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Two Monarchies Sequence #1
Spindle
What is a maiden to do when her prince is not a prince, her hair won’t stop growing, and someone has cursed her to sleep for 300 years?
In Polyhymnia’s case, it seems expedient to get up with the help of a kiss or two, trailing her hair behind her, and find out who did it. Nothing quite works out as planned, however. Poly can’t be sure if that’s because she never seems to be able to remember things like the mysterious spindle that keeps showing up around her, or if it’s the fault of the wizard who woke her but never stops long enough to explain anything.
Poly is determined in two things: One, that she will find out who cursed her to sleep and meddled with her memories. Two: that she will absolutely not fall in love with the irritating wizard who seems to need to keep kissing her back into the real world�
In Polyhymnia’s case, it seems expedient to get up with the help of a kiss or two, trailing her hair behind her, and find out who did it. Nothing quite works out as planned, however. Poly can’t be sure if that’s because she never seems to be able to remember things like the mysterious spindle that keeps showing up around her, or if it’s the fault of the wizard who woke her but never stops long enough to explain anything.
Poly is determined in two things: One, that she will find out who cursed her to sleep and meddled with her memories. Two: that she will absolutely not fall in love with the irritating wizard who seems to need to keep kissing her back into the real world�
377 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2015
163 people are currently reading
2,701 people want to read
About the author
W.R. Gingell
46Ìýbooks1,051ÌýfollowersW.R. Gingell is a Tasmanian author of urban fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, and madcap science fiction who doesn’t seem to be able to write a book without a body suddenly turning up. She solemnly swears that all such bodies are strictly fictional in nature.
W.R. spends her time reading, drinking a truly ridiculous amount of tea, and slouching in front of the fire to write. Like Peter Pan, she never really grew up, and is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I don't tend to friend anyone unless they're a personal friend or someone from my close author circle. I have a limited social battery which needs constant care. If you want to keep up with my reading/writing, you can absolutely follow me here or on pretty much any social media site.
W.R. spends her time reading, drinking a truly ridiculous amount of tea, and slouching in front of the fire to write. Like Peter Pan, she never really grew up, and is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I don't tend to friend anyone unless they're a personal friend or someone from my close author circle. I have a limited social battery which needs constant care. If you want to keep up with my reading/writing, you can absolutely follow me here or on pretty much any social media site.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 274 reviews
July 3, 2017
I'm offering a giveaway for a paperback copy of this AMAZING book on my website! Along with a hardbound copy of "Strange the Dreamer," another incredible read.
Open to everyone, including internationals!
So you know how I said I read HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE as a kid, loved it, and now spend my reading life trying to find books that can somehow recapture THAT feeling?
W.R. Gingell's Spindle is, BY FAR, the closest thing I've found to match!
It's certainly not the same plot. It's not the same characters. But it is so much of the same STYLE and MAGIC and MOOD and WHIMSY, that I could almost believe I was reading a Diana Wynne Jones novel! Only Gingell maintains her own distinct voice all the while.
Okay, before I lose myself in gushing, let's get on to the review . . .
WHAT I LOVED
Well, obviously, I loved that it gave me all those throw-back Diana Wynne Jones feels. This book, though written in a contemporary style, has that old school feel that I just love. There's richness to the language that isn't flowery or overblown but just . . . clever, somehow. And addictively readable. Honestly, you can't separate the writing from the story with this book, because the plot wouldn't be as good without the distinctive writing style, and the writing style wouldn't work without this plot. It's such a perfect marriage of the two!
Poly--I loved the heroine. She's smart and capable without being too overly plucky or abrasive. I love how her soft heart is revealed via her interactions with Onepiece (the puppy . . . who's not really a puppy . . .), and her growing bond with him was one of my favorite parts of the book. Her relationship with Luck, the enchanter who rescued her from her three hundred year sleep, was SUPER fun to watch unfold.
Luck was also tremendously fun. He's a bit like Howl, he's a bit like Doctor Who . . . and he's a bit obnoxious, to be honest! But that's all part of his charm, ultimately. I can totally sympathize with the heroine wanting to slap him half the time! But . . . yeah, he can be pretty dreamy too . . . in a totally NOT standard sort of way . . .
The plot was crazy twisty-turny, and I couldn't possibly begin to describe it here without dropping major spoilers. Suffice it to say, Gingell expects her readers to be SMART. She drops clues and hints and plot threads early, and she expects her readers to remember them when those threads come back later. She doesn't spoon-feed her readers but believes in their ability to keep up with her. And I LOVE it.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE SO MUCH
Well, obviously I gave this book five stars, so there wasn't a whole lot I disliked! But it did have it's problems, I'll acknowledge. There were plot threads that never did quite make sense. A few storylines that I looked forward to seeing how they'd work in and resolve that never quite . . . did. That was a wee bit frustrating, I won't lie.
But I'm not going to knock a star for it because I just enjoyed the read so very, very much. And I fully intend to read everything else Gingell has written or will write, because she is just my kind of author! I bought this book directly after reading MASQUE (her Beauty and the Beast retelling), and I will probably go buy BLACKFOOT (another retelling) soon now as well, because I won't be able to wait long before diving back into the crazy, magical, wonderful world of the Two Monarchies.
This book, along with all the other books I read for May and June, is up for my Book of the Month award . . . which is technically going to be my Book of Two Months award this time, since I'm squishing two months together due to lack of reading time in May. (Sorry!)
Whichever book I pick as my Book of the Month I'll be giving away to one lucky mailing list subscriber!
So you know how I said I read HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE as a kid, loved it, and now spend my reading life trying to find books that can somehow recapture THAT feeling?
W.R. Gingell's Spindle is, BY FAR, the closest thing I've found to match!
It's certainly not the same plot. It's not the same characters. But it is so much of the same STYLE and MAGIC and MOOD and WHIMSY, that I could almost believe I was reading a Diana Wynne Jones novel! Only Gingell maintains her own distinct voice all the while.
Okay, before I lose myself in gushing, let's get on to the review . . .
WHAT I LOVED
Well, obviously, I loved that it gave me all those throw-back Diana Wynne Jones feels. This book, though written in a contemporary style, has that old school feel that I just love. There's richness to the language that isn't flowery or overblown but just . . . clever, somehow. And addictively readable. Honestly, you can't separate the writing from the story with this book, because the plot wouldn't be as good without the distinctive writing style, and the writing style wouldn't work without this plot. It's such a perfect marriage of the two!
Poly--I loved the heroine. She's smart and capable without being too overly plucky or abrasive. I love how her soft heart is revealed via her interactions with Onepiece (the puppy . . . who's not really a puppy . . .), and her growing bond with him was one of my favorite parts of the book. Her relationship with Luck, the enchanter who rescued her from her three hundred year sleep, was SUPER fun to watch unfold.
Luck was also tremendously fun. He's a bit like Howl, he's a bit like Doctor Who . . . and he's a bit obnoxious, to be honest! But that's all part of his charm, ultimately. I can totally sympathize with the heroine wanting to slap him half the time! But . . . yeah, he can be pretty dreamy too . . . in a totally NOT standard sort of way . . .
The plot was crazy twisty-turny, and I couldn't possibly begin to describe it here without dropping major spoilers. Suffice it to say, Gingell expects her readers to be SMART. She drops clues and hints and plot threads early, and she expects her readers to remember them when those threads come back later. She doesn't spoon-feed her readers but believes in their ability to keep up with her. And I LOVE it.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE SO MUCH
Well, obviously I gave this book five stars, so there wasn't a whole lot I disliked! But it did have it's problems, I'll acknowledge. There were plot threads that never did quite make sense. A few storylines that I looked forward to seeing how they'd work in and resolve that never quite . . . did. That was a wee bit frustrating, I won't lie.
But I'm not going to knock a star for it because I just enjoyed the read so very, very much. And I fully intend to read everything else Gingell has written or will write, because she is just my kind of author! I bought this book directly after reading MASQUE (her Beauty and the Beast retelling), and I will probably go buy BLACKFOOT (another retelling) soon now as well, because I won't be able to wait long before diving back into the crazy, magical, wonderful world of the Two Monarchies.
This book, along with all the other books I read for May and June, is up for my Book of the Month award . . . which is technically going to be my Book of Two Months award this time, since I'm squishing two months together due to lack of reading time in May. (Sorry!)
Whichever book I pick as my Book of the Month I'll be giving away to one lucky mailing list subscriber!
May 19, 2017
Awesome indie book. First few chapters where a little rough. But as it went along the story was engaging enough to override the poor prose. This is the second time recently I have read and loved an indie book. (The other is and you should check it out as well).
The story was sweet and funny, the relationship between Onepiece and Poly was a delight and the dialogue, after an indifferent beginning, gets very snappy and funny once the author is in her stride.
Will fix up later, today is the weekend... so it's already the middle of the week and I still haven't finished this. Oops...
As this is a lesser known indie I'll explain a bit what it is about:
PREMISE
The MC, Polly is awoken from a sleeping beauty style spell. She is mistaken for a princess. She was actually a lady in waiting. As the book progresses we discover more of why and how this happened.
Her parents are missing, caught up in some unfortunate magic, but they do their best to protect Polly. Polly is bookish, unsure of herself and wears glasses. She has been pushed around a lot.
She is found by an enchanter, Luck, who is rude, indifferent and thoughtless (think a young Einstein) and they soon adopt a magical puppy called Onepiece. Polly actively forgets anything related to her past and the spell that put her to sleep. It's important to keep this in mind because it was a little confusing a first until I worked out what was going on. This made for some very amusing situations and dialogue.
"Oh, is that what they are? Do you wake up a lot of cursed girls, then?â€� "³§±è¾±²Ô»å±ô±ð.â€�
"°Â³ó²¹³Ù?â€�
"³§±è¾±²Ô»å±ô±ð.â€�
"What spi� ow! Let me go! What is that? Where did it come from?� "Well, this is just ridiculous,� said Luck."
The plot then revolves around the consequences of Polly (a presumed royal) being awoken.
PROSE
Not gonna lie- it starts off very rough. The first few chapters particularly are very over written. The author uses 10 words when 5 would suffice and often adds awkward qualifiers. It was so bad near the beginning that I almost DNFed it but it improved as the story went along.
Honestly I probably became more forgiving as I became engaged in the plot and characters.
