Book Review: The Cup of the World

Title: The Cup of the World

Author: John Dickinson

Publisher: David Fickling Books

Genre: Fantasy

Page Count: 419

Rating: 3.9 out of 5

Cover Rating: 4 out of 5. I like it--it says Fantasy to me.

Inside flap:

On the eight day of the New Year, wait for me in this place on the eighth hour after noon. If I come in that hour, I shall give you what help I can. If I do not, I cannot help you at all.

Phaedra, daughter of the Warden of Trant, puts her trust in a man she has only met in dreams. He can see far, speak far, and pass where no man should be able to pass. With him she may escape to a new beginning, as the Kingdom collapses into war.

But why should he choose to help her?

And what price has he paid for his power?

My expectations: Average. I started a book by Peter Dickinson--who is Robin McKinley's husband--and couldn't finish it, but I love McKinley's work; I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book besides Fantasy.


My expectations were exceeded.

About the book: I enjoyed this book, despite not liking the characters or the events.


How, then, did I manage to like this book? Because the writing style is excellent, and I have to admire John Dickinson's command of language. I love the setting, and the rest of the Fantasy aspect of this book. The plot is complex, something I appreciate nowadays since so many books have a transparent plot with loose ends and holes. The characters, while I did not like them as people since many of them had questionable aims and motives, were realistic and 3-dimensional.

• Plot:

This book is full of subtlety; little things that if you don't pay attention to, you will lose track of what happens later on. I love that kind of plot--it keeps me thinking and I found myself turning the pages quickly once I had gotten beyond 70 pages or so.

• Characters:

Phaedra, the main character, is a mix of naivete, intelligence, and a rebellious nature. On one side, she wants to have her freedom and independence--she wants to be her own person, with control over what happens and to marry who she wants to marry, not some political/social climber. On the other hand, despite that part of her that I liked, she is also stubborn and naive--she believes, a lot of the time, what she wants to believe and does not listen to those who contradict her. She is also self-centered; I wanted to shout at her occasionally for not realizing that other people exist and have their opinions.

Ulfin is the man who appears to Phaedra by witchcraft--or, as he calls it, "under-craft". He is a complex character with contrasting sides and an interesting personality. He has hidden layers beneath what he appears to be, and the mystery behind it plays a major part of the plot.

Prince Paigan, also known as The Prince Under the Sky, is an excellent villain. He has the proper motives to be a strong antagonist, and he is creepy and dark. He has the perfect mixture to create a character that has depth and intelligence--something that you need if the villain is to be believable.

• Setting/Elements:

I loved the world-building in this book. I could picture the world well, with all the different houses and their lords, the mountains and the lake, the magical counter-world, the people with their culture and society.

Other: Mild language, sex, some violence.


I have read the two sequels to this book (it's a trilogy) and they're even better than this one--if you read The Cup of the World and enjoy it, I do recommend The Widow and the King and The Fatal Child.

Do I recommend this book? Yes.


-----The Golden Eagle