Spindle's End

ISBN: 0-399-23466-7 Order from: Amazon.com

A very pleasant retelling of the fairy tale, this fantasy features, as usual, very likable characters and excellent prose; however, the good-natured narrative lacks the suspense of McKinley's earlier novels.

Reviewed by David on November 26, 2000

Genre: Fantasy (Fairy Tale, Magic, Coming of Age)

Synopsis: Granted twenty-one names at christening, the crown princess—a female heir to the crown is a rare and treasured event—is set to receive her gifts from the carefully selected fairies. However, one uninvited guest, a very powerful fairy with a grudge against the royal family, makes an appearance, and gifts the infant with a curse. The Princess is doomed to die before her twenty-first birthday unless the curse is broken.

Spirited away by a young woman from a poor, remote village, Rosie is raised unknowing of both her heritage and her curse. Gifted with the temper and intensity, she forms strong opinions and stronger attachments from an early age. Some of her talents puzzle her adapted family, but little interferes with Rosie's childhood until both the curse and her royal family get close in their search. A battle of magic looms—a fight for Rosie's survival.

Full Review: McKinley is an old favorite, and her strengths are amply exhibited in this charming retelling of Sleeping Beauty. The almost casual acceptance of magic; the courteous, if sometimes puzzling, communication with animals; the mystical nature of fish and the totally unmagical nature of smiths—except for the very rare fairy smiths, of course—all weave an enchantment. Reading a McKinley tale is a cosy and familiar experience, while being surprised (always pleasantly) by the touch of the exotic.

McKinley's characters are sympathetic, practical, and courageous. Their affections are easy, their loyalties steadfast. Rosie, the apprentice witch, is plausible as both a shy teenager and a warrior in the battle for her own survival. The plot is well constructed, and the ending is fresh and original without betraying the old story.

This novel, like the recent Rose Daughter, is more leisurely than the earlier novels like Deerskin and The Hero and the Crown. This is not not imply that it's padded—McKinley's prose is always graceful. However, there is not the same sense of urgency, of distress and pain. While there is certainly conflict in Spindle's End, much of the narrative is just too good-natured to have the emotional impact of McKinley's earlier works.

While celebrating this installment from a very skilled writer, one hopes for more tension in the next fantasy from Ms. McKinley, one of the best modern fantasy writers.

Overall: 6; Plot: 5; Characters: 6.5; Style: 6.5; World-building: 5.5; Originality: 6;

ISBN: 0-399-23466-7 Order from: Amazon.com