CHARACTERS
Polly, Onepiece and Luck are great, original characters. I read indie books because I love finding fresh, original stories about weird, unusual characters. Usually I rage quit within a few chapters due to intolerable writing quality but occasionally I find a book with something so great, important or fun that I remember why I keep trying indie books. This is one such book. Polly is a bit of a speshul snowflake but that's ok. This is a fairytale retelling, and don't mind an OP character as long as their powers don't turn them into plot breakers.
Whenever I find an awesome indie I just want to scream READ, READ, READ. I appreciate what they are trying to do and although they don't always reach the technical proficiency they could with a production team behind them, they occasionally tell genre and style defying stories.
If you are the sort of reader who doesn't get too hung up on prose this story and Silence of Medair (referenced above), or anything by Grace Draven would be decent books to start with in the indie fantasy genre.
The story was sweet and funny, the relationship between Onepiece and Poly was a delight and the dialogue, after an indifferent beginning, gets very snappy and funny once the author is in her stride.
Will fix up later, today is the weekend... so it's already the middle of the week and I still haven't finished this. Oops...
As this is a lesser known indie I'll explain a bit what it is about:
PREMISE
The MC, Polly is awoken from a sleeping beauty style spell. She is mistaken for a princess. She was actually a lady in waiting. As the book progresses we discover more of why and how this happened.
Her parents are missing, caught up in some unfortunate magic, but they do their best to protect Polly. Polly is bookish, unsure of herself and wears glasses. She has been pushed around a lot.
She is found by an enchanter, Luck, who is rude, indifferent and thoughtless (think a young Einstein) and they soon adopt a magical puppy called Onepiece. Polly actively forgets anything related to her past and the spell that put her to sleep. It's important to keep this in mind because it was a little confusing a first until I worked out what was going on. This made for some very amusing situations and dialogue.
"Oh, is that what they are? Do you wake up a lot of cursed girls, then?â€� "³§±è¾±²Ô»å±ô±ð.â€�
"°Â³ó²¹³Ù?â€�
"³§±è¾±²Ô»å±ô±ð.â€�
"What spi� ow! Let me go! What is that? Where did it come from?� "Well, this is just ridiculous,� said Luck."
The plot then revolves around the consequences of Polly (a presumed royal) being awoken.
PROSE
Not gonna lie- it starts off very rough. The first few chapters particularly are very over written. The author uses 10 words when 5 would suffice and often adds awkward qualifiers. It was so bad near the beginning that I almost DNFed it but it improved as the story went along.
Honestly I probably became more forgiving as I became engaged in the plot and characters.
CHARACTERS
Polly, Onepiece and Luck are great, original characters. I read indie books because I love finding fresh, original stories about weird, unusual characters. Usually I rage quit within a few chapters due to intolerable writing quality but occasionally I find a book with something so great, important or fun that I remember why I keep trying indie books. This is one such book. Polly is a bit of a speshul snowflake but that's ok. This is a fairytale retelling, and don't mind an OP character as long as their powers don't turn them into plot breakers.
Whenever I find an awesome indie I just want to scream READ, READ, READ. I appreciate what they are trying to do and although they don't always reach the technical proficiency they could with a production team behind them, they occasionally tell genre and style defying stories.
If you are the sort of reader who doesn't get too hung up on prose this story and Silence of Medair (referenced above), or anything by Grace Draven would be decent books to start with in the indie fantasy genre.
August 20, 2021
Are you sitting down? Make sure you're sitting down. I'm going to say something a little crazy. You ready? Good. Here goes:
This reminds me of Howl's Moving Castle more than any other book I've read, and it's almost as good.
(Note to Deborah O'Carroll, if she happens to see this: READ THIS BOOK. You're going to love it. TRUST ME.)
I'm trying not to overhype Spindle because there's no better way to kill a book than to go into it expecting that it'll miraculously make your life a hundred times better when it is, in fact, only a book. And books, granted, do make your life better and are magical, wonderful things, but even the best ones can only do so much.
Anyway. Spindle is a wonderful book. It's a bit confusing and a tiny bit frustrating at times, especially since I went in expecting a mystery novel and I really didn't get one � at least not of the type I was looking for. But instead I got a lovely adventure that's quiet and exciting by turns. Luck and Poly are wonderfully Howl and Sophie-ish in numerous ways � personality, relationship dynamics, magicalness � while also being their own characters. Even the plot includes some of the same beats and tropes (though it's not at all the same story). And the world feels very like Ingary in some respects, while also very unlike. It's nice to find a world where magic � not scientific magic, like in Sanderson, but magical magic; it's about feel more than anything � is a normal thing.
It was fun to see appearances from Isabelle and Melchior. (I also quite like that Melchior is named Melchior; it sounds like a name that would be typically reserved for either a Mentor of the old-and-wise variety or for a villain, but instead he's a young, clever, charming, and relatively handsome magician. I approve immensely.) I look forward to seeing them more in the other Two Monarchies books.
Anyway. Spindle is a wonderful book; I love it, and I'm so glad I read it, and I think I'm going to go see what else by this author I can find to devour.
This reminds me of Howl's Moving Castle more than any other book I've read, and it's almost as good.
(Note to Deborah O'Carroll, if she happens to see this: READ THIS BOOK. You're going to love it. TRUST ME.)
I'm trying not to overhype Spindle because there's no better way to kill a book than to go into it expecting that it'll miraculously make your life a hundred times better when it is, in fact, only a book. And books, granted, do make your life better and are magical, wonderful things, but even the best ones can only do so much.
Anyway. Spindle is a wonderful book. It's a bit confusing and a tiny bit frustrating at times, especially since I went in expecting a mystery novel and I really didn't get one � at least not of the type I was looking for. But instead I got a lovely adventure that's quiet and exciting by turns. Luck and Poly are wonderfully Howl and Sophie-ish in numerous ways � personality, relationship dynamics, magicalness � while also being their own characters. Even the plot includes some of the same beats and tropes (though it's not at all the same story). And the world feels very like Ingary in some respects, while also very unlike. It's nice to find a world where magic � not scientific magic, like in Sanderson, but magical magic; it's about feel more than anything � is a normal thing.
It was fun to see appearances from Isabelle and Melchior. (I also quite like that Melchior is named Melchior; it sounds like a name that would be typically reserved for either a Mentor of the old-and-wise variety or for a villain, but instead he's a young, clever, charming, and relatively handsome magician. I approve immensely.) I look forward to seeing them more in the other Two Monarchies books.
Anyway. Spindle is a wonderful book; I love it, and I'm so glad I read it, and I think I'm going to go see what else by this author I can find to devour.
October 26, 2022
reread 11/23/2021:
So I really, really like this book, you guys. (Hence the reread.)
I wrote down some of the stuff that I loved as I read, so:
-Poly
-How Poly recognizes scheming courtiers at a glance
-How Poly has a heady enjoyment in but is slightly uncomfortable with being so much part of things in the village, after being used to staying carefully in the background
-The village (and the Forest)
-Margaret. She is great.
-And Michael and Annie.
-I realized what I find so refreshing about these characters is that they’re mature and deal with conflict in mature ways. I would like more of this in my fiction, please.
-Poly’s sense of humor is being amused by things that would annoy other people and I love it and I relate
-“I hate being patted on the head for a good girl� SAME
-I just realized that if you love someone it can make you be MORE mad at them for behaving badly, and that’s what makes this scene so good and realistic
-How “Yow!� is a thing people say
-“Yes, you’re a very good ComealongPoly and StayathomePoly, but�
-Melchior MELCHIOR (a generally sneaky and untrustworthy person, blood only bothers him if it’s his own, he has strong obsidian-colored magic and one talent and a sarcastic mouth that distresses Poly sometimes)
-The magic is so cool (especially the antimagic and ESPECIALLY the unmagic). How the descriptions of it are so vivid and, y’know, magical, yet also grounded-feeling.
-Okay but THIS is how you write subtle character growth
-The scenes - especially the final one - where she gets her memories back are epic
-“You didn’t kick him when he kissed you!�
-“Not bedtime,� said Onepiece, correctly anticipating the result of being brought to her notice again. “Am splashy-wet and will catcherdeath.�
-Luck is fun, actually, in his absentminded, obscure, gold-magicked, green-eyed, oblivious-to-the-concept-of-personal-space, frustrating way.
-Those utter vultures of wizards
-Sneaky sneaky Black Velvet
-“If you so much as lay a finger on my son I will Bind you into the stairs of the hall until every person in the Capital has walked over your face.�
-I really really really like Poly.
original review 9/3/2021:
This was like if you wrote Howl’s Moving Castle but specifically for me and threw in a generous dash of Sleeping Beauty retelling for flavor. <3
So I really, really like this book, you guys. (Hence the reread.)
I wrote down some of the stuff that I loved as I read, so:
-Poly
-How Poly recognizes scheming courtiers at a glance
-How Poly has a heady enjoyment in but is slightly uncomfortable with being so much part of things in the village, after being used to staying carefully in the background
-The village (and the Forest)
-Margaret. She is great.
-And Michael and Annie.
-I realized what I find so refreshing about these characters is that they’re mature and deal with conflict in mature ways. I would like more of this in my fiction, please.
-Poly’s sense of humor is being amused by things that would annoy other people and I love it and I relate
-“I hate being patted on the head for a good girl� SAME
-I just realized that if you love someone it can make you be MORE mad at them for behaving badly, and that’s what makes this scene so good and realistic
-How “Yow!� is a thing people say
-“Yes, you’re a very good ComealongPoly and StayathomePoly, but�
-Melchior MELCHIOR (a generally sneaky and untrustworthy person, blood only bothers him if it’s his own, he has strong obsidian-colored magic and one talent and a sarcastic mouth that distresses Poly sometimes)
-The magic is so cool (especially the antimagic and ESPECIALLY the unmagic). How the descriptions of it are so vivid and, y’know, magical, yet also grounded-feeling.
-Okay but THIS is how you write subtle character growth
-The scenes - especially the final one - where she gets her memories back are epic
-“You didn’t kick him when he kissed you!�
-“Not bedtime,� said Onepiece, correctly anticipating the result of being brought to her notice again. “Am splashy-wet and will catcherdeath.�
-Luck is fun, actually, in his absentminded, obscure, gold-magicked, green-eyed, oblivious-to-the-concept-of-personal-space, frustrating way.
