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Five Magic Spindles
Awaken the Magic
Emma, a good-hearted midwife, rushes to warn a neighbor about the hired gunman headed to his ranch but can't prevent the catastrophe in store for his daughter.
Palli, the prophesied daughter of a king, is fated to rescue her people from the destruction called forth by a vengeful priest.
Roselee, a ghost with a faulty memory, flits through the halls of an insane asylum in search of the mortal boy who can help her save the day.
Arabella, a living spirit trapped in her own comatose body, helplessly watches from the realm of dreams as her usurping cousin plots to destroy her once and for all.
Tanza, a tomb raider on a distant planet, struggles to make a living and doesn’t need a long-lost prince to complicate her difficult life.
One way or another, these beauties have no intention of sleeping away their problems.
THE MAN ON THE BUCKSKIN HORSE ~ GUARDIAN OF OUR BEAUTY ~ THE GHOST OF BRIARDALE ~ SPINDLE CURSED ~ OUT OF THE TOMB
Emma, a good-hearted midwife, rushes to warn a neighbor about the hired gunman headed to his ranch but can't prevent the catastrophe in store for his daughter.
Palli, the prophesied daughter of a king, is fated to rescue her people from the destruction called forth by a vengeful priest.
Roselee, a ghost with a faulty memory, flits through the halls of an insane asylum in search of the mortal boy who can help her save the day.
Arabella, a living spirit trapped in her own comatose body, helplessly watches from the realm of dreams as her usurping cousin plots to destroy her once and for all.
Tanza, a tomb raider on a distant planet, struggles to make a living and doesn’t need a long-lost prince to complicate her difficult life.
One way or another, these beauties have no intention of sleeping away their problems.
THE MAN ON THE BUCKSKIN HORSE ~ GUARDIAN OF OUR BEAUTY ~ THE GHOST OF BRIARDALE ~ SPINDLE CURSED ~ OUT OF THE TOMB
485 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
16 people are currently reading
1190 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Kovaciny
26 books206 followersBorn only a few miles from where Jesse James robbed his first train, Rachel Kovaciny has loved the Old West all her life. She spends her days telling stories to her husband and their three homeschooled children. In her free time, Rachel writes a column on Old West history for the Prairie Times, reads, blogs, watches movies, and daydreams.
Visit www.rachelkovaciny.com to sign up for Rachel Kovaciny’s newsletter and receive a FREE copy of her Sleeping Beauty retelling, the novella The Man on the Buckskin Horse.
Visit www.rachelkovaciny.com to sign up for Rachel Kovaciny’s newsletter and receive a FREE copy of her Sleeping Beauty retelling, the novella The Man on the Buckskin Horse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
August 15, 2016
THIS. This is the fairytale collection I've been waiting for from Rooglewood Press. I certainly did not expect it, since Sleeping Beauty isn't a story of much interest for me, but each and every story in here STUNNED me with brilliant originality, gorgeous and unique writing, and perfectly crafted, paced, and concluded plot.
The Man on the Buckskin Horse: The first is a Western, and while I *may* not have recognized it as a Sleeping Beauty story without being told, each important aspect of the tale is nevertheless represented. Our POV, a midwife instead of a good fairy, has the cheekiest voice that never fails to amuse (especially while she's noting that gunman's looks!)
Guardian of Our Beauty: We travel far back in time and to a foreign yet familiar land set in a time of ziggurats and leviathans and pagan gods. Our heroine is determined to fulfill a prophecy and save her land, but she wishes it required more than just sleeping for hundred years. As it happens, the prophecy will require much more, as her special gifts and bright determination will need to help guide an unlikely hero to save her land.
The Ghost of Briardale: Delightfully wonky and so creative. Elves, dwarves, swamp-beasts, and yes, even true heroes a thing of the past. Believe in them or anything else strange (like say, a ghost) and you get declared insane and toted off the asylum in the dense, dangerous swamp. But as that ghost won't keep harassing our poor hapless hero, he might just need to listen up to her pleas and save the elf kingdom concealed in the asylum, wake the sleeping princess, and overthrow the vengeful witch...Really cute characters, surprising twists!
Spindle Cursed: Following a more classic old fantasy feel, we are deeply acquainted with the valiant prince (girls, he's a legit knight in shining armor without wearing...the armor...), his faithful 2nd-hand man, the princess frustrated by the lack of true love in all previous kisses she's received, her kooky fairy guardian, and the cunning Lady Regent whose chance has finally come to claim control of the kingdom--after all, when one has a dragon, who tells you no? Oh, that's right--knights in shining armor. And 2nd-hand mans, princesses, and kooky faeries might just want in on some of that action too...
Out of the Tomb: Okay, the first thing I did was zip to this final story because I've been wanting to read that ever since seeing its summary.
JUST WOW
THIS is my type of girl and guy story....
When embittered survivalist, tomb raider Tanza, accidentally wakes a missing prince from his 100 year stasis sleep, she discovers she's not so heartless as to abandon him, especially since his last memories were of tortured near death at the hands of the rebels that went on to destroy his entire kingdom and family. Things have changed since then. Their world has been taken over the alien human empire, bringing in new technologies, corruptions, and conveniences. While the prince's royal roots may have been rotten, he himself took on the responsibility of the 14 virtue names given him that were supposed to guide him through life. Of course, Tanza's difficult life has no room for virtue and Prince Auren will just have to learn the hard way...
Every aspect of this story is flawless and gripping! Yes, its sci-fi, but a world just coming out of a post-revolution and regicide era, where old cars are still sputtering about, and vengeful terrorists strike without mercy. Our heroes struggles, sacrifices, and triumphs are truly something to cheer.
The Man on the Buckskin Horse: The first is a Western, and while I *may* not have recognized it as a Sleeping Beauty story without being told, each important aspect of the tale is nevertheless represented. Our POV, a midwife instead of a good fairy, has the cheekiest voice that never fails to amuse (especially while she's noting that gunman's looks!)
Guardian of Our Beauty: We travel far back in time and to a foreign yet familiar land set in a time of ziggurats and leviathans and pagan gods. Our heroine is determined to fulfill a prophecy and save her land, but she wishes it required more than just sleeping for hundred years. As it happens, the prophecy will require much more, as her special gifts and bright determination will need to help guide an unlikely hero to save her land.
The Ghost of Briardale: Delightfully wonky and so creative. Elves, dwarves, swamp-beasts, and yes, even true heroes a thing of the past. Believe in them or anything else strange (like say, a ghost) and you get declared insane and toted off the asylum in the dense, dangerous swamp. But as that ghost won't keep harassing our poor hapless hero, he might just need to listen up to her pleas and save the elf kingdom concealed in the asylum, wake the sleeping princess, and overthrow the vengeful witch...Really cute characters, surprising twists!
Spindle Cursed: Following a more classic old fantasy feel, we are deeply acquainted with the valiant prince (girls, he's a legit knight in shining armor without wearing...the armor...), his faithful 2nd-hand man, the princess frustrated by the lack of true love in all previous kisses she's received, her kooky fairy guardian, and the cunning Lady Regent whose chance has finally come to claim control of the kingdom--after all, when one has a dragon, who tells you no? Oh, that's right--knights in shining armor. And 2nd-hand mans, princesses, and kooky faeries might just want in on some of that action too...
Out of the Tomb: Okay, the first thing I did was zip to this final story because I've been wanting to read that ever since seeing its summary.
JUST WOW
THIS is my type of girl and guy story....
When embittered survivalist, tomb raider Tanza, accidentally wakes a missing prince from his 100 year stasis sleep, she discovers she's not so heartless as to abandon him, especially since his last memories were of tortured near death at the hands of the rebels that went on to destroy his entire kingdom and family. Things have changed since then. Their world has been taken over the alien human empire, bringing in new technologies, corruptions, and conveniences. While the prince's royal roots may have been rotten, he himself took on the responsibility of the 14 virtue names given him that were supposed to guide him through life. Of course, Tanza's difficult life has no room for virtue and Prince Auren will just have to learn the hard way...
Every aspect of this story is flawless and gripping! Yes, its sci-fi, but a world just coming out of a post-revolution and regicide era, where old cars are still sputtering about, and vengeful terrorists strike without mercy. Our heroes struggles, sacrifices, and triumphs are truly something to cheer.
