth of her friendship with the equally unready new Master. The magic is familiar but gets fresh treatment in McKinley's hands; and the author's language is clear, streamlined and often beautiful.

This book is a fast, enjoyable read. As with other McKinley books, those who expect detailed, thorough world-building will be disappointed. The world is rich, but only glimpsed through Mirasol's eyes, who is far too busy for expositionary lumps. It's not as gripping or intense as the author's best novels, but still more than worth the time to read.

One of my chief complaints with some of Ms. McKinley's other works, like Spindles End, has been the deus ex machina endings. I found the story enjoyable, playing on a theme of "The Lord is the Land, and the Land is the Lord," and the ending in keeping with the rest of the story. I usually find Ms. McKinley's stories hard to sum up without spoiling key elements. So let me just say I borrowed Chalice from the library and enjoyed it enough to purchase my own copy, even given my limited living space.

This was Robin McKinley Style A*, and I enjoyed it a lot. As usual, the protaganist reminded me a lot of The Tale of Custard the Dragon, who is thrust into action even while crying for "a nice safe cage". I find it interesting which details we do and don't get in McKinley's books. This is (very distantly) a Beauty & The Beast story, but we really have NO idea what the protaganist looks like. The beast is described, but our heroine? I don't even know what color her hair is -- and it is TOTALLY IN CHARACTER. The character probably doesn't own a mirror, and doesn't look in mirrors she comes across, because it really doesn't matter to her. What matters to her are duty and resolution, and not the macro world, and not really her own internal life, execpt as it pertains to abovementioned duty.

I thought the magical system was a nice blend of novel and familiar -- landsense is an old trope, but having a woman as a binding agent for all the spells is kinda nice. The bees and honey and mundane details are well done. One of the parts I had trouble with was the distances/worldbuilding. Our heroine sets of on a circumnavigation of the demense. She estimates it will be about 50 leagues (about 173 miles). That makes the area something like 260 miles. Which is pretty good-sized. But later, it is implied that horse travel means that a villian can make a round trip across several parcels this size in a week. I realize it's a nitpicky detail, but I was left wondering where I was at.

Read this if: You liked Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast and Spindle's End (Firebird), you crave 3 hours of a sweet and straightforward world, or you like your myths of redemption crispy.
Avoid if: You actually wanted a romance, you require Deep Thought in your books, action from duty gives you hives.

*Like any other author with enough catalog, McKinley's books fall into style buckets. I do not consider this a drawback. But it's nice to get a briefing on which bucket you are going to end up with.
Style A: Beatifully realized, faintly allegorical fairy-tale retellings.
Style B: Sword & Sorcery
Style C: Experiments that do not conform to expected outcomes. Sunshine is hands-down the best of this category. I haven't read Dragonhaven yet, but it sounds like it belongs in here, too.

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 (Firebird), 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.

This would have been a fantastic book - if it had been about 150 pages longer. I think that makes me angrier than if it had been a terrible book. What happened, Mrs. McKinley? Did the rest of your only draft get blown away by a blustery wind? As it stands, this book feel hurried in a way that her books never have before. I cannot recommend it.

I didn't understand much till about the 70th page. She has her own language in this book that I couldn't pick up on till latter. I enjoyed the story but wish that it was more clearly written and I am a huge fan of McKinnley(except for sunshine). But this was weird. But good at the same time.

In the past, I've read and re-read other Robin McKinley books so much that they have fallen apart, forcing me to buy new copies. When I heard she had a new book, I rushed and actually bought the paperback, despite the extra expense, and rushed through it in one night. However, at the end, I find myself with mixed feelings.

The beginning of the book was the most disappointing, as it definitely starts in media res and doesn't give the reader any context for what's happening. Mirasol is a cipher performing ceremonies without us knowing their significance. As the book goes on, we start getting details, but almost grudgingly, as if McKinley was reluctant to fill out the characters and setting from bare-bones archetypes. Possibly this is meant to mirror Mirasol's own confusion and lack of information, but it's rather frustrating to read. The bones of the story are interesting, but so under-developed that it's hard to read.