-Those utter vultures of wizards
-Sneaky sneaky Black Velvet
-“If you so much as lay a finger on my son I will Bind you into the stairs of the hall until every person in the Capital has walked over your face.�
-I really really really like Poly.
original review 9/3/2021:
This was like if you wrote Howl’s Moving Castle but specifically for me and threw in a generous dash of Sleeping Beauty retelling for flavor. <3
October 18, 2015
I think I just found a new favorite author. I loved Spindle that much! I've been thinking about how to put into words this crazy, eccentric, magical, steady roller-coaster (yep, those two descriptors don't make sense when you read them like that, but if you read this story you would understand) story and failing at the exact proper words. I will do my best.
The characters. I loved Poly. She is Luck's rock to his crazy forgetfulness (although it's really more of a focus that he has because his brain is always going and he see's things when you think he doesn't see them, but he really does). She's very smart, which also is a match to Luck's. And powerful, compassionate, kind, fierce (when she needs to be), and all around likable. Now, I've already brought up Luck. He's all over the place, both figuratively and physically. I could see how he could get on Poly's nerves (and mine sometimes), but it was really just the portion he let others see. He has such an amazing mind, is powerful, loyal, and a little sly. I loved how he pushed and prodded Poly without her even knowing that's what he was doing and vice versa (although I think he knew what she was doing, but wanted to let her do it). I loved how well they work together and the constant sparks that fly between them - how they stand up to each other and go through some serious stuff together and how it makes them stronger. Together.
Then you have this crazy and amazing fantasy world. It shifted and changed and was something different depending on where you were. There were interesting characters, scenery, and magic. Sometimes it stretched my brain trying to keep up with it all.
Finally, the plot. It was steady, while also having intense moments, and also having this tension that kept building and building. I literally felt I was going to explode if it wasn't ALL explained or if Polly didn't regain ALL her memories or if they didn't figure it ALL out... I laughed in several spot, sighed in others, even wanted to cry a few times. And then the ending... So. Freaking. Good. Perfect for this book.
Seriously. If you enjoy fantasy, Alice in Wonderland (and remakes of such since this one reminded me of that type of story), and stories that drive you crazy in a good way, then grab Spelled. Now I need to see about getting my hands on the other two books I've seen like this one: Wolfskin and Masque.
Content: Clean
Source: I would like to thank the author for my complimentary copy, which did not affect my review in any way.
The characters. I loved Poly. She is Luck's rock to his crazy forgetfulness (although it's really more of a focus that he has because his brain is always going and he see's things when you think he doesn't see them, but he really does). She's very smart, which also is a match to Luck's. And powerful, compassionate, kind, fierce (when she needs to be), and all around likable. Now, I've already brought up Luck. He's all over the place, both figuratively and physically. I could see how he could get on Poly's nerves (and mine sometimes), but it was really just the portion he let others see. He has such an amazing mind, is powerful, loyal, and a little sly. I loved how he pushed and prodded Poly without her even knowing that's what he was doing and vice versa (although I think he knew what she was doing, but wanted to let her do it). I loved how well they work together and the constant sparks that fly between them - how they stand up to each other and go through some serious stuff together and how it makes them stronger. Together.
Then you have this crazy and amazing fantasy world. It shifted and changed and was something different depending on where you were. There were interesting characters, scenery, and magic. Sometimes it stretched my brain trying to keep up with it all.
Finally, the plot. It was steady, while also having intense moments, and also having this tension that kept building and building. I literally felt I was going to explode if it wasn't ALL explained or if Polly didn't regain ALL her memories or if they didn't figure it ALL out... I laughed in several spot, sighed in others, even wanted to cry a few times. And then the ending... So. Freaking. Good. Perfect for this book.
Seriously. If you enjoy fantasy, Alice in Wonderland (and remakes of such since this one reminded me of that type of story), and stories that drive you crazy in a good way, then grab Spelled. Now I need to see about getting my hands on the other two books I've seen like this one: Wolfskin and Masque.
Content: Clean
Source: I would like to thank the author for my complimentary copy, which did not affect my review in any way.
July 19, 2016
This story had an almost dreamy quality to it, and while you figure out the villain early on, just how things will come together, and what exactly the curse is doing to Poly and why, will keep you guessing. I could have wished for a slightly stronger conclusion to the curse itself, but the story as a whole had a lovely (and humorous) climax. Another enjoyable read from Gingell!
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
March 6, 2020
This was totally charming and delightful, with a tone that reminded me (in the best possible way) of either Diana Wynne Jones or Caroline Stevermer at various points. I love the heroine, Poly (short for Polyhymnia), I love that her reaction to being kissed awake (in a Sleeping Beauty position) is to knee her attacker and tell him all about the necessity of "PERSONAL SPACE", and I love her own journey towards magical strength - as well as the fun, light and understated romantic thread that runs throughout.
I have never once met a 5-year-old who acted nearly as amenable (able to politely fade into the background for hours on end while his caretakers focus on other work nearby) as the one in this book, but what the heck. He was a genuinely adorable character regardless, and I just told myself that he was different from any ordinary human 5-year-old because of his magical history. (And before I was a parent myself, I would never have noticed the issue at all!)
I chortled a lot as I read, and I enjoyed every moment. Thanks so much to the patron who recommended this book in my Patreon book club last month!
I have never once met a 5-year-old who acted nearly as amenable (able to politely fade into the background for hours on end while his caretakers focus on other work nearby) as the one in this book, but what the heck. He was a genuinely adorable character regardless, and I just told myself that he was different from any ordinary human 5-year-old because of his magical history. (And before I was a parent myself, I would never have noticed the issue at all!)
I chortled a lot as I read, and I enjoyed every moment. Thanks so much to the patron who recommended this book in my Patreon book club last month!
June 20, 2022
This is a Sleeping Beauty retelling with a hint of Rapunzel. But in true W.R. Gingell fashion, it really means that you will have no clue what is about to happen or what is going on for half the book or what the characters are talking about until, suddenly, the pieces start to fall into place and you have a massive OH!!! moment and the book clicks. This is Sleeping Beauty as you've NEVER seen it before!
So glad this book is now on audiobook, narrated by the lovely Esther Wayne!
So glad this book is now on audiobook, narrated by the lovely Esther Wayne!
June 4, 2020
~99 cents for the month of June 2020!~
Rating: 6 happy endings out of 5
...I read this entire book in one sitting. Until four a.m. this morning. It was worth it.
Here are my hopefully coherent thoughts about it:
-The first thing that made me really excited about this book was Poly’s glasses. Yeah, I know, that doesn’t seem like a big deal, but glasses-wearing characters are seriously underrepresented in fantasy! Especially for the main female character.
-Poly and Luck. Pluck? Loly? At any rate, these two are the best. Also they are insanely cute together and I might ship them violently?? (help)
Poly: “Personal space! Do you assault every woman you meet?�
Luck: “No, just you.�
-Romance that’s slow burn and actually isn’t based solely on physical looks.
-This is a pretty loose retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I loved the bits of Rapunzel that were mixed in (extremely long and magical hair, anyone?) Also, given how much Poly exclaims “Good grief!� I’m seeing a bit of Charlie Brown in there as well.
-Time travel. IN A FANTASY WORLD. Yeah, it’s not like that’s one of my favorite tropes or anything...
-Logical consequences of being asleep for 300 years.
-Poly’s motherly side coming out in her relationship with Onepiece. It brought a different side of her than what you typically find in fairytale retellings and I loved it.
-Complex magic system. Maybe it went a little over my head? But I enjoyed it. Typically I read fantasy with no magic or a soft magic system, but I did like the way it was handled in here.
-Poly constantly falling asleep.
- Quote to Remember: “Scones are always relevant.�
This is my first book by this author, and it will definitely not be the last. I honestly can’t think of anything negative to say about it that is the book’s fault (for example, I was going to say that I had a hard time picturing the characters, but then I realized, wait, I /always/ have a hard time picturing characters without fanart or illustrations. Also, I might not recommend it to everyone just because of how heavily magic-centric it is; typically I steer clear of HP-type reads with spells and that sort of thing. But this was a worthy exception.)
Wow, that was monster of a review. If you made it to the end, have a scone! If you didn’t... well, I can’t threaten anything because you’re not reading this, so.
Rating: 6 happy endings out of 5
...I read this entire book in one sitting. Until four a.m. this morning. It was worth it.
Here are my hopefully coherent thoughts about it:
-The first thing that made me really excited about this book was Poly’s glasses. Yeah, I know, that doesn’t seem like a big deal, but glasses-wearing characters are seriously underrepresented in fantasy! Especially for the main female character.
-Poly and Luck. Pluck? Loly? At any rate, these two are the best. Also they are insanely cute together and I might ship them violently?? (help)
Poly: “Personal space! Do you assault every woman you meet?�
Luck: “No, just you.�
-Romance that’s slow burn and actually isn’t based solely on physical looks.
-This is a pretty loose retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I loved the bits of Rapunzel that were mixed in (extremely long and magical hair, anyone?) Also, given how much Poly exclaims “Good grief!� I’m seeing a bit of Charlie Brown in there as well.
-Time travel. IN A FANTASY WORLD. Yeah, it’s not like that’s one of my favorite tropes or anything...
-Logical consequences of being asleep for 300 years.
-Poly’s motherly side coming out in her relationship with Onepiece. It brought a different side of her than what you typically find in fairytale retellings and I loved it.
-Complex magic system. Maybe it went a little over my head? But I enjoyed it. Typically I read fantasy with no magic or a soft magic system, but I did like the way it was handled in here.
-Poly constantly falling asleep.
- Quote to Remember: “Scones are always relevant.�
This is my first book by this author, and it will definitely not be the last. I honestly can’t think of anything negative to say about it that is the book’s fault (for example, I was going to say that I had a hard time picturing the characters, but then I realized, wait, I /always/ have a hard time picturing characters without fanart or illustrations. Also, I might not recommend it to everyone just because of how heavily magic-centric it is; typically I steer clear of HP-type reads with spells and that sort of thing. But this was a worthy exception.)
Wow, that was monster of a review. If you made it to the end, have a scone! If you didn’t... well, I can’t threaten anything because you’re not reading this, so.
January 20, 2017
I got this on the strength of enjoying Twelve Days of Fairy, so I checked the author's website and thought this one sounded really good.
It's a riff off Sleeping Beauty with a magic system all its own, but very much based on the European fairy tale tradition, although Fae don't make an appearance in this book. There's a cool twist on who the Sleeping Beauty actually is and who awakens her, and because it's all interconnected her missing memories are not mcguffins but necessary to the development of the story and Poly regaining (in some ways gaining for the first time) agency for herself.
At the end there's an action by the heroine which I did not think rang true to her previous thoughts about the antagonist and the care which she had always handled him with and so the end is open for his possible return, but really that's not a deal-breaker if you enjoyed the characters and world before.
There are plot threads left dangling, although we get a happy-for-the-forseeable-future ending. I'll put them behind the spoiler tag:
It's a riff off Sleeping Beauty with a magic system all its own, but very much based on the European fairy tale tradition, although Fae don't make an appearance in this book. There's a cool twist on who the Sleeping Beauty actually is and who awakens her, and because it's all interconnected her missing memories are not mcguffins but necessary to the development of the story and Poly regaining (in some ways gaining for the first time) agency for herself.
At the end there's an action by the heroine which I did not think rang true to her previous thoughts about the antagonist and the care which she had always handled him with and so the end is open for his possible return, but really that's not a deal-breaker if you enjoyed the characters and world before.
There are plot threads left dangling, although we get a happy-for-the-forseeable-future ending. I'll put them behind the spoiler tag:
March 8, 2020
That was a lot of fun to read, with a lot of creativity. It had a distinctly Diana Wynne-Jones flair to it.
Added later:
I'm still wondering about Onepiece.
9/4/18 Reading "Staff and Crown" made be realize it's time to re-read this series. All of the characters who showed up or were referred to in S&C need a refresher course.
Added later:
I'm still wondering about Onepiece.
9/4/18 Reading "Staff and Crown" made be realize it's time to re-read this series. All of the characters who showed up or were referred to in S&C need a refresher course.
February 25, 2022
New and familiar
The end felt jumbled together rather than exactly satisfying, but I loved everything else!
Reader thoughts: This book is a LOT like Howl's Moving Castle. In both, the girl is keeping a secret, the boy is a powerful/self-interested wizard trying to break her spell, she has to save him, he has magical doorways, she has magic she doesn't understand, he pretends to visit ladies in order to break the curse, she finds a dog person, he never explains enough, she's not as old as she looks, and they have to fight the powerful magician who cursed her. And the feel of the book and world was very -ish. In both, the magic wasn't explained, just assumed to be roughly instinctual. It was laid out in curse rhymes and threads and layers. In both, I would have liked a final five pages of denouement to wrap things up with a nice bow. I like tidy endings, like a short walk at the end of a sprint. As it is, this book closes when the story is is still mid-sprint.
How to explain what I loved?
Poly wore glasses. She was so perfectly the narrator, but the reader still knew more than she did. She kept forgetting the spindle, but the reader knew it was there. Her plans weren't brilliant, but they were interesting.
Some reviewer wrote that Luck reminded them of Dr Who. Not quite. He's more of a mix of Dr Who and Howl.
Onepiece! So much of what he said didn't make sense until paragraphs or pages later, which is neat trick. Well done, Gingell.
Fairytale retelling? Sort of. More of a fairytale extension. So, it didn't have the clues and familiar feel of, say, Sleeping Beauty, but the story was able to be surprising instead.
(Some retellings are ripe with references to the original tale, like or . Others are subtler, like or . This book, if either, was more like the latter, despite a thorny hedge.)
I seriously had a hard time putting down this book. I kept reading while brushing my teeth and such. So fun.
Writer thoughts: There were pieces where a reader is confused when Poly is. This is hard to pull off without annoying the readers, but I thought WRG did it well. For one thing, it wasn't once or twice but several times (so I know it was on purpose and not just a fluke). This happened sometimes with the magic, especially when Poly was convinced she did not have any magic.
I also think it is neat that WRG somehow made Luck a likable character. She did it in a similar way that Howl was likable, by making him powerful, having him put his life on the line for Poly at the end, and having it revealed that his intentions have always been good despite appearances.
The only thing I didn't like about him was that he was so old. I'm kind of against the idea that magical people have to live so much longer than normal human beings. You'd think 80 years would be plenty.
The end felt jumbled together rather than exactly satisfying, but I loved everything else!
Reader thoughts: This book is a LOT like Howl's Moving Castle. In both, the girl is keeping a secret, the boy is a powerful/self-interested wizard trying to break her spell, she has to save him, he has magical doorways, she has magic she doesn't understand, he pretends to visit ladies in order to break the curse, she finds a dog person, he never explains enough, she's not as old as she looks, and they have to fight the powerful magician who cursed her. And the feel of the book and world was very -ish. In both, the magic wasn't explained, just assumed to be roughly instinctual. It was laid out in curse rhymes and threads and layers. In both, I would have liked a final five pages of denouement to wrap things up with a nice bow. I like tidy endings, like a short walk at the end of a sprint. As it is, this book closes when the story is is still mid-sprint.
How to explain what I loved?
Poly wore glasses. She was so perfectly the narrator, but the reader still knew more than she did. She kept forgetting the spindle, but the reader knew it was there. Her plans weren't brilliant, but they were interesting.
Some reviewer wrote that Luck reminded them of Dr Who. Not quite. He's more of a mix of Dr Who and Howl.
Onepiece! So much of what he said didn't make sense until paragraphs or pages later, which is neat trick. Well done, Gingell.
Fairytale retelling? Sort of. More of a fairytale extension. So, it didn't have the clues and familiar feel of, say, Sleeping Beauty, but the story was able to be surprising instead.
(Some retellings are ripe with references to the original tale, like or . Others are subtler, like or . This book, if either, was more like the latter, despite a thorny hedge.)
I seriously had a hard time putting down this book. I kept reading while brushing my teeth and such. So fun.
Writer thoughts: There were pieces where a reader is confused when Poly is. This is hard to pull off without annoying the readers, but I thought WRG did it well. For one thing, it wasn't once or twice but several times (so I know it was on purpose and not just a fluke). This happened sometimes with the magic, especially when Poly was convinced she did not have any magic.
I also think it is neat that WRG somehow made Luck a likable character. She did it in a similar way that Howl was likable, by making him powerful, having him put his life on the line for Poly at the end, and having it revealed that his intentions have always been good despite appearances.
The only thing I didn't like about him was that he was so old. I'm kind of against the idea that magical people have to live so much longer than normal human beings. You'd think 80 years would be plenty.
August 24, 2019
Well, this was a long one. Took me about three days to slog my way through it.
The Good
Fun, whimsical storytelling
Luck's obliviousness to the world around him
Adorable, likable characters.
Interesting universe
The Bad
I had no idea what was going on 80% of the time. Things just were... because they were. And stuff happened because it... just happened. It read a lot like a classical fairytale.
Take snow white for instance, why did the queen feed snow white a poisoned apple instead of just downright murdering her and disposing of the body? I have no idea. But it just is.
For me it was a little annoying, I wish things were better explained so I didn't feel so lost, but I can see how someone would like that style of writing.
Mordion... Not the best villain ever. Again, I think a lot of it has to do with the above reason.
Love Rectangle. this one is just a personal preference, I don't like love shaped anything. I root for the underdog every time and come away disappointed.
As for the other dude,
Overall, it did have excellent quality of writing and I adore this author. This may not be my favorite kind of story, but it is still a good story!
The Good
Fun, whimsical storytelling
Luck's obliviousness to the world around him
Adorable, likable characters.
Interesting universe
The Bad
I had no idea what was going on 80% of the time. Things just were... because they were. And stuff happened because it... just happened. It read a lot like a classical fairytale.
Take snow white for instance, why did the queen feed snow white a poisoned apple instead of just downright murdering her and disposing of the body? I have no idea. But it just is.
For me it was a little annoying, I wish things were better explained so I didn't feel so lost, but I can see how someone would like that style of writing.
Mordion... Not the best villain ever. Again, I think a lot of it has to do with the above reason.
Love Rectangle. this one is just a personal preference, I don't like love shaped anything. I root for the underdog every time and come away disappointed.
As for the other dude,
Overall, it did have excellent quality of writing and I adore this author. This may not be my favorite kind of story, but it is still a good story!
March 24, 2020
2020
Started rereading this trilogy last month. Stalled a bit in the second one, but I do love this novel.
It just makes me happy. I love the world; I love the mythology; I love the characters, all of the characters.
This is just an enjoyable, non-bleak, character-driven fantasy novel.
2018
Reread this again last week, because I wanted to read the rest of the series. Actually, I wanted to read something light and fun, so I read the entire series. This one might be my favourite of the trilogy. I enjoy the mythology in it, and how it's done. Also, Poly is awesome, and I like her dynamic with Luck (even if he is annoying). Also, Isabelle is my favourite, and I'd forgotten her introduction in this one.
xxx
I seriously enjoy how W.R. Gingell writes. Are there flaws? Yes. Is the magic system always perfectly clear? Not always. Is it a lot of fun? Yup.
This is just really readable. It plays with a lot of familiar tropes, but it's just told in such a nice way. The character work and the dialogue is particularly good. And I like the setting. Poly is a fun character. Luck possibly needed to be smacked upside the head a few more times, but mostly because I have no patience for people who refuse to answer sensible questions.
It's just a well told story, and one that is delightfully not bleak. In fact, despite being wanted by multiple factions because she's powerful, when our heroine meets several people, and they do not all turn out to be evil. Seriously, she even goes off on her own with at least three of them, and there are no catastrophic consequences, because not everyone is evil. Some people are evil, but not every single person our heroine comes across except for the hero. This even includes at least one character that the hero does not like. i was a bit sad at how much of a novelty that was.
Enjoyed the heck out of this.
2018 Reading Challenge - Your favourite prompt from the 2015, 2016 or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges (a.k.a. a book based on a fairy tale, because that was one of my favourites)
Started rereading this trilogy last month. Stalled a bit in the second one, but I do love this novel.
It just makes me happy. I love the world; I love the mythology; I love the characters, all of the characters.
This is just an enjoyable, non-bleak, character-driven fantasy novel.
2018
Reread this again last week, because I wanted to read the rest of the series. Actually, I wanted to read something light and fun, so I read the entire series. This one might be my favourite of the trilogy. I enjoy the mythology in it, and how it's done. Also, Poly is awesome, and I like her dynamic with Luck (even if he is annoying). Also, Isabelle is my favourite, and I'd forgotten her introduction in this one.
xxx
I seriously enjoy how W.R. Gingell writes. Are there flaws? Yes. Is the magic system always perfectly clear? Not always. Is it a lot of fun? Yup.
This is just really readable. It plays with a lot of familiar tropes, but it's just told in such a nice way. The character work and the dialogue is particularly good. And I like the setting. Poly is a fun character. Luck possibly needed to be smacked upside the head a few more times, but mostly because I have no patience for people who refuse to answer sensible questions.
