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Book Preview: The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman Dark Side of the Library

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The Sleeper and the Spindle Kindle Edition

by Neil Gaiman (Author), Chris Riddell (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 3,149 ratings

Editors' pick Best Science Fiction & Fantasy

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In a beautiful collaboration, New York Times bestselling and Newbery and Carnegie Medal-winning author Neil Gaiman and Kate Greenaway-winning illustrator Chris Riddell have created a thrillingly reimagined fairy tale, "told in a way only Gaiman can" and featuring "stunning metallic artwork" (GeekInsider.com).

The result is a beautiful and coveted edition of The Sleeper and the Spindle that the Guardian calls "a refreshing, much-needed twist on a classic story."

In this captivating and darkly funny tale, Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell have twisted together the familiar and the new as well as the beautiful and the wicked to tell a brilliant version of Snow White's (sort of) and Sleeping Beauty's (almost) stories.

This story was originally published (without illustrations) in Rags & Bones (Little, Brown, 2013). This is the first time it is being published as an illustrated, stand-alone edition, and the book is a beautiful work of art.

From the Publisher

Beautiful Quote Graphics for Sleeper and the Spindle

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up—Snow White meets Sleeping Beauty in this fairytale mash-up where things are not what they seem. When three dwarfs learn of a sleeping plague spreading throughout the land, they alert their queen. The queen, already feeling that marriage means the end of her ability to make choices in her life, gladly postpones her wedding, grabs her sword, and sets off with the dwarfs to get to the bottom of the magical curse. On their way, they encounter throngs of cobweb-covered sleepers. To their surprise, the slumbering masses talk in their sleep and eventually begin to lumber after them. The team forges ahead to the castle, where they find the sleeping princess and an old woman. The queen's kiss, shown in a sumptuous spread, wakes the princess. The quest turns out to be just what the queen needs to be reminded of the choices she has. Riddell's spectacularly intricate ink drawings, gilded with gold, bring Gaiman's inventive story to life. Each page is packed with marvelous details—vines claustrophobically twist everywhere and expressions convey far more emotion than the words let on. Gaiman's narrative about strength, sacrifice, choice, and identity is no simple retelling; he sends readers down one path then deliciously sends the story veering off in an unexpected direction. The only downside—the tale ends far too soon. VERDICT This highly recommended visually stunning twist on two classic fairy tales will be well received by fans of graphic novels and fantasy stories.—Amanda MacGregor, Great River Regional Library, St. Cloud, MN

Review

“Gaiman and Riddell’s greatest [collaboration] to date.” — Tor.com

“Told in a way only Gaiman can” and featuring “stunning metallic artwork.” — GeekInsider

“A refreshing, much-needed twist on a classic story.” — The Guardian

“Spellbindingly illustrated.” — Gaby Wood, Saturday Telegraph

“Magical, sumptuous, transporting.” — The Big Issue

“Unforgettable, unpredictable and utterly enchanting for anyone between the ages of seven and seventy.” — Amanda Craig, The New Statesman

“A genuine treat.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A spectacular art object...certainly a treasure.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Riddell’s spectacularly intricate ink drawings, gilded with gold, bring Gaiman’s inventive story to life...This highly recommended visually stunning twist on two classic fairy tales will be well received by fans of graphic novels and fantasy stories.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“A wholly original reimagining...Riddell’s artwork is the reason a library should own this title in their collection. His details are exquisite.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“A striking volume...thrums with malevolence and confounds our expectations...[the pictures] seem to writhe creepily on the page.” — Wall Street Journal

“Unabashedly feminist...So sonically tuned that it breathes on its own from the very first line. Adding to the wonder are Chris Riddell’s dazzling illustrations.” — New York Times Book Review

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00RLV2LCQ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins (September 22, 2015)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 22, 2015
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 43025 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 72 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #246,232 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #96 in Teen & Young Adult Arthurian eBooks
- #311 in Two-Hour Teen & Young Adult Short Reads
- #311 in Teen & Young Adult Fairy Tales & Folklore Adaptations eBooks

Customer Reviews:
4.5 3,149 ratings

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Neil Gaiman

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Neil Gaiman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including Norse Mythology, Neverwhere, and The Graveyard Book. Among his numerous literary awards are the Newbery and Carnegie medals, and the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner awards. He is a Professor in the Arts at Bard College.

