The Cup

The Moroccan Empire #0.5

by Melissa Addey

The city of Kairouan in Tunisia, 1020. Hela has powers too strong for a child – both to feel the pain of those around her and to heal them. But when she is given a mysterious cup by a slave woman, its powers overtake her life, forcing her into a vow she cannot hope to keep. Trapped by her vow, Hela loses one chance after another to love and be loved. Meanwhile in her household a child is growing into a woman who will become famous throughout the Muslim world. So begins a quartet of historical novels set in Morocco as the Almoravid Dynasty sweeps across Northern Africa and Spain, creating a Muslim Empire that endured for generations.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Romance, Morocco, Africa

128 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2018

About the author

I mainly write historical fiction: my first novel, The Fragrant Concubine, was Editor’s Choice at the Historical Novel Society, my latest, The Cold Palace, won the 2019 Novel London award.

I was the Leverhulme Trust Writer in Residence at the British Library and now run regular workshops there. I have a PhD in Creative Writing and have self-published 13 books.

I live in London with my husband and two children.

If you’d like to try my writing, visit my website www.melissaaddey.com to pick up a free novella, The Cup.

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (11/3/2019)! 🎁

[S. Daisy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a historical fiction novella prequel with a touch of magic and fantasy. Set in Morocco in the 1020's to 1050's, it is basically a teaser to get the reader interested in buying the next book in the series, as it ends in a cliff-hanger.

The novella follows the life of Hela, an herbalist (who also happens to be an empath) who is given a magical red cup by a doomed old slave woman. This cup has the ability to make whatever herbal concoction that is put in it work like... well, like magic, to heal or to harm whoever drinks from it. Is this cup a blessing... or a curse?

I did not like the magic in the book. I did not like the raunchy scenes. And I did not like the cliff-hanger ending. But I did like the glimpse into history that rarely is shared in books, the use of real places and people, the detail and texture with which the author writes, and the true uses of different herbal remedies that the author scattered throughout. You could tell that the author has talent. This book was well-written, but it simply wasn't for me. Two stars.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical novel set in the beautiful, exotic ambience of Kairhouan in Tunisia with descriptions which are so vivid that the reader can taste the spicy food, the sweet deserts, hear the noise and bustle of the souks full of traders and customers bartering and haggling for their wares. Hela is just a child when she sits in the souk advising her father on the sales of slave when she is given a cup by a disabled woman slave who her father sells off on her recommendation. Hela can feel people's feelings and when she becomes a healer like her mother she is almost venerated for her ability to heal, however when she uses the cup she was given strange things happen and Hela does not know whether this cup is a gift or a curse and she fears its powers. She ends up giving up her life for a debt she feels she owes a certain family as she follows them on their course of destruction. Every time she blames herself and the cup but is this just superstition or does she think she is all powerful to have a hand in such disasters of life? I absolutely enjoyed reading this beautifully written book which brings to life the everyday life of the Maghreb, a setting I truly enjoying reading about! Just have to read book 2 now as the story ends on a cliffhanger which arouses a readers curiosity to read on!

[Helen Hollick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
"The main beauty of this novella is Ms Addey’s exquisite writing skill. Her characters walk and talk and behave as do real people"

[karin whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm finding that I enjoy historical fiction! Melissa Addey brings history to life in her writing. Her characters are so real, the story so vividly described, I feel drawn back in time. Very good reading!

[Jenna Berke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical.

[Barb Nifong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good book. It kept my interest throughout. It’s the first time to read this author and I found her interesting.

[Mary Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Addey's CHINA series based on consorts and emperors of 18th century Qing dynasty. Outstanding! Moving on to Kairouan, Tunisia, 1020, I'm immediately hooked by the Moorish prequel The Cup. Melissa Addey combines history and fiction so well – it's like escaping to another world.

The Cup is a combination of historical fiction and elements of fantasy. Main character, Hela, is an empath and healer. Hela surpasses her mother's trade knowledge after receiving a mysterious red cup with magical capabilities. Is it Hela's gift or a curse?

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that grabs your attention from the first page. A vow made by a young healer during a moment of guilt over the death of a young man will haunt the woman for the rest of her life. Through it all she is in possession of a strange wooden cup gifted to her from a slave. It was supposed to help her heal patients but she finds out there is a price to pay for the assistance. Unable to destroy it, she is controlled by it and the potential destruction of innocents that it could involve. Her sense of guilt over the malignant repercussions of the cup prevents her from finding love and peace in her own life. It's a definite cliff-hanger of a story!

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical fiction novella that kept me invested. I read it within two days.
Hela is a young herbalist and probably empath when she receives a cup by disabled slave, in which her father sells. Since then she can't figure out if it's a gift or a curse. After a certain, shall we say mishap, with the cup, she puts herself in the service of a family as a debt she feels she owes them. The story tells of her struggles with that and her eventual coming to grips with what she will do with the power she's been given. Teases what is to come in the following books.

