Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
A princess has finally been born to the King and Queen, but the evil fairy Pernicia casts a curse on her. Luckily, Katriona whose Aunt is a powerful fairy, is the representative from her village sent to the naming and gives the baby princess her own gift of animal-speech. The royal family’s fairy commands Katriona to whisk away the baby and hide her far away where Pernicia can’t find her. Baby Rosie grows up a country girl and very unprincessy, in the household of fairies surrounded by animals. This version of Sleeping Beauty is beautiful, lyrical, and creative.
FUCK this was SO GOOD, sobbed my eyes out the last 10-15 pgs, so much good found families, some angst, amazing subversion of the trope, just FUCK
A sweet and charming homage to a classic fairy tale that ultimately felt distracted and lost momentum.
Spindle's End is classically beautiful, redolent with McKinley's characteristically lavish prose and tiny, cleve r details -- (fairy smiths! fish being a bad word! like twenty different talking animals with distinct personalities). These were fantastic, and would have been great window dressing in the context of a more established plot, but it never really felt like one materialized. Yes, there was a distinct beginning, middle, and end, but I felt like I kept waiting for the action to surge, the blinds of the window to open, the hypothetical beat to drop. This lack of stakes really made the story feel disappointedly one-note. The atmosphere was similar to Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle but didn't manage to capture the same deliberate pacing and clear lines of action.
My favorite part about this book was the character relationships. This novel had a lot to say about the meaning of family--found and otherwise--and the power of love to transcend blood. I adored Katriona, Aunt, and Rosie's little family that kept on growing, as well as the unexpected but sweet friendship between Rosie and Peony. I think it would have been more fun if THEY had been the ones to fall in love but as a known bisexual I am biased in this matter.
Spindle's End is classically beautiful, redolent with McKinley's characteristically lavish prose and tiny, cleve r details -- (fairy smiths! fish being a bad word! like twenty different talking animals with distinct personalities). These were fantastic, and would have been great window dressing in the context of a more established plot, but it never really felt like one materialized. Yes, there was a distinct beginning, middle, and end, but I felt like I kept waiting for the action to surge, the blinds of the window to open, the hypothetical beat to drop. This lack of stakes really made the story feel disappointedly one-note. The atmosphere was similar to Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle but didn't manage to capture the same deliberate pacing and clear lines of action.
My favorite part about this book was the character relationships. This novel had a lot to say about the meaning of family--found and otherwise--and the power of love to transcend blood. I adored Katriona, Aunt, and Rosie's little family that kept on growing, as well as the unexpected but sweet friendship between Rosie and Peony. I think it would have been more fun if THEY had been the ones to fall in love but as a known bisexual I am biased in this matter
Spoiler
(but that kiss!! I mean, c'mon)
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Robin McKinley is amazing. Her characters defy the traditional boxes that people are determined to force them into.
A humbler retelling of 'Sleeping Beauty', with complex characters and a divisive end. A bit wordy at times, but the lovely prose makes the rambling easier to get through.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
I’m always a sucker for Robin McKinley books and this was no exception. Such a clever, interesting take on Sleeping Beauty.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Fascinating. I couldn't put it down. A wonderful retelling of Sleeping Beauty.