March 11, 2017
These retellings are amazing, and you should all read them--even if you're not especially interested in fairy tales or in Sleeping Beauty. Because they're DIFFERENT. And they're really cool. :-)
Favorite story: Definitely "Out of the Tomb." It had this really amazing Star-Wars-y vibe to it that I loved, while still being completely unique and original. "Guardian of Our Beauty" and "The Man on the Buckskin Horse" were fantastic, too!! (Shout-out to Rachel Kovaciny for coming up with the most original twist on the whole 'spindle' thing that anybody could ever have imagined--including me :-) )
Favorite story: Definitely "Out of the Tomb." It had this really amazing Star-Wars-y vibe to it that I loved, while still being completely unique and original. "Guardian of Our Beauty" and "The Man on the Buckskin Horse" were fantastic, too!! (Shout-out to Rachel Kovaciny for coming up with the most original twist on the whole 'spindle' thing that anybody could ever have imagined--including me :-) )
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May 1, 2024Of course I want to read it! I'm writing part of it!
August 30, 2017
Clearly, the best of the three anthologies published so far by Rooglewood Press, collecting the five winners of their annual fairy tale retellings contest (of which I hope there'll be many more).
Surprisingly, four of these were 5-star reads for me. Quite the personal record! And I say "surprisingly" because, as it happened with the theme tale in the anthology before this one, it's meant to rework a tale that's not amongst my favourites. The tale known as The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods (Perrault)/Little Briar Rose (Grimm Bros.) has never figured in my top fairy tales because to me it's one of those stories with an unearned happy ending. That is, the princess is almost an accessory in her own story, never does anything to earn either her curse or her ultimate happiness. She simply exists. Sleeps for near the entirety of the story. Wakes up with a kiss and leaves with the prince (as per the Grimms, for Perrault's version doesn't end there). The End.
So, I've always been convinced that the tale's true heroes are the fairies and the prince; and that makes it one of the very rare cases where the prince isn't some generic pretty boy that appears on the last page to sweep the princess off her feet and ride into the sunset with her. Many retellings I've looked into try to "fix" this passivity by making the princess artificially into an active heroine. Strong Women, you know. Gods forbid she be passive and the fairies or the prince get all the attention! That's an idea I don't agree with; there are ways to give Briar Rose more onpage time/a larger role without robbing the fairies & prince of their protagonism.
It was great to discover that the five retellings play with all sorts of options: some keep the Sleeping Beauty in her slumbering role and let the fairies/prince/someone else carry the burden of the plot; some enlarge her role and make it equal to the others'; some make her more active in her own awakening without reducing the others' importance, etc. Quite varied scenarios, all showing that you don't have to mess with a fairy tale's core theme for the sake of contemporary ideas on how heroines should be like.
THE MAN ON A BUCKSKIN HORSE by Rachel Kovaciny
5 stars
Me, on seeing the intro's description: "A Western? You mean that 'Sleeping Beauty' can be redone as a Western?!"
In truth, every time I encounter a blurb for a retelling set in the Wild West, I'm invariably brimming with curiosity. Part of it is that the setting is appealing and means a magic-less historical setting; and part is that all the fairy tales reshaped into Westerns that I've read so far have been good. I've read Western retellings of Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, and Beauty & the Beast before, and I know there are more for other tales, but I'd never considered Sleeping Beauty could be retold this way. I mean, how exactly would the "curse" work without magic?
Rachel Kovaciny has the answer to this question of mine: yes, it can be done as a Western, and I have to say it's an extremely creative version. Her take is one of two where the girl stays "sleeping" for most of the story, and the characters standing for the Fairy Godmother and Prince Charming are the ones to shine. I'd not have expected a midwife and a gunslinger could fulfil such roles so well, and be hilarious at the same time. Emma Thornberry is definitely my favourite character in this book. I do hope the author writes more, as I was sad to see there wasn't more books from her to hunt down.
THE GUARDIAN OF OUR BEAUTY by Kathryn McConaughy
5 stars
Definitely the retelling with the best prose. The setting is fantastical and the period is left unspecified, but it does strongly resemble Ancient Mesopotamia. In this version, the princess has a hand in her own rescue, earning her salvation long before the curse catches her, so when it finally does and she has to spend a century sleeping, you know she has worked for her ending before and during that point. And the prince, Nerbalatan, is a very likable fellow you can't but cheer for, too.
THE GHOST OF BRIARDALE by Grace Mullins
5 stars
The funniest retelling of them all, taking place in a lunatic asylum. Yes, I know that's likely to cause sceptical eyebrows to be raised, but trust me here, it does work and rather well. The cast of characters is the largest as well, for besides the princess (who stays asleep most of the time), there's the insignificant clerk mistaken for a True Hero, a giant and a dwarf that failed at True Heroism, an eccentric and clumsy ghost, three fairy godmothers, two corrupt True Heroes, an intimidating Elf king, a villainous sorceress, a repentant apprentice of sorcery, and a charming Slavering Swamp Beast.
There are so many twists and turns here that you might be pressed to run to catch up with the pace, and the resolution isn't what I'd have expected (in a good way). The titular "Sleeping Beauty" might not be particularly likable to some, but that's likely to matter considering the plot and the other characters. Oh, and this author is another who must keep writing more, she's good.
SPINDLE CURSED by Michelle Pennington
4.5 stars
I wavered over the rating for this one, and although I am still a tad doubtful, I went for the above rating because of the storyline in general. The problem for me was that I didn't feel the main characters "click" much as a couple, i. e. not as much chemistry as there should be. Does that matter? Well, it does, because this retelling is construed as a romance. The other stories do have romance as well, but they're not written as traditional romances like this one was, and in traditional romantic storytelling, the hero & heroine interaction is key to making it compelling.
I also think the motivations of the villainess that opposes Princess Arabella weren't as clearly explained. Lust for power? Fair enough, but that's spelt out by the end. And how come nobody ever suspects her in over a century? Why no questions over her acts at all? These characters are a bit too naïve and unreflective.
On the other hand, the fairy godmother and the prince are well-written, and this is the only retelling in which there's a reflection on genuine love being necessary for waking up the princess. In other retellings, including the other four in this anthology, the princess is woken up with a kiss because . . . because . . . because fate? Because magic works so? Because Fairy Godmother said so? Because the Evil Fairy thought that was a safeguard to keep the curse on? Who knows! The fact is that the prince kisses the princess and that's it, curse broken and problem solved. So easy. Come on, in some cases it's not even required that love exist as a prerequisite or even that the prince be the man for the princess. This twist was refreshingly original, and thought-provoking, so I think this retelling did earn its 4.5 stars.
OUT OF THE TOMB by Ashley Stangl
5 stars
Sleeping Beauty is Sleeping Beau in this Science-Fiction-meets-Fairy-Tale retelling. And it's stupendous! It's as action-packed as Grace Mullins' retelling, but the "beauty" doesn't stay "sleeping" all the while, as the plot deals more with the aftermath of the awakening (another bonus point for creativity) instead of the events leading to it as usually happens.
The plot had a distinct Russian Revolution flavour about it for me, and, if Ashley Stangl so desired, it has potential for being turned into a series, preferably sequels that expand on the events that led to Prince Auren's entombment. There's also the possibility of retelling other fairy tales in this same universe, set before, during or after the events taking place in this novella.
I highly recommend this anthology, as it's one that can appeal to both fairy tale enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike.
Surprisingly, four of these were 5-star reads for me. Quite the personal record! And I say "surprisingly" because, as it happened with the theme tale in the anthology before this one, it's meant to rework a tale that's not amongst my favourites. The tale known as The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods (Perrault)/Little Briar Rose (Grimm Bros.) has never figured in my top fairy tales because to me it's one of those stories with an unearned happy ending. That is, the princess is almost an accessory in her own story, never does anything to earn either her curse or her ultimate happiness. She simply exists. Sleeps for near the entirety of the story. Wakes up with a kiss and leaves with the prince (as per the Grimms, for Perrault's version doesn't end there). The End.
So, I've always been convinced that the tale's true heroes are the fairies and the prince; and that makes it one of the very rare cases where the prince isn't some generic pretty boy that appears on the last page to sweep the princess off her feet and ride into the sunset with her. Many retellings I've looked into try to "fix" this passivity by making the princess artificially into an active heroine. Strong Women, you know. Gods forbid she be passive and the fairies or the prince get all the attention! That's an idea I don't agree with; there are ways to give Briar Rose more onpage time/a larger role without robbing the fairies & prince of their protagonism.
It was great to discover that the five retellings play with all sorts of options: some keep the Sleeping Beauty in her slumbering role and let the fairies/prince/someone else carry the burden of the plot; some enlarge her role and make it equal to the others'; some make her more active in her own awakening without reducing the others' importance, etc. Quite varied scenarios, all showing that you don't have to mess with a fairy tale's core theme for the sake of contemporary ideas on how heroines should be like.
THE MAN ON A BUCKSKIN HORSE by Rachel Kovaciny
5 stars
Me, on seeing the intro's description: "A Western? You mean that 'Sleeping Beauty' can be redone as a Western?!"
In truth, every time I encounter a blurb for a retelling set in the Wild West, I'm invariably brimming with curiosity. Part of it is that the setting is appealing and means a magic-less historical setting; and part is that all the fairy tales reshaped into Westerns that I've read so far have been good. I've read Western retellings of Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, and Beauty & the Beast before, and I know there are more for other tales, but I'd never considered Sleeping Beauty could be retold this way. I mean, how exactly would the "curse" work without magic?
Rachel Kovaciny has the answer to this question of mine: yes, it can be done as a Western, and I have to say it's an extremely creative version. Her take is one of two where the girl stays "sleeping" for most of the story, and the characters standing for the Fairy Godmother and Prince Charming are the ones to shine. I'd not have expected a midwife and a gunslinger could fulfil such roles so well, and be hilarious at the same time. Emma Thornberry is definitely my favourite character in this book. I do hope the author writes more, as I was sad to see there wasn't more books from her to hunt down.
THE GUARDIAN OF OUR BEAUTY by Kathryn McConaughy
5 stars
Definitely the retelling with the best prose. The setting is fantastical and the period is left unspecified, but it does strongly resemble Ancient Mesopotamia. In this version, the princess has a hand in her own rescue, earning her salvation long before the curse catches her, so when it finally does and she has to spend a century sleeping, you know she has worked for her ending before and during that point. And the prince, Nerbalatan, is a very likable fellow you can't but cheer for, too.
THE GHOST OF BRIARDALE by Grace Mullins
5 stars
The funniest retelling of them all, taking place in a lunatic asylum. Yes, I know that's likely to cause sceptical eyebrows to be raised, but trust me here, it does work and rather well. The cast of characters is the largest as well, for besides the princess (who stays asleep most of the time), there's the insignificant clerk mistaken for a True Hero, a giant and a dwarf that failed at True Heroism, an eccentric and clumsy ghost, three fairy godmothers, two corrupt True Heroes, an intimidating Elf king, a villainous sorceress, a repentant apprentice of sorcery, and a charming Slavering Swamp Beast.
There are so many twists and turns here that you might be pressed to run to catch up with the pace, and the resolution isn't what I'd have expected (in a good way). The titular "Sleeping Beauty" might not be particularly likable to some, but that's likely to matter considering the plot and the other characters. Oh, and this author is another who must keep writing more, she's good.
SPINDLE CURSED by Michelle Pennington
4.5 stars
I wavered over the rating for this one, and although I am still a tad doubtful, I went for the above rating because of the storyline in general. The problem for me was that I didn't feel the main characters "click" much as a couple, i. e. not as much chemistry as there should be. Does that matter? Well, it does, because this retelling is construed as a romance. The other stories do have romance as well, but they're not written as traditional romances like this one was, and in traditional romantic storytelling, the hero & heroine interaction is key to making it compelling.
I also think the motivations of the villainess that opposes Princess Arabella weren't as clearly explained. Lust for power? Fair enough, but that's spelt out by the end. And how come nobody ever suspects her in over a century? Why no questions over her acts at all? These characters are a bit too naïve and unreflective.
On the other hand, the fairy godmother and the prince are well-written, and this is the only retelling in which there's a reflection on genuine love being necessary for waking up the princess. In other retellings, including the other four in this anthology, the princess is woken up with a kiss because . . . because . . . because fate? Because magic works so? Because Fairy Godmother said so? Because the Evil Fairy thought that was a safeguard to keep the curse on? Who knows! The fact is that the prince kisses the princess and that's it, curse broken and problem solved. So easy. Come on, in some cases it's not even required that love exist as a prerequisite or even that the prince be the man for the princess. This twist was refreshingly original, and thought-provoking, so I think this retelling did earn its 4.5 stars.
OUT OF THE TOMB by Ashley Stangl
5 stars
Sleeping Beauty is Sleeping Beau in this Science-Fiction-meets-Fairy-Tale retelling. And it's stupendous! It's as action-packed as Grace Mullins' retelling, but the "beauty" doesn't stay "sleeping" all the while, as the plot deals more with the aftermath of the awakening (another bonus point for creativity) instead of the events leading to it as usually happens.
The plot had a distinct Russian Revolution flavour about it for me, and, if Ashley Stangl so desired, it has potential for being turned into a series, preferably sequels that expand on the events that led to Prince Auren's entombment. There's also the possibility of retelling other fairy tales in this same universe, set before, during or after the events taking place in this novella.
I highly recommend this anthology, as it's one that can appeal to both fairy tale enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike.
January 6, 2017
Five Magic Spindles was a pretty impressive collection of Sleeping Beauty fairytale retellings. I enjoyed it quite a lot:
The Man on the Buckskin Horse was a Western version of Sleeping Beauty which did an excellent job of translating the original fairytale to a work of straight historical fiction. The narrator of this story, a good fairy translated into a down-to-earth frontier midwife, was one of my favourite characters from the whole collection.
Guardian of Our Beauty - well, recently I've become totally addicted to Eastern-flavoured fantasy, and so I might have bought the whole collection just for the fun of reading Sleeping Beauty IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA! The setting absolutely did not disappoint - it felt very real, and the dry wit with which the story was told made it additionally fun.
The Ghost of Briardale Hall was... well, it wasn't the borderline spooky Victorian/steampunk tale of a lunatic asylum which I'd sort of expected from the description. Instead it had some of the best speculative-fiction worldbuilding and extrapolation in the whole collection, including everything to do with Crete and the kingdom he was a prince of. That was a really neat speculative-fiction idea and wow, I loved how much mileage the author got out of it.
Spindle Cursed probably hewed closer to what we all think of when we think of Sleeping Beauty than any of the other stories in this collection. Nevertheless it demonstrated its own inventiveness, particularly revolving around the problem of how true love's first kiss can take place between two people who've never even met?
Out of the Tomb, finally, started with a great premise and some fun, light sci-fi worldbuilding that drew on both Ancient Egypt and Revolutionary France. The one story in this collection to feature a sleeping prince, this story focuses primarily on a clash between modernity and old-fashioned virtue, which I appreciated.
Overall, a solid collection.
The Man on the Buckskin Horse was a Western version of Sleeping Beauty which did an excellent job of translating the original fairytale to a work of straight historical fiction. The narrator of this story, a good fairy translated into a down-to-earth frontier midwife, was one of my favourite characters from the whole collection.
Guardian of Our Beauty - well, recently I've become totally addicted to Eastern-flavoured fantasy, and so I might have bought the whole collection just for the fun of reading Sleeping Beauty IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA! The setting absolutely did not disappoint - it felt very real, and the dry wit with which the story was told made it additionally fun.
The Ghost of Briardale Hall was... well, it wasn't the borderline spooky Victorian/steampunk tale of a lunatic asylum which I'd sort of expected from the description. Instead it had some of the best speculative-fiction worldbuilding and extrapolation in the whole collection, including everything to do with Crete and the kingdom he was a prince of. That was a really neat speculative-fiction idea and wow, I loved how much mileage the author got out of it.
Spindle Cursed probably hewed closer to what we all think of when we think of Sleeping Beauty than any of the other stories in this collection. Nevertheless it demonstrated its own inventiveness, particularly revolving around the problem of how true love's first kiss can take place between two people who've never even met?
Out of the Tomb, finally, started with a great premise and some fun, light sci-fi worldbuilding that drew on both Ancient Egypt and Revolutionary France. The one story in this collection to feature a sleeping prince, this story focuses primarily on a clash between modernity and old-fashioned virtue, which I appreciated.
Overall, a solid collection.
January 3, 2018
4.5 stars!
Wow, guys. This collection, tho. <3 As a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, I couldn't be more thrilled to see such fresh and creative twists on Sleeping Beauty!
Mix guns, sheep, horses, and a dog named Blue and you'll get The Man on the Buckskin Horse by Rachel Kovaciny. Short and sweet, this opening story warmed my heart. Though not as deep as I love stories to be, it was A LOT of fun, and the MC Emma was pretty awesome.
Mix priests, prophecies, and stinging scorpions and you'll get Guardian of our Beauty by Kathryn McConaughy. My favorite part of this story was the beautiful, magical setting - I was drawn into it from the beginning! Though it moved very fast, I fell in love with the characters. <3
Mix elves, a green ghost, and insanity and you'll get The Ghost of Briardale by Grace Mullins. This story is quirky, and in the best way! I loved the cast of characters, the magic, and the aspect of True Heroes. The twists were clever, the outcome unpredictable. It was so cute and fun, in fact, that I plan on reading it aloud to my younger sister! ^.^
Mix a handsome prince, the realm of dreams, and feathers and you'll get Spindle Cursed by Michelle Pennington. My favorite of the collection, this story sucked me in with the AMAZING writing style, the BEAUTIFUL romance, and the STUPENDOUS humor. *hugs story* I already want to read it again. <3 <3
Mix aliens, hovercars, and virtue names and you'll get Out of the Tomb by Ashley Stangl. Tied with Spindle Cursed for my favorite of the collection, this story has everything I love. Action, suspense, high stakes... and a fairy tale woven in with such imagination that I stand in awe. The characters develop stunningly well for such a short story, and there was a part near the end that pulled unrelentingly at my heartstrings.
This is a fabulous collection that most definitely deserves its spot on my bookshelf! I can't wait to read the other anthologies, including the one coming out this time next year! :D
Wow, guys. This collection, tho. <3 As a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, I couldn't be more thrilled to see such fresh and creative twists on Sleeping Beauty!
Mix guns, sheep, horses, and a dog named Blue and you'll get The Man on the Buckskin Horse by Rachel Kovaciny. Short and sweet, this opening story warmed my heart. Though not as deep as I love stories to be, it was A LOT of fun, and the MC Emma was pretty awesome.
Mix priests, prophecies, and stinging scorpions and you'll get Guardian of our Beauty by Kathryn McConaughy. My favorite part of this story was the beautiful, magical setting - I was drawn into it from the beginning! Though it moved very fast, I fell in love with the characters. <3
Mix elves, a green ghost, and insanity and you'll get The Ghost of Briardale by Grace Mullins. This story is quirky, and in the best way! I loved the cast of characters, the magic, and the aspect of True Heroes. The twists were clever, the outcome unpredictable. It was so cute and fun, in fact, that I plan on reading it aloud to my younger sister! ^.^
Mix a handsome prince, the realm of dreams, and feathers and you'll get Spindle Cursed by Michelle Pennington. My favorite of the collection, this story sucked me in with the AMAZING writing style, the BEAUTIFUL romance, and the STUPENDOUS humor. *hugs story* I already want to read it again. <3 <3
Mix aliens, hovercars, and virtue names and you'll get Out of the Tomb by Ashley Stangl. Tied with Spindle Cursed for my favorite of the collection, this story has everything I love. Action, suspense, high stakes... and a fairy tale woven in with such imagination that I stand in awe. The characters develop stunningly well for such a short story, and there was a part near the end that pulled unrelentingly at my heartstrings.
This is a fabulous collection that most definitely deserves its spot on my bookshelf! I can't wait to read the other anthologies, including the one coming out this time next year! :D
June 2, 2020
I LOVED THIS ANTHOLOGY. Literally every single story utterly enthralled me and left me enchanted. I absolutely adored the sheer imagination put into each and every one of these stories. Sleeping Beauty cannot be an easy story to retell, being as how, you know, the heroine is ASLEEP for 100 years. But, by golly, these girls took this fairy tale and twisted it into something GENIUS.
The true gold of this collection is that there’s something for EVERYONE. From a western, to a quirky fairy tale, to gorgeous fantasy stories, to a riproaring sci-fi, this anthology will surely have a story anyone will fall in love with.
If you love delightful takes on a classic fairy tale, you NEED to get yourself this beautiful anthology.
You can find a full review, with thoughts on each individual story, on my blog HERE.
The true gold of this collection is that there’s something for EVERYONE. From a western, to a quirky fairy tale, to gorgeous fantasy stories, to a riproaring sci-fi, this anthology will surely have a story anyone will fall in love with.
If you love delightful takes on a classic fairy tale, you NEED to get yourself this beautiful anthology.
You can find a full review, with thoughts on each individual story, on my blog HERE.
September 12, 2016
These collections just keep getting better! I truly think “Five Magic Spindles,” a collection of Sleeping Beauty retellings, is the best yet! This is interesting given that my knee-jerk reaction when the short synopses of the contest-winning stories were first released was that I thought this would be the first collection where I wouldn’t like all of the stories. Silly, silly me.
I’ll start at the beginning with, “The Man on the Buckskin Horse” by Rachel Kovaciny. This retelling was a western, told from the perspective of a midwife named Emma. There was no magic, the POV character wasn’t even Sleeping Beauty, and I never read westerns. I thought I was going to be bored. I was so wrong! I ADORED this story. It was simple, it was cute, Emma was so spunky and dynamic I couldn’t help but fall in love with her, and I love how the Sleeping Beauty story itself played out. The actual man on the buckskin horse wasn’t too bad either. ;) Oh! And I was especially happy with the way the story ended for Emma herself! *is filled with warm fuzzies just thinking about it*
Next was “Guardian of Our Beauty” by Kathry McConaughy. I actually was looking forward to this one because of the setting for the story. It did not disappoint. This story was set in the ancient Near East, which is the most unique setting I’ve ever read in a fairy-tale retelling. I was curious to see how the author would pull it off, and overall, I think she did an excellent job. The setting seemed very realistic and it felt like the author really did her research about everything from the religious beliefs of the people, to their clothing and culture, to the mythological creatures (which were different from any I had read before!). I found it all fascinating. I really enjoyed the story itself too. Palli was a delightful Sleeping Beauty. I loved her from the first moment she appeared on the page, and I was glad that she got to be active in the saving of her kingdom rather than passive, even after she fell asleep. The “Prince Charming” was a great character too. He was so brave and sweet, and the author had me really cheering for him to succeed and for him and Palli to be together. Finally, I really appreciated the subtle message woven throughout the story about “The God Who Answers,” but people will just have to read the story to find out what that means. Great story!