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4.5 out of 5

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Derreck

Tim Burton-esque artwork and a powerful, fearless, princess.

Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2016

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So this book is an incredibly fast reader. Finished it in under an hour. But damn, it's definitely a unique spin-off. The story itself ventures off into the journey of Snow White. Her wedding is about to take place and a few of the dwarves set off to collect some items pertaining to her celebration. While in town they hear word of a curse spreading throughout the country that sets those sticking around into a deep sleep. Once coming back, they pass off their new knowledge to Snow and she decided postpone the wedding to find the source of the curse in hopes of defeating it before it spreads even further. So unlike your typical Snow White, she pretty much changed herself into a Joan of Arc type figure and sets off fearlessly. Won't give anymore details, but clearly the sleeping curse is where the Sleeping Beauty comes into play and let's just say things are rather unexpected. If this was a full blown out novel, I can only imagine the details and story progression they could have played with. Even so, it's set out like your typical fairy tale. But it is very dark. The illustrations are beyond beautiful and really they contributed to my liking of this. If you're into fairytales or into the macabre, you will not be disappointed. Truly unique!

23 people found this helpful

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J. Niceley

Brilliant and Beautiful

Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2023

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Gaiman never fails to craft a perfect tale. This fantastical mix of fairy tales spun into a Gaiman gem is marvelous. The illustrations are absolutely perfect. BUY THIS BOOK!

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ealovitt

Snow White versus the Zombies

Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2015

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Neil Gaiman joined with illustrator Chris Riddell to produce this novelette. I would have opted for a bit more text, but the illustrations (mainly black and white) are quite interesting, and I couldn't help thinking this would make a great coloring book. The figures in the pictures are just begging to be colored in.

In the original 'Snow White' story there are seven dwarfs, but here we have only three. Snow White is about to marry her prince and is having second thoughts while being fitted into her wedding dress, when her old friends show up and inform her of a plague that is rapidly approaching her kingdom (Snow White is now a queen). People are falling asleep while performing their everyday chores (milking cows, waiting on tables, etc.) and nothing seems to be able to wake them. The main sleeper is a princess who was cursed into sleep 70 years ago after she pricked her finger on a spindle, so the Queen postpones her wedding and chucks her disappointed princie under the chin. She armors-up and sets out with her three height-challenged companions to wake the sleeping princess.

One very modern touch is the presence of, for lack of a better term, I'll call zombies. They attempt to prevent the companions from completing their journey to the rose-bound castle. Neil Gaiman also adds a few interesting twists to his fairy-tale-combo ending, which I am honor-bound not to reveal in this review. I liked them but fans of the Disney movies might experience a few qualms.

5 people found this helpful

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Sarcastipeg

Beautiful and captivating

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2023

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I have a soft spot for storybooks, and this edition satisfies all of the things I look for. It has a vellum slipcover and gorgeous black & gold illustrations throughout. The binding has stitches rather than glue.

The story is one I would expect from Gaiman, who rarely disappoints. It’s a simple tale with a powerful message. I recommend for readers of all ages.

Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2024

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Good book needed it for class quality prints

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Becca

Short and entertaining

Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2023

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I just love the way Neil Gaiman writes! This is a short story, easy to read in one sitting. I love the dialogue and how the author brings in humor with simple talking points. And I love the twist at the end!

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dayneger

Clean and beautiful copy

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2023

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The copy we received was really lovely and clean. The book is beautifully illustrated.

