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Summary
Summary
Readers who love the adventure in Megan Whalen Turner's Newbery Honor novel The Thief will be captivated by Molly's dangerous magical quest in this thrilling sequel to Diane Stanley's novel The Silver Bowl.
Night after night, Molly has visions of a beautiful goblet: one of her grandfather's loving cups, which he filled with magic that bound people together. So it hardly surprises Molly when handsome King Alaric asks her to find a loving cup to help him win the heart of the beautiful Princess of Cortova.
As Molly and her friends Winifred and Tobias journey in search of a loving cup, a mysterious raven joins their quest and appears to guide them all the way to the hidden city of Harrowsgode. There, Molly discovers secrets about her own family as well as the magic of the loving cup. But Harrowsgode is hidden for a reason, and leaving is more difficult than Molly imagined. Will she be able to escape, let alone bring a loving cup to King Alaric?
Author Notes
Diane Stanley was born in 1943 and was raised in Abilene, Texas. She later attended both Trinity University and Johns Hopkins University.
Her portfolio of children's book illustrations was creative enough for her to begin publication in 1978. She became an art director for G.P. Putnam & Sons and later began retelling and illustrating classic children's books.
Stanley has revamped the fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter and has also researched the children's biographies Cleopatra and Leonardo Da Vinci. She also illustrated her mother's book, The Last Princess.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Molly is a lady of Westria now, raised from servant to noble status by King Alaric in The Silver Bowl (HarperCollins, 2011). Political unrest with neighboring kingdoms means Alaric must secure an alliance by marrying a princess who doesn't want to marry him. He asks Molly to find the Loving Cup, rumored to be made by her grandfather, which will cause anyone who drinks from it to fall in love. He assembles a crew, including Tobias, friend of Molly and fellow former peasant, to go on a quest to find the cup. The journey leads them to Harrowsgode, the land of Molly's magical ancestors, but this village has a sinister secret, and in order to keep it, no one is ever allowed to leave. Richard the Ratcatcher, a particularly well-rounded and delightful character, is key to helping the Westrians complete their mission and escape. The fast-moving adventure is wildly creative, and suspense builds on every page. Readers who already know Molly will be happy to see her again, but this story stands alone. Background information is skillfully placed, and it never interrupts or bogs down the new tale. The strong friendship between Molly and Tobias and slightly awkward growing feelings for one another is sweet and feels genuine. A story to be cherished and read again and again.-Mandy Laferriere, Staley Middle School, Frisco, TX (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Molly, the heroine from The Silver Bowl, returns for a second test of her wits, strength, and magic powers. Young King Alaric of Westria needs a particular magical loving cup to convince the princess in a neighboring kingdom to consider his proposal of marriage. Since it is Mollys grandfather who made the cup, Alaric sends her on a secret errand to find it. Molly follows her visions of the loving cup to the isolated walled city of Harrowsgode. Her delight at finding that her relatives originally came from this city quickly turns to horror when she discovers that the town elders plan to trap her so they can use her prodigious magical abilities. Yes, Molly escapes, but no, the story is not predictable, nor is it simple. Stanleys characters are complex; even a minor player like the rat catcher is memorable -- funny, wise, and even heroic. Mollys friendships and loyalties change realistically and are tested in ways that readers will recognize from their own lives. It is the suspense of the plot that propels the reader through the story, but Stanley enriches that suspense with humor, strong sensory details, and an intelligent, engaging heroine. maeve visser knoth (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The further adventures of Molly, the kitchen maid who saved a king (The Silver Bowl, 2011), provide an explanation for her magical abilities and suggest that the future holds even more changes and challenges. Brief mention of earlier events will remind returning readers of how Molly, along with her friend Tobias, saved the life of King Alaric and helped him to claim his throne. Readers unfamiliar with Stanley's earlier foray into the kingdom of Westria may feel a bit lost as Molly is charged with finding a special cup for King Alaric, and the action picks up quickly. However characters new and old are effectively drawn, and the plot moves smoothly, ensuring that both sets of readers will follow the ensuing journey with enthusiasm and interest. Mysterious visions, a secret city, a family reunion of sorts and kidnapping all figure into the tale, as do a clever rat catcher and a magical protector. Stanley's storytelling is polished, her imaginary world clearly constructed. She doesn't shy away from serious subjects, but her light touch enables readers to ponder them as part of the whole rather than as overt messages about life, love and politics. Savvy readers will suspect (or hope) that Molly's story will continue, but this section of her saga comes to a satisfying end. Richly imagined and elegantly conveyed, this is a worthy successor to Molly's star-studded debut. (Fantasy. 10-14)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
When Molly's friend, young King Alaric, sends her on a quest to find an enchanted loving cup, she discovers a hidden city, Harrowsgode, where magic is common and where she will find links to her own past and perhaps threats of a forbidding future. As in the first novel of Molly's adventures, the well-received The Silver Bowl (2011), the former scullery maid is reluctant to reveal her own powers, which might prove her undoing or perhaps her salvation. Elements of contrivance and episodes requiring willing suspensions of disbelief occasionally weaken this sequel's plot, but the setting remains strong, and Molly and her best friend Tobias continue to be thoroughly engaging characters. An open ending promises a third volume of Molly's adventures, which will surely delight Stanley fans.--Cart, Michael Copyright 2010 Booklist
