This book has been on my wish list since I found out it was coming into existence. Not just because of the Author or the Illustrator but because it's a fairytale with a twist. I absolutely love fairy tales not the cleaned up censored versions we read to our children today, I'm talking about the original stories the ones where happy endings aren't necessarily par for the course. The ones with more sinister undertones. For instance Disney's The Little Mermaid as we all know was inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's story. Except had Walt's Studios followed the story to the letter it would have been almost an entirely different movie and maybe not one parents would have flocked to Cinema's to bring their little darlings to see. In the original story Marina The Little Mermaid drinks a potion in order to be with her prince she experiences excruciating pain with every step she takes. The Prince however chooses to marry another. Her sisters give up their long hair to the Sea Witch in exchange for a dagger. Marina must kill the prince and drip his blood on her feet if she wants to return to sea and live as a mermaid once more. She cannot bring herself to do it and throws herself into the sea dissolving into a foam. You can see why Disney changed it. I don't think that ending would have sold as many tickets. I also remember being very shocked when I bought my daughter Little Red Riding Hood to read about 6 years or so ago in the newer version at the end the wolf escapes and the granny wasn't eaten at all she was under the bed. When I was little the granny was eaten by the wolf and the huntsmen split the wolfs belly open with his axe and out she popped they then filled the creatures belly with stones and threw him in the river. Big difference from when I was a child. Getting back to the book.
The Sleeper & The Spindle is a beautiful book to behold. Chris Riddell's illustrations in Black, White & Gold are just mesmerising. The story itself is very well done. It's like a mash-up between Snow White & Sleeping Beauty with a dark twist thrown in for good measure and is a very enjoyable read. It is suitable for both Adults & Children so not overly scary (depending on the child of course). I was lucky enough to win a copy from Hooked On Books last week and my copy arrived yesterday. I wanted to take my time reading it as it is a very beautiful book and I wanted to drink in all the wonderful details. That being said I still had it read in a half an hour even while going at it at a snails pace. So it is quite short about 70 pages. I really enjoyed it and was left wanting more. The protagonist in this case is female which really appealed to me as I'm a little tired of the Prince always getting to have all the adventures. I would like to warn that this is not a love story the only princes present in this story are dead or simply not involved. If however you like reading of Dwarves, Wolves, Warrior Women and Strange Curses then this is the book for you. I certainly did and I hope to read much more similar tales in future. It's a thumbs up from me.
The Sleeper & The Spindle is out on the 23rd of October 2014 and is published by Bloomsbury.
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