Spindle by Shonna Slayton

New England mill girls, fairies, suffragettes, and a curse reaching across the years blend together in this retelling of Sleeping Beauty.

Spindle by Shonna Slayton.  Entangled: Teen, 2016, 4oo pages

Reading Level: Young Adult, ages 15 and up

Recommended for: ages 15 and up

With her 17th birthday approaching, Briar Rose has plenty on her mind.  The plucky Irish mill girl is disappointed in love, and her younger siblings depend on her for support.  With her carefully made plans falling apart, Briar is caught up in a series of mysterious and possibly sinister events.

Facing an increasingly harsh supervisor at the mill and a spinning frame that persists in breaking, Briar resorts to help from a mysterious peddler’s gift —a beautiful spindle.  Soon her fellow mill girls are falling sick, and Briar realizes she is in danger, but is it too late?

Themes of friendship and loyalty are strong in Spindle.  Briar is loyal to her friends and her family.  The story is engaging, especially the historical spin.  History buffs will enjoy the setting of New England mills, complete with traveling suffragettes, boarding houses, and bicycles. Slayton has again created an  engaging, imaginative fairytale retelling for young adults.  Readers who enjoy Spindle should read Cinderella’s Dress —set in homefront America during World War II.

While written for young adults, Slayton’s book is a rarity since it could be enjoyed by younger readers.  (The cautions listed below are given with younger readers in mind.)  I know I would have loved Spindle when I was 12.

Cautions: Intense situations (poison, villainous fairy, kidnapping)  Morality (separation from alcoholic husband mentioned)

Overall rating: 4 (out of 5)

  • Worldview/moral value: 4.5
  • Artistic Value: 4

A copy of Spindle was provided by the publisher free of charge in return for a fair review.

Stay Up to Date!

Get the information you need to make wise choices about books for your children and teens.

Our weekly newsletter includes our latest reviews, related links from around the web, a featured book list, book trivia, and more. We never sell your information. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Support our writers and help keep Redeemed Reader ad-free by joining the Redeemed Reader Fellowship.

Stay Up to Date!

Get the information you need to make wise choices about books for your children and teens.

Our weekly newsletter includes our latest reviews, related links from around the web, a featured book list, book trivia, and more. We never sell your information. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

FREE Bible Guide!

Get a guide to the Best Bibles for Children and Teens. Perfect for an Easter gift.

Hayley Morell

Born in a library and raised by books, or rather, raised by a book-loving family, Hayley loves talking and writing about books. She lives in the middle of Wisconsin and works with children as well as with words.

We'd love to hear from you!

Our comments are now limited to our members (both Silver and Golden Key). Members, you just need to log in with your normal log-in credentials!

Not a member yet? You can join the Silver Key ($2.99/month) for a free 2-week trial. Cancel at any time. Find out more about membership here.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.