It's just a well told story, and one that is delightfully not bleak. In fact, despite being wanted by multiple factions because she's powerful, when our heroine meets several people, and they do not all turn out to be evil. Seriously, she even goes off on her own with at least three of them, and there are no catastrophic consequences, because not everyone is evil. Some people are evil, but not every single person our heroine comes across except for the hero. This even includes at least one character that the hero does not like. i was a bit sad at how much of a novelty that was.
Enjoyed the heck out of this.
2018 Reading Challenge - Your favourite prompt from the 2015, 2016 or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges (a.k.a. a book based on a fairy tale, because that was one of my favourites)
June 19, 2021
Howl and Sophie meet Sleeping Beauty and it's just as fantastic as you'd think. I was just as clueless as Poly basically the entire time but I could put up with it for the sake of everything else, which simply made the Diana Wynne Jones vibes all the stronger xD
July 15, 2015
Thanks to W R Gingell for giving me this book to review.
Poly has been woken by a kiss after she has been asleep for 300 years, but the man who woke her, Luck is not a prince but then Poly isn’t a princess either. Poly cannot figure out who would want to curse her and why, why she has no memories of the day she went to sleep and how come her hair keeps on growing at an extraordinary rate. With someone trying to kill her and Luck, will Poly be able to figure out why she was cursed in time. As poly discovers breaking the curse is just the beginning of the story.
Spindle has an interesting twist on the sleeping beauty story but I felt the plot and writing was a bit too complex and it was sometimes hard to keep things straight. I think part of this was that it was very slow and I felt some points were not properly explained. It had lots of twists and some romance.
Poly is a smart, sensible girl who adapts well to new situations and is kind. I think some of my confusion is from Luck as he is all over the place, is an enigma and I had no idea what he was thinking.
Spindle is an ok book with an interesting story idea but I found it a bit too confusing. I would recommend Spindle to fans of W R Gingell other books.
This and my other reviews can be found at
Poly has been woken by a kiss after she has been asleep for 300 years, but the man who woke her, Luck is not a prince but then Poly isn’t a princess either. Poly cannot figure out who would want to curse her and why, why she has no memories of the day she went to sleep and how come her hair keeps on growing at an extraordinary rate. With someone trying to kill her and Luck, will Poly be able to figure out why she was cursed in time. As poly discovers breaking the curse is just the beginning of the story.
Spindle has an interesting twist on the sleeping beauty story but I felt the plot and writing was a bit too complex and it was sometimes hard to keep things straight. I think part of this was that it was very slow and I felt some points were not properly explained. It had lots of twists and some romance.
Poly is a smart, sensible girl who adapts well to new situations and is kind. I think some of my confusion is from Luck as he is all over the place, is an enigma and I had no idea what he was thinking.
Spindle is an ok book with an interesting story idea but I found it a bit too confusing. I would recommend Spindle to fans of W R Gingell other books.
This and my other reviews can be found at
May 19, 2019
What can I say; there was a doggie ...
And seriously, female mc's in fantasy just aren't my thing, but oh, does Gingell know how to write heroines that make my soul sing.
And seriously, female mc's in fantasy just aren't my thing, but oh, does Gingell know how to write heroines that make my soul sing.
March 13, 2020
After reading and loving Ms. Gingell's The City Between series, I decided it was time to give her other series a go.
I'll be the first to admit, I was a little lost in the beginning and wasn't sure how it would end up playing out for me. The magic system is definitely interesting, if not a little convoluted, and I'm still not 100% certain I totally get how it all works. Though it feels very fairly tale inspired, namely Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and a tad Beauty and the Beast-ish, it was something thoroughly it's own and not really a retelling of anything. I ended up loving the characters (though Luck was a bit much at times) and really enjoying the book as a whole. Can't wait to delve into the next one!
I'll be the first to admit, I was a little lost in the beginning and wasn't sure how it would end up playing out for me. The magic system is definitely interesting, if not a little convoluted, and I'm still not 100% certain I totally get how it all works. Though it feels very fairly tale inspired, namely Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and a tad Beauty and the Beast-ish, it was something thoroughly it's own and not really a retelling of anything. I ended up loving the characters (though Luck was a bit much at times) and really enjoying the book as a whole. Can't wait to delve into the next one!
July 17, 2015
"How long have I been asleep? I only meant to have a little rest because of the Midsummer Night Festival."
Luck slid her a narrow-eyed look. "My time scales are relative, but even I don't call three hundred years a little rest."
In Spindle, W.R. Gingell takes the fairytale Sleeping Beauty and creates a story that's overflowing with magic, taking the reader on a journey across a fantasy land, falling in and out of reality right alongside the heroine all the while a curse looms over her head and falling back asleep is a constant threat.
Sounds like a lot right? Well it is. And it is more wonderful than anything I could have expected! Honestly, I didn’t have very much expectations. I prefer to read books blind and sometimes I ignore the synopsis all together but this time, it was the synopsis that hooked me. Gingell specifically states that our main character is not a princess…but the man who rescues her might think so, she was after all wearing the princess’s clothes and in her bed. I couldn't ignore such an interesting premise and immediately wanted to find out who Poly really was and why she was forced into an enchanted sleep.
Despite being confused by Poly’s own inability to remember her memories, I felt all sorts of confusion alongside her. Her initial dislike and distrust towards Luck was completely understandable. Poly is level-headed and sensible, quickly adapting to her surroundings but not without showing a little kindness along the way. Poly annoyed me during some parts of the story but overall, she's a character that I would love to meet and become friends with.
As Poly's rescuer and an overall enigma, Luck can be infuriating, annoying, rude and insensitive at times but as his character unfolds, it’s hard not to like him. Or maybe that was just me? It would have been nice to get more backstory about him and how he became the man that he is though. On the other hand, the adorable little Onepiece is definitely one of my favorites—he's too cute not to love. I really like that we get to see him grow up throughout the story.
The story itself reads and feels like a fairytale. Right off the bat, I found myself falling into Poly’s world completely and trying to make sense of everything. It was a bit disorienting at first, but as things started to fall together, I couldn't stop myself from devouring half the book in one night (or technically one very early morning).
Poly’s journey begins right away with Luck trying to get her to go to the Capital despite the wayward magic she insists she doesn't have. After a few chapter of this, I began to wonder when things were going to start happening, not realizing that things were already in motion. And with sudden clarity, that age-old saying, “it's not about the destination, it's about the journey,� came ringing in the back of my head.
From beginning to end, I was completely satisfied with this story and loved every new twist and turn.This is a fairytale in it’s own right, there is no doubt about it. You’ll find yourself drawn to Poly and her journey to discover the truth behind her sleeping curse. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fairytale, though it might be too complicated for younger readers. Like the magic in the story that can come out in wispy strands and occasionally get tangled, this story can sometimes feel like a knotty mess that you’re trying to set straight again, except the only way to do so is to keep going with the story. The journey is the story.
This is the kind of book that I would happily read a second time to experience the story anew with all the information I didn’t have the first time around.
"It occurred to her that she wanted, more than she had ever wanted, to hit Luck. And then perhaps to hug him, and kiss him, and�"
You'll just have to find out for yourself what comes next.
Many thanks to the author and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book.
Luck slid her a narrow-eyed look. "My time scales are relative, but even I don't call three hundred years a little rest."
In Spindle, W.R. Gingell takes the fairytale Sleeping Beauty and creates a story that's overflowing with magic, taking the reader on a journey across a fantasy land, falling in and out of reality right alongside the heroine all the while a curse looms over her head and falling back asleep is a constant threat.
Sounds like a lot right? Well it is. And it is more wonderful than anything I could have expected! Honestly, I didn’t have very much expectations. I prefer to read books blind and sometimes I ignore the synopsis all together but this time, it was the synopsis that hooked me. Gingell specifically states that our main character is not a princess…but the man who rescues her might think so, she was after all wearing the princess’s clothes and in her bed. I couldn't ignore such an interesting premise and immediately wanted to find out who Poly really was and why she was forced into an enchanted sleep.
Despite being confused by Poly’s own inability to remember her memories, I felt all sorts of confusion alongside her. Her initial dislike and distrust towards Luck was completely understandable. Poly is level-headed and sensible, quickly adapting to her surroundings but not without showing a little kindness along the way. Poly annoyed me during some parts of the story but overall, she's a character that I would love to meet and become friends with.
As Poly's rescuer and an overall enigma, Luck can be infuriating, annoying, rude and insensitive at times but as his character unfolds, it’s hard not to like him. Or maybe that was just me? It would have been nice to get more backstory about him and how he became the man that he is though. On the other hand, the adorable little Onepiece is definitely one of my favorites—he's too cute not to love. I really like that we get to see him grow up throughout the story.
The story itself reads and feels like a fairytale. Right off the bat, I found myself falling into Poly’s world completely and trying to make sense of everything. It was a bit disorienting at first, but as things started to fall together, I couldn't stop myself from devouring half the book in one night (or technically one very early morning).
Poly’s journey begins right away with Luck trying to get her to go to the Capital despite the wayward magic she insists she doesn't have. After a few chapter of this, I began to wonder when things were going to start happening, not realizing that things were already in motion. And with sudden clarity, that age-old saying, “it's not about the destination, it's about the journey,� came ringing in the back of my head.
From beginning to end, I was completely satisfied with this story and loved every new twist and turn.This is a fairytale in it’s own right, there is no doubt about it. You’ll find yourself drawn to Poly and her journey to discover the truth behind her sleeping curse. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fairytale, though it might be too complicated for younger readers. Like the magic in the story that can come out in wispy strands and occasionally get tangled, this story can sometimes feel like a knotty mess that you’re trying to set straight again, except the only way to do so is to keep going with the story. The journey is the story.
This is the kind of book that I would happily read a second time to experience the story anew with all the information I didn’t have the first time around.
"It occurred to her that she wanted, more than she had ever wanted, to hit Luck. And then perhaps to hug him, and kiss him, and�"
You'll just have to find out for yourself what comes next.
Many thanks to the author and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book.
June 24, 2020
Okay...so...I've read this book?
Positives: Don't know how to say this without being redundant of most of my reviews, but the characters were SOMETHING, all right. And more unique than most protagonists and sides you see, really. The entire journey they went through, the plot, and tone was perfect for this book, as was the pacing. The author has a really unique voice and that was just soooo much fun to read. Not to mention the way she handled the iffy Sleeping Beauty stuff was beautiful (hehe) and just plain hilarious. The humor in this book is distinctive and on point.
