Call number
Genres
Publication
New York: Ace Books, 1996
Pages
247
Description
Twenty years ago, the powerful mage Atrix Wolfe unleashed an uncontrollable force that killed his beloved king. Now, the Queen of the Wood has offered him one last chance for redemption. She asks him to find her daughter, who vanished into the human world during the massacre he caused. No one has seen the princess-but deep in the kitchens of the Castle of Pelucir, there is a scullery maid who appeared out of nowhere one night long ago. She cannot speak and her eyes are full of sadness. But there are those who call her beautiful.
Awards
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — Adult Literature — 1996)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1995
Physical description
247 p.; 6.5 inches
ISBN
0441003613 / 9780441003617
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User reviews
LibraryThing member ncgraham
I owe Patricia McKillip a lot. She, along with Susanna Clarke, helped me to fall in love with the fantasy genre again. The Book of Atrix Wolfe, published in 1996, was an important moment in her career; it not only marked the beginning of her partnership with illustrator Kinuko Y. Craft, but also
The title character is a mage, the oldest and wisest in the world, but in spite of his knowledge he has made a grievous mistake. In the harrowing prologue, he shapes a spell that he believes will bring peace to the warring Pelucir, but in the end he creates a being far more terrible than any war, known only as the Hunter.
Twenty years later, Talis Pelucir discovers a book of magic when at the mages' school in Chaumenard. What the words say and what they mean are two very different things, and the spells Talis weaves bring both Atrix and the Hunter back to Pelucir; he also manages to breach the gap between his world and the Queen of the Wood's realm, whose role in the drama soon becomes tragically apparent. The importance of words is emphasized throughout, as in one of McKillip's other novels, Alphabet of Thorn.
Further connections with Alphabet are revealed when we are introduced to the character of Saro, and for me this is one of the high points of the book. Like Nepenthe in the later novel, the child Saro is discovered one day outside of the king's palace and brought in by the castle folk, except that here the changeling is made to work in the kitchen, not the library. And while Nepenthe's world is filled with words, Saro never utters a single one. It is a true testament to McKillip's talent that in a single chapter she is able to fully explore the complexities of both her mute heroine and the environment in which she moves. As for the descriptions of the food the cooks prepares, I have no words. They are simply mouth-watering! I made the mistake of reading the first kitchen chapter late at night, and then had to find something to eat before I could sleep soundly.
What I have not yet addressed is the ending, and it is here that the similarities with Alphabet of Thorn end. At the climax of that book, the seemingly disparate plot lines suddenly come together in a terribly shocking way. Here there are no such surprises, and with the exception of a few minor details I knew the way the book was going to go after the first twenty pages. I could have thought of kinder endings for several characters, and the fact that Talis can go from being passionately in love with one woman to finding hope in another within the course of a few pages is rather unsettling. In spite of many things I liked about this book (not the least of which being Kinuko Y. Craft's typically wonderful cover art), I cannot recommend it as one of McKillip's best.
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represented the first example of what she has referred to as her "fairytale" books. Aside from the general tone and a few stock characters (the Horned Hunter, the Queen of the Wood) one would be hard pressed to find a strong likeness with traditional folktales.The title character is a mage, the oldest and wisest in the world, but in spite of his knowledge he has made a grievous mistake. In the harrowing prologue, he shapes a spell that he believes will bring peace to the warring Pelucir, but in the end he creates a being far more terrible than any war, known only as the Hunter.
Twenty years later, Talis Pelucir discovers a book of magic when at the mages' school in Chaumenard. What the words say and what they mean are two very different things, and the spells Talis weaves bring both Atrix and the Hunter back to Pelucir; he also manages to breach the gap between his world and the Queen of the Wood's realm, whose role in the drama soon becomes tragically apparent. The importance of words is emphasized throughout, as in one of McKillip's other novels, Alphabet of Thorn.