When compared to the rich, memorable characterisation in her other books, Chalice falls flat. Many of the characters are virtually indistinguishable from each other, and even the more fleshed-out Mirasol, Master, and Lord Seneschal would have benefitted greatly from some extra face-time. The love story is particularly dimished by this; it's not bad, but it's hard to really root for characters when a) they've only talked to each other a handful of times and b) you hardly know anything about them. Even minor characters in McKinley's other books are better served.

However, what little we do learn about the setting is fascinating. Demenses are held together by the efforts of the Circle, whose most important members are the Master and the Chalice; a demense not held together properly apparently tears itself apart through flood, earthquake, and fire. The main plot of the book involves political intrigue, which hints at a wider, more complex world outside our heroine's demense, even though we never get to know much about it. The details about beekeeping provided a nice, solid backdrop.

Overall, Chalice is a worthwhile read, but it definitely feels too sparse to stand up to McKinley's other work. It's a pity, too; with another hundred pages or so to fill out the characters, it could've been great.

While better than Dragonhaven, this is the second McKinley book in a row that I would probably not have troubled to finish if it had been by any other author. (And it kills me to say this, because she is one of my favorites and I've loved all of her previous work.) Dragonhaven felt like a first draft; Chalice feels like a short story unwillingly stretched into novel length. I didn't get to know any of the characters well enough to care deeply about them; we don't see any of the backstory unfold (imagine if Spindle's End had opened with Rosie discovering she was the princess and gone on from there); and McKinley falls into her usual trap of relying on a vague supernatural incident to end the novel. I wanted to love Chalice--but I didn't, and sadly I think this is the last McKinley book I will run out and buy in hardcover.

I'm not going to bother typing a summary of this book,since that has been done in other reviews,but I will give my opinion of it-Chalice is a GREAT Book!!The magic that connects Mirasol and the Master to Willowlands is interesting and original,and the writing style is much better than that in Dragonhaven.Although some people found this novel slow,I personaly remained engrossed until the end.Chalice is not quite as good as McKinley's Damar novels,but it comes very close!

I've never read a Robin McKinley book where the universe was not one I wished I could inhabit, and Chalice was no exception. The world is well fleshed-out with little heavy-handed explanation, and the reader grows to care about Mirasol's demesne and Master as much as she does by the end of the novel. I found the end somewhat disappointing, however-- the quick, neat resolution did not seem to support the weight of dread and foreboding throughout the rest of the story. It read to me almost as if the ending was written for the short story Chalice once started out as, rather than the novel it became. Nevertheless, I am very glad to own Chalice, and I feel the richer for having encountered Mirasol's world.

McKinley is brilliant at weaving a tale. This one is no exception, although I wasn't as captivated every second as I have been reading some of her others--I found myself skimming parts. Nevertheless, scenes where she held long conversations with the Master or the Seneschal were as fascinating as the best of her work. McKinley has the ability to make her male-female relationships sizzle with only the most subtle implication. This book centers more around political intrigue and would probably not be considered a romance; and yet there was plenty of passion. The plot and characters were predictable, but not in a rolling eyes sort of way. This story has that spark of fairy-tale other-world that McKinley is such a master at creating. Readers who love her work will be satisfied with this new addition to her collection.

I have to preface my comments by saying Robin McKinley has been a favorite of mine since I was in the 4th grade which was more than 20 years ago (EEK) and her books continue to be my gold standard when I look for books for myself or plan a bookshelf for my own young daughters. I enjoyed her recent novels but I was thrilled to see her return to a mythic/fantasy past and a young female protagonist in this novel. I was hoping for the transportive experience I remember from my reading (and multiple re-readings) of "The Blue Sword" and "Beauty" and "The Hero and the Crown." While her writing is beautiful, it is much less immediate now, and almost seems too self-conscious at times. Her characters also feel less fleshed out. They aren't as funny or human as I remember Harry, or Aerin, or Luthe being. I wanted to get wrapped up in the central relationship in this book they way I got wrapped up in Corlath and Harry, or even Aerin and Tor, but I didn't. Also, the ending was a bit too neat and derivative for my taste, which I wouldn't have cared about if there was more of an emotional punch to it, but it kind of fizzled. Perhaps her earlier works were not as refined and introspective as her more recent novels have been, but they were GREAT stories. This is a lovely book and I very much enjoyed it, and I will certainly reserve a place for it on my daughters' bookshelves, but it won't be on the top shelf, with some of McKinley's other works.