Negatives: Ha...that said...I will admit I am still having troubles remembering the exact plot (*headdesk*). I know the rudimentaries, but I just can't remember how someone's parents fit in or how the villain played out or even how the curse was exactly structured. Even so, I never really got lost and I DO remember most of the aforementioned stuff. I just can't connect it..maybe that's just me, though. (Oops, wrong place to put this in, then). I do get it's supposed to be confusing but I sometimes wish it was less so... There were also a few sentences that had me, at least, need to re-read them to understand the point. Maybe it had to do with the exposition being mostly on the magic rather than a bit of the plot and setting *ponders*
Opinions: I do NOT regret spending my time reading this book. It's chaos and confusion and an utter romp of hilarity and cuteness and, I mean....how could you NOT like this book? Even if only for the characters. I did see someone say something against the threats with kissing (vague, I know), but I honestly didn't see how it was threatening or even inappropriate at all. Everyone acted according to character and it all moved along nicely. Yes, I'm still confused and that makes me slightly cranky, but the whole thing was just too FUN....
Hopefully, when I get around to reading the next books, I shall be less confused....
Content: Kisses. Not very graphic nor detailed and mostly humorous (which nonromantic me appreciated). Some violence but not overly detailed.
Positives: Don't know how to say this without being redundant of most of my reviews, but the characters were SOMETHING, all right. And more unique than most protagonists and sides you see, really. The entire journey they went through, the plot, and tone was perfect for this book, as was the pacing. The author has a really unique voice and that was just soooo much fun to read. Not to mention the way she handled the iffy Sleeping Beauty stuff was beautiful (hehe) and just plain hilarious. The humor in this book is distinctive and on point.
Negatives: Ha...that said...I will admit I am still having troubles remembering the exact plot (*headdesk*). I know the rudimentaries, but I just can't remember how someone's parents fit in or how the villain played out or even how the curse was exactly structured. Even so, I never really got lost and I DO remember most of the aforementioned stuff. I just can't connect it..maybe that's just me, though. (Oops, wrong place to put this in, then). I do get it's supposed to be confusing but I sometimes wish it was less so... There were also a few sentences that had me, at least, need to re-read them to understand the point. Maybe it had to do with the exposition being mostly on the magic rather than a bit of the plot and setting *ponders*
Opinions: I do NOT regret spending my time reading this book. It's chaos and confusion and an utter romp of hilarity and cuteness and, I mean....how could you NOT like this book? Even if only for the characters. I did see someone say something against the threats with kissing (vague, I know), but I honestly didn't see how it was threatening or even inappropriate at all. Everyone acted according to character and it all moved along nicely. Yes, I'm still confused and that makes me slightly cranky, but the whole thing was just too FUN....
Hopefully, when I get around to reading the next books, I shall be less confused....
Content: Kisses. Not very graphic nor detailed and mostly humorous (which nonromantic me appreciated). Some violence but not overly detailed.
May 10, 2022
Really enjoyable cozy fantasy!
Polyhymnia is woken from her 300 years of cursed sleep by a wizard called Luck... but she's not actually the sleeping princess, and neither of them are entirely sure if she has magic, the opposite of magic, or something in between.
A charming romcom quest with a strong Diana Wynne Jones vibe.
Polyhymnia is woken from her 300 years of cursed sleep by a wizard called Luck... but she's not actually the sleeping princess, and neither of them are entirely sure if she has magic, the opposite of magic, or something in between.
A charming romcom quest with a strong Diana Wynne Jones vibe.
February 16, 2021
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. There were so many things I both liked and disliked about it. In fact, I think it's very similar to how I felt about the Six of Crows series. There was a lot of good potential, but too much time spent on characters or plot points that weren't exactly relevant.
Summary
Sleeping beauty (aka Poly) is woken up by a cranky wizard. Unfortunately, something has gone wrong and she still finds herself falling asleep, even though the spell is supposedly broken. Also she has magic...of some kind. Poly sets off with the wizard who woke her up, so that she can return her to some mysterious council who sent him. (Why does she go along with him? I don't know.) As she travels with him she realizes that someone is trying to keep her from remembering something important, something about who she is that could change the fate of history.
First of all, this book is definitely in the same vein as Diana Wynne Jone's novels and Robin McKinley's. There's definitely some inspiration from Howl's Moving Castle in both the setting, characters and world building. Also in how the author writes about and describes magic itself. It can get very abstract very quickly, and truthfully a bit difficult to follow.
My biggest complaint with this book is that it felt a bit unfinished, and unpolished in some places, which really made me disappointed because it could have been so much more with further editing. There were a lot of scenes and sections of the book that could have been tightened up. The ending was a bit rushed, and there were places where I lost track of where different characters were and what they were doing. Not because the descriptions were abstract, but rather the author forgot to mention a character was in a scene, or sitting down, or in a forest etc. and then it took me by surprise.
Pros
The first three chapters (heck the first chapter) of this book sucked me in. The writing, characters, world etc were all very intriguing. The characters were hilarious! And there was lots of good dialogue right off the bat. The action started right away, it was fast-paced, lots of conflict....but then it kind of fizzled out and lost moment until the last three chapters of the book.
I think if you like both Diana Wynne Jones and Robin McKinley, I think you would also appreciate this book to a certain extent. It definitely has the same tone and flavor as books by both of those authors.
Luck is a hilarious character in my opinion. He's very reminiscent of Howl and Sherlock from the BBC series in that he's obsessive about solving a particular problem to the point of completely disregarding other people's needs (or even presence).
Poly herself was likeable and interesting, up until about halfway through the book. Then I felt like I wanted to shake her half of the time, she just kept making such dumb decisions that should have gotten her killed, but somehow it all worked out?
Cons
The plot left a little to be desired in that things are wrapped up too quickly, unexpectedly, and some plot threads are even left hanging.
There was far too much giggling. If there's one thing I can't stand in a book, it's a heroine who giggles. Maybe the author meant to use this word to mean laughing? I'm not sure. But the word giggles is typically a term reserved for flirtatious and empty-headed side characters. Not your MC for crying out loud! This was especially troubling as the author goes to a lot of work to portray Poly as competent and smart.
Onepiece drove me crazy. If you haven't read the book, Onepiece is a boy who was magically enchanted into a dog. Somehow he transforms between both forms at whim. He is constantly interjecting his thoughts into the scenes, maintaining a non-stop stream of consciousness. When he wasn't babbling about random things Poly was comforting him or say "oh darling" every other sentence. There were huge chunks of chapters dedicating to describing his antics.... and he was in EVERY SCENE. Man! Just when I thought Poly was going to go off on her own for once and take a break...NOPE...guess who she brought along with her? The insufferable Onepiece! I think I could have managed better if the author had cut out the amount of time with him by 80%. He didn't impact the plot in any meaningful way, he didn't change or alter the main characters in any meaningful way either. Basically, he served no purpose other than to entertain? That said he was more annoying than entertaining. If he had at least had a purpose in the larger plot (and way less airtime) I think he could have been a bearable (even lovable for some people) addition to the book.
Poly's love life and non-stop flirting.
Don't get me wrong, the author makes a point to say that Poly doesn't flirt, that she doesn't care what people think...yada yada yada. Yet every description and interaction between Poly and different male characters completely contradicted that. Everywhere she goes she's inexplicably attracting suitors! Before having any good reason to trust them, and despite the fact that someone is trying to kill her, she trusts them all basically immediately. Why? If I was her, I would be concerned that they were feigning interest in order to kill me. Why did that thought never cross her mind? I'm not sure, all I can say is the main villain, Mordian, could have gotten the job done a lot quicker if he'd just disguised himself as one of her many admirers. He flirts with her, she flirts back. They go on a nice long quiet walk in a deserted forest, and the story would be over.
Why the heck did Poly go along with Luck?
Luck, the wizard who rescues her, tells her that he has to return her to the Wizard Council in exchange for some books? The Wizard who ordered her to be woken up is named Mordian, the same name as a villain she remembers from her past.
Weird?
She decides to just go along with him (for the heck of it?) I'm not sure why. She doesn't make any of her own plans, and barely questions why the Wizard Council wanted her woken up in the first place. It seems so odd. She's just so quick to trust people, that given her circumstances and personality, it seems she would be a little more distrustful.
I'll probably have more to say about this later, after I process a bit more. Again, I feel like most of the cons I listed could have been addressed with more editing. Different pieces of the story were rushed (her friendships with characters, different action scenes etc.) while others dragged on for far too long. This story had so much potential! I just wished it could have been refined a bit more.
Summary
Sleeping beauty (aka Poly) is woken up by a cranky wizard. Unfortunately, something has gone wrong and she still finds herself falling asleep, even though the spell is supposedly broken. Also she has magic...of some kind. Poly sets off with the wizard who woke her up, so that she can return her to some mysterious council who sent him. (Why does she go along with him? I don't know.) As she travels with him she realizes that someone is trying to keep her from remembering something important, something about who she is that could change the fate of history.
First of all, this book is definitely in the same vein as Diana Wynne Jone's novels and Robin McKinley's. There's definitely some inspiration from Howl's Moving Castle in both the setting, characters and world building. Also in how the author writes about and describes magic itself. It can get very abstract very quickly, and truthfully a bit difficult to follow.
My biggest complaint with this book is that it felt a bit unfinished, and unpolished in some places, which really made me disappointed because it could have been so much more with further editing. There were a lot of scenes and sections of the book that could have been tightened up. The ending was a bit rushed, and there were places where I lost track of where different characters were and what they were doing. Not because the descriptions were abstract, but rather the author forgot to mention a character was in a scene, or sitting down, or in a forest etc. and then it took me by surprise.
Pros
The first three chapters (heck the first chapter) of this book sucked me in. The writing, characters, world etc were all very intriguing. The characters were hilarious! And there was lots of good dialogue right off the bat. The action started right away, it was fast-paced, lots of conflict....but then it kind of fizzled out and lost moment until the last three chapters of the book.
I think if you like both Diana Wynne Jones and Robin McKinley, I think you would also appreciate this book to a certain extent. It definitely has the same tone and flavor as books by both of those authors.
Luck is a hilarious character in my opinion. He's very reminiscent of Howl and Sherlock from the BBC series in that he's obsessive about solving a particular problem to the point of completely disregarding other people's needs (or even presence).
Poly herself was likeable and interesting, up until about halfway through the book. Then I felt like I wanted to shake her half of the time, she just kept making such dumb decisions that should have gotten her killed, but somehow it all worked out?