Further connections with Alphabet are revealed when we are introduced to the character of Saro, and for me this is one of the high points of the book. Like Nepenthe in the later novel, the child Saro is discovered one day outside of the king's palace and brought in by the castle folk, except that here the changeling is made to work in the kitchen, not the library. And while Nepenthe's world is filled with words, Saro never utters a single one. It is a true testament to McKillip's talent that in a single chapter she is able to fully explore the complexities of both her mute heroine and the environment in which she moves. As for the descriptions of the food the cooks prepares, I have no words. They are simply mouth-watering! I made the mistake of reading the first kitchen chapter late at night, and then had to find something to eat before I could sleep soundly.
What I have not yet addressed is the ending, and it is here that the similarities with Alphabet of Thorn end. At the climax of that book, the seemingly disparate plot lines suddenly come together in a terribly shocking way. Here there are no such surprises, and with the exception of a few minor details I knew the way the book was going to go after the first twenty pages. I could have thought of kinder endings for several characters, and the fact that Talis can go from being passionately in love with one woman to finding hope in another within the course of a few pages is rather unsettling. In spite of many things I liked about this book (not the least of which being Kinuko Y. Craft's typically wonderful cover art), I cannot recommend it as one of McKillip's best.
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LibraryThing member twilightnocturne
Patricia A. McKillip's The Book of Atrix Wolfe is a unique story that centers primarily around an old and (incredibly) powerful mage named Atrix Wolfe, a mute scullery maid who the kitchen workers call Saro, and a teenage mage in the making, Talis. As a brief overview, without giving too much away,
That's when the story flashes forward 20 years, and we meet young Talis, who is currently taking residence in Chaumenard to learn the art of sorcery. He also happens to be the son of the king Pelucir, who died on that tragic night on Hunter's field. After being called back to his home of Pelucir by his Brother, he leaves the mage's school; though not alone -- he takes something strange with him. An odd unmarked book he found one night; a book with no name or label, just vaguely written spells that seem to hold some sort of power. Little does he know, this is a book written by the one and only, Atrix Wolfe. A book which holds words of secret, and undesired meanings; A book that in itself, bears the scars of what happened on that fateful night. A book that holds a terrible power -- a power that could respark the horrible entity that ended the battle on Hunter's Field; a power that will change Talis's life and disturb the already haunted ruins of Pelicur once again.
Lastly, this is also where we meet Saro, a strange young Scullery made who works and sleeps in the kitchens of Pelicur. For Saro, her only language lay within the scrubbing of a pot or the stirring of a cauldron. For her, she has no words -- no voice -- the only thing she truly has is her job in the kitchens, and that job defines her completely. While she does respond to her name, which was given to her by the kitchen staff, "Saro", meaning, "someone's sorrow", she has never spoken since they found her on that horrible night; found naked, lost amongst a pile of wood. Though Saro is simply the pot cleaner, a girl who is rarely noticed -- she holds a strange secret past -- one that no one is aware of, not even herself. Though to the kitchen staff, her existence is simple; she never speaks, and all she knows of life and the world is her large washing cauldron, inside she is alive, aware, simply lost within her forgotten past. A past that will soon be revealed by Talis and Atrix Wolfe, who's lives all seemingly intertwine as the plot pushes fourth.
To say the least, Patricia McKillip is one talented and highly skilled author! Her writing style is both unique and genuinely her own -- it's deep, poetic, artistic, dream-like, etheareal, emotional. Her use of words is absolutely stunning, and she relies heavily on her atmospheric style to carry her story (and it works). I found this novel to be stylistically beautiful, and I found myself on numerous occasions re-reading what I had just read, only to think "wow.." Some moments were just so good, I had to re-read them. Not many authors do that to me.
Aside from the beauty of the writing itself, I also quite enjoyed the characters, which were all unique and interesting, especially Saro. While Atrix Wolfe and Talis were both great and compelling characters, and I certainly cared about what would happen to them; she was by far my favorite (despite the fact that she never spoke a word until the end of the book)! Some of the most touching and heart-breaking moments revolved around her, and the way McKillip portrayed her character as a mute -- speaking the language of the pots, understanding cleaning, food, everything else was drowned out sound, trying to choke up word..struggling.. etc..it was just so interesting. Her interaction between the kitchen crew..what they thought of her, getting an in depth feeling of what was going on in her mind, how she felt..how she saw things..her frustration.. I just can't praise this character enough. She's probably one of the most memorable characters I've read in a long time.
