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Silver Bowl #1
The Silver Bowl
Unwanted at home, Molly goes to work for the king of Westria as a humble scullery maid. She arrives at the castle with no education, no manners, and a very disturbing secret: She sees visions, and those visions always come true.
One day, while she's working in the king's great hall, young Prince Alaric passes by. Molly finds him unbearably handsome—but also unbearably rude. But what does it really matter? She'll probably never see him again.
In time Molly is promoted to polishing silver and is given a priceless royal treasure to work on: the king's great ceremonial hand basin. But there's something odd about it. The silver warms to her touch, a voice commands her to watch and listen, and then the visions appear. They tell the story of a dreaded curse that has stalked the royal family for years. There have already been deaths; soon there will be more.
As tragedy after tragedy strikes the royal family, Molly can't help but wonder: Will the beautiful Alaric be next? Together with her friends Tobias and Winifred, Molly must protect the prince and destroy the curse. Could a less likely champion be found to save the kingdom of Westria?
One day, while she's working in the king's great hall, young Prince Alaric passes by. Molly finds him unbearably handsome—but also unbearably rude. But what does it really matter? She'll probably never see him again.
In time Molly is promoted to polishing silver and is given a priceless royal treasure to work on: the king's great ceremonial hand basin. But there's something odd about it. The silver warms to her touch, a voice commands her to watch and listen, and then the visions appear. They tell the story of a dreaded curse that has stalked the royal family for years. There have already been deaths; soon there will be more.
As tragedy after tragedy strikes the royal family, Molly can't help but wonder: Will the beautiful Alaric be next? Together with her friends Tobias and Winifred, Molly must protect the prince and destroy the curse. Could a less likely champion be found to save the kingdom of Westria?
307 pages, Hardcover
First published April 26, 2011
30 people are currently reading
1767 people want to read
About the author
Diane Stanley
79 books177 followersDiane Stanley is an American children's author and illustrator, a former medical illustrator, and a former art director for the publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons. Born in 1943 in Abilene, Texas, she was educated at Trinity University (in San Antonio, TX) and at Johns Hopkins University. She is perhaps best known for her many picture-book biographies, some of which were co-authored by her husband, Peter Vennema. (source: Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
March 18, 2013
Originally Reviewed on The Book Smugglers
The youngest in a large, poor family, Molly has never been truly wanted by her father. It doesn't help that she starts developing a strange ability - while playing tag with some of the local villagers, Molly has a vision of a neighbor dying tragically. A few days later, when that vision comes true, the entire village sees her as a witch and a curse - like her mother before her, who has been locked away from the world and called mad by Molly's father, Molly has a rare gift of seeing the future. So, at the age of seven, when her family's fortunes are at an all time low, her father finds the perfect reason to get rid of his unwanted child. Molly is hauled off to the castle where she is put to work as a scullery maid in the kitchens - hard, long labor that at first is a tough fit for the headstrong and very vocal Molly. As the years pass, though, she finds her place at the castle, making friends (especially with the so-called "Donkey Boy" Tobias and fellow maid Winifred), and eventually getting a position polishing silver outside of the kitchens.
Her new job, however, has her polishing a beautiful silver bowl...which immediately begins to show her terrifying visions of the past, and of the grim future that awaits the King. As it turns out, the royal family is cursed, and Molly alone has the ability to foresee - and change - the future.
When I started this book, I was looking for a diverting, adventure-filled YA fantasy read - and I am pleased to say The Silver Bowl did not disappoint. Reminiscent of middle grade/young adult fantasy novels Patricia C. Wrede, The Silver Bowl is a sweet adventurous tale with a wonderful, plucky heroine. In fact, though this book was published in 2011, it feels much more like one of the books I would have devoured and loved as a middle schooler - like Cimorene's adventures in Searching for Dragons, or Harry's adventures in The Blue Sword. The tone of the novel and its prose are beautifully rendered, and I love that Diane Stanley is not afraid to show the darker elements of the story (curses in the form of monsters, bloody battles and injury, to name a few) - but it is the elegant style in which the book is written that gives it the feel of a McKinley, or Wrede, or McKillip.
Of course, the true standout of the book is our heroine, young Molly and her singular ability to cut to the heart of any problem and take matters into her own hands. I love that she, unlike the usual heroines that seem so prevalent in today's fantasy fiction for young adults, is charmingly ignorant and un-educated. Instead of being the peasant girl that has had the loving family that has, inexplicably, educated her far beyond the station of her time, Molly is refreshingly ignorant. She's not polished. She's not princess beautiful. She's not literate. But that does not mean she isn't brilliantly smart. Molly has gumption, beyond her station in life - and that is pretty freaking amazing. I also love that there is a romance angle to this story, and it's not one that features the peasant girl becoming the prince's bride.
From a story perspective, the underlying conflict of The Silver Bowl is somewhat simplistic (and somewhat predictable, once the villain is revealed), but that does not translate to a poorly told or boring story. Stanley's writing style, the touching interchanges between her characters, the magical abilities and curses of this world - they are all fantastically done.
The Silver Bowl is a book that I would whole-heartedly recommend to anyone looking for a quick, nostalgic fantasy novel - and I will be checking out Diane Stanley's backlist very, very soon.
