Kingfisher

Ms. McKillip has taken Arthurian legend, the Mabinogion, and Fae folklore and melded them together in a beautiful but widdershins fantasy story, half medieval and half modern. I don't know how else to explain this fabulous book. It's beautifully written in that poetic, mystical style that characterizes this author's works.The story follows three young people: Carrie is a sous chef at the Kingfisher Inn, Daimon is the illegitimate son of King Arden, and Pierce is the daughter of a sorceress/chef. Food is essential in this story, as it is in the best fairy tales.It's one of those books that throws the reader right into the story, which can be a bit confusing at first, but I had fun picking out all the obscure references to legend and folklore until the three separate stories meshed together. It's a lovely book, one of McKillip's best and that's saying something.

I've been an avid fan of Patricia McKillip for 35 years; I would read a restaurant menu that she wrote, and probably love it. And the writing in this book doesn't disappoint -- it's her lyrical, yet grounded prose that can juxtapose an ancient ceremony with a Friday Night Fish Fry and make it work. However, despite the fact that I enjoy it, this isn't her best book.The setting is fascinating. The juxtaposition of what is thematically King Arthur's court with an essentially modern society highlights the conflicts between worlds, and makes it easier to see the hidden beneath the known. Knighthood and its inherent violence/classism contrasts with the peace of the realm; cellphones coexist with magic. The sense of upset when the knights go questing is part of the upset of every part of the world shown, and is part of what stirs ancient magics within the story.The weaving in of the mythology of the Fisher King is odder, and despite the fact that it's clearly central to the story's title, it never manages to integrate into a solid part of the plot. It feels rather like the elements are thrown into the story, but not explained. And whereas exposition would run counter to much of the story, I think that the story could be essentially the same without the Fisher King -- which for me is a problem. That's part of where the story falls down for me. The climatic scene does not seem to clarify the quest, and in fact, for me, only muddies it more. I was left with a lot of questions: why do the ravens no longer want Daimon? Is Calluna the god who appears at the end (and why)? Who does the cauldron/bowl/vessel/Grail belong to (if anyone)? And frankly, what are Leith and Heloise going to do? (OK, that's not strictly necessary, but with the repetition of "you need to talk to her" three or four times, it seems somewhat anti-climatic.There are also a few things that seem thrown in that do not, in my opinion serve either the plot or theme. The entire interlude with the basilisk is very confusing. For that matter, though the two instances of seeing the Knights of the Rising God doing petty vandalism support the story, the subtler point of Pierce, Val, Leith, and Scotia being pulled in to deal with them doesn't seem to have nearly as clear a point. It is possible that the author is trying to recreate the episodic sense of the Grail Quest, but unfortunately, that doesn't work well for me in a modern novel. I want the threads pulled together and tied off.The part I think is most of the letdown is the characters. Though drawn beautifully, there are enough protagonists that there is quite a bit of skimping on the stories of many of them. Pierce and Carrie get their respective stories resolved (and kudos for not trying to make them a romantic couple) but Daimon and Perdita are almost dropped cold. I did not understand why suddenly Daimon was no longer enspelled, and I certainly wanted Perdita to actually _do_ something, rather than just be a lens to watch Daimon. I wanted to understand better the relationship between Daimon and Scotia, and -- just like with Perdita -- I wanted to see Daimon _do_ something, or realize something (from the inside, not the outside). Scotia and Val are both half-formed characters -- they seem to have some sort of special senses or understandings, or roles, but these are never really made clear either. I know Ms. McKillip is quite capable of carrying these kinds of threads through, because she has done it in many previous books, and why she did not in this case I'm not sure.And what about Todd Stillwater? I got who he was, but not why he left, or why he did _anything_ else. As a villan he doesn't work for me properly, because he seems to have no true motive, and kind of collapses the first time he's truly challenged. I don't understand why the cauldron/bowl/vessel/Grail is important to him. I don't know why he kept Sage, or why he wanted Carrie.And what was with the ceremony in the Kingfisher? I know it was to echo the mythology of the Fisher King, but I don't know why it was important to the plot and the characters. Again, the pulling up of the mythological imagery wasn't enough for me. I wanted to have it integrated into the story.Perhaps the author got a little carried away with the ideas, the themes, and the setting. After all, the Fisher King is a deeply mythological and archetypal character, and working with those themes can be tremendously powerful. But in doing so, I think she missed a lot of opportunities to tighten the plot, deepen the characters, and create another of the incredible classics that she is quite capable of bringing out of her brilliant imagination.I've spent a lot of time complaining about this book, but it's because Ms. McKillip's worst books are better than most people's best (and this is far from her worst). I thoroughly enjoyed it, I just wanted the author to have followed through on the promise of the premise.

