--- product_id: 27097262 title: "Kingfisher" brand: "patricia a. mckillip" price: "£29.04" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 9 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/27097262-kingfisher store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # Kingfisher **Brand:** patricia a. mckillip **Price:** £29.04 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Kingfisher by patricia a. mckillip - **How much does it cost?** £29.04 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/27097262-kingfisher) ## Best For - patricia a. mckillip enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted patricia a. mckillip brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![Kingfisher - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51MKfM0DOXL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wonderful book, one of her best! *by M***R on Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2023* 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. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Not her best, but a fascinating setting *by F***E on Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2016* 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. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I really like this author *by C***H on Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2022* 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 --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/27097262-kingfisher](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/27097262-kingfisher) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-05-16*