Kirkus Reviews calls the novel a "delicately wrought, twinkle-eyed fantasy from the accomplished author of
The Bards of Bone Plain," who "skillfully blends a thoroughly modern passion for technology and seafood with folklore, myth, and magic in a narrative consistently full of surprises," though "[t]he characters ... aren't always fully drawn," and "[i]t's disconcerting to realize that most of McKillip's characters have, at first, no idea what's going on--and the few that do are saying nothing." The reviewer finds that "the overlarge back story too often merely tantalizes," but "Fantasy lovers looking for a lighter touch amid all those vampires, zombies, werewolves, and industrial-strength malefactors will find this a refreshing change of pace."
Charles de Lint in
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction writes "A NEW Patricia McKillip book is always a cause for celebration. McKillip has never disappointed me, regardless of how she flits about genres. She’s written high fantasy, contemporary fantasy, science fiction, and horror, leaving her own distinct fingerprint on each so that in the end the best classification is that she writes McKillip novels." He notes "The title of the book—
Kingfisher—is a giveaway as to its underlying theme. This is an Arthurian story, through and through, with all the familiar elements set slightly askew but no less recognizable for that." He further states that "
Kingfisher is McKillip writing at the peak of her game — which is amazing when you consider how long she’s been at it. I loved the richness of the story and characters, the mingling of old with new, mythic with contemporary, and can’t wait to reread it." The novel was also reviewed by
Gary K. Wolfe in
Locus no. 664, May 2016, and Gautam Bhatia (2016) in
Strange Horizons, 12 September 2016. ==Awards==