Chalice by Robin McKinley

Mirasol lived a quiet life, keeping her forest and tending her bees until the day she was called upon to be Chalice to the new master of the Willowlands.  The new master had been human once, the second son of the old master, but had been sent away by his brother to train as a fire elemental priest. Now that he has returned, he lives partially in fire and partially in the world.  Most of the people are afraid of him, but Mirasol can sense that he is slowly making connections with the land lines that run under and through the Willowlands and they are starting to heal after years of neglect from his older brother.  It is now the Chalice's job to help the circle of elders to see that the new master is not only the best, but the only choice they have to make their home whole again. 

After reading What the River Knows, this book was a breath of fresh air.  The characters are interesting and sympathetic,  and they grow and develop over the course of the story. The magic system is also interesting, original, and stays (mostly) consistent through the story.  The characters succeed because they are trying their hardest to do what is right, even when their tasks seem hopeless. There is nobility, friendship, and sacrifice for the greater good. My only complaint is that I think she tied the end up a little too fast. She maybe needed one more chapter to show that the happy ending we were all hoping for made sense in the world she had built.  Still, I really enjoyed this book and affirm my belief that Robin McKinley is one of the great clean fantasy writers. (2009, 272 p.)