One person found this helpful

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Amanda Pike

Pleasantly surprised

Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2018

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I just read Neil Gaiman’s short story / Fairy Tale, The Sleeper and the Spindle. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised. I like anything that can manage to surpass my expectations and surprise me. That’s the easiest way to make me like a story.

I admit I figured out what was really going on a short while after a certain elderly character was introduced but it was a good twist and I think I was supposed to figure it out around that point anyway.

Why is it no one can describe Neil Gaiman’s writing correctly to me? Almost every description I’ve read or been told of The Sleeper and the Spindle has been along the lines of “It’s a lesbian retelling of Sleeping Beauty.” That isn’t quite what it is. It is but it isn’t. Yes, the protagonist is very likely a lesbian or perhaps bisexual but there’s a lot more to her than her romantic inclinations. It isn’t really a love story as much as it’s a short adventure story with a warrior queen protagonist. There is no couple living happily ever after at the end and that’s okay. A queen has decided to take her life into her own hands and seek new adventures and that’s just as good.

I feel bad for a certain other character but now that she can finally rest maybe her dreams will be kind to her.

Something to note: I don’t know if people were just trying to protect me from spoilers (foolishly) or if people really didn’t know but no one had told me who this protagonist was. Don’t tell me adult readers of this story didn’t catch on! (I was particularly disappointed when I found out people my own age didn’t know who Rumplestiltskin was in Once Upon a Time…) The heroine of this story might as well have had a glowing neon sign over her head. Here are the hints. Her companions are dwarfish men who mine for jewels, she once spent a year under a sleep spell in a glass coffin, her beautiful but evil stepmother was tortured to death via hot iron slippers (Not covered in the Disney adaptation). She was set to marry a prince. Her lips are as red as blood and her hair is as black as ebony and in certain lighting her skin is as white as snow. If you don’t know who this protagonist is, you probably should be reading Grimm first, then Gaiman.

Anyway, I liked the story more than I thought I would. If you like Once Upon a Time or the mini-series 10th Kingdom or just like fantasy and fairy tales you may enjoy it even if it reads a little bit like a children’s story. It’s a fun, easy read. And there are a few pleasant Easter Eggs.

7 people found this helpful

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Angel

Ilustraciones preciosas 💖

Reviewed in Spain on February 25, 2023

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Versión: "Tapa blanda en inglés" !
Libro muy bonito para un regalo, con ilustraciones encantadoras;
desgraciadamente la Versión en español está agotada !
Aconsejó regalar la "versión de tapa dura", en la que seguramente las paginas del libro se dejarán abrir mejor y se podrá disfruta mejor de las ilustraciones y del libro en sí !
Atentamente un saludo

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sasa_moon

Nicht nur von außen wundervoll!

Reviewed in Germany on February 23, 2021

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Chris Riddell und Neil Gaiman sind schon lange mein liebstes Duo, was gelungene illustrierte Geschichten angeht. "Coraline" oder zuletzt auch die illustrierte Ausgabe von "The Graveyard Book" haben mir sehr gut gefallen und zählen zu den schönsten Büchern, die ich in meinen Regalen stehen habe. Chris Riddell ist nun seit Jahren mein Lieblingsillustrator und über ihn habe ich auch glücklicherweise zu Neil Gaiman gefunden, weswegen ich sehr gespannt auf diese Zusammenarbeit war. Was soll ich sagen - ich bin erneut hin und weg!

Zum Cover & den Illustrationen: eine schlafende Frau mit wallendem Haar, dazu an den Seiten gewundene Dornenranken - sofort assoziiert man diese Geschichte mit Dornröschen. Es passt wirklich sehr gut zur Handlung des Buches und zieht einen beinahe magisch an. Auch die restlichen Illustrationen sind (wie von Chris Riddel gewöhnt) ganz fantastisch geworden. Seine Menschen und Wesen haben einfach einen ganz eigenen Charakter, sprühen vor Charme und besonders seine Art Schatten zu setzten und zu Schraffieren bringt eine gewisse Dynamik mit, die ich selten bei Illustrator:innen sehe. Besonders der Mix aus "klassisch" schönen Elementen und Makabren hat mir hier besonders gut gefallen!