The youngest in a large, poor family, Molly has never been truly wanted by her father. It doesn't help that she starts developing a strange ability - while playing tag with some of the local villagers, Molly has a vision of a neighbor dying tragically. A few days later, when that vision comes true, the entire village sees her as a witch and a curse - like her mother before her, who has been locked away from the world and called mad by Molly's father, Molly has a rare gift of seeing the future. So, at the age of seven, when her family's fortunes are at an all time low, her father finds the perfect reason to get rid of his unwanted child. Molly is hauled off to the castle where she is put to work as a scullery maid in the kitchens - hard, long labor that at first is a tough fit for the headstrong and very vocal Molly. As the years pass, though, she finds her place at the castle, making friends (especially with the so-called "Donkey Boy" Tobias and fellow maid Winifred), and eventually getting a position polishing silver outside of the kitchens.
Her new job, however, has her polishing a beautiful silver bowl...which immediately begins to show her terrifying visions of the past, and of the grim future that awaits the King. As it turns out, the royal family is cursed, and Molly alone has the ability to foresee - and change - the future.
When I started this book, I was looking for a diverting, adventure-filled YA fantasy read - and I am pleased to say The Silver Bowl did not disappoint. Reminiscent of middle grade/young adult fantasy novels Patricia C. Wrede, The Silver Bowl is a sweet adventurous tale with a wonderful, plucky heroine. In fact, though this book was published in 2011, it feels much more like one of the books I would have devoured and loved as a middle schooler - like Cimorene's adventures in Searching for Dragons, or Harry's adventures in The Blue Sword. The tone of the novel and its prose are beautifully rendered, and I love that Diane Stanley is not afraid to show the darker elements of the story (curses in the form of monsters, bloody battles and injury, to name a few) - but it is the elegant style in which the book is written that gives it the feel of a McKinley, or Wrede, or McKillip.
Of course, the true standout of the book is our heroine, young Molly and her singular ability to cut to the heart of any problem and take matters into her own hands. I love that she, unlike the usual heroines that seem so prevalent in today's fantasy fiction for young adults, is charmingly ignorant and un-educated. Instead of being the peasant girl that has had the loving family that has, inexplicably, educated her far beyond the station of her time, Molly is refreshingly ignorant. She's not polished. She's not princess beautiful. She's not literate. But that does not mean she isn't brilliantly smart. Molly has gumption, beyond her station in life - and that is pretty freaking amazing. I also love that there is a romance angle to this story, and it's not one that features the peasant girl becoming the prince's bride.
From a story perspective, the underlying conflict of The Silver Bowl is somewhat simplistic (and somewhat predictable, once the villain is revealed), but that does not translate to a poorly told or boring story. Stanley's writing style, the touching interchanges between her characters, the magical abilities and curses of this world - they are all fantastically done.
The Silver Bowl is a book that I would whole-heartedly recommend to anyone looking for a quick, nostalgic fantasy novel - and I will be checking out Diane Stanley's backlist very, very soon.
June 19, 2023
A brave, determined, outspoken heroine. Fast plot. Decent dialogue. Plenty of action and danger. Set in the Middle Ages. Some magic thrown in. Would recommend.
A climax toward the end (with the bowl) felt a bit too vague and awkward to me. It didn't quite jive all together, in terms of the logistics and details. But the writing quickly moves along to the next plot point, so it doesn’t last long.
That last chapter of dialogue. <3
A climax toward the end (with the bowl) felt a bit too vague and awkward to me. It didn't quite jive all together, in terms of the logistics and details. But the writing quickly moves along to the next plot point, so it doesn’t last long.
That last chapter of dialogue. <3
February 21, 2011
http://librarytalker.blogspot.com/201...
Molly has been independent and willful ever since she was a little girl. When she gets in trouble one too many times, her father sends her to Dethmere Castle to be a scullery maid. As she leaves, her mother gives her some good advice: never let people know what you can see.
Molly, and her mother, have the gift of "sight". They can see the future and the past. If anyone ever finds out, Molly could be branded a witch.
So Molly heads out at just seven years old to work at the castle. In the beginning, she gets in as much trouble as ever. But slowly, she learns her place in the world and becomes a respected member of the staff. She's even trusted with polishing the King's silver, which only one other person in the castle is allowed to do.
However, Molly's trouble really begins with the silver bowl that she must polish and the secrets it holds within. Can she, a lowly scullery maid, save the kingdom from its curse?
Final thoughts: It was an interesting premise, but it was just poorly done. There's no consistency to the timeline at all. You can go from a minute-by-minute description in one paragraph and suddenly find yourself 3 months later in the story. Things just speed up and slow down with no warning. The prince's change of heart regarding Molly is just too sudden. One moment he's criticizing her and the next he's calling her his good-luck charm. And the relationship with Tobias was just completely dull. There was no personality from anyone in the story, least of all Molly herself. Mediocre read at best.
Molly has been independent and willful ever since she was a little girl. When she gets in trouble one too many times, her father sends her to Dethmere Castle to be a scullery maid. As she leaves, her mother gives her some good advice: never let people know what you can see.
Molly, and her mother, have the gift of "sight". They can see the future and the past. If anyone ever finds out, Molly could be branded a witch.
