The Cup of the World



The Cup of the World is a novel by John Dickinson first published in 2004. It is set in a unnamed fantasy world that bears a resemblance to medieval Europe...with magic. The protagonist is a 15 year old girl named Phaedra who has reached marrying age but is unwilling to accept any of the candidates her father proposes. As the pressure on her to marry increases, she turns to a man whom she has only ever met in her dreams, who appears to have supernatural powers and offers to rescue her. This decision turns her life upside down and causes consequences that threaten the stability of the entire kingdom. However, war seems to be just the start of Phaedra's problems, as it becomes apparent that her saviour may not be as benevolent as she first thought.

Has two sequels (The Widow and the King and The Fatal Child).

The Cup of the World contains examples of:
""Did you wish me to bless your marriage, or to annul it for you?""
 * A Tragedy of Impulsiveness
 * Anti-Hero: Ulfin.
 * Arranged Marriage: Subverted with Phaedra. Played straight with Evalia.
 * Be Careful What You Wish For
 * Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Ulfin does a lot of brooding in the novel. The latter half of the trope is partially averted later in the novel as Phaedra actively begins to uncover what Ulfin has been hiding from her.
 * Chess Motifs
 * Deal With the Devil
 * Deity of Human Origin: The Grey Priest.
 * Dream Land
 * False Soulmate:.
 * Faustian Rebellion: Ulfin.
 * Generational Saga: The story is carried on with Phaedra's son in the sequels.
 * Girl of My Dreams: Subverted, in that Ulfin sets out to encounter Phaedra through his dreams.
 * Hopeless Suitor: Phaedra has many of these.
 * Innocence Lost
 * Lady and Knight: Literally, given the medieval setting.
 * Long-Distance Relationship: Phaedra and Ulfin for much of the novel.
 * Love Makes You Crazy: Love leads Phaedra to make some very questionable and foolhardy decisions
 * Love Ruins the Realm
 * Marry for Love
 * Medieval European Fantasy
 * Nobody Thinks It Will Work
 * Medieval European Fantasy
 * Nobody Thinks It Will Work


 * Not-So-Imaginary Friend: Ulfin.
 * Rebellious Princess: Phaedra.
 * Relationship Sabotage: Phaedra's father and Prince Septimus.
 * Secret Relationship: Ulfin and Phaedra in the beginning.
 * Sexless Marriage: Evalia and Adam Di Maney.
 * Smitten Teenage Girl
 * Xanatos Gambit: