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    E. K. Johnston’s ‘Spindle’ is a fascinating take on ‘Sleeping Beauty’

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    By Jessica on January 10, 2017 YA review, young adult
    “SPINDLE,” by E. K. Johnston, Disney-Hyperion, Dec. 6, 2016, Hardcover, $18.99 (young adult)

    I’ve read a number of retellings of “Sleeping Beauty,” but nothing could have prepared me for E. K. Johnston’s “Spindle,” which flips the classic fairy tale firmly on its head.

    Once upon a time, there was a storyteller queen who drove a demon out of her husband and saved her country at the same time. The queen’s family prospered and grew into two kingdoms, each on either side of the mountains where the demon was imprisoned. There the monster dwelled for years upon years until finally the prison began to crumble and the creature began to regain its power. There, the demon stayed, biding its time until the perfect moment — the birth of a child…

    Little Rose did nothing but be born, and yet that is enough to bring upon her both blessings and a curse. And it’s that curse that reaches far beyond a princess pricking her finger on a spindle.

    “Spindle” is the story of Little Rose aka Sleeping Beauty, but that’s just one small aspect of E. K. Johnston’s tale. The story is not told by Rose or the demon or even an objective narrator. Rather, it is told by Yashaa, the son of a spinner who is exiled along with all the other spinners when the curse is pronounced. It is Yashaa who seeks to end the curse and it is he who becomes the hero of this unexpected story.

    “Spindle” is a companion novel to “A Thousand Nights,” which is the retelling of “Arabian Nights.” The demon in both books is one in the same. That said, however, each book stands alone.

    I love Johsnston’s approach to this beloved fairy tale. Too often, the princess takes precedence, and while Rose is still a key player, Yashaa is the star. The story was familiar and completely new at the same time. The setting is also an unexpected surprise. Instead of taking place in a European setting, “Spindle” takes place in a more exotic location — based on Johnston’s description, I imagined a Persian or Arabian landscape.

    If you’re a fan of fairy tales or just an imaginative narrative, then “Spindle” is a good choice for you.

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    Jessica
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    Jessica Harrison is the reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. She loves books and worked as the in-house book critic at a daily newspaper, writing reviews and interviewing authors for two years. When the company cut back, she lost her position covering books, but that doesn't mean she stopped reading. If anything, the whole experience made her more passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices. She has been featured on NetGalley's Blogger Spotlight and is on Kindleprenuer's Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs. Contact her at jessica(at)crackingthecover(dot)com and follow Cracking the Cover on Bluesky, Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter (X) @crackingthecovr. You can also read scaled down reviews on Jessica's Goodreads review page. Jessica is also a reviewer on Amazon.

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