I’m always interested in contemporary retellings of old tales, and the tales of the Holy Grail qualify as ‘old’. I read the dust jacket and really had no idea what the book was actually about, but there was a quote on the back that says, “An elaborate and intricate reworking of the Grail Legend . . . an absorbing story.” (–The Bookseller) That, rather than anything else, piqued my interest. Frankly, the description of the book reads more like a ghost story than anything else.

Cal is eighteen or so, recently out of school, and has decided to move in with his uncle, an accountant. Uncle Trevor lives in a nice suburb in what I’m assuming is Wales (as the author is Welsh); Cal used to live with his mother in a cheap, dingy apartment in a city. Cal’s mother drinks, primarily because she hears voices, and he found it impossible to stay with her much longer. On the train to his uncle’s, he accidentally disembarks at the wrong stop, and has to look for somewhere to stay. He ends up in a castle of sorts, and there is an event going on. A strange man asks him if he can see a cup, and in his confusion and fear, he declines. Everything seems to go wrong after that: he wakes up in a scary abandoned house, he has to pay more money to get to his uncle’s, he’s got a sword he can’t get rid of, even if he tries, and being an accountant’s assistant is painfully boring. He does meet some people who seem to be like American Ren Faire people — reenacters of Arthurian times. Maybe they can help him with his predicament?

Cal has a difficult life. He’s spent the last ten or more years taking care of her, hiding what she does from teachers, neighbors, and the government. He’s also had to hide their poverty, and that’s taken quite a toll on him. All he wants is for things to be neat, clean, and organized, and life with his mother is anything but. Life with his uncle, in the nice little planned community, appeals a lot, especially at first. He can wear nice clothing; he works a job four days a week and takes classes the fifth day; he gets paid; everything is tidy. When strange things happen, including the castle and the sword, he quite naturally wonders if he’s going crazy like his mother. This fear causes him to do some odd things, like lie about his ability to see the cup, and avoid his mother’s presence altogether. This part of the book was a little difficult to read, as it felt so painfully true.

The Arthurian Ren Faire people (insofar as they are) felt a little bit contrived to me at the beginning. I mean, you’re writing a contemporary fantasy, and you need people who swordfight and act like Medieval Times, so who you gonna call? Re-enacters! Their presence made a little more sense to me later (when a Big Factor was revealed), but then I started thinking about that particular reveal a little more, and realized that I just didn’t quite buy it. I felt as if her explanation for the presence of these people was inadequate. I wonder if she could have written the story without that particular element, and I’m not sure, but I’m also not sure they had to be there. I apologize for my circumlocution, but I don’t want to give away that twist.

I liked the characters, a lot. I liked Cal especially, despite his mild obsessive-compulsiveness; he seemed exceptionally well-rounded and dynamic. Shadow, in some ways the heroine, was another one of my favorite characters. She has quite an interesting personal history, and although she’s a bit of a stereotype in so many ways, she was also dynamic and well-drawn. Trevor’s girlfriend, Thérèse, had some hidden depth, as well.

The strength of the story lies in its atmosphere and setting, as well as its characters and its startling emotional honesty. The atmosphere is a bit spooky and occasionally gloomy, but there is enough brightness that shines through to keep it from being too dark. The setting is well-described, especially the castle (Corbenic, by the way, is the traditional castle that houses the Grail). Barring that almost unbelievable plot element I alluded to above, I’d say the book is very well done. I’d recommend it for YA and up, who enjoy retellings, and who don’t mind looking for the light that shines through the darkness. 4/5 stars.