Zur Handlung: in dieser Geschichte verfolgen wir eine mutige und emanzipierte Königin, die sich, zusammen mit einer Gruppe von Zwergen, auf den Weg macht, um den Fluch der Prinzessin zu brechen. Dabei werden die verschiedensten Märchenelemente von Dornröschen und Schneewittchen miteinander verwoben, sodass ein ganz eigenes Märchen erzählt wird. Die Geschichte ist nicht besonders lang, jedoch lässt sie einen beim Lesen zu keiner Zeit los und man fliegt nur durch die Seiten. Es ist ein Märchen mit vielen unerwarteten Wendungen, einer unabhängigen Protagonistin und Magie.

Die Charaktere: durch die geringe Seitenanzahl war es schwierig, den Charakteren eine Entwicklung oder Tiefe zu ermöglichen, hier wurde sich wirklich eher auf die Handlung fokussiert. Jedoch hat mir unsere Protagonistin, die Königin, unheimlich gut gefallen. Ohne groß zu überlegen macht sie sich auf den Weg, um die Prinzessin zu retten, beweist unterwegs Mut und Stärke und bleibt sich dabei selbst treu. Zusammen mit den Zwergen hat sich dabei eine tolle Gruppe ergeben, die man gerne während der Reise begleitet hat.

Ich kann wirklich nicht meckern. Das Buch hat mich von vorne bis hinten begeistern können und durch die wunderschöne Aufmachung einen Ehrenplatz im Regal gesichert. Von mir gibt es klare 5/5 Sternen und eine wirklich gut gemeinte Leseempfehlung! :)
Besonders diese Deluxe Edition ist einfach nur eine Augenweide!

2 people found this helpful

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Autumn Melody

Amazing short read

Reviewed in India on January 21, 2019

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This was such a nice retelling of two of the oldest fairy tales. There's snow white and sleeping beauty in this, but you'll have to figure out who is who 😉 The twist ending was nice.

And Chris Ridell's illustrations are mind blowing as always. Eeriely chilling that inspire awe at the same time.

Even the endpapers of the book were cool.

Luan Rodrigo

Ótima Edição

Reviewed in Brazil on August 27, 2017

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Esse livro é muito bonito. A história é uma releitura de "A Bela Adormecida" com alguns toques sombrios, o que a deixa mais divertida, a meu ver. A capa é dura e a jacket é um complemento dela, sem a jacket fica o desenho da adormecida na capa, que é muito bonito, como todas as ilustrações ao longo da história. Peguei numa promoção então valeu muito a pena. Não sei como é a edição brasileira, mas essa é linda. Recomendo.

One person found this helpful

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Squeak 'n Banana

Gaiman and Riddell Weave Magic

Reviewed in Canada on October 30, 2015

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Neil Gaiman writes in many genres. He has a special knack for telling fairy tales. For example, his version of Hansel and Gretel added more depth to a well-known tale. His re-telling is more frightening and compelling than versions I learned as a child. "I think if you are protected from dark things then you have no protection of, no knowledge of, or understanding of dark things when they show up." - Neil Gaiman in conversation with Francoise Mouly and Art Spiegelman.

In The Sleeper and the Spindle, it is not exactly one fairy tale retold, but possibly two fairy tales meeting on these pages. It would be too much to give away which tales are referenced without plot spoilers. Borrowing from the jacket then, "no one is waiting for a noble prince to appear... a queen might just prove herself a hero, if a princess needs rescuing." Gaiman writes with such assurance for his often strong female characters. This makes it a treat to read to my young girls. The drawings by Chris Riddell, author and illustrator of the Ottoline stories, suit the story. This version is beautifully made, with a vellum cover that reveals a sleeping woman beneath the title and vines.

Worth having on any bookshelf, regardless of age.

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