In preparation for Chalice I re-read The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown, brilliant novels in which every sentence is lyrical. Possibly this exacerbated my disappointment. What do we have in Chalice?

First, The Really Complex Magical World that is Never Fully Explained. Second, the Really Awful Event that Everyone Knows About but the Reader, which is not revealed for 100 pages. Third, the Obsession with a Substance.

You learn more about Aerin in 2 paragraphs than about Mirasol in 2 chapters. Even though there are almost no other active characters in the book, Mirasol still does not develop a complete personality. The Grand Seneschal is predictably a Grumpy Good Guy. The nameless male lead doesn't do much except work on acting human; even his moment of self-sacrifice is artificial because you already know it just won't end that way, a marriage is in the offing.

The Great Magical Fix at the Desperate End is also unbelievable. It literally buzzes in out of nowhere and there is no preshadowing that, in fact, it was even possible.

I did not read the previous McKinley book with the dragons because the reviews suggested that it was really "juvie fiction" rather than juvenile or young adult (ie adults wouldn't like it much). I'm sorry I bought Chalice in hardback and I'm not going to keep it.

When I finished reading this book the first thought that came to mind was "How truly satisfying" it was. The premise is intriguing. I don't remember anything quite like it before. The rich weaving of honey and bees into the thread of the story works beautifully and left me wanting a honey tasting experience where I can compare the different types mentioned. All in all, another fine Robin McKinley book.

I have long been a Robin McKinley fan, but this book didn't seem as good as her others. The first part is mostly written in past tense and flashbacks, without much dialogue, rather than following a moving plot. This style at times became tedious for me. I think it is unusual that there is no physical description of Mirasol, the main character. The story started to pick up about 2/3 of the way through and from then on I really enjoyed it.

This is a beautiful story for young girls and not so young girls alike. McKinley's prose has a lush, dreamy quality to it. Be warned, the pace is slow. Pages are devoted to bees and descriptions so the plot moves slow. A book to be savoured rather than devoured. Both you and your daughter will enjoy.

Robin McKinley debuted with a fleshed-out retelling of "Beauty and the Beast," and later followed it up with ANOTHER retelling.

And after a few books about dragons and vampires, McKinley returns to her old territory -- she spins up a vaguely medieval tale of a woodland beauty and a charred "beast" entirely out of her own imagination. McKinley's sumptuous prose and her depiction of a "living" land add an extra dimension to a straightforward little love story that drips with sweetness.

Some months ago, the decadent Master of Willowlands and his Chalice were killed in a fire. The new Chalice is Mirasol, whose duty is to fill ceremonial cups and help bind the land.

But then the late Master's little brother arrives from the priests of Fire -- charred black and no longer entirely human. Mirasol is determined to do the best job she can for the new Master, when she isn't tending a woodland cottage covered in bees. Unfortunately the land is still unsettled despite her joint efforts with the Master, especially since his strange behavior frightens his people.

In the course of her duty, Mirasol soon gets to know her new Master -- he's quiet, kind, worried about burning people, and confused by the world he had almost forgotten. But as he struggles to keep his land balanced, the Overlord begins to scheme to put a new Master in Willowlands -- one that will do whatever he wishes. With her role as Chalice and her power over bees, Mirasol must find a way to save her beloved Master...

You wouldn't think that such a slender novel could have such a richly imagined world, where metaphysical bonds link the Master and Chalice to the very land itself. Not only does Robin McKinley conjure such a world in "Chalice," but she also wrought an intricate web of politics and tradition around the ritual roles. Poor Mirasol, trying to navigate her new role.

And McKinley's prose is as sweet and thick as Mirasol's honey ("the great windows were still twilight grey..."), but filled with a slightly bittersweet feeling. And she crams the novel with rural splendour -- trees, little cottages, old dusty books -- as well as anything having to do with bees and beekeeping. When Mirasol is with her books in the woodright, McKinley's writing takes on an exquisitely mystical edge (albeit a quieter one than her Chalice duties).

But once the Overlord's little plan comes into play, McKinley also interweaves a sense of dread and foreboding, which gets worse as the story creeps toward the inevitable clash. If there's a flaw in the story, it's that the bees serve a slightly deus-ex-machinesque function for the Master.

However, the heart of this story is the growing love story between two young people who are unsure how to do their jobs, and fear that they are failing. Mirasol and the Master (whose name is only revealed late in the book) are wonderfully realistic characters, and Mirasol's stumbles and struggles make her seem like a totally realistic country girl suddenly given a great task.

"Chalice" is the sort of story that Robin McKinley has penned before, but the land-mysticism and lush prose make it entirely unique. Definitely a must-read..

Reviewed by Neha Kashmiri (age 14) for Reader Views (8/08)

Born and raised as a beekeeper and a woodskeeper, Mirasol is surprised when the rods chose her as the new Chalice. As Chalice she is the second most important member after the Master. The new Master of Willowlands is a Priest of Fire, whose touch can burn a human's flesh and who hasn't been in the Willowlands for seven years. His brother's sudden death brings him back to the human world, but can he and the new Chalice fix all the harm of the previous Master?--especially when most of the other Circle members are afraid of the new Master.

Even when it seems that the Willowlands can be restored, the Overlord declares an outblood Heir. Inadvertently, Mirasol gives her support to the new Heir and only finds out when it's too late. The Chalice soon learns that the only way an outblood Master can not disrupt the land is if she marries the Heir. Mirasol doesn't support the Heir much less wish to marry him . . . or bear his child.

Then, when it seems that things can get no worse, a faenorn, a fight to the death, is declared. How can the new Master defeat the new Heir when he cannot even pick up a sword? Mirasol has to help anyway she can; but how can she if helping the Master would only get her in trouble with the Heir?

I have only read one other book by Robin McKinley ("Beauty") and it had set my expectations high. "Chalice" met every single one of them. Ms. McKinley sets up a new world and new characters beautifully. The bees and the honey are nice touches which wrap up the story beautifully. "Chalice" is highly recommended to fans of fantasy.

It's amazing how she walks us into the middle of the story of Mirasol the Chalice. It is almost like a Chinese ink drawing in that she fills in very few of the details, a little here and little there slowly as the story demands, but nevertheless sweeps us into this grand tale of growth and the redemption of a land flawed by the abuse of the former Master and the attack of a predatory politician. I was immersed almost immediately even though at first I hadn't a clue. Mirasol is a vibrant figure. A magician with honey and spirit. By not filling all of the details and answering all the questions she allows the presence of mystery and wonder. Like the Bees. . .there is a whole marvelous world to be explored. With any other author I would think to see many other stories in this world, but it being McKinley. This might be it.
Enjoy.

After seven years of misrule, the land of Willowlands is falling apart; the people and the land are suffering daily from the destabilizing of the magic that is supposed to hold their land together. When the Master and the Chalice, the two highest members of Willowlands ruling circle, die suddenly, it is left to a new Master and a new Chalice to fix the damage that has been done and to protect their land.

The new Chalice is Mirasol, and she has no experience with the magic or politics of the position. She struggles to perform her job and save the land she loves. With the help of her bees and the honey that serves as the vessel of her magic, she begins to make tiny steps forward in saving Willowlands, but time is running out, and she fears the little skill she has acquired won't be enough to shelter her land from the dangers ahead.

Mckinley creates a lush, intoxicating world that captivates from the very first pages of the book. I could hear the steady hum of the bees in the background, taste the sweetness of the honey, and see the characters who move through the land teeming with both life and magic. Mirasol is a wonderful protagonist, and the supporting characters are diverse and realistic. My only complaint with this novel is that the denouement seems more emotional than physical. I generally prefer a fast-paced, edge of your seat, action sequence at the climax of a fantasy novel, but while Mckinley could easily have written her final scene that way, she instead made it more introspective. It still works well, and there are other scenes in the book that will satisfy people looking for fantasy adventure/action sequences.

I definitely recommend this book. It's a beautiful story and highly enjoyable to read.

As a lifelong McKinley fan, I have been eagerly awaiting Chalice - and I was not disappointed. The world McKinley creates is rich, lush, detailed. It lives and breathes; you can almost hear the bees humming and taste Mirasol's honey.

This is a beautifully written fairy tale, although it's not a retelling of a specific tale. But it belongs on the same shelf as Beauty, Rose Daughter, and Spindle's End. If you enjoyed those books you most certainly will love Chalice. It is the kind of story you can read over and over again. An instant favorite. Highly recommended for any lover of fantasy.

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. 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 thatt 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.