Cons
The plot left a little to be desired in that things are wrapped up too quickly, unexpectedly, and some plot threads are even left hanging.
There was far too much giggling. If there's one thing I can't stand in a book, it's a heroine who giggles. Maybe the author meant to use this word to mean laughing? I'm not sure. But the word giggles is typically a term reserved for flirtatious and empty-headed side characters. Not your MC for crying out loud! This was especially troubling as the author goes to a lot of work to portray Poly as competent and smart.
Onepiece drove me crazy. If you haven't read the book, Onepiece is a boy who was magically enchanted into a dog. Somehow he transforms between both forms at whim. He is constantly interjecting his thoughts into the scenes, maintaining a non-stop stream of consciousness. When he wasn't babbling about random things Poly was comforting him or say "oh darling" every other sentence. There were huge chunks of chapters dedicating to describing his antics.... and he was in EVERY SCENE. Man! Just when I thought Poly was going to go off on her own for once and take a break...NOPE...guess who she brought along with her? The insufferable Onepiece! I think I could have managed better if the author had cut out the amount of time with him by 80%. He didn't impact the plot in any meaningful way, he didn't change or alter the main characters in any meaningful way either. Basically, he served no purpose other than to entertain? That said he was more annoying than entertaining. If he had at least had a purpose in the larger plot (and way less airtime) I think he could have been a bearable (even lovable for some people) addition to the book.
Poly's love life and non-stop flirting.
Don't get me wrong, the author makes a point to say that Poly doesn't flirt, that she doesn't care what people think...yada yada yada. Yet every description and interaction between Poly and different male characters completely contradicted that. Everywhere she goes she's inexplicably attracting suitors! Before having any good reason to trust them, and despite the fact that someone is trying to kill her, she trusts them all basically immediately. Why? If I was her, I would be concerned that they were feigning interest in order to kill me. Why did that thought never cross her mind? I'm not sure, all I can say is the main villain, Mordian, could have gotten the job done a lot quicker if he'd just disguised himself as one of her many admirers. He flirts with her, she flirts back. They go on a nice long quiet walk in a deserted forest, and the story would be over.
Why the heck did Poly go along with Luck?
Luck, the wizard who rescues her, tells her that he has to return her to the Wizard Council in exchange for some books? The Wizard who ordered her to be woken up is named Mordian, the same name as a villain she remembers from her past.
Weird?
She decides to just go along with him (for the heck of it?) I'm not sure why. She doesn't make any of her own plans, and barely questions why the Wizard Council wanted her woken up in the first place. It seems so odd. She's just so quick to trust people, that given her circumstances and personality, it seems she would be a little more distrustful.
I'll probably have more to say about this later, after I process a bit more. Again, I feel like most of the cons I listed could have been addressed with more editing. Different pieces of the story were rushed (her friendships with characters, different action scenes etc.) while others dragged on for far too long. This story had so much potential! I just wished it could have been refined a bit more.
October 13, 2015
*I received a free physical arc of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. (Sorry it took so long!)
**Also posted on my blog .
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
This book is incredible, as is the author. It took me far too long to finally read Spindle as I got much busier than expected, but now I have read it and I can say it's definitely worth a re-read. I rarely re-read books.
The characters in this novel are so lovely you can't help but fall in love with them! They're well crafted, seem fairly real, and there's this way about them that you just can't ignore, nor explain. For one, Luck is far more than he seems. He's not so fond of people (as was shown when he forgot about/ignored helping the villagers with their magical problems continuously [he's the village wizard, as they call him]), is often in his own world (while he and Poly were traveling to his home he often had distant eyes and tended to ignore her), and seems to rarely care about those around him. However, he is extremely smart and always has a plan (he tricked Poly's curse to wake her, and then fully broke it a long while after, as he did not wake her with a lover's kiss as was needed), and he actually cares very deeply about those he considers family or loves (he did everything in his power to break Poly's curse, as well as made sure she was safe and protected). That's just one example of a well crafted and lovely character W.R. Gingell has created. And there's plenty others to come, I'm sure.
I adore the world, the descriptions/imagery, as well as the plot. I admit, the story started off a bit confusing as we were immediately thrown into Poly's confusion and lack of memories as the action happened around her, but it cleared up and we were left with a fantastically written world (shifting villages, houses that grew from nature and continue to, the Frozen Battlefield, The Forest, and the counsels: Wizard counsel, Black velvet.) with great descriptions. I honestly had a hard time putting this book down, and devoured 95% of it the day I started reading it.
I also adore how the author writes her curses. They're never easily solved, and while they aren't simple, they aren't too complex either. I love how the curse needed a true loves kiss to be broken, and Luck was able to trick it and still wake her with a kiss without loving her. I also like how she kept falling asleep, and how the author went about writing it. It flowed well and I enjoyed the little things as much as everything else. I also love how a character hid magic and was able to get it back by travelling through certain timelines.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Spindle and I definitely recommend it!
**Also posted on my blog .
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
This book is incredible, as is the author. It took me far too long to finally read Spindle as I got much busier than expected, but now I have read it and I can say it's definitely worth a re-read. I rarely re-read books.
The characters in this novel are so lovely you can't help but fall in love with them! They're well crafted, seem fairly real, and there's this way about them that you just can't ignore, nor explain. For one, Luck is far more than he seems. He's not so fond of people (as was shown when he forgot about/ignored helping the villagers with their magical problems continuously [he's the village wizard, as they call him]), is often in his own world (while he and Poly were traveling to his home he often had distant eyes and tended to ignore her), and seems to rarely care about those around him. However, he is extremely smart and always has a plan (he tricked Poly's curse to wake her, and then fully broke it a long while after, as he did not wake her with a lover's kiss as was needed), and he actually cares very deeply about those he considers family or loves (he did everything in his power to break Poly's curse, as well as made sure she was safe and protected). That's just one example of a well crafted and lovely character W.R. Gingell has created. And there's plenty others to come, I'm sure.
I adore the world, the descriptions/imagery, as well as the plot. I admit, the story started off a bit confusing as we were immediately thrown into Poly's confusion and lack of memories as the action happened around her, but it cleared up and we were left with a fantastically written world (shifting villages, houses that grew from nature and continue to, the Frozen Battlefield, The Forest, and the counsels: Wizard counsel, Black velvet.) with great descriptions. I honestly had a hard time putting this book down, and devoured 95% of it the day I started reading it.
I also adore how the author writes her curses. They're never easily solved, and while they aren't simple, they aren't too complex either. I love how the curse needed a true loves kiss to be broken, and Luck was able to trick it and still wake her with a kiss without loving her. I also like how she kept falling asleep, and how the author went about writing it. It flowed well and I enjoyed the little things as much as everything else. I also love how a character hid magic and was able to get it back by travelling through certain timelines.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Spindle and I definitely recommend it!
November 15, 2015
3.5 Stars
After reading for a few minutes, it was clear to me I would never have the type of imagination required to write a story such as Spindle, by W.R. Gingell. After reading for a little longer, I started to worry I didn’t have the type of imagination required to even read such a story. Spindle is a wild fairytale that chronicles the adventures of Poly, a princess (maybe!) woken after being under a spell for three hundred years, and Luck, the sorcerer who wakes her. Poly doesn’t remember much about her past, keeps falling asleep when she starts to remember, and can’t understand why Luck insists she has magic in her.
Throughout the story, Luck is on a mission with regards to Poly, but for some time, the exact purpose of his mission is unclear. Poly struggles to understand what has happened to her but Luck, if he knows anything, doesn’t seem to want to provide much information at all to her. If he’s not flat-out ignoring her, his responses are frequently not much more than, “Huh.� Poly is frustrated and so was I, at times. It felt like it took a long time to get to a point where I had even the faintest idea of what was happening. As the story moves along, I gradually felt more comfortable with the magic and with some of the things that happened to the characters, but I will admit to being confused most of the time.
While the relationship between Poly and Luck left me wanting more up until the end when they finally developed a closer bond, those between Poly and some of the other characters in the story were truly entertaining and fulfilling. I felt like I really got to know Poly when she interacted with Margaret and Melchior, in particular.
There were things in Gingell’s story that made me laugh and things that made me think, “Wow, clever author.� There were times I was charmed by the world Gingell created with its shifting villages, bewitched forests, well thought-out spells and jinxes, and houses that appeared out of nature. However, there were other times when I found myself wanting to skip ahead because the action seemed to have stalled.
All in all, this was a well-written book and I would recommend it to fans of fantasy. Being very clean with respect to violence, sex, and language I think it would appeal to, and be appropriate for, younger readers, as well.
After reading for a few minutes, it was clear to me I would never have the type of imagination required to write a story such as Spindle, by W.R. Gingell. After reading for a little longer, I started to worry I didn’t have the type of imagination required to even read such a story. Spindle is a wild fairytale that chronicles the adventures of Poly, a princess (maybe!) woken after being under a spell for three hundred years, and Luck, the sorcerer who wakes her. Poly doesn’t remember much about her past, keeps falling asleep when she starts to remember, and can’t understand why Luck insists she has magic in her.
Throughout the story, Luck is on a mission with regards to Poly, but for some time, the exact purpose of his mission is unclear. Poly struggles to understand what has happened to her but Luck, if he knows anything, doesn’t seem to want to provide much information at all to her. If he’s not flat-out ignoring her, his responses are frequently not much more than, “Huh.� Poly is frustrated and so was I, at times. It felt like it took a long time to get to a point where I had even the faintest idea of what was happening. As the story moves along, I gradually felt more comfortable with the magic and with some of the things that happened to the characters, but I will admit to being confused most of the time.
While the relationship between Poly and Luck left me wanting more up until the end when they finally developed a closer bond, those between Poly and some of the other characters in the story were truly entertaining and fulfilling. I felt like I really got to know Poly when she interacted with Margaret and Melchior, in particular.
There were things in Gingell’s story that made me laugh and things that made me think, “Wow, clever author.� There were times I was charmed by the world Gingell created with its shifting villages, bewitched forests, well thought-out spells and jinxes, and houses that appeared out of nature. However, there were other times when I found myself wanting to skip ahead because the action seemed to have stalled.
All in all, this was a well-written book and I would recommend it to fans of fantasy. Being very clean with respect to violence, sex, and language I think it would appeal to, and be appropriate for, younger readers, as well.
October 20, 2019
It took two tries, but I did get into this and I'm so glad I did. Great ending.
