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This novel by Catherine Fisher ingeniously links the tale of King Arthur and the search for the Holy Grail with the modern-day story of Cal, a troubled teenager, the main theme being that to follow the path of truth and perfection you must give up everything you hold dear and pursue a better life. In the case of Cal this means leaving his alcoholic mother and undertaking a difficult journey to find a new and happy life. Cal first finds the Grail castle of Corbenic when he gets off at the wrong train station on the way to live with his uncle. At the castle he watches some curious and magical events but makes the fatal mistake of denying all that he has seen. Cal then spends the rest of the story being tormented by his past, struggling with his ideals of perfection, and trying to find his way back to the castle. He meets a group of friends who re-enact mediaeval tournaments and joins in with Shadow, a girl also running from her past. Set in Wales, the land of castles, mountains, woods and rain, the story keeps crossing between fantasy and reality to create an astonishing synthesis of mediaeval and modern times and a moving account of growing up and self-discovery. Highly recommended. Ages 10+ (Kirkus UK)
