Friday, 28 April 2023 10:12 pm
Book Review: Spindle's End
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deckardcanineI'm going to make this review shorter than usual, partly because Robin McKinley's 2000 book is an overt retelling of Sleeping Beauty, which you should already know pretty well. There are a handful of twists, but in the name of not spoiling, let me just say that the blessed and cursed princess, herein nicknamed Rosie, grows to be rather unlike the classic archetype. Forget Disney's Aurora; this one's a tomboy.
I said before that the book is partly comedic. I overestimated that aspect. It may get off to an intermittently quirky start (belief in fish is taboo in this land?), and a few moments razz traditional elements, but dozens if not hundreds of pages can pass without a hint of humor.
One inherent problem is the passage of many years without much happening besides a kingdom-wide simmer of angsty anticipation. I always thought the story barely came alive apart from the villain's presence. In this version, we get plenty of details on Rosie growing up with fairy Katriona, who is 15 when she spirits Rosie away from the castle for protection; and Katriona's more powerful aunt, curiously known as "Aunt" to everyone. Katriona is the focal character for about the first half before shifting primarily to Rosie, who develops a bumpy yet strong friendship with a same-age girl of similar name theme, Peony. Lest you think all the important characters are female, three of them fall in love with men.
Things get a little more interesting when magic comes to the fore, often in ways not all that common even within fantasy, whether meaningful to the plot or not. I especially like how certain fairies and, for some reason, Rosie can communicate with most animals. They have their own priorities, but they still care about Rosie right from her infancy. Yep, the Friend to All Living Things trope remains intact.
Alas, it didn't sustain my interest enough. Many parts seemed underexplained, unless I hadn't paid due attention. By the third act, I struggled to match names to characters or, in many cases, species. The climax and resolution were almost impenetrable to me. I hardly cared anymore; I just wanted to finish.
The ending is perhaps moderately happy, in contrast with many fairy tales: Nobody gets everything they wanted. I can appreciate that, but I wish the romances were convincing enough to warm my heart, especially with all the effort McKinley put toward credible emotions. As it is, I don't feel like checking out any more of her works.
Perhaps it's time for something with a less feminine touch. I'm picking up Shadow's Edge by Brent Weeks.
I said before that the book is partly comedic. I overestimated that aspect. It may get off to an intermittently quirky start (belief in fish is taboo in this land?), and a few moments razz traditional elements, but dozens if not hundreds of pages can pass without a hint of humor.
One inherent problem is the passage of many years without much happening besides a kingdom-wide simmer of angsty anticipation. I always thought the story barely came alive apart from the villain's presence. In this version, we get plenty of details on Rosie growing up with fairy Katriona, who is 15 when she spirits Rosie away from the castle for protection; and Katriona's more powerful aunt, curiously known as "Aunt" to everyone. Katriona is the focal character for about the first half before shifting primarily to Rosie, who develops a bumpy yet strong friendship with a same-age girl of similar name theme, Peony. Lest you think all the important characters are female, three of them fall in love with men.
Things get a little more interesting when magic comes to the fore, often in ways not all that common even within fantasy, whether meaningful to the plot or not. I especially like how certain fairies and, for some reason, Rosie can communicate with most animals. They have their own priorities, but they still care about Rosie right from her infancy. Yep, the Friend to All Living Things trope remains intact.
Alas, it didn't sustain my interest enough. Many parts seemed underexplained, unless I hadn't paid due attention. By the third act, I struggled to match names to characters or, in many cases, species. The climax and resolution were almost impenetrable to me. I hardly cared anymore; I just wanted to finish.
The ending is perhaps moderately happy, in contrast with many fairy tales: Nobody gets everything they wanted. I can appreciate that, but I wish the romances were convincing enough to warm my heart, especially with all the effort McKinley put toward credible emotions. As it is, I don't feel like checking out any more of her works.
Perhaps it's time for something with a less feminine touch. I'm picking up Shadow's Edge by Brent Weeks.