Has anyone else noticed how many siblings need rescuing these days in middle grade fantasy? The missing sibling is a much more popular quest item than some non-human object of destiny (although these still exist). Usually (though not always) it is a younger sibling of the opposite gender of the protagonist. Examples include The Peculiar, Summer and Bird, Claws, Seven Sorcerers, 13 Curses, Wildwood, Breadcrumbs (if you count really close friendship as almost siblingness), The Golden Door....
It's all perfectly fine--nicely imagined, competently written, briskly paced. The only thing that raised my eyebrows was Liza's relationship with the rat, Mirabella--Liza seemed both ungrateful for the help and companionship, and totally uninterested in why Mirabella might be risking death to accompany her--but that was resolved by the end.
I seem to be the only reader of this one who doesn't find it all that much to write home about. It felt somewhat programmatic to me- finding the way to another land, then moment of danger, miraculous salvation, repeat, then outwit a more a powerful enemy and return to a home that is made better by the experience. It didn't move me emotionally, and it didn't strike me as a particularly three-dimensional fantasy world (more like a series of fantasy vignettes).
Yet the starred review at Kirkus said: "Richly detailed, at times poetic, ultimately moving; a book to be puzzled over, enjoyed and, ideally, read aloud."
School Library Journal gave it a star, and said "This imaginative fantasy emphasizes individual initiative and the power of hope and friendship. Below is a fully realized alternate world with echoes of both classic literature and mythology."
Publishers Weekly also gave it a star, and said "[this] magical, mesmerizing quest affirms the saving power of story, friendship, and love."
And I say, gee. It was a fairly entertaining, not unpleasant, fast little read, that I think lots of kids (and clearly, at least some adults) will enjoy lots, but I don't think it's all that.
disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher at Kidlitcon
4 Comments on The Spindlers, by Lauren Oliver, last added: 10/15/2012
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Interesting. It would be nice to see a novel come up with a new twist on the quest theme. Hmm.
You know what I liked? Much like The Peculiar, Spindlers knew what it wanted to do, set out to do it, and then did it. Without extra fanfare, words, plot twists, or even blethering morals. The only thing I quibbled about was the last chapter; it didn't need to be there, and without it, Spindlers would have been the perfect Quest Book.
Maybe it's because the last few quests I've read have been Long and with Unduly Necessary Extra Bits.
I agree that it did that, very competently, and clearly written, which makes it a really good choice to give to a child without much scary fantasy questiness under their belt--but that wasn't quite enough to actually lift into the realm of my own personal stars. In particular, I didn't see the "fully realized alternate world" that the SLJ reviewer did.
But I agree that I'd rather have this sort of book than Long and Unduly Overpacked! :)
Well, the thing with a quest is that it's always a quest for something--so it's kinda hard to come up with a new twist! I can't think of any...but then, I'm not a fiction writer....