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A review by rosemaryandrue
A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
adventurous
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Zinnia Gray's favorite fairytale is Sleeping Beauty, mostly because she relates to the heroine - Zinnia's laboring under her own 'curse,' an incurable malady that means she will die young. But when she falls into a retelling of the story, she must use all of her modern courage and wits to save its princess from the usual fate.
There's a lot of story packed into this short novella, which simultaneously explores and deconstructs Sleeping Beauty and its many retellings. I loved the strong friendships between Zinnia and Charm, as well as Zinnia and Primrose, and enjoyed how the continual twists and turns kept me off balance and guessing at what would come next. I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator definitely elevated the experience with an excellent performance.
However, while I did enjoy the irreverent humor, it did get to be a little much in some places. By the time we got to "Harold, they're lesbians," I wasn't sure whether to laugh or groan.
There's a lot of story packed into this short novella, which simultaneously explores and deconstructs Sleeping Beauty and its many retellings. I loved the strong friendships between Zinnia and Charm, as well as Zinnia and Primrose, and enjoyed how the continual twists and turns kept me off balance and guessing at what would come next. I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator definitely elevated the experience with an excellent performance.
However, while I did enjoy the irreverent humor, it did get to be a little much in some places. By the time we got to "Harold, they're lesbians," I wasn't sure whether to laugh or groan.