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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A re-telling of Sleeping Beauty, artfully spun and vividly illustrated. The characters are both life-like and a little mysterious (magic will do that to you), and utterly loveable.
Here is a princess that saves herself, and her kingdom from the wicked fairy. A princess who isn't delicate and ethereal but down-to-earth and realistic. A princess who stays "common" and lives happily ever after as just herself, and nothing more.
Here is a princess that saves herself, and her kingdom from the wicked fairy. A princess who isn't delicate and ethereal but down-to-earth and realistic. A princess who stays "common" and lives happily ever after as just herself, and nothing more.
I liked it well enough, though I read it after Novik's Uprooted and Spinning Silver, so I was a bit spoiled for it. There was a squicky relationship thing in this I didn't like, but I know many people didn't mind it, so I suppose that's just a me problem.
A lovely re-telling of the Briar Rose/Sleeping Beauty fairytale, that is both familiar and new/fresh.
In a land steeped with magic, the princess is cursed to prick her find on a spindle on her 21st birthday. In other to save her she is spirited away to live in obscurity in a remote village. There she grows up, friend to animals and training as a horse doctor.
The prose is a little witty and the story fairly cozy! I love hearing how the fairy godmother's blessings went awry or didn't work as intended (e.g. doesn't matter if you bless someone as an amazing dancer, if they don't like to do it they never will).
It is written in a fairytale style which means that the plot resolution isn't concrete and I did find the ending vaguely unsatisfying (it felt like the story wasn't finished yet).
Stephanie Daniels is an excellent narrator! And as a bonus I was delighted to hear the mention of two other McKinley books in this one!
In a land steeped with magic, the princess is cursed to prick her find on a spindle on her 21st birthday. In other to save her she is spirited away to live in obscurity in a remote village. There she grows up, friend to animals and training as a horse doctor.
The prose is a little witty and the story fairly cozy! I love hearing how the fairy godmother's blessings went awry or didn't work as intended (e.g. doesn't matter if you bless someone as an amazing dancer, if they don't like to do it they never will).
It is written in a fairytale style which means that the plot resolution isn't concrete and I did find the ending vaguely unsatisfying (it felt like the story wasn't finished yet).
Stephanie Daniels is an excellent narrator! And as a bonus I was delighted to hear the mention of two other McKinley books in this one!
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The first Robin McKinley book I read was Sunshine. Vampires and fresh baked bread. It was unexpected and delicious! Spindles End is no less a delight! McKinley has a way of wrapping you so tightly in her fantasy world that you truly believe anything is possible. The depth of detail and richness to the story draws you in to this fresh and oh so bizarre re-telling of Sleeping Beauty. If you are a fan of Fairy Tales, or think that you've been there, done that, you need not worry. McKinley's take on this timeless story is so far from any classic version you believe you're reading the tale for the first time. I will say that there are moments towards the end of the book that are so unimaginable as a reader it was challenging to visualize, but it is only a smudge on what is otherwise a surprisingly funny, deeply magical, and a tad bit romantic story. On to the next one!
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
When I was in my early teens I tried to read this book, but lost interest. Over ten years later I decide to pick it up and try again. I was determined to finish it, especially since I read 2 of Robin McKinley's other books and loved them. I was not in love with this one, but I did enjoy it. The story is fascinating, if a little long winded, and the end was a pleasant closure. I did not put it down feeling empty or cheated, but I felt like things were in the right place and that I wouldn't have wanted the climax any other way.