So Molly heads out at just seven years old to work at the castle. In the beginning, she gets in as much trouble as ever. But slowly, she learns her place in the world and becomes a respected member of the staff. She's even trusted with polishing the King's silver, which only one other person in the castle is allowed to do.
However, Molly's trouble really begins with the silver bowl that she must polish and the secrets it holds within. Can she, a lowly scullery maid, save the kingdom from its curse?
Final thoughts: It was an interesting premise, but it was just poorly done. There's no consistency to the timeline at all. You can go from a minute-by-minute description in one paragraph and suddenly find yourself 3 months later in the story. Things just speed up and slow down with no warning. The prince's change of heart regarding Molly is just too sudden. One moment he's criticizing her and the next he's calling her his good-luck charm. And the relationship with Tobias was just completely dull. There was no personality from anyone in the story, least of all Molly herself. Mediocre read at best.
February 27, 2011
When I finished this I thought what a sweet book! But really, ancient curses, mass murder, ugly family jealousy, double crosses, horrible fathers....
Still sweet, go figure.
Set in feudal times, Molly is 6 years old in a large family that her drunken father cannot support and Mother cannot care for as she is ill. Anne, the oldest daughter takes care of Mother. The oldest son assists Dad. The rest of the kids are farmed out ASAP. When Molly is six, she sees a vision of a neighbor getting hurt. Dad knows this is trouble and immediately takes her away- but not before Mother reveals that Molly has inherited family magic and gives her a talisman to aid her when she struggles with the visions.
Off Dad drags her on a two day walk to the castle, where she learns, with the help of Tobias to blend with other kitchen help until she is tasked with polishing the silver for the King's table.
Now the plot thickens, the visions start and Molly, now older and a tad wiser but no less brave finds she alone must save the royal family from a legion of deadly curses.
She is a charming hero with plucky, faithful companions. The story satisfies in the end.
Still sweet, go figure.
Set in feudal times, Molly is 6 years old in a large family that her drunken father cannot support and Mother cannot care for as she is ill. Anne, the oldest daughter takes care of Mother. The oldest son assists Dad. The rest of the kids are farmed out ASAP. When Molly is six, she sees a vision of a neighbor getting hurt. Dad knows this is trouble and immediately takes her away- but not before Mother reveals that Molly has inherited family magic and gives her a talisman to aid her when she struggles with the visions.
Off Dad drags her on a two day walk to the castle, where she learns, with the help of Tobias to blend with other kitchen help until she is tasked with polishing the silver for the King's table.
Now the plot thickens, the visions start and Molly, now older and a tad wiser but no less brave finds she alone must save the royal family from a legion of deadly curses.
She is a charming hero with plucky, faithful companions. The story satisfies in the end.
September 21, 2015
The Silver Bowl was so cute! I should have recognized it instantly as a work by one of my favorite authors. I found the story sweet and delightful, though its full of danger, wicked curses, and evil family members. Molly is a charming, spunky heroine who is loyal and brave. The story has everything, including a handsome prince, inner magic, and a wicked villain or two.
The action is occasionally a tad passive but mostly delightful with an ending that leaves you grinning.
Perfect for middle school readers and lovers of a good story!
The action is occasionally a tad passive but mostly delightful with an ending that leaves you grinning.
Perfect for middle school readers and lovers of a good story!
November 15, 2014
This review can also be found on my blog.
After my third or fourth reread, I've decided that this book officially goes on my all-time favorites list. It's got everything I love - magic, royalty, danger, and subtle humor - without falling into any of the tired cliches that characterize most books that involve royalty and magic. In fact, Molly, the kitchen girl, is the MC - not the cute royal prince she rescues. I love seeing her roll her eyes at the prince's clueless-ness in the real world when they're hiding - like, "gee, sure, give them your royal brooch in gratitude for helping you. I'm sure no one will think they stole it if they try to sell it for, you know, actual money to replace all the food and medicine they just used on you." Okay, she didn't phrase it like that - like I said, the humor is subtle - that's just my paraphrase.
Okay, characters. As I already wrote, Meg is awesome. She's smart, and clever, but not in that really cloying cliche way. She's a bit of a wild-child in the first few chapters, but we quickly watch her flash forward about ten years. Even though she's wild, as soon as she goes to work at the castle (at age seven) she catches on to the fact that she has to do anything people ask, and not get into any trouble, if she wants to keep her post. Her stubbornness is not a tool to show that she's a flawed character (but secretly not, because stubbornness just shows strength of character!). It's a part of her personality, but a part that she knows how to deny when she needs to.
Meg also has this mysterious ability to sense the future, which isn't explained much in this book (the author delves a lot more into that in the second and third book, both of which are good but not quite as good as this one). I love how she's not going crazy with excitement about her powers: she actually sees them as a curse, not a blessing, and is deathly afraid of her visions through not only this book but actually most of the entire trilogy. She fears the burden that has been placed onto her.
Tobias is Meg's best friend, and a great character in his own right. A bit more cookie-cutter, he has all the usual side-kick bits: loyal, funny, smart, helps the MC catch her bearings in a new place (in this case the castle), and has a sad back-story to boot. However, you can't help but like Tobias. He's just so nice!