[Janet Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Islamic Morocco Circa 1000 C.E.
This is a historical fiction about the Islamic Society of Northern Africa. The series of four books eventually includes Moorish Spain, Andalusia and Morocco. This is a really neat series that causes the reader to become completely enveloped in the culture and climate of that world. It is a very good story that is a bit haunting. I can't wait to read the next in the series. I received this book for free from the author and voluntarily chose to post my honest review.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a prequel to A String of Silver Beads and really captured me. I didn't have a problem with the ending that is used to pull the reader into the next story because that is what many authors do with prequels and since both stories are so good, I think they are worth the read. Interesting story all of the way through!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

She has powers too strong for a child, both to feel pain of others but also heal them. She is given a cup and she makes a cow which she may find hard to keep. Finding love and being loved is out of her reach. A wonderful take which takes you on a journey

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Morgan Blomstedt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written. I found this story to be intriguing and it continued to draw me in.

[Viola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating

I smell the events of this foreign city as the characters tell the story of love, evil, wealth and spiritual gifts

[Petite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always such interesting stories told by this author. I have read several other works previously and never disappointed. As this story came to an end, I wanted more.

[Trick Wiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a few to read this story- series not because it was boring or no action or anything like that I took my time because I didn't want to miss anything and I wanted to make sure I understand or understood this magical story! Talk about history,so very much researched went into this fantastic adventure. I learn so very much about the county,the customs the time this story took place the people and the regions the religion of this faith. So many Muslims get such a bad name and they do this and that but I think it's more that, I think people are scared of the tell and their customs. People are scared of what they don't understand.. As in the Jewish people their religion is different and the person, a true Jewish person lives and their beliefs which is not known and understood ,then they are bad people,evil people and what others say how horrible they are cause some did something bad. Well Christian people do this bad are you scared of them? No cause you understand Christianity. Follow this girl who has a gift and a cup and a Muslim. Miss Melissa did a fantastic job in explaining the county and the religion back in that time. The description of the country,she places you right there as if you are watching the story unfold..Follow Hela as she grows from a child to a woman, her family ,see how they react and follow this so misunderstood religion that has been here since time began!! I so much like I said not only learned so much but so enjoyed this wonderful historical book! Off to the second book in this series and let's see where it will lead us!! Read other stories from Melissa on different subjects different countries And yes,religion!!

[The Honest Book Reviewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novella that is well written, for what it is, which is a pared back story with very little embellishment. I did enjoy the historical setting, and I thought the main character, Hela, an engaging protagonist. Her voice is consistently strong. The author's ability to show Hela's awareness is strong. It is clear that Melissa Addey knows how to spin a story. What I didn't like is the lack of embellishment, and I didn't like the obvious fact that this novella is used as a teaser to then encourage readers to purchase the next three novellas in this overall story.

Fortunately, my library service has all four, so if I read the rest of this series, I don't need to fall into that buying trap that many self-published authors force the reader into. It's a great marketing tool, and I understand the reason, but I can understand reader frustration when authors do this.

The author injects much realism into this historical story. It is very much a character driven story, a look into human motivations and desires. If you're after a story that provides a richly drawn setting, then this may not be for you, as that detail is sparse. Still, this story did keep my interest and I thought the slight fantasy addition, with the red stained cup, was a needed embellishment. The cup is something that hooks the reader into the story, and many pivotal sections hinge on the cup.

If you're drawn to character driven, historical drama, then this story may interest you.

[Dolores Soldo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am beginning to fall in love with this author's stories. She has a talent for bringing long ago times in exotic settings to life, with details that appeal to the senses, interesting, evolving characters and plots, and sometimes beautiful language. I especially enjoyed her trilogy set in the Manchu dynasty in Imperial China. The setting of this story is in Northwestern Africa, somewhere in the area of present day Morocco and Tunisia, and also rich in detail of the culture of a past age -the bazaars, lush hand woven Arabian carpets, the pottery and woodworks, the slave trading and polygamous marriages of rich and powerful men. And Magic. The main character is a healer who is given a cup that can make wishes come true by amplifying the emotions of those who touch it, healing for some but destructive for others, including the healer and those close to her. She is a strange character, who believes herself responsible for the destruction, and condemns herself to lifelong penance for it. It is a short novel, really a novella, an introduction to a series, but nevertheless dense and compelling on its own.

[Lenora Good · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hela is the daughter of a man who sells slaves. As a child, she frequently accompanies him to the souk. An untrained empath, she ‘knows’ who will pay more, who will pay less, and sometimes where the salve should go or not go, and is able to convey the information to her father. Until an old and misshapen crone is sold off, and gives her a red cup. A magical cup. Hela is so shaken by the experience, she no longer attends her father, and instead, learns the healing arts from her mother. During which time, she discovers the magical properties of the cup, and at one point, tries to use it to her own use to disastrous consequences. For every action, there is an opposing reaction.

