Book Review: A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
When I saw Alix Harrow had another book out, this was an automatic buy. (If you’ve read The Ten Thousand Doors of January and The Once and Future Witches you know why!) I didn’t even read the blurb because, by the title, I guessed it was a Sleeping Beauty retelling, and I was definitely down for that. And the book itself is gorgeous – not just the cover, but lovely illustrations and formatting throughout.
What I liked: this book candidly discusses how (potentially) problematic Sleeping Beauty is as a fairy tale, and deconstructs it in a creative way, paying homage to the original, while also bringing in contemporary elements. Here, our hero/princess has a terminal illness, representative of the powerlessness of the cursed princess over her own life. Zinnia (cool name!) sees herself in the story of Sleeping Beauty, and highlights the different versions of it, spanning across cultures. I very much appreciated this take; it helped me see more in the original fairytale, and I like how this perspective manifests in so many different ways throughout A Spindle Splintered.
Growing up, I was one of the kids who liked Sleeping Beauty – I think because I lived the story in the role of the prince fighting through the thorns, storming the castle, and rescuing the damsel, instead of in the shoes of the princess. (I also was enamored with the idea of living in a cottage in the forest, secluded from the horrors of modern life, but I’m getting off the subject.) So, for me, as a little girl, this fairy tale landed differently than for others. But seeing it from another angle was fun and illuminating.
Alix Harrow’s writing is top notch. The ease of sinking into the story – her voice and lush prose – makes reading anything she’s written a delightful sensory experience. Despite the MC having a terminal illness, the tone is light, irreverent, and humorous – a perfect foil for the seriousness of the subject.
What I didn’t like: So many pop culture references! At times it was distracting and took me out of the story. When I purchased, I was aware this was a novella, but upon completion, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the scope of the story. It felt as if we’d only skimmed the surface of the fairy tale, leaving some parts of the plot undeveloped in regards to the how of things. I wish a little more time had been spent lingering in some of the plot mechanisms, instead of social commentary. While this book has an important feminist narrative, I tired of it by the end. It took over the story like too much salt in a dish.
Solid 4 stars. This will stay in my library.