Though I enjoyed most aspects of this novel, especially her poetic, dream-like style, at the same time, I felt that in some areas it actually took away from the story itself -- detaching the reader from certain happenings. For instance, some of the action scenes didn't quite feel right in the way they were written -- almost as if they lacked a much needed intensity. Some were so metaphorically driven, it felt almost as if I were reading a poem rather than an actual moment of danger. Though I generally like this type of writing (hell, I'm a poet), I believe it would have been more affective if the action scenes were toned down a bit, written in a more straight forward fashion rather than the mist-like quality that filled most of this novel. Also, for whatever reason, in the beginning of the book, I had a hard time (for a short period) telling the characters apart. I didn't quite know who was who. Regardless of this, I felt the writing style helped far more than it hurt, and because of this, I was mesmerized and entranced from beginning to end.
All in all, this is a great book. From the hypnotic writing, to the great characters, to the unique plot -- this was an enchanting, well acomplished stand-alone fantasy piece. If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind fantasy novel with an excellent story (even mixed with a bit of folklore/mythology), you should definitely pick this up. Though I've only read one of McKillip's novels (SO FAR), I can say that she is a talented writer, and if you're looking for something a bit different stylistically, you'll get it from her. I recommend "The Book Of Atrix Wolfe" to anyone who's looking for a quick (though deep), unique read, that will hold you entranced and compelled straight from the beginning.
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I will say that ths one-of-a-kind novel begins on an open field in the midst of a war between House Kardeth and House Pelucir. This is also where we first meet Atrix Wolfe, who is known as, perhaps, the most powerful mage in the world. In a moment of emotion and desperation, and in a time of cruelty and death, Atrix Wolfe gathers his energy and power to put an end to the rampant suffering and horror that surrounds Hunter's field. Little does he know, what he unleashes on that dark night is something terrible; something beyond his comprehension; something that will haunt him and everyone involved forever.That's when the story flashes forward 20 years, and we meet young Talis, who is currently taking residence in Chaumenard to learn the art of sorcery. He also happens to be the son of the king Pelucir, who died on that tragic night on Hunter's field. After being called back to his home of Pelucir by his Brother, he leaves the mage's school; though not alone -- he takes something strange with him. An odd unmarked book he found one night; a book with no name or label, just vaguely written spells that seem to hold some sort of power. Little does he know, this is a book written by the one and only, Atrix Wolfe. A book which holds words of secret, and undesired meanings; A book that in itself, bears the scars of what happened on that fateful night. A book that holds a terrible power -- a power that could respark the horrible entity that ended the battle on Hunter's Field; a power that will change Talis's life and disturb the already haunted ruins of Pelicur once again.
Lastly, this is also where we meet Saro, a strange young Scullery made who works and sleeps in the kitchens of Pelicur. For Saro, her only language lay within the scrubbing of a pot or the stirring of a cauldron. For her, she has no words -- no voice -- the only thing she truly has is her job in the kitchens, and that job defines her completely. While she does respond to her name, which was given to her by the kitchen staff, "Saro", meaning, "someone's sorrow", she has never spoken since they found her on that horrible night; found naked, lost amongst a pile of wood. Though Saro is simply the pot cleaner, a girl who is rarely noticed -- she holds a strange secret past -- one that no one is aware of, not even herself. Though to the kitchen staff, her existence is simple; she never speaks, and all she knows of life and the world is her large washing cauldron, inside she is alive, aware, simply lost within her forgotten past. A past that will soon be revealed by Talis and Atrix Wolfe, who's lives all seemingly intertwine as the plot pushes fourth.
To say the least, Patricia McKillip is one talented and highly skilled author! Her writing style is both unique and genuinely her own -- it's deep, poetic, artistic, dream-like, etheareal, emotional. Her use of words is absolutely stunning, and she relies heavily on her atmospheric style to carry her story (and it works). I found this novel to be stylistically beautiful, and I found myself on numerous occasions re-reading what I had just read, only to think "wow.." Some moments were just so good, I had to re-read them. Not many authors do that to me.