The prince doesn't actually get a huge amount of screen time in this book, because Molly the servent girl doesn't really get to interact much with Alaric the prince in the first half of the book, and then later he's pretty wounded and spends quite a bit of time unconsciouse. However, the bits that you do see give the bare outline of a compelling character. From the moment Meg (shamelessly eavesdropping) overhears him arguing with his parents as a child, you know that he's not going to be a cookie-cutter prince. Later, I love how strong he is. He still even keeps a bit of his humor! I won't go into it more than that, for fear of spoilers.
I can't really think of anything else to say, besides "read this book!" Like I said above, this is one of my all-time favorite books, and I recently bought it so I could have it forever. If you have any questions about the book, post them in the comments below! Also, I want to hear about your favorite books. Let me know what book you never get tired of, and I might just review it!
After my third or fourth reread, I've decided that this book officially goes on my all-time favorites list. It's got everything I love - magic, royalty, danger, and subtle humor - without falling into any of the tired cliches that characterize most books that involve royalty and magic. In fact, Molly, the kitchen girl, is the MC - not the cute royal prince she rescues. I love seeing her roll her eyes at the prince's clueless-ness in the real world when they're hiding - like, "gee, sure, give them your royal brooch in gratitude for helping you. I'm sure no one will think they stole it if they try to sell it for, you know, actual money to replace all the food and medicine they just used on you." Okay, she didn't phrase it like that - like I said, the humor is subtle - that's just my paraphrase.
Okay, characters. As I already wrote, Meg is awesome. She's smart, and clever, but not in that really cloying cliche way. She's a bit of a wild-child in the first few chapters, but we quickly watch her flash forward about ten years. Even though she's wild, as soon as she goes to work at the castle (at age seven) she catches on to the fact that she has to do anything people ask, and not get into any trouble, if she wants to keep her post. Her stubbornness is not a tool to show that she's a flawed character (but secretly not, because stubbornness just shows strength of character!). It's a part of her personality, but a part that she knows how to deny when she needs to.
Meg also has this mysterious ability to sense the future, which isn't explained much in this book (the author delves a lot more into that in the second and third book, both of which are good but not quite as good as this one). I love how she's not going crazy with excitement about her powers: she actually sees them as a curse, not a blessing, and is deathly afraid of her visions through not only this book but actually most of the entire trilogy. She fears the burden that has been placed onto her.
Tobias is Meg's best friend, and a great character in his own right. A bit more cookie-cutter, he has all the usual side-kick bits: loyal, funny, smart, helps the MC catch her bearings in a new place (in this case the castle), and has a sad back-story to boot. However, you can't help but like Tobias. He's just so nice!
The prince doesn't actually get a huge amount of screen time in this book, because Molly the servent girl doesn't really get to interact much with Alaric the prince in the first half of the book, and then later he's pretty wounded and spends quite a bit of time unconsciouse. However, the bits that you do see give the bare outline of a compelling character. From the moment Meg (shamelessly eavesdropping) overhears him arguing with his parents as a child, you know that he's not going to be a cookie-cutter prince. Later, I love how strong he is. He still even keeps a bit of his humor! I won't go into it more than that, for fear of spoilers.
I can't really think of anything else to say, besides "read this book!" Like I said above, this is one of my all-time favorite books, and I recently bought it so I could have it forever. If you have any questions about the book, post them in the comments below! Also, I want to hear about your favorite books. Let me know what book you never get tired of, and I might just review it!
May 21, 2012
At the age of seven, Molly is sent to be a scullery maid at Castle Dethemere. It’s here that she discovers that she has the ability to see visions, the most disturbing of which appear in a silver bowl. Here, Molly learns about a curse on the royal family she serves, but before she can do anything, the castle is attacked. Molly and her friend Tobias are able to escape with the young prince. Together they must find away to break the curse and keep the prince safe.
The Silver Bowl is one of this year’s nominees for the Maine Student Book Awards, and as a Maine librarian that works with kids, I like to keep up on these particular titles as they are often great sources for recommendations. Unfortunately, this will not be a book that I will be recommending to many children, The Silver Bowl may have its bright moments but there is ultimately too much holding it back.
Molly is a tough and capable heroine that’s easy to root for, and I really enjoyed how this book explored what the life of a servant in a castle might be like. The Silver Bowl is written in a brisk manner that makes it very easy to read, which is great for a book aimed at children. Unfortunately, I often felt that this quick pace often ends up being just as much as a hindrance than a help to my enjoyment. The book plunges ahead with such speed that important aspects, such as character development, can be left behind. The book doesn’t fully explain what motivates characters, so it often feels as if their actions only exist to move the plot forward. This results in a cast that can feel very shallow. This is the most obvious with the prince character. The book also features several large jumps forward in time, which ended up making the novel feel choppy. There were times when I felt that the dialog felt stilted and unnatural, and the climatic sequence at the end feels incredibly rushed as characters somehow find themselves transforming into warriors in order to defeat the enemy, despite the fact that they are otherwise not very experienced in combat.
I feel as if I’m being a little harsh with The Silver Bowl because there were a handful of moments when the book was really enjoyable, such as a touching scene between Molly and Tobias where Tobias speaks of his family. Unfortunately, due to the underdeveloped characters and at times rushed plot, the novel came off feeling almost half baked. If the author had just taken a little more time developing her story, the results would have been much more enjoyable. Granted, I am not in the target audience so perhaps a child won’t have the same issue I did. Still, I cannot recommend this books to others and will not be reading any of the other planned books in this series.