The third story in the collection was “The Ghost of Briardale” by Grace Mullins. This was another story where I didn’t have the best reaction to the initial short synopsis. A ghost in an insane asylum? My mental reaction to this was literally, “Whaaaaat? That’s seems pretty dark in comparison to the kinds of stories that have typically been in these collections.” On top of that, the author of the story, whom I was friends with here on Goodreads even before she won the contest, didn’t seem to me like the type to write something that seemed at the time like it was going to be “dark and creepy,” so I was really surprised. But THEN the longer synopses for the collection’s stories came out, and I realized that “The Ghost of Briardale” was actually a comedy! That completely changed my perception of what the story would be like, and I went into it fully expecting to enjoy it. And I did! The author’s sense of humor is wonderful, and the story and main characters, Franz and Roselee were so charming and sweet, I just loved them! The creative twists on the original Sleeping Beauty story were wonderful (and sometimes very funny!) too. They really kept me guessing at times! (And now I feel the need to draw a picture of a chicken wearing a pointy hat and a dress!) And y’know…Now that I think about it, it’s actually pretty ironic that I judged this story the wrong way based on first appearances, because the message of the story was that you *shouldn’t* judge based on appearances, and it’s what’s on the inside that matters most. Well, I certainly learned that lesson, several times over! In conclusion…and I never thought I’d say this, but…the Slavering Swamp Beast was adorable! XD
Next was my least favorite story of the collection: “Spindle Cursed” by Michelle Pennington. I hate to call it my least favorite—it wasn’t a “bad” story by any means, and I did like it overall—I just didn’t enjoy it quite as fully as the others. That actually surprised me, because it was the most traditional retelling out of all of them, and I usually enjoy those quite a bit, but I guess I just didn’t quite connect with something in this story. It had everything the original story had: the sleeping princess, the bad fairy, the good fairies, the prince charming, the castle surrounded by thorns and guarded by a dragon, true love’s kiss, etc. The characters were likable (especially the slightly crazy good fairy, LOL), and the twists on the original narrative were creative and interesting. I guess my problem was that I never really felt the “true love” chemistry between Princess Arabella and Prince Edmond. This was a problem the original narrative too: How can the prince truly fall in love with a sleeping princess he’s never met before and can’t even talk too? To the author’s credit, Michelle did create a loophole in the curse that changed things up so that it was more likely and believable that the prince and princess could fall in love. But even with this loophole, which I thought was a very creative idea, I never got the impression that the prince and princess were truly falling in love with each other. I felt like they were coming to like each other, I felt like they were coming to respect each other, (and I admit that these things should be a part of any loving relationship) but I just never felt the love. Still, I think this was more my problem as the reader and not the fault of the author. The stories in this collection had length constraints, and probably because of this, there was a point when it was indicated that Edmond and Arabella had more conversations than were actually shown the reader. Maybe it was intended for the reader to understand that it was during those unseen conversations that Edmond and Arabella truly fell in love and I just failed to follow along? *shrug* However, I liked the story overall, despite this one complaint, and I especially appreciated the realistic treatment of what it would be like for someone to be asleep for one hundred years.
The last story, maybe my favorite of them all, was “Out of the Tomb” by Ashley Stangl. I was looking forward to this one for a very long time! It was the only sci-fi story, and despite my love for fantasy, plus the fact that I really don’t read a lot of sci-fi, I’ve discovered that I’ve really enjoyed the sci-fi retellings in these collections. This one in particular was a gender-flip: Sleeping Beauty was a prince and the person to awaken him was a female tomb robber. I loved this story so much! So fun and adventurous, and I loved how it actually started with the awakening of the prince and revealed the circumstances under which he was put to sleep slowly throughout the story. It was also lovely to see our female tomb robber, Tanza, grow as a person and learn to care about someone other than herself. I’ll also point out that this story had no romance at all. While I love a good romance, it was refreshing that Tanza and Prince Auren were able to just be friends with each other without all that romantic tension getting in the way and cluttering things up. Just go read it, mmkay? ;)
In conclusion, I would LOVE to read more from these five authors, and I think this collection may have been the best one Rooglewood Press has put out yet, and I can’t wait to see what the next one will be like!
I’ll start at the beginning with, “The Man on the Buckskin Horse” by Rachel Kovaciny. This retelling was a western, told from the perspective of a midwife named Emma. There was no magic, the POV character wasn’t even Sleeping Beauty, and I never read westerns. I thought I was going to be bored. I was so wrong! I ADORED this story. It was simple, it was cute, Emma was so spunky and dynamic I couldn’t help but fall in love with her, and I love how the Sleeping Beauty story itself played out. The actual man on the buckskin horse wasn’t too bad either. ;) Oh! And I was especially happy with the way the story ended for Emma herself! *is filled with warm fuzzies just thinking about it*
Next was “Guardian of Our Beauty” by Kathry McConaughy. I actually was looking forward to this one because of the setting for the story. It did not disappoint. This story was set in the ancient Near East, which is the most unique setting I’ve ever read in a fairy-tale retelling. I was curious to see how the author would pull it off, and overall, I think she did an excellent job. The setting seemed very realistic and it felt like the author really did her research about everything from the religious beliefs of the people, to their clothing and culture, to the mythological creatures (which were different from any I had read before!). I found it all fascinating. I really enjoyed the story itself too. Palli was a delightful Sleeping Beauty. I loved her from the first moment she appeared on the page, and I was glad that she got to be active in the saving of her kingdom rather than passive, even after she fell asleep. The “Prince Charming” was a great character too. He was so brave and sweet, and the author had me really cheering for him to succeed and for him and Palli to be together. Finally, I really appreciated the subtle message woven throughout the story about “The God Who Answers,” but people will just have to read the story to find out what that means. Great story!
The third story in the collection was “The Ghost of Briardale” by Grace Mullins. This was another story where I didn’t have the best reaction to the initial short synopsis. A ghost in an insane asylum? My mental reaction to this was literally, “Whaaaaat? That’s seems pretty dark in comparison to the kinds of stories that have typically been in these collections.” On top of that, the author of the story, whom I was friends with here on Goodreads even before she won the contest, didn’t seem to me like the type to write something that seemed at the time like it was going to be “dark and creepy,” so I was really surprised. But THEN the longer synopses for the collection’s stories came out, and I realized that “The Ghost of Briardale” was actually a comedy! That completely changed my perception of what the story would be like, and I went into it fully expecting to enjoy it. And I did! The author’s sense of humor is wonderful, and the story and main characters, Franz and Roselee were so charming and sweet, I just loved them! The creative twists on the original Sleeping Beauty story were wonderful (and sometimes very funny!) too. They really kept me guessing at times! (And now I feel the need to draw a picture of a chicken wearing a pointy hat and a dress!) And y’know…Now that I think about it, it’s actually pretty ironic that I judged this story the wrong way based on first appearances, because the message of the story was that you *shouldn’t* judge based on appearances, and it’s what’s on the inside that matters most. Well, I certainly learned that lesson, several times over! In conclusion…and I never thought I’d say this, but…the Slavering Swamp Beast was adorable! XD
Next was my least favorite story of the collection: “Spindle Cursed” by Michelle Pennington. I hate to call it my least favorite—it wasn’t a “bad” story by any means, and I did like it overall—I just didn’t enjoy it quite as fully as the others. That actually surprised me, because it was the most traditional retelling out of all of them, and I usually enjoy those quite a bit, but I guess I just didn’t quite connect with something in this story. It had everything the original story had: the sleeping princess, the bad fairy, the good fairies, the prince charming, the castle surrounded by thorns and guarded by a dragon, true love’s kiss, etc. The characters were likable (especially the slightly crazy good fairy, LOL), and the twists on the original narrative were creative and interesting. I guess my problem was that I never really felt the “true love” chemistry between Princess Arabella and Prince Edmond. This was a problem the original narrative too: How can the prince truly fall in love with a sleeping princess he’s never met before and can’t even talk too? To the author’s credit, Michelle did create a loophole in the curse that changed things up so that it was more likely and believable that the prince and princess could fall in love. But even with this loophole, which I thought was a very creative idea, I never got the impression that the prince and princess were truly falling in love with each other. I felt like they were coming to like each other, I felt like they were coming to respect each other, (and I admit that these things should be a part of any loving relationship) but I just never felt the love. Still, I think this was more my problem as the reader and not the fault of the author. The stories in this collection had length constraints, and probably because of this, there was a point when it was indicated that Edmond and Arabella had more conversations than were actually shown the reader. Maybe it was intended for the reader to understand that it was during those unseen conversations that Edmond and Arabella truly fell in love and I just failed to follow along? *shrug* However, I liked the story overall, despite this one complaint, and I especially appreciated the realistic treatment of what it would be like for someone to be asleep for one hundred years.
The last story, maybe my favorite of them all, was “Out of the Tomb” by Ashley Stangl. I was looking forward to this one for a very long time! It was the only sci-fi story, and despite my love for fantasy, plus the fact that I really don’t read a lot of sci-fi, I’ve discovered that I’ve really enjoyed the sci-fi retellings in these collections. This one in particular was a gender-flip: Sleeping Beauty was a prince and the person to awaken him was a female tomb robber. I loved this story so much! So fun and adventurous, and I loved how it actually started with the awakening of the prince and revealed the circumstances under which he was put to sleep slowly throughout the story. It was also lovely to see our female tomb robber, Tanza, grow as a person and learn to care about someone other than herself. I’ll also point out that this story had no romance at all. While I love a good romance, it was refreshing that Tanza and Prince Auren were able to just be friends with each other without all that romantic tension getting in the way and cluttering things up. Just go read it, mmkay? ;)
In conclusion, I would LOVE to read more from these five authors, and I think this collection may have been the best one Rooglewood Press has put out yet, and I can’t wait to see what the next one will be like!