This is a lead-in to a series, which I have not yet read. The author covers many years, in a short period of time, and I assume we really don’t need the info in the lost years to dive into the series. I gather the books are about different women, and the last book will tie it all together. It should be an exciting and fun read to go through the series.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 4 out of 5]

" We must not be so proud as to believe that we are the only person of Importance to Allah"

This is the story of Hela, a healer who is given a cup with magical properties. She uses it to entice a man she is interested in and he dies. To atone his death she enslaves herself to his sister Djalia. But Djalia has been severely abused by her father as a child, and never really trusts anyone because of the trauma. Hela tries to help the situation, but her own issues continue to pile upon her. When, at last, she allows herself to taste freedom , she is drawn back into this strange family cycle.

Such a sad story of psychological terror surrounding an old red wooden cup. Melissa Addey has laid the foundations for a generational cycle of the Moorish Empire of the 11th century. There are three other books in the series, and I plan to read and review all of them. Recommended 4/5

[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and chose to read and review it]

[Susan Hamann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is set in Morocco, about 1000 years ago. Hela's father is a slave trader and she has powers, even as a child, to help her father get the best price for the slaves he is selling. Her mother is an herbalist healer, and Hela learns quickly from her mother and becomes an even better healer. An old slave woman gives Hela an old, carved, wooden cup at the opening of the book. Hela and her cup become legendary, but Hela inadvertently may have killed someone. She decides to atone for the death and spends years in service to another family.

This is a fascinating story. The author is skilled at writing from 1000 years hence. I listened to the audio book and the narrator is excellent. She has an exotic voice and does character voices well. The author provided me with a copy of the audio book. This is my honest review.

I recommend this book for mature audiences because of some of the subject matter.

[Roger]

The Cup (The Moorish Empire #1), my first read from author Melissa Addey. Reminiscent of Kate Mosse's historical fiction. Extremely well-written, the characters, even the minor ones, are well developed. I’m a character reader, I get into the characters. Who and what they are. Why do they do the things they do. The things that make the reader get invested in the characters and thereby the story. I’ll be reading more from this author, I look forward to her next book, now I just have to get A String of Silver Beads (The Moorish Empire #2). “I received a free Audible copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. Darla Middlebrook's narration fits the book perfectly! (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Neera Kapahi · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was something magical about this novella. I was transported to a different time and exotic location. The story is set in Tunisia in 1020. A gifted young girl, Hela accompanies her father to the market where a slave girl gives her a cup. Hela’s mother is a gifted and famous healer and Hela learns her craft. When she mixes the various herbs and uses the cup, she discovers that the healing intensifies.

The story becomes complicated and takes a different turn when Hela wants to atone for something. While this may be important to the storyline, I kept hoping that she would realize that she had done enough and pay attention to living her own life.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The poor girl kept making mistakes left and right and messed up everyone’s life. Moral of the story: communicate, don’t keep things to yourself, and do not meddle. I liked the beginning of the old crooked (literally speaking) lady giving Hela this magical cup. Hela becomes a great healer but at what cost? Her character was annoying - she was suppose to be wise but kept making the worst decisions. This book didn’t explain the story behind the cup or why that woman gave Hela the cup. Yes, it is part of a series but each book stands on its own with diff characters.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well-told, interesting story. It’s protagonist, Hela, is vividly drawn, but the rest of the characters are somewhat flat. The book’s greatest strengths are its setting and atmosphere. The plot disappointed me in its simplicity, repetition, and lack of closure. The cliff-hanger ending is probably to entice the reader to buy the next book in the series, but the author should have had more faith in herself. The series doesn’t need the crutch and each book should be allowed to stand on its own merits.

[Rebecca Gregory-Chifos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just Too Depressing!

Although beautifully researched and excellently written the story of Hela the healer is just so unbearably sad. The novella is nuanced and textured and descriptive, but overwhelmingly filled with human misery. I honestly gave up before the end (which I understand is a cliffhanger, and I do not appreciate cliffhanger endings). If I want to be depressed, all I need to do is look at today's headlines.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling and well told story! Captures the (lack of) value assigned to women in that time and culture. The mystical element of Hela's healing powers both fits the story and drives it along. The sadness I felt at the end of the tale was overshadowed by the excellent telling of the story. Somehow, there was hope.

[Irene Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous series!

I first read 'The Cup' as a free book from Melissa's web site and was delighted when the follow-up books came out in audio. I have now listened to all three books and re-read the cup.
All I can say is Thank You for transporting me to a time and p!ace that intrigued me and invited me into the lives of four very different, strong and powerful women.

[Deedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be better than I expected.Hella,a healer,atones her whole life for a debt that she feels she owes a family.Darla Middlebrook was a very good narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'