The Silver Bowl is one of this year’s nominees for the Maine Student Book Awards, and as a Maine librarian that works with kids, I like to keep up on these particular titles as they are often great sources for recommendations. Unfortunately, this will not be a book that I will be recommending to many children, The Silver Bowl may have its bright moments but there is ultimately too much holding it back.
Molly is a tough and capable heroine that’s easy to root for, and I really enjoyed how this book explored what the life of a servant in a castle might be like. The Silver Bowl is written in a brisk manner that makes it very easy to read, which is great for a book aimed at children. Unfortunately, I often felt that this quick pace often ends up being just as much as a hindrance than a help to my enjoyment. The book plunges ahead with such speed that important aspects, such as character development, can be left behind. The book doesn’t fully explain what motivates characters, so it often feels as if their actions only exist to move the plot forward. This results in a cast that can feel very shallow. This is the most obvious with the prince character. The book also features several large jumps forward in time, which ended up making the novel feel choppy. There were times when I felt that the dialog felt stilted and unnatural, and the climatic sequence at the end feels incredibly rushed as characters somehow find themselves transforming into warriors in order to defeat the enemy, despite the fact that they are otherwise not very experienced in combat.
I feel as if I’m being a little harsh with The Silver Bowl because there were a handful of moments when the book was really enjoyable, such as a touching scene between Molly and Tobias where Tobias speaks of his family. Unfortunately, due to the underdeveloped characters and at times rushed plot, the novel came off feeling almost half baked. If the author had just taken a little more time developing her story, the results would have been much more enjoyable. Granted, I am not in the target audience so perhaps a child won’t have the same issue I did. Still, I cannot recommend this books to others and will not be reading any of the other planned books in this series.
December 4, 2013
This will probably just be ranting. Lots of redundancy. =_=
First off, I realize that this is written in first person view, but there is JUST TOO MUCH NARRATION. The text and dialogue were plain, uninteresting, and made the whole book a dull read. Characters also, were plain and dull. Where was the excitement? The thrill? The suspense?!
I agree that the premise was interesting, but it was just so poorly executed that I didn't care for it. At all really.
Time skips everywhere. I very much disliked that she'd skip everywhere so much. One minute, you're in this time period, next she skips a freaking year or more.
Plot was uninteresting and anticlimactic. I mean, she talks about going to the castle, polishing silver, the only real interesting scene being with the wolves, then the church and back to the castle. Everything is easy peasy for them. Everyone just ADORES their royalty, even if they are pompous, and the antagonists appear briefly, and lose just as quickly. The prince changes WAY too fast, the relationships between everyone are dull and plain boring, and many other flaws that I am having trouble remembering because I am sleep deprived.
Anyways, I can confidently say, I DO NOT LIKE THIS BOOK, and would not read it again. I don't remember the last time I could say anything of the sort. :( Maybe if it was written better and more interestingly, I would reconsider.
First off, I realize that this is written in first person view, but there is JUST TOO MUCH NARRATION. The text and dialogue were plain, uninteresting, and made the whole book a dull read. Characters also, were plain and dull. Where was the excitement? The thrill? The suspense?!
I agree that the premise was interesting, but it was just so poorly executed that I didn't care for it. At all really.
Time skips everywhere. I very much disliked that she'd skip everywhere so much. One minute, you're in this time period, next she skips a freaking year or more.
Plot was uninteresting and anticlimactic. I mean, she talks about going to the castle, polishing silver, the only real interesting scene being with the wolves, then the church and back to the castle. Everything is easy peasy for them. Everyone just ADORES their royalty, even if they are pompous, and the antagonists appear briefly, and lose just as quickly. The prince changes WAY too fast, the relationships between everyone are dull and plain boring, and many other flaws that I am having trouble remembering because I am sleep deprived.
Anyways, I can confidently say, I DO NOT LIKE THIS BOOK, and would not read it again. I don't remember the last time I could say anything of the sort. :( Maybe if it was written better and more interestingly, I would reconsider.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2023
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! I had low expectations going in and thought it was a historical fiction. It’s much more of a fantasy, set in medieval times. I really loved the character of Molly and her growth over time, as well as her bravery and relationships she built with those around her. Apparently this is a trilogy, but while the ending leaves it open for that, I think this easily could have been a standalone. I’m not sure I’ll go on, because I was very satisfied with the conclusion.
Note to parents: there is quite a bit of violence in this book, so you may want to preread for younger children or children who might be sensitive to that content.
Note to parents: there is quite a bit of violence in this book, so you may want to preread for younger children or children who might be sensitive to that content.
January 19, 2011
Just bad. Not even good enough for me to write a full review. Though I will say the reason I probably didn't like it, was because it was for people younger than me.
July 6, 2011
One Sentence Review: Delightful and memorable from start to finish, this is one fantasy novel that's truly worthy of its historical setting.
