From the Boston Globe:
These books are for anyone who likes novels that recall truths about human nature or suggest new ones. Without removing McKinley from the YA/fantasy shelves, I'd like to slip a few volumes into the adult section, so that readers willing to abandon their reliance on the utterly believable can enter one that's believable while in it. They will find that the themes are not "who marries the princess" and "who inherits the fortune" but are the nature of the state, the sanctity of work, the primacy of loyalty.
I unwisely went to Trader Joe's right after finishing this book and ended up buying about 6 different bottles of honey.
Posted by: Elizabeth | 18 November 2008 at 04:57 PM
Ooh, well that sounds different! I recently read her book Sunshine and really liked it.
Posted by: Ladytink_534 | 18 November 2008 at 07:11 PM
My mom *is* a beekeeper, so I don't think reading this is going to be optional.
Posted by: Sarah Rettger | 18 November 2008 at 07:35 PM
I have this enormous nostalgic love for Beauty and The Blue Sword but except for those two, Chalice may be my favorite McKinley. I loved Sunshine as well, but there was something so beautiful about Mirasol's story. I just re-read it and loved it all over again, so this came at a good moment.
Incidentally, she's got THREE new books in the works: Pegasus, Fire (short stories with her husband, Peter Dickinson) and Albion which is set in Sunshine's world (!!!). Not sure about release dates for any of them and I don't even know how much of Albion has been written, but they're coming.
Posted by: Maureen E | 18 November 2008 at 07:49 PM
I think I'm the only one, but I didn't love Chalice. I thought there were holes and questions left unanswered and I thought the ending was abrupt. That's just me. Absolutely adore The Blue Sword though. One of my all-time favorites.
Posted by: Casey | 18 November 2008 at 08:36 PM
Maureen: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Really?
Casey: I never did read Dragonhaven, because it just didn't attract me, so I can sympathize. I'm so curious to see how I'll react!
Posted by: Leila | 19 November 2008 at 06:39 AM
I didn't love Chalice either. I kept feeling like I was missing something. I'm honestly not sure if that's my fault or the book's. Maybe it needs a rereading.
I wouldn't recommend reading it expecting another Sunshine or Blue Sword, though. It's very different from both.
Posted by: Jen | 19 November 2008 at 07:06 AM
I'd give Dragonhaven a shot if I were you; I avoided it for a LONG time (I mean, long for me + RMcK) and I really liked it a lot. In fact I liked it better than Sunshine (but then I am very anti-vampire).
Posted by: cc | 19 November 2008 at 09:13 AM
Leila, I'm not joking nor jesting. (Which is a quote from something, if only I could remember what. And Google has failed me.)
http://robinmckinleysblog.com/2008/11/17/done/
http://robinmckinleysblog.com/2008/11/08/the-signing-continued/
http://robinmckinleysblog.com/2008/11/07/another-perfect-day/
Casey and Jen, I also found the ending a little abrupt but I loved the story overall enough that it didn't really bother me. Besides, I feel like that's something I often notice with her endings.
Posted by: Maureen E | 19 November 2008 at 12:23 PM
You are in luck! I am giving away 4 more copies of Chalice on my blog here: http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/2008/11/book-giveaway-chalice-by-robin-mckinley.html
Enter by Nov. 25th :)
Posted by: Lenore | 19 November 2008 at 12:59 PM