Aside from the beauty of the writing itself, I also quite enjoyed the characters, which were all unique and interesting, especially Saro. While Atrix Wolfe and Talis were both great and compelling characters, and I certainly cared about what would happen to them; she was by far my favorite (despite the fact that she never spoke a word until the end of the book)! Some of the most touching and heart-breaking moments revolved around her, and the way McKillip portrayed her character as a mute -- speaking the language of the pots, understanding cleaning, food, everything else was drowned out sound, trying to choke up word..struggling.. etc..it was just so interesting. Her interaction between the kitchen crew..what they thought of her, getting an in depth feeling of what was going on in her mind, how she felt..how she saw things..her frustration.. I just can't praise this character enough. She's probably one of the most memorable characters I've read in a long time.
Though I enjoyed most aspects of this novel, especially her poetic, dream-like style, at the same time, I felt that in some areas it actually took away from the story itself -- detaching the reader from certain happenings. For instance, some of the action scenes didn't quite feel right in the way they were written -- almost as if they lacked a much needed intensity. Some were so metaphorically driven, it felt almost as if I were reading a poem rather than an actual moment of danger. Though I generally like this type of writing (hell, I'm a poet), I believe it would have been more affective if the action scenes were toned down a bit, written in a more straight forward fashion rather than the mist-like quality that filled most of this novel. Also, for whatever reason, in the beginning of the book, I had a hard time (for a short period) telling the characters apart. I didn't quite know who was who. Regardless of this, I felt the writing style helped far more than it hurt, and because of this, I was mesmerized and entranced from beginning to end.
All in all, this is a great book. From the hypnotic writing, to the great characters, to the unique plot -- this was an enchanting, well acomplished stand-alone fantasy piece. If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind fantasy novel with an excellent story (even mixed with a bit of folklore/mythology), you should definitely pick this up. Though I've only read one of McKillip's novels (SO FAR), I can say that she is a talented writer, and if you're looking for something a bit different stylistically, you'll get it from her. I recommend "The Book Of Atrix Wolfe" to anyone who's looking for a quick (though deep), unique read, that will hold you entranced and compelled straight from the beginning.
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LibraryThing member Black_samvara
A war of conquest ends terribly when a mage summons something terrible; 20 years later the scars remain. Deep in the forest a Lady seeks her lost child and a young mage struggles to unravel an enigmatic book of spells.
Great view on magery.
Great view on magery.
LibraryThing member Nikkles
This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. I'm not talking about a good story, which this book also has, but the actual words and phrases in this book are beautiful. It is a book that people who love books should read whether they like fantasy or not. The story and
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characters are also very interesting and worth the effort to meet. Show Less
LibraryThing member lorsomething
No one writes pictures like Patricia McKillip! This was a beautifully drawn journey through a slightly familiar, yet mysterious world. Wonderful from start to finish!
LibraryThing member jppoetryreader
I read this some years ago so the story line isn't fresh in my mind. However, the book made a huge impression on me. As with all of McKillip's books, it is full of enchantment, mystery and beautiful language. The story is about struggling for perception and understanding, it's about language and
After reading this, I remember recommending it to a friend who teaches college composition as a book full of potential points of discussion. However, this friend was not a fantasy reader and probably had a hard time believing a fantasy would be intellectually stimulating. However, had I been teaching at that time, I would have jumped right in with it. I kept this book on my shelf because I expect to reread it one day.
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finding a voice. It's also about the destructiveness of war (intentional and unintentional). There are two stories going on, that of a young scholar prince and that of a mystical young lady yanked away from her family. The young man wears thick glasses. The young lady is mute and works as a skullery girl in a huge castle kitchen. McKillip's descriptions of the food being prepared are full of symbolism. These descriptions are sometimes overelaborate and drag on. It is one of only two flaws in the book, the second being an ending that feels contrived. McKillip's books are never about action, they're about unraveling mysteries and it's true here times two.After reading this, I remember recommending it to a friend who teaches college composition as a book full of potential points of discussion. However, this friend was not a fantasy reader and probably had a hard time believing a fantasy would be intellectually stimulating. However, had I been teaching at that time, I would have jumped right in with it. I kept this book on my shelf because I expect to reread it one day.