December 18, 2012
Give this to older girls who have loved Gail Carson Levine and like Robin McKinley or Jessica George. It's readable, not pretty-pretty and a sequel or two won't be unwelcome
November 21, 2019
"The Silver Bowl" - written by Diane Stanley and published in 2011 by HarperCollins. "Listen! it said. Pay attention! There is not much time." This cautionary voice alarms Molly as she polishes a carved silver hand basin, but she's not terribly surprised since she's had visions before. A prince's life is in danger, and it's up to scullery maid Molly and Tobias, who also works in the castle, to save the day. This middle grade story, written by an author I admire, is a perfect fantasy for young readers, with lots of action, intrigue, a bit of magic, and a sweet friendship that promises to blossom into something more serious. There's no big lesson or social commentary, just a comfortable, engaging adventure story.
November 9, 2021
This book did not amaze me, and I feel like it should have?
I picked it up expecting the kind of old-school kids' fantasy that has a strong character and charm. I read Bella at Midnight by the same author, and it was that kind of a book.
This, for some reason, didn't hit home. Molly was a good, strong character and the unique elements of the story (Molly's background, the original style of magic) should have made it stand out strongly. Instead, I put it down like five times before I was able to finish it. By the time they got to the point of physically fighting the curses, I was skimming because I just wanted to be done.
I'm going to read the sequel because I have it already, but after that it's likely both will go in the donation bag.
I picked it up expecting the kind of old-school kids' fantasy that has a strong character and charm. I read Bella at Midnight by the same author, and it was that kind of a book.
This, for some reason, didn't hit home. Molly was a good, strong character and the unique elements of the story (Molly's background, the original style of magic) should have made it stand out strongly. Instead, I put it down like five times before I was able to finish it. By the time they got to the point of physically fighting the curses, I was skimming because I just wanted to be done.
I'm going to read the sequel because I have it already, but after that it's likely both will go in the donation bag.
October 13, 2017
Molly is turned out by her father and left to make her way as a servant in the castle. But she is feisty and crude and always finds a way to survive. When she is given the opportunity to polish silver instead of work in the kitchen, Molly does not realize that this job will open up a door into her past and put the entire kingdom at risk. But Molly is not facing this danger alone. She has a necklace she wears around her neck passed on by her mother, a friend she shares a bed with at night named Winifred, and a young man who always seems to turn up when she needs him, Tobias. The curse placed on the royal family has only one victim left, Prince Alaric. Beware the beauty of the silver bowl Molly.
July 1, 2020
The Silver Bowl is such a good book! It was so enjoyable! My favorite character is definitely Tobias. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who like fantasy, adventure, or some type of book like that.
March 27, 2023
I really love this author. Simple but wonderful stories. I love it how the name of the book makes sense near the middle or end. The story never gets dull and is so tense at points. A recommend book! Can't wait for two !
July 12, 2025
Oh, this was absolutely delightful! Why didn't I know about this author before? I see the inspiration of Megan Whalen Turner, and while Stanley's prose isn't as sublime, this is a good, old fashioned historical fantasy adventure. Can't wait to share it with my girls.
December 4, 2013
Maybe I don't feel emotion in books where other people do. This book was boring. There was no danger! No suspense, no action! It was pretty shallow.
At one point I was certain that Tobias would be the bad guy (PLOT TWIST!). That would have been awesome. If he'd lead Molly and Alaric to some remote dark place and killed them, I would have been thrilled. But no. Tobias remained the dull character who's only job was to help Molly in times of need that he had always been.
If I were Alaric I would have been like "Oh no, you dirty peasant. No way are you goin' to be touchin' me!" But Alaric, being our fickle prince welcomed Tobias, Molly, and Winfred's care. "Fickle?" you ask. "Our lovely prince could never be described as fickle!" Well he can be. And he is being described as fickle. Let's look at Katy's gorgeous example shall we?
In the beginning of the book Alaric hated Molly and everything non-royal. In the end, Molly was his closest adviser and he loved dat peasant beer.
Satisfied? Yes? Good.
Molly. Molly was the narrator. She was kind, caring, a bit dumb, and she was definitely not raised as someone who belonged in a castle. She was extremely... bleh. She did not make an impression on me at all.
Somehow, Molly, the newbie, was the model scullery maid, and managed to get promoted before her harder-working co-workers.
The whole "I got sucked into a bowl!" thing was just weird and the fighting the curses part would have been great if it had had a lot more detail. I like my fighting scenes to be really descriptive, more dangerous (the only "danger" in the fighting part was when the slug fell on top of her, but oh! Molly had magically killed it!), and more bloody.
I had to force myself to finish it because I don't like leaving books unfinished. The idea of the story was quite interesting. It's execution was not.
At one point I was certain that Tobias would be the bad guy (PLOT TWIST!). That would have been awesome. If he'd lead Molly and Alaric to some remote dark place and killed them, I would have been thrilled. But no. Tobias remained the dull character who's only job was to help Molly in times of need that he had always been.
If I were Alaric I would have been like "Oh no, you dirty peasant. No way are you goin' to be touchin' me!" But Alaric, being our fickle prince welcomed Tobias, Molly, and Winfred's care. "Fickle?" you ask. "Our lovely prince could never be described as fickle!" Well he can be. And he is being described as fickle. Let's look at Katy's gorgeous example shall we?
In the beginning of the book Alaric hated Molly and everything non-royal. In the end, Molly was his closest adviser and he loved dat peasant beer.
Satisfied? Yes? Good.