January 5, 2018
I enjoyed this collection so much, I was downright sorry to see it end!
The story I was most looking forward to going into the book was "The Man on the Buckskin Horse" by Rachel Kovaciny, since it's a Western (hurray!) and the author is a blogging friend of mine. I wasn't disappointed! As a Western, it's just right—I loved the no-nonsense voice of Emma, the narrator; the descriptions of the setting; and the moving way the element of restless, haunted post-Civil War drifters is described and woven into the story. The Sleeping Beauty elements are perhaps a bit more subtle here than in the other stories in the anthology, but they're there nonetheless. I think each story in the collection highlights some certain element of the fairytale in a particularly creative way, and here it's the way the spindle-prick is translated in a very literal and real-world fashion.
"Guardian of Our Beauty" by Kathryn McConaughy is set in a mythical Eastern kingdom with a flavor that reminds me of ancient Egypt. The opening scene sets the tone for the whole story: beautiful writing, colorful setting and a delightful light touch of dry humor. One thing I noticed about most of these retellings, including this one: they do a great job fleshing out the motive for the curse against the princess, and creating a version of the good fairies' gifts that fits into the reimagined setting of the story. Palli is a sweet character, and it's neat the way her childhood encounters with the creatures of mythology return to play a role in the breaking of the curse (the wind-horse was my favorite).
"The Ghost of Briardale" by Grace Mullins is just great fun. The "asylum" was a bit different than I expected from the description, but the hapless Franz is one of the most loveable heroes in the collection, and the requirements for breaking the curse are most inventively complex. Again, the motive for the curse is well-developed, and I loved the way that the cast of quirky, colorful supporting characters, most of whom have already had an unsuccessful try at curse-breaking, all end up pitching in to help Franz finish the job. (The end of the Slavering Swamp Beast and the little twist about Crete's country were some of my favorite parts.)
"Spindle Cursed" by Michelle Pennington is perhaps the most traditional fantasy of the five, but it doesn't suffer at all beside the other stories owing to the depth of its plot and characters. Another detailed background to the curse story, with a bit of a mystery this time. I liked the way that the hero and heroine are allowed a chance to get acquainted with each other in spite of the magic sleep—similarly to "Guardian of Our Beauty" but even better developed here. You might say this story's particular strength is the way it emphasizes the importance of the "true love" aspect and how the curse cannot be broken without it. It was the only story where a few quibbles with the writing distracted me on occasion: there were a few too-strenuous efforts to avoid a passive verb, and some of the action scenes were a touch awkward or laborious. But I still enjoyed it very much.
"Out of the Tomb" by Ashley Stangl is...well, undoubtedly the most unusual of the five. If you like sci-fi and especially otherworldly settings, you're in for a treat. With its startlingly unusual setting and layered political-intrigue plot, it's an unquestionably well-written and interest-holding story, though even further out of my line than the small amount of sci-fi I've read before! It also takes some of the boldest twists on the original fairytale, swapping in a sleeping prince instead of a princess, and beginning with the awakening and piecing together the backstory from there. The element of the fairies' gifts plays its most important role in this retelling, a creative take on the idea that's key to the character development.
All in all, I'm not sure I can pick a favorite! I think this whole collection shows an all-around step up in workmanship and quality from the first Rooglewood fairytale anthology, Five Glass Slippers, though I enjoyed that one too (I haven't read the second one, Five Enchanted Roses). Great variety in the retellings, great storytelling, and just fun to read.
The story I was most looking forward to going into the book was "The Man on the Buckskin Horse" by Rachel Kovaciny, since it's a Western (hurray!) and the author is a blogging friend of mine. I wasn't disappointed! As a Western, it's just right—I loved the no-nonsense voice of Emma, the narrator; the descriptions of the setting; and the moving way the element of restless, haunted post-Civil War drifters is described and woven into the story. The Sleeping Beauty elements are perhaps a bit more subtle here than in the other stories in the anthology, but they're there nonetheless. I think each story in the collection highlights some certain element of the fairytale in a particularly creative way, and here it's the way the spindle-prick is translated in a very literal and real-world fashion.
"Guardian of Our Beauty" by Kathryn McConaughy is set in a mythical Eastern kingdom with a flavor that reminds me of ancient Egypt. The opening scene sets the tone for the whole story: beautiful writing, colorful setting and a delightful light touch of dry humor. One thing I noticed about most of these retellings, including this one: they do a great job fleshing out the motive for the curse against the princess, and creating a version of the good fairies' gifts that fits into the reimagined setting of the story. Palli is a sweet character, and it's neat the way her childhood encounters with the creatures of mythology return to play a role in the breaking of the curse (the wind-horse was my favorite).
"The Ghost of Briardale" by Grace Mullins is just great fun. The "asylum" was a bit different than I expected from the description, but the hapless Franz is one of the most loveable heroes in the collection, and the requirements for breaking the curse are most inventively complex. Again, the motive for the curse is well-developed, and I loved the way that the cast of quirky, colorful supporting characters, most of whom have already had an unsuccessful try at curse-breaking, all end up pitching in to help Franz finish the job. (The end of the Slavering Swamp Beast and the little twist about Crete's country were some of my favorite parts.)
"Spindle Cursed" by Michelle Pennington is perhaps the most traditional fantasy of the five, but it doesn't suffer at all beside the other stories owing to the depth of its plot and characters. Another detailed background to the curse story, with a bit of a mystery this time. I liked the way that the hero and heroine are allowed a chance to get acquainted with each other in spite of the magic sleep—similarly to "Guardian of Our Beauty" but even better developed here. You might say this story's particular strength is the way it emphasizes the importance of the "true love" aspect and how the curse cannot be broken without it. It was the only story where a few quibbles with the writing distracted me on occasion: there were a few too-strenuous efforts to avoid a passive verb, and some of the action scenes were a touch awkward or laborious. But I still enjoyed it very much.
"Out of the Tomb" by Ashley Stangl is...well, undoubtedly the most unusual of the five. If you like sci-fi and especially otherworldly settings, you're in for a treat. With its startlingly unusual setting and layered political-intrigue plot, it's an unquestionably well-written and interest-holding story, though even further out of my line than the small amount of sci-fi I've read before! It also takes some of the boldest twists on the original fairytale, swapping in a sleeping prince instead of a princess, and beginning with the awakening and piecing together the backstory from there. The element of the fairies' gifts plays its most important role in this retelling, a creative take on the idea that's key to the character development.
All in all, I'm not sure I can pick a favorite! I think this whole collection shows an all-around step up in workmanship and quality from the first Rooglewood fairytale anthology, Five Glass Slippers, though I enjoyed that one too (I haven't read the second one, Five Enchanted Roses). Great variety in the retellings, great storytelling, and just fun to read.
May 13, 2018
4.5 stars, I think, although I'm rounding it up because the collection as a whole was amazing. I loved the whole thing, and while I had stories I preferred, I thought the cohesive whole was one of the coolest things I'd read in a while. The stories were all so different from each other, but still fit together so well.
The Man on the Buckskin Horse: I loved the creativity and unconventionality of this story. Rachel is a friend of mine from Facebook and the blogosphere, and I've always loved hearing her unique Western takes on fairy tales. This one was no exception! Some amazing ships, combined with real stakes and the most unique take on the whole spindle thing ever, made this story a highlight of the collection. 4.5/5 stars.
Guardian of Our Beauty: I loved Palli and her Prince Neriya so much. I loved the messages about the God who Answers. I loved the unconventional Ancient Near East setting, the mythology, the scope of the story world, all of it. This may have been my favorite story in the collection. 5/5 stars for sure.
The Ghost of Briardale: One thing that I don't always love about short stories (and one of the things that makes them difficult for me to write) is that the characters tend to become caricatures or much more flat than usual, in order to fit them into the space allotted. The Ghost of Briardale takes this unfortunate aspect of shorter stories, however, and twists it to its advantage. This story was riproaring fun, while still managing to maintain a very sweet core and a deep message about true heroism. I loved Franz, and I loved Roselee, and I loved Crete and Eidor and the fairies and all the other crazy quirky characters. This may have been my second favorite. 4.5/5 stars.