April 12, 2019
Whoah. I definitely read this last year sometime, but didn't log it. Strange.
SPINDLE is another hilarious read from WR Gingell! You've got a girl who keeps falling asleep, a magician with a lot in common with Howl, a dog that is also occasionally an adorable small boy, and even a cameo from Isabella, my favourite Gingell character ever. It's a lot of fun!
SPINDLE is another hilarious read from WR Gingell! You've got a girl who keeps falling asleep, a magician with a lot in common with Howl, a dog that is also occasionally an adorable small boy, and even a cameo from Isabella, my favourite Gingell character ever. It's a lot of fun!
December 23, 2019
This is a fun fairy tale retelling with a lot of twisty twists and a definite Howl's Moving Castle vibe. Fun, funny, and fetching!
March 30, 2019
I couldn't sleep last night, so I decided to keep reading Spindle, which I'd started yesterday afternoon during some cold-enforced downtime. It has a very Diana Wynne Jones's kind of feel to it (it reminded me a bit of ), and as Jones is one of my favorite authors, I was delighted to find another author with a similar voice. Luck reminds me in some ways of Howl, but he has his own scatterbrained way of going about things, and Poly reminds me of Sophie, in that they're both rather headstrong. I really loved Poly. And Luck. And Onepiece.
I don't want to say too much for fear of giving away important plot details, but I loved the development of the characters, the world-building, and the magic--which at times almost seems alive. Poly has a way of seeing magic as a kind of thread, which is a lovely nod to the spinning wheel origins of the original Sleeping Beauty tale (and reminds me of Mendanbar from the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, who also tweaked magic using threads, at least within his forest).
I highly recommend this book to readers who love Jones's stories, and I recommend you check out as well, because Isabella and Lord Pecus are adorable when they aren't glaring daggers at each other.
I don't want to say too much for fear of giving away important plot details, but I loved the development of the characters, the world-building, and the magic--which at times almost seems alive. Poly has a way of seeing magic as a kind of thread, which is a lovely nod to the spinning wheel origins of the original Sleeping Beauty tale (and reminds me of Mendanbar from the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, who also tweaked magic using threads, at least within his forest).
I highly recommend this book to readers who love Jones's stories, and I recommend you check out as well, because Isabella and Lord Pecus are adorable when they aren't glaring daggers at each other.
February 18, 2018
Not very long ago, I was introduced to W.R. Gingell’s writing through her book Masque, and I was immediately enchanted by her writing and her characters. Masque was fun, creative, and hilarious and to date has one of my absolute favorite heroines. I wasn’t disappointed when I picked up Spindle expecting the same awesomeness I experienced in Masque.
Quick overview: Poly has been asleep in a castle tower for 300 years. She’s no princess despite what everyone thinks, but that’s okay, because her savior ends up being not a prince, but a rather spacey wizard named Luck. They travel together, along with the stray “puppy� Onepiece, in an effort to completely break the curse surrounding Poly and also to sort out the bureaucratic red tape that comes with being pseudo-royalty waking up in a new era.
I’m happy to say that while Masque had my favorite female character, I realized pretty quickly that Spindle was going to have one of my favorite male characters. Luck is just adorably quirky and fun to root for in his rather sporadic and inconspicuous romantic pursuit in which he uses kisses as a threat and gets himself slapped or kicked a lot. Gingell is a master at creating absolutely lovable characters, and they play off of each other wonderfully.
The feeling of the story itself reminds me of Howl’s Moving Castle with hints of Vivian Vande Velde’s fairytales and Rebecca Lickiss’s Never After, though I think the pacing of this novel is superior to Howl’s in that it has less drag. The voice is great in both its thoroughness and its humor.
There are so many awesome lines in this book:
“It was a punctilious sort of kiss that suggested the kisser had better things to do and would like to get on with it, please.� (Who doesn’t love an author who uses a term like “punctilious kiss�?)
“smiles plumply�- “fat voice� (GREAT description)
“Obnoxiously healthy countryside.� (To think that one word can change a good sentence into a great sentence.)
“Don’t throw that at me.� (Sigh, How could you not love a wizard who talks to outlaws like this? I wouldn’t call him a fighter…more of a frustrated parent who may just give you a time out soon.)
“Scones are always relevant.� (Plus his priorities are clearly in the right places.)
Despite the fact that the author likes to not explain everything, I like how complete the ideas in Gingell’s stories actually are. For instance, at the beginning of the story Poly mentions that Luck’s voice is out of sync with his mouth, and then the subject is kind of forgotten about. Later, Poly finds out why his voice was out of sync when they first met and I had an “Oh! That’s super interesting� moment. I love when little details are taken care of and when authors care enough to think them through and put them in their books. This may not have made total sense to readers of this review, but you’ll get it when you read the book. It’s a little detail that shows the author’s dedication. She (the author) doesn’t stop to explain everything, which can be a little difficult for those of us who are used to being spoon fed. A lot relies on the reader catching inferences. Her (still the author) magic has rules and works much more as a tool, or even as a part of the characters themselves, and there is very little “it’s magic so I don’t have to explain it� nonsense-there are actually quite a few technical explanations here and there. This takes some getting used to, and I admit that I always flounder for a minute or two as magic and technology is being explained in these books, but thinking through it always ends up being worth it. The stories are just SO good.
I admit that sometimes I wanted more background information (or more time figuring out the antagonist) but like with the magic, far more is implied then actually told and you have to get into the less passive mindset while reading, putting two and two together and whatnot. Also, I will mention I wanted many more cutesy love moments and kissing between the main characters, which I’m afraid reveals way too much about me as a person.
My only problem with the book (which is the same problem I had with Masque) was that I didn’t want it to end. I started reading it and was so enthralled that I finished it in a day. I remember looking down and realizing I was only 26 pages from the end, which filled me with instant sadness. I really hated saying goodbye to these awesome characters. Part of me really hopes there are some sequels in the future featuring the same characters, but I’m trying not to get my hopes up. Read W.R. Gingell’s books; they’re amazing =).
(I just re-read Spindle after reading some of the sequel and WOW, Spindle is even better the second time around! Gingell's writing, her characters, her everything just make me feel so happy as I read!
Tangent warning: Also, I've been reading/watching another series called "The Ancient Magus Bride," and I realized today that one of the reasons I adore the male protagonist of that story is that his interactions with other people remind me so much of Luck. Tangent over.
I love that we get to see Luck and Poly again in Blackfoot, and we also start to learn a little more about Poly's time-traveling father. Take the time to read this book again and then read Blackfoot. I can't wait to get my hands on the third in the series!)
Quick overview: Poly has been asleep in a castle tower for 300 years. She’s no princess despite what everyone thinks, but that’s okay, because her savior ends up being not a prince, but a rather spacey wizard named Luck. They travel together, along with the stray “puppy� Onepiece, in an effort to completely break the curse surrounding Poly and also to sort out the bureaucratic red tape that comes with being pseudo-royalty waking up in a new era.
I’m happy to say that while Masque had my favorite female character, I realized pretty quickly that Spindle was going to have one of my favorite male characters. Luck is just adorably quirky and fun to root for in his rather sporadic and inconspicuous romantic pursuit in which he uses kisses as a threat and gets himself slapped or kicked a lot. Gingell is a master at creating absolutely lovable characters, and they play off of each other wonderfully.
The feeling of the story itself reminds me of Howl’s Moving Castle with hints of Vivian Vande Velde’s fairytales and Rebecca Lickiss’s Never After, though I think the pacing of this novel is superior to Howl’s in that it has less drag. The voice is great in both its thoroughness and its humor.
There are so many awesome lines in this book:
“It was a punctilious sort of kiss that suggested the kisser had better things to do and would like to get on with it, please.� (Who doesn’t love an author who uses a term like “punctilious kiss�?)
“smiles plumply�- “fat voice� (GREAT description)
“Obnoxiously healthy countryside.� (To think that one word can change a good sentence into a great sentence.)
“Don’t throw that at me.� (Sigh, How could you not love a wizard who talks to outlaws like this? I wouldn’t call him a fighter…more of a frustrated parent who may just give you a time out soon.)
“Scones are always relevant.� (Plus his priorities are clearly in the right places.)
Despite the fact that the author likes to not explain everything, I like how complete the ideas in Gingell’s stories actually are. For instance, at the beginning of the story Poly mentions that Luck’s voice is out of sync with his mouth, and then the subject is kind of forgotten about. Later, Poly finds out why his voice was out of sync when they first met and I had an “Oh! That’s super interesting� moment. I love when little details are taken care of and when authors care enough to think them through and put them in their books. This may not have made total sense to readers of this review, but you’ll get it when you read the book. It’s a little detail that shows the author’s dedication. She (the author) doesn’t stop to explain everything, which can be a little difficult for those of us who are used to being spoon fed. A lot relies on the reader catching inferences. Her (still the author) magic has rules and works much more as a tool, or even as a part of the characters themselves, and there is very little “it’s magic so I don’t have to explain it� nonsense-there are actually quite a few technical explanations here and there. This takes some getting used to, and I admit that I always flounder for a minute or two as magic and technology is being explained in these books, but thinking through it always ends up being worth it. The stories are just SO good.
I admit that sometimes I wanted more background information (or more time figuring out the antagonist) but like with the magic, far more is implied then actually told and you have to get into the less passive mindset while reading, putting two and two together and whatnot. Also, I will mention I wanted many more cutesy love moments and kissing between the main characters, which I’m afraid reveals way too much about me as a person.
My only problem with the book (which is the same problem I had with Masque) was that I didn’t want it to end. I started reading it and was so enthralled that I finished it in a day. I remember looking down and realizing I was only 26 pages from the end, which filled me with instant sadness. I really hated saying goodbye to these awesome characters. Part of me really hopes there are some sequels in the future featuring the same characters, but I’m trying not to get my hopes up. Read W.R. Gingell’s books; they’re amazing =).
(I just re-read Spindle after reading some of the sequel and WOW, Spindle is even better the second time around! Gingell's writing, her characters, her everything just make me feel so happy as I read!
Tangent warning: Also, I've been reading/watching another series called "The Ancient Magus Bride," and I realized today that one of the reasons I adore the male protagonist of that story is that his interactions with other people remind me so much of Luck. Tangent over.
I love that we get to see Luck and Poly again in Blackfoot, and we also start to learn a little more about Poly's time-traveling father. Take the time to read this book again and then read Blackfoot. I can't wait to get my hands on the third in the series!)
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