Molly. Molly was the narrator. She was kind, caring, a bit dumb, and she was definitely not raised as someone who belonged in a castle. She was extremely... bleh. She did not make an impression on me at all.
Somehow, Molly, the newbie, was the model scullery maid, and managed to get promoted before her harder-working co-workers.
The whole "I got sucked into a bowl!" thing was just weird and the fighting the curses part would have been great if it had had a lot more detail. I like my fighting scenes to be really descriptive, more dangerous (the only "danger" in the fighting part was when the slug fell on top of her, but oh! Molly had magically killed it!), and more bloody.
I had to force myself to finish it because I don't like leaving books unfinished. The idea of the story was quite interesting. It's execution was not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2011
What a ride this story is! I had only read the first few chapter when I sat down with it last night, but I literally did not get up or put it down until I had finished it! Diane Stanley writes as though it is historical fiction, which I suppose it is since the time setting (though unclear) is probably during the Middle Ages during the feudal system. Though we have never heard of the countries of Westria or Austlind, we easily imagine them to be somewhere in France, Germany, or Austria many ages ago.
It takes talent to tell a story giving the aura of a particular time and place without specifically stating it. But I think it takes even more talent to believably insert the element of fantasy and weave it throughout the story so that it bonds seamlessly with the historical fiction.
For what else but fantasy could you call a particularly magical silver bowl that calls to the servant girl who polishes the silver and shows her scenes from the past and the future? The bowl, in fact, was made by the girl's grandfather, who was magical himself and was forced to put inside the bowl 100 curses specifically designed for the royal family. The silversmith was clever though, and put in a Guardian to watch over the curses -- to let them out when it was safe, and to keep them inside the bowl when they grew too dangerous. It is the Guardian who calls to Molly and warns her of the plot against the King of Westria.
I'd love to share this story with all the young people I know (and some of the older ones as well!). This book is definitely going onto the list to be purchased and reread over and over again!
read my full review here: http://skippingbarefoot.blogspot.com/...
It takes talent to tell a story giving the aura of a particular time and place without specifically stating it. But I think it takes even more talent to believably insert the element of fantasy and weave it throughout the story so that it bonds seamlessly with the historical fiction.
For what else but fantasy could you call a particularly magical silver bowl that calls to the servant girl who polishes the silver and shows her scenes from the past and the future? The bowl, in fact, was made by the girl's grandfather, who was magical himself and was forced to put inside the bowl 100 curses specifically designed for the royal family. The silversmith was clever though, and put in a Guardian to watch over the curses -- to let them out when it was safe, and to keep them inside the bowl when they grew too dangerous. It is the Guardian who calls to Molly and warns her of the plot against the King of Westria.
I'd love to share this story with all the young people I know (and some of the older ones as well!). This book is definitely going onto the list to be purchased and reread over and over again!
read my full review here: http://skippingbarefoot.blogspot.com/...
July 8, 2016
I try to read books as continuously and as smoothly as possible and unfortunately, my reading of The Silver Bowl was broken up by me heading to a school retreat for a couple of days. Then further readings were marred by my tiredness from said retreat. However, while I think that break in reading did slightly negatively affect my overall thoughts about the book, I honestly don’t think it was by very much.
The Silver Bowl is an interesting book. There are two different tones throughout, which are odd and jarring to read: there’s the “adventure time” tone, which is a little more informal, and then there’s the “let’s get down to the plot” tone, which becomes much more formal, especially near the end. I also found it jarring how Molly narrates without any trace of dialect unless it’s the word “something,” in which case it becomes “summat.” Why just that one word? Why include it at all when Molly has no other equivalent verbal dialect?
I also found the part towards the end where Molly goes into the bowl rather out of place and cheesy. All of a sudden, she’s striding around thinking of weak spots and analyzing enemies like she’s a video game character. It’s especially strange since up until that point she portrays no interest or skill in fighting.
The rest of the book I don’t really remember. As I said, my reading of it was broken up and the last half of it I read while tired and drifting, so my impression of it didn’t stick (or the book wasn’t particularly memorable). Mostly I found The Silver Bowl odd, uneven in tone, and jarring in way too many places.
The Silver Bowl is an interesting book. There are two different tones throughout, which are odd and jarring to read: there’s the “adventure time” tone, which is a little more informal, and then there’s the “let’s get down to the plot” tone, which becomes much more formal, especially near the end. I also found it jarring how Molly narrates without any trace of dialect unless it’s the word “something,” in which case it becomes “summat.” Why just that one word? Why include it at all when Molly has no other equivalent verbal dialect?
I also found the part towards the end where Molly goes into the bowl rather out of place and cheesy. All of a sudden, she’s striding around thinking of weak spots and analyzing enemies like she’s a video game character. It’s especially strange since up until that point she portrays no interest or skill in fighting.
The rest of the book I don’t really remember. As I said, my reading of it was broken up and the last half of it I read while tired and drifting, so my impression of it didn’t stick (or the book wasn’t particularly memorable). Mostly I found The Silver Bowl odd, uneven in tone, and jarring in way too many places.