This author spins a good tail of magic and the knights of old. There is some mystery to this story I just started reading and I am really enjoying the book so far almost to he halfway point so I dont think I will be disappointed this is her latest novel

I always find it odd that no one discusses the sources of Patricia McKillip's stories, which are often a large part of their point, as with, for example, her two stories about the Pre-Raphaelites. This novel--a five-star compared to any other contemporary writer but slightly less than many of McKillip's novels that require six stars--is about various versions of the Grail quest and Arthurian mythology. We have the innocent "kitchen knight" Perceval (as both Pierce and Val) who witnesses the ceremony of the wounded Fisher King but does not immediately ask the healing question; the three goddesses /fates /witches, Morgan Le Fay, Morgaine / Morrigan, and Vivien / Nimue; the Celtic treasures; the Grail Quest as described by Thomas Mallory (and the knights from his tales, whom McKillip realizes most often sound like little more than entitled hooligans, offset by his descendant, a female knight); the healing death of the plant god; and much, much more. Examining McKillip's sources is almost as inspiring as reading her novels. And they are, typically, a somewhat hazy, mystical mixture, totally suited to her amazing, mystical storytelling gifts.The main comment about this novel seems to be a complaint of its lack of linear logic. But she is not writing an empirical treatise; she is exploring the numinosity of myths, who, particularly in their ancient, contradictory eldest and eldritch origins, are more dreamlike than declamatory. I think of the contrast of ordinary writers and McKillip much like the contrast between Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville. Hawthorne's symbolism is as straightforward as symbolism can get; we know that Hester Prynne's scarlet letter is as much an allegory as a symbol, standing clearly for Adultery, Able, and Angel, as the author plainly states. However, Melville's tale of the white whale sounds the depths of philosophy and obscure sea lore to create a symbol that cannot be clearly pinned down; it is more about the mystery of life itself.To put it another way, Hawthorne's works are multiple-choice tests; Melville's are essay questions. As with Melville, it is finding the answers and the meaning in McKillip's tales for oneself that enlightens. To expect McKillip's works to be rational is to limit her full capabilities for engendering magical, resonant works that linger in the unconscious like dreams, with all the meaningfulness of dreams and their necessity for mindful living.

teeters, a bit imbalanced, between high fantasy romance and straight adventure story, of young people leaving their homes and finding their "inner cores" out in the world...the plot uses elements of arthurian legends, historical settings (bath?) and political intrigue...a bit too cute, too sweet, for me...all the unhappy lovers clearing up old misunderstandings, all the illegitimate children finding their parents, the grail/cauldron of plenty turning into an old soup pot, and the evil magician conquered..a bit too easy...like a folksy, sweet ballad, where you can feel secure and happy in the certainty of the comforting ending...well written, nicely composed, well paced...a bit expensive, but a decent read...i still like the world of hed best ....

A magical quest set in a world with electric bikes and sedan carsA lyrical coming of age story with just the right amount of mysterySorry to finish it

Another wonderful tale from an author with an extraordinary talent for making the amazing seem almost normal. Beautifully written as usual, and about a unique world that combines the modern and the fantastic. But it's the characters who engage us, as usual. They're beautifully drawn, not always clever, often conflicted - in other word, human. I hope she writes more about this wonderful place she has created - and which seems to cry out for more tales, more background, more characters.

The book arrived in excellent condition except for the unexpected red ink library stamp on top of the book block and two large library inventory labels pasted inside.

I loved it only on second reading. At first, it seemed disjointed and weird.As happened to me with other books by Patricia McKillip, I had to find my way into its world, accept its setting (knights on motorbikes with laser guns?) and learn to love the people. (That bit was easy, actually.)It‘s far from classical high fantasy, often poking fun at the medieval tropes. More like a big pot of soup with many things thrown in: quests, magic, cell phones, cooking, love in all its forms, fairies…If you like surprises, and come with an open mind, you may love it, too!