Spindle Cursed: This one was probably the closest to the original Sleeping Beauty tale...but I don't know, it still managed to come up with a wonderfully unique spin on the story. Edmond was such a wonderfully sweet hero, and I loved both him and Martin as the intrepid prince questing to rescue the princess, as well as his rebellious outlook on his destiny. Lora and Arabella were also wonderful characters, and Edmond and Arabella may well be my new OTP. Just so precious. 4.5/5 stars.
Out of the Tomb: I'm afraid this one was my least favorite of the collection. Which was weird, because so many people I know say it's their absolute favorite! But while I enjoyed it, I've never loved to READ sci-fi (although I do love WATCHING it) and so I think that may have had something to do with it. The characters were awesome, as was the exceptionally unique take on the whole Sleeping Beauty story (especially the spindle! Yikes but wow.) So while I didn't love this one AS much, I still really liked it. Just wasn't my favorite. 4/5 stars.
Overall, 4.5 stars, and I'd recommend this to pretty much anybody!!!!
The Man on the Buckskin Horse: I loved the creativity and unconventionality of this story. Rachel is a friend of mine from Facebook and the blogosphere, and I've always loved hearing her unique Western takes on fairy tales. This one was no exception! Some amazing ships, combined with real stakes and the most unique take on the whole spindle thing ever, made this story a highlight of the collection. 4.5/5 stars.
Guardian of Our Beauty: I loved Palli and her Prince Neriya so much. I loved the messages about the God who Answers. I loved the unconventional Ancient Near East setting, the mythology, the scope of the story world, all of it. This may have been my favorite story in the collection. 5/5 stars for sure.
The Ghost of Briardale: One thing that I don't always love about short stories (and one of the things that makes them difficult for me to write) is that the characters tend to become caricatures or much more flat than usual, in order to fit them into the space allotted. The Ghost of Briardale takes this unfortunate aspect of shorter stories, however, and twists it to its advantage. This story was riproaring fun, while still managing to maintain a very sweet core and a deep message about true heroism. I loved Franz, and I loved Roselee, and I loved Crete and Eidor and the fairies and all the other crazy quirky characters. This may have been my second favorite. 4.5/5 stars.
Spindle Cursed: This one was probably the closest to the original Sleeping Beauty tale...but I don't know, it still managed to come up with a wonderfully unique spin on the story. Edmond was such a wonderfully sweet hero, and I loved both him and Martin as the intrepid prince questing to rescue the princess, as well as his rebellious outlook on his destiny. Lora and Arabella were also wonderful characters, and Edmond and Arabella may well be my new OTP. Just so precious. 4.5/5 stars.
Out of the Tomb: I'm afraid this one was my least favorite of the collection. Which was weird, because so many people I know say it's their absolute favorite! But while I enjoyed it, I've never loved to READ sci-fi (although I do love WATCHING it) and so I think that may have had something to do with it. The characters were awesome, as was the exceptionally unique take on the whole Sleeping Beauty story (especially the spindle! Yikes but wow.) So while I didn't love this one AS much, I still really liked it. Just wasn't my favorite. 4/5 stars.
Overall, 4.5 stars, and I'd recommend this to pretty much anybody!!!!
July 30, 2016
There probably aren’t many of us who don’t love a good fairytale. We swoon over the romantics, become captured by the adventure and smile in pleasure over the comfort a happy ending is around the corner. Imagine then enjoying not one but five neat little fairytales captured in one pretty novel. That’s what you’ll find if you open the pages of Five Magic Spindles, the product of Rooglewood Press’ third fairytale retelling contest.
Inside these pages are five diverse and unique stories. The authors were tasked with reimagining the Sleeping Beauty legend, no small feat considering the heroine sleeps through (nearly) her entire story. Since this features multiple stories, I thought I’d break this review up to better share my thoughts about each story rather than lump suppositions in a larger scale. With that said, let’s get started.
THE MAN ON THE BUCKSKIN HORSE by Rachel Koviciny
The POV in this story is that of Emma, a good-hearted midwife who rides to her neighbor’s farm to warn him of a danger he isn’t aware of. It’s here that we meet “Sleeping Beauty,” the farmer’s daughter. Perhaps the most difficult to (blindly) accept as a retelling, Rachel has not only challenged herself by telling this story, but her readers.
Set in the rip-roaring old west, the detached perspective of a second party made this one a unique read. Instead of a prince or hero being the one to save a Kingdom, a hero arrives in the form of a midwife. Emma is a spunky heroine and those surrounding her are no different. Everyone gets fleshed out nicely despite being only inside Emma’s head. From the innocent Rosalind to the “Man,” this novel sparks with personality and unique perspectives.
What I admired most about Rachel’s story was its unafraid way of re-tooling a classic. Rachel’s deep love of the old west shows on every page as she weaves inklings of the beloved story we love so much into each page. ‘The Man on the Buckskin Horse’ is entertaining, and a wonderful start to what is, a wonderful collection of fairytales.
GUARDIAN OF OUR BEAUTY by Kathryn McConaughy
From the Old West to the Far East, Katheryn’s story introduces us to Palli, a young princess whose destiny is to rescue her people from a terrible fate. Falling into a deep sleep on her wedding day, Palli must help a hero rise to the occasion not only to save her people, but to win her hand. Prince Neriya is the younger son in the line of monarchs, but he becomes the only hero able to seek out the fated kingdom where Palli lies in slumber.
This high fantasy story is as exciting as it is romantic. The technique Katheryn employs to spin a new idea into the Sleeping Beauty legend is fantasy at its brightest. Despite being in slumber, I appreciated that Palli was “present” for much of the story. Also pleasant were the subtle intricacies woven into the elegant writing that showed the growing affection between her and Neriya.
Beautifully established writing and great characters is sure to set ‘Guardian of Our Beauty’ apart in the fairytale realm.
THE GHOST OF BRIARDALE by Grace Mullins
Ghostly shenanigans abound in this zany little comedy. Roselee is a ghost, with few memories, trapped and on a mission to seek out a mortal hero for a mysterious sleeping princess. All of which takes place in an insane asylum no less! As Roselee searches for just such a boy, she encounters Franz. But is he the chosen one? Or will she be forced to continue searching?
Grace’s story is like an infectious personality. It’s pure delight from beginning to end. The story moves swiftly through the ghostly (and crazy!) halls of the asylum featuring an ensemble cast of loveable characters. We root for Franz to break free of his prison of brick and mortar, and for the princess to be awakened from her prison of slumber.
There’s excitement, laughter and a unique voice (pen) that the author should be proud of.
SPINDLE CURSED by Michelle Pennington
The Sleeping Beauty of this story is Arabella, a beautiful spirt who’s been comatose for many years, protected by her loyal fairy godmother. Under the guise of assisting in breaking the curse so that Arabella might claim her rightful throne, her cousin plots behind her back. All of this might have gone off with no one the wiser had a Prince not walked in on her nefarious plans.
Perhaps the most traditional of the bunch, ‘Spindle Cursed’ is a beautiful romance from beginning to end. Michelle’s skill in crafting a story is poetry. I admired how simplistic this story is because it was just what I craved to help make this collection complete. The beautiful romance that develops between Arabella and her hero might seem to go unnoticed, but really it’s the strength of the novella. I admired that the heroine, while lost in dreams, wasn’t lost to the reader and instead was very present in the present. This gave the story room to breathe and come alive.
If you’re yearning for a traditional spin on the classic beauty that is the legend of the sleeping princess, discover this story. There’s dragons, and magic, to say nothing of the fact that the story allows its female protagonist to be the heroine (in part) of her own story. It’s a jewel from opening page to that iconic kiss.
OUT OF THE TOMB by Ashley Stangl
Burdened with a past that's sketchy, Tanza is a tomb raider. As a thief who knows the score in her world, Tanza believes she’s worth no more than what she has. All of this changes when she meets a prince caught under a spell that sent him into a deep sleep. Tanza chose the wrong – or could it be the right? – tomb to raid when her presence awakens the prince. Unaware of how his kingdom has changed in his absence, the prince is unprepared for what is to come, but with Tanza’s help, perhaps the two can right the wrongs of their rapidly changing world.
Sci-fi and adventure abound in this re-telling. The classic story is turned on its head in this gender swapped tale that is uniquely coded. Who’d imagine a classic fairytale could work in a space setting? Ashley Stangl did, and she creates a whole new kind of magic because of this. Despite the heroine being in need of redemption, I loved Tanza and eventually, Auren’s presence in her life. The way in which he affects her life is a beautifully realized journey.
If you love sci-fi stories, but are unsure about fairytales, give ‘Out of the Tomb’ a fair chance. It’s clever, humorous and not without a message of forgiveness and hope. In short, it’s a story with depth and purpose.
_______
From a spunky midwife in an old west showdown to the ancient mysteries of the Far East; an asylum dungeon to the romantic traditions of a castle tower and dragons, and finally to the great unknown (space), Five Magic Spindles is sure to enchant. Some of these characters grabbed a hold of my heart sooner than others. Some of the settings and sweet romance enchanted me beyond my expectations. But when I clicked the final page to the end of this collection, one thing stood out. In their own way, each of these five novellas is splendid.
To potential readers, I say this: don’t delay in snatching up this magical collection. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be mesmerized.
Review text is © Copyright Rissi JC and first appeared on RissiWrites.com
Sincere thanks to the author (Rachel) and publisher for an e-ARC copy of this novel in consideration of review.
Inside these pages are five diverse and unique stories. The authors were tasked with reimagining the Sleeping Beauty legend, no small feat considering the heroine sleeps through (nearly) her entire story. Since this features multiple stories, I thought I’d break this review up to better share my thoughts about each story rather than lump suppositions in a larger scale. With that said, let’s get started.
THE MAN ON THE BUCKSKIN HORSE by Rachel Koviciny
The POV in this story is that of Emma, a good-hearted midwife who rides to her neighbor’s farm to warn him of a danger he isn’t aware of. It’s here that we meet “Sleeping Beauty,” the farmer’s daughter. Perhaps the most difficult to (blindly) accept as a retelling, Rachel has not only challenged herself by telling this story, but her readers.
Set in the rip-roaring old west, the detached perspective of a second party made this one a unique read. Instead of a prince or hero being the one to save a Kingdom, a hero arrives in the form of a midwife. Emma is a spunky heroine and those surrounding her are no different. Everyone gets fleshed out nicely despite being only inside Emma’s head. From the innocent Rosalind to the “Man,” this novel sparks with personality and unique perspectives.
What I admired most about Rachel’s story was its unafraid way of re-tooling a classic. Rachel’s deep love of the old west shows on every page as she weaves inklings of the beloved story we love so much into each page. ‘The Man on the Buckskin Horse’ is entertaining, and a wonderful start to what is, a wonderful collection of fairytales.
GUARDIAN OF OUR BEAUTY by Kathryn McConaughy
From the Old West to the Far East, Katheryn’s story introduces us to Palli, a young princess whose destiny is to rescue her people from a terrible fate. Falling into a deep sleep on her wedding day, Palli must help a hero rise to the occasion not only to save her people, but to win her hand. Prince Neriya is the younger son in the line of monarchs, but he becomes the only hero able to seek out the fated kingdom where Palli lies in slumber.
This high fantasy story is as exciting as it is romantic. The technique Katheryn employs to spin a new idea into the Sleeping Beauty legend is fantasy at its brightest. Despite being in slumber, I appreciated that Palli was “present” for much of the story. Also pleasant were the subtle intricacies woven into the elegant writing that showed the growing affection between her and Neriya.
Beautifully established writing and great characters is sure to set ‘Guardian of Our Beauty’ apart in the fairytale realm.
THE GHOST OF BRIARDALE by Grace Mullins
Ghostly shenanigans abound in this zany little comedy. Roselee is a ghost, with few memories, trapped and on a mission to seek out a mortal hero for a mysterious sleeping princess. All of which takes place in an insane asylum no less! As Roselee searches for just such a boy, she encounters Franz. But is he the chosen one? Or will she be forced to continue searching?
Grace’s story is like an infectious personality. It’s pure delight from beginning to end. The story moves swiftly through the ghostly (and crazy!) halls of the asylum featuring an ensemble cast of loveable characters. We root for Franz to break free of his prison of brick and mortar, and for the princess to be awakened from her prison of slumber.
There’s excitement, laughter and a unique voice (pen) that the author should be proud of.
SPINDLE CURSED by Michelle Pennington
The Sleeping Beauty of this story is Arabella, a beautiful spirt who’s been comatose for many years, protected by her loyal fairy godmother. Under the guise of assisting in breaking the curse so that Arabella might claim her rightful throne, her cousin plots behind her back. All of this might have gone off with no one the wiser had a Prince not walked in on her nefarious plans.
Perhaps the most traditional of the bunch, ‘Spindle Cursed’ is a beautiful romance from beginning to end. Michelle’s skill in crafting a story is poetry. I admired how simplistic this story is because it was just what I craved to help make this collection complete. The beautiful romance that develops between Arabella and her hero might seem to go unnoticed, but really it’s the strength of the novella. I admired that the heroine, while lost in dreams, wasn’t lost to the reader and instead was very present in the present. This gave the story room to breathe and come alive.
If you’re yearning for a traditional spin on the classic beauty that is the legend of the sleeping princess, discover this story. There’s dragons, and magic, to say nothing of the fact that the story allows its female protagonist to be the heroine (in part) of her own story. It’s a jewel from opening page to that iconic kiss.
OUT OF THE TOMB by Ashley Stangl
Burdened with a past that's sketchy, Tanza is a tomb raider. As a thief who knows the score in her world, Tanza believes she’s worth no more than what she has. All of this changes when she meets a prince caught under a spell that sent him into a deep sleep. Tanza chose the wrong – or could it be the right? – tomb to raid when her presence awakens the prince. Unaware of how his kingdom has changed in his absence, the prince is unprepared for what is to come, but with Tanza’s help, perhaps the two can right the wrongs of their rapidly changing world.
Sci-fi and adventure abound in this re-telling. The classic story is turned on its head in this gender swapped tale that is uniquely coded. Who’d imagine a classic fairytale could work in a space setting? Ashley Stangl did, and she creates a whole new kind of magic because of this. Despite the heroine being in need of redemption, I loved Tanza and eventually, Auren’s presence in her life. The way in which he affects her life is a beautifully realized journey.
If you love sci-fi stories, but are unsure about fairytales, give ‘Out of the Tomb’ a fair chance. It’s clever, humorous and not without a message of forgiveness and hope. In short, it’s a story with depth and purpose.
_______
From a spunky midwife in an old west showdown to the ancient mysteries of the Far East; an asylum dungeon to the romantic traditions of a castle tower and dragons, and finally to the great unknown (space), Five Magic Spindles is sure to enchant. Some of these characters grabbed a hold of my heart sooner than others. Some of the settings and sweet romance enchanted me beyond my expectations. But when I clicked the final page to the end of this collection, one thing stood out. In their own way, each of these five novellas is splendid.
To potential readers, I say this: don’t delay in snatching up this magical collection. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be mesmerized.
Review text is © Copyright Rissi JC and first appeared on RissiWrites.com
Sincere thanks to the author (Rachel) and publisher for an e-ARC copy of this novel in consideration of review.
July 29, 2016
Of this collection I only read "The Man on the Buckskin Horse" by Rachel Kovaciny, because she'd asked me to be one of her advance readers, to which I happily answered "OF COURSE!" I've never been an advance reader before and it sounded pretty cool. I like this, this advance reader business.
This story was so fun! I had no idea how the Sleeping Beauty premise would work with the western setting, but Rachel fit things together very well. The flow of the story was nice. I'm still getting used to the fast pace of novellas, having only read a few before, but I was pleased that this wasn't too rushed, and nothing seemed awkward. As for the characters -- well, these folks would fit in nearly any good old western movie. Miss Emma Thornberry was an amusing narrator. Rosalind was sweet, Mrs. Mortimer was ATROCIOUS (seriously, who authorizes her to act like she owns the territory?), Victor Owens was good and steady, and Mr. Palmer was quite intