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roguemouse 's review for:
Spindle's End
by Robin McKinley
"Spindle's End", the third in the Folktales series is perhaps the most original retelling in McKinley's fairytale repertoire, because it strays the most from it's classic origin. However, it's originality does not take away from the magic atmosphere, intricate style, beautiful imagination and poetic, stylized language I've come to identify with McKinley's writings. It is far more expertly "woven" - in my opinion, McKinley writes as if weaving a gorgeous tapestry - than "Rose Daughter", and it's ingenious take on the classic Sleeping Beauty story makes it stand out among the three Folktales books; even considering how wonderful a tale McKinley spun in "Beauty".
The characters, as with all of the author's works I've read so far, are instantly likeable, complex and gorgeously flawed. "Spindle's End" added bonus is the animal-familiar aspect, which as a motif in literature is a personal favorite of mine. What also distinguishes "Spindle's End" from the other Folktales books is the magic. Wereas in previous retellings, the rules of magic were more obscure and the odd, supernatural occurrences simply happened, in "Spindle's End" McKinley builds an entire philosophy around the magic, thus creating a world that is not only interesting and complex, but therefore also seems more real, more... inhabited. There is a eerie, enticing, dare I say "magical" quality about the world's McKinley creates - for me, it invokes some of the vivid, imaginative world-building of Ursula K. Le Guin or Diana Wynne-Jones. On the other hand, McKinley's ability to subvert tropes, broaden classic interpretations, and enhance the stories with subtle, yet strong feminism, greatly reminds me of the works of Angela Carter.
Suffice to say, "Spindle's End" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys expertly written prose, be it fantasy or otherwise. Fans of retellings (fairytale or other), and dare I say 80's fantasy movies (in my mind, a screen adaption of McKinley's work would look somewhat like "Ladyhawke" or "Labyrinth"), should definitely strive to read as much of McKinley's books as possible. You won't be sorry.
The characters, as with all of the author's works I've read so far, are instantly likeable, complex and gorgeously flawed. "Spindle's End" added bonus is the animal-familiar aspect, which as a motif in literature is a personal favorite of mine. What also distinguishes "Spindle's End" from the other Folktales books is the magic. Wereas in previous retellings, the rules of magic were more obscure and the odd, supernatural occurrences simply happened, in "Spindle's End" McKinley builds an entire philosophy around the magic, thus creating a world that is not only interesting and complex, but therefore also seems more real, more... inhabited. There is a eerie, enticing, dare I say "magical" quality about the world's McKinley creates - for me, it invokes some of the vivid, imaginative world-building of Ursula K. Le Guin or Diana Wynne-Jones. On the other hand, McKinley's ability to subvert tropes, broaden classic interpretations, and enhance the stories with subtle, yet strong feminism, greatly reminds me of the works of Angela Carter.
Suffice to say, "Spindle's End" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys expertly written prose, be it fantasy or otherwise. Fans of retellings (fairytale or other), and dare I say 80's fantasy movies (in my mind, a screen adaption of McKinley's work would look somewhat like "Ladyhawke" or "Labyrinth"), should definitely strive to read as much of McKinley's books as possible. You won't be sorry.