HekArtemis
Written on Aug 24, 2020
*WINNER OF THE 2016 KATE GREENAWAY MEDAL*
Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell are both at the height of their powers as they weave together a sort-of Snow White and an almost Sleeping Beauty with a thread of dark magic. Utterly enchanting, this glorious new edition is a volume to treasure – a larger format, packaged in a bespoke slipcase containing a beautiful print of a stunning illustration from the book.
On the eve of her wedding, a young queen sets out to rescue a princess from an enchantment. She casts aside her fine wedding clothes, takes her chain mail and her sword and follows her brave dwarf retainers into the tunnels under the mountain towards the sleeping kingdom. This queen will decide her own future – and the princess who needs rescuing is not quite what she seems. Twisting together the familiar and the new, this perfectly delicious, captivating and darkly funny tale shows its creators at the peak of their talents.
Lavishly produced, packed with glorious Chris Riddell illustrations enhanced with metallic ink, this is a spectacular and magical gift.
- ISBN10 1408878429
- ISBN13 9781408878422
- Publish Date 8 September 2016 (first published 23 October 2014)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 9 November 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
- Imprint Bloomsbury Childrens Books
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 72
- Language English
Reviews
lindsey
Written on Mar 31, 2020
I loved, loved, loved it. It twists a couple of well-known fairy tales into a unique story, and my only disappointment is that it wasn't longer! I would love to see a novel-length sequel about what happens after this story. Alas, I fear that will never come to be, but at least I'll still have this story.
As I mentioned before, this was a very quick read, which I was expecting, so I wasn't surprised by it. It was actually a nice change from longer novels. I was able to sit down with it and know that I'd actually finish it in one sitting, which hasn't happened in a while. Since it's so short, the story moves fast, but is still well-paced. Though we don't get a lot of character development, I grew quite an attachment to the Queen and the three dwarves.
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the incredible illustrations by Chris Riddell. They're beautiful and helped to seamlessly immerse me in this world.
This would be perfect for a bedtime story for yourself, or perhaps for children who don't mind a darker fairy tale.
Amber (The Literary Phoenix)
Written on Oct 2, 2018
I really wasn't expecting much going into The Sleeper and the Spindle, which I think is a pretty pragmatic way to approach short stories - there's only so much development that can happen in this format, and they're usually more anecdotal. The Sleeper and the Spindle was just okay.
It was a pretty traditional Sleeping Beauty retelling, with a gender swap in one place and a bad guy swap in the other. Nothing about this little story surprised me. It was fine, but I don't think it was representative of Neil Gaiman's better writing or world-building.
That said, The Sleeper and the Spindle is perfectly quaint for a fairytale retelling in this format. Some of the choice he made in the retelling have the edge of traditional fairytale style. I believe people who like this format will enjoy the story well enough.
alindstadtcorbeax
Written on Aug 22, 2018
wcs53
Written on Jun 23, 2018
Chelsea
Written on Sep 18, 2017
luddite
Written on Dec 14, 2016
Raiding Dipali's library always results in gold.
lizarodz
Written on Dec 7, 2015
Even though the characters don't have names - they are referred to as "the queen", the tallest dwarf", "the princes" - it is really easy to tell who the characters are since they come from really well known fairy tales. However, there are not a lot of similarities between their stories. A lot of it feels more realistic and also darker than the pink-colored fairy tales of old. The book is short and it feels like it and besides the ending is a bit abrupt and there is definitely room for more of the story in a future installment (although there's none planned that I can tell). I'm not sure I can tell you a lot more about the story, it would be very easy to give it away.
One of the elements that I liked the most in The Sleeper and the Spindle is that the queen takes matters into her own hands. She's not a damsel in distress waiting to be rescued, quite the opposite. She's the one that rescues, fights, figures out the riddles and conquers evil. I loved it! It sends the right message to young girls. The queen is accompanied in this quest by three dwarfs, who act as escort and counselors.
The illustrations are breathtaking. They are made in black, white and grays, with the addition of gold for emphasis. They add a great dimension to the story and complement everything perfectly. This review was originally posted on Reading With ABC
inlibrisveritas
Written on Nov 16, 2015
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one to begin with, but as soon as it became apparent that this was going to read exactly like a old fairy tale I fell in love. It has that style that one gets from oral tradition stories, where this is just enough detail to pull you in but not bog you down. The fact that it also pulls in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and puts them at the forfront is perfection, because Snow White really gets the short end with her own fairy tale. Cleaning, attempted murder, and sleeping until a guy wakes her up…so the fact that she’s going to go free Sleeping Beauty from the same fate is just awesome.
Add the awesome story to Chris Riddell’s illustrations and you have a unique little story that stands out. I love Riddell’s work. I read a series of middle grade books that he illustrated and immediately wished his work would be in more books. There is so much beauty in the details.
If you’re looking for a super short fairy tale retelling then definitely grab this one. It’s perfect for the retelling lover, and it has that charm that Gaiman is known for.
anne
Written on Jan 1, 2015