February 14, 2012
Molly comes from a poor, illiterate family of seven children. Her father is abusive and her crazy mom is locked in a room in their house. When Molly sees into the future predicting the death of a boy, her fearful dad ships her off to be a scullery maid for the king of Westria. Before she goes, Molly’s mom reveals that she too has visions and they are the source of her madness. While working at the castle Molly has a vision that shows the royal family being murdered as a result of a magical curse. She has to find a way to stop it with the help of her firends Tobias and Winifred.
This fairytale with a twist has plenty of action and romance. It’s going to appeal mostly to girls. The first person narration makes the book easy-to-read but the plot suffers as a result. I’m not sure why the Prince trusts Molly or why Molly trusts Thomas – this part should have been explained more. Perhaps a third person narration would have done it better. I didn’t find the characters as engaging as other fairy tale stories. Molly is illiterate but only uses the word “sommat” to show this in the book. The Prince, Tobias, and Molly sounded quite a bit alike. Most of the plot was predictable but the ending had an interesting twist. The violence is described after the fact or in Molly’s visions. A quick read.
This fairytale with a twist has plenty of action and romance. It’s going to appeal mostly to girls. The first person narration makes the book easy-to-read but the plot suffers as a result. I’m not sure why the Prince trusts Molly or why Molly trusts Thomas – this part should have been explained more. Perhaps a third person narration would have done it better. I didn’t find the characters as engaging as other fairy tale stories. Molly is illiterate but only uses the word “sommat” to show this in the book. The Prince, Tobias, and Molly sounded quite a bit alike. Most of the plot was predictable but the ending had an interesting twist. The violence is described after the fact or in Molly’s visions. A quick read.
December 12, 2013
To be honest, the beginning of this book is pretty boring. I actually put it down and read two other books before I started to read it again. The only problem I had with this book was the beginning. Once I picked it back up again I realized that the action began right after I stopped! Then it gets good! I don't want to spoil anything but the main character ends up working at a castle as a polisher. There is this curse on the royal family and the main character ends up falling into a silver bowl. What does that mean? Well read to see! I think the title suits this book well, because as I mentioned before, Molly, (the main character) falls into a silver bowl; plus it is mentioned several other times. I would recommend this book to 11-14 year olds, or those who like to read and will stay with books even if the beginning is uninteresting.
September 28, 2011
An easy fantasy read for middle graders, not up to the hype, though. Young Molly is a scullery maid at the royal castle, soon befriending Tobias, another servant. Her attention to her work and careful manner soon earn her a new job: polishing the royal silver, overseen by the Keeper, Thomas. The day she begins polishing a very special, precious silver bowl, she hears voices and sees visions related to the terrible curse laid on the royal family. It appears that Molly may be the only person who might be able to help lift the curse--but how can she win against a powerful enemy? Meanwhile, terrible accidents are befalling the heirs to the throne. Not badly written, but forgettable, with transparent characters and predictable events.
February 17, 2011
I really liked this book! It's a sweet little fantasy, fairly straightforward in plot and characters. The protagonist is a scullery maid at the king's castle. She hides her ability to see the future because her visions are unpredictable and she doesn't want to be condemned as a witch. But when she sees the death of the entire royal family, which could throw the kingdom into civil war, she knows she has to tell someone.
After that you have the usual sequence of events: a tragedy, two unlikely heroes, a prince and a scullery maid joining forces, etc. A good escape from reality. I will recommend this to young readers who want to start reading fantasy.
After that you have the usual sequence of events: a tragedy, two unlikely heroes, a prince and a scullery maid joining forces, etc. A good escape from reality. I will recommend this to young readers who want to start reading fantasy.
August 25, 2011
I was really disappointed in this Diane Stanley book. Usually I like her as an author but the character development was limited and the plot structure was all over the place! I found myself at one place reading and reading the preceding pages where I had my bookmark as I thought that I must have missed something or that some pages weren't included. It just made no sense and she missed a great opportunity to further develop the storyline. A fast but a disappointing read. I don't think I'll be recommending this one any time soon.
October 27, 2011
The Silver Bowl is a high fantasy middle grade story with a strong female lead. Now, you hardly ever hear me complain about strong female leads in fantasy. There's a curse put on the royal family that goes back generations, and Molly is prone to visions--both of the past and what's to come.
It was just a little, well, young. I bet I would have loved this book when I was 10 or so. The characters were all good and the curse was interesting, but I compare this to novels like The Thief, and it just doesn't stand out.
It was just a little, well, young. I bet I would have loved this book when I was 10 or so. The characters were all good and the curse was interesting, but I compare this to novels like The Thief, and it just doesn't stand out.
July 25, 2011
The Silver Bowl
by Diane Stanley: Fantastic everyday details, which are always nice, especially in fantasy. I liked the resolution of the plot and especially the way the relationships ended. However, I was confused by the setting which didn't seem to quite know if it was a fairy tale world or ours. I think for the target audience (middle grade) it would be a lovely book; for me it wasn't quite satisfying. But doesn't it have a nice cover?
April 13, 2013
i think this book was really good this author has a very active imagintation this book is very bloody in some parts but to me that made the book i was hooked the whole time and could NOT stop reading thank you Diane Stanley very much 4 writing such a good book
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November 26, 2015This book was a bit slow to begin but gets way better near chapter 8. Well at least that's my opinion. I would recommend this book to someone who likes suspense that's one of the reasons I picked this book. Ta-ta
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