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LibraryThing member navelos
I just couldn't get into this one. I tried a couple times and each time I lost interest and had trouble following what was going on.
LibraryThing member mbg0312
At her best, Patricia McKillip plumbs some of the same territory as Ursula Le Guin's Wizard of Earthsea. This book isn't her best by a long shot, although its not bad. The setting is pure high fantasy - castles, magic, etc - but the conflicts go beyond good vs. evil. She tries to get at idea about
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the unintended consequences of violence, identity, loss, and family, but her ambitions weren't well realized in this particular outing. Show Less
LibraryThing member Krumbs
Just lovely. A bit strict fantasy, some romance, war, angst, avoidance of problems, confrontation of problems, confusion, regret, and a non-standard but still hopeful ending. Exactly what I would expect from the author.
LibraryThing member Karlstar
This book is a very rare thing these days, a short novel that is a complete story. It doesn't hurt that the Ace hardcover edition is a really nice little book. I really enjoyed this book when I read it. Its a bit slow and a little short on action, but very well written and enjoyable to read.
LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
A beautiful fairytale.
Atrix Wolfe is a powerful mage. Years ago, in an attempt to stop a war between two kingdoms, he conjured a terrible Hunter through sorcery... causing more death than, possibly, the war would have. In remorse and shame, he fled to the life of a hermit...
But now, a young prince
Meanwhile, in the castle kitchens, a mute kitchen drudge called Saro labors endlessly over her dirty pots... and sees visions in the washwater...
Remarkable, as always, for the vivid poetics of McKillip's language, and the purity of her vision... Plus, this one has descriptions of the castle feasts that'll have your mouth watering!
I don't think this is McKillip's best book, but it's certainly a very good one.
Atrix Wolfe is a powerful mage. Years ago, in an attempt to stop a war between two kingdoms, he conjured a terrible Hunter through sorcery... causing more death than, possibly, the war would have. In remorse and shame, he fled to the life of a hermit...
But now, a young prince
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in mage training has found his spellbook, and old sorceries are stirring.. And, for some reason, the beautiful Faerie Queen of the Wood is sending visions to both a boy and a mage...Meanwhile, in the castle kitchens, a mute kitchen drudge called Saro labors endlessly over her dirty pots... and sees visions in the washwater...
Remarkable, as always, for the vivid poetics of McKillip's language, and the purity of her vision... Plus, this one has descriptions of the castle feasts that'll have your mouth watering!
I don't think this is McKillip's best book, but it's certainly a very good one.
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LibraryThing member quondame
There are scraps of this fantasy that always stay with me. And it is so rich that it has always been a fulfilling read.
LibraryThing member bunnyjadwiga
Atrix Wolfe, mage and shapechanger, in an attempt to save his homeland, made a terrible mistake-- one that destroyed a number of people, and, it seems, continues to tangle others in its strands. Saro, unspeaking kitchen pot-girl. Talis, shapechanger student and son of the dead king of Pelucir. The
McKillip's usual bright flashes of poetry dart in and out of this fairy tale, with flickering ghosts of destruction and fleeting glimpses of another world-- but to more purpose than in some of her books; you can follow the story. There is a large helping of 'people don't communicate when that would be helpful' in this story (another trend in McKillip), but that's achingly familiar to those who have grown up in the tangles of someone else's old trauma.
Talis isn't as vivid as most of McKillip's heroes, but Saro makes up for it. Saro, and Saro's world, the kitchen of a great house.
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Hunter. The Queen of the Wood. And perhaps Atrix Wolfe himself. The answers might lie in a book of magic written by Atrix Wolfe-- but everything Talis tries out of it backfires dangerously.McKillip's usual bright flashes of poetry dart in and out of this fairy tale, with flickering ghosts of destruction and fleeting glimpses of another world-- but to more purpose than in some of her books; you can follow the story. There is a large helping of 'people don't communicate when that would be helpful' in this story (another trend in McKillip), but that's achingly familiar to those who have grown up in the tangles of someone else's old trauma.
Talis isn't as vivid as most of McKillip's heroes, but Saro makes up for it. Saro, and Saro's world, the kitchen of a great house.
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