September 18th, 2008
Regarding yesterday's request for recommendations
Thank you to everyone who responded to yesterday's book recommendation request with suggestions. I passed them all on to my sister. It turns out that you-all were far more helpful than my original post might have made it seem, since the kids have to read four historical fiction novels this year, and most of the moms are clueless in that genre. ( Collapse )
Book review: Chalice
Robin McKinley's newest release "Chalice" is a... sweet book. It is not very deep or fast-paced, or even intellectually challenging. After Iron Kissed and Duainfey, it was a nice break for me.
The Chalice is a magical role/person that assists the land (earth magic) in binding, soothing, settling, and harmony. The interesting angle is that this particular Chalice (heroine's) magic works through honey rather than the book-established-expectation of water or wine. The story introduces some kinda-bad bad guys along the way, but it is more of *political* badness than *evil*. Most of the mechanism turning the plot is the bad that was done prior to the book's start point in time, and the main characters' efforts to overcome the chaos and disorganization left from that event. The implications of romance are subtle and sweet, and there is no physical interaction beyond hand-holding. There is really no violence, though one guy swings a sword for about three air slices. No one is beaten up, tortured, or otherwise physically assaulted except for one bad guy at the end during the "fight scene" (which really wasn't one).
The Chalice is a magical role/person that assists the land (earth magic) in binding, soothing, settling, and harmony. The interesting angle is that this particular Chalice (heroine's) magic works through honey rather than the book-established-expectation of water or wine. The story introduces some kinda-bad bad guys along the way, but it is more of *political* badness than *evil*. Most of the mechanism turning the plot is the bad that was done prior to the book's start point in time, and the main characters' efforts to overcome the chaos and disorganization left from that event. The implications of romance are subtle and sweet, and there is no physical interaction beyond hand-holding. There is really no violence, though one guy swings a sword for about three air slices. No one is beaten up, tortured, or otherwise physically assaulted except for one bad guy at the end during the "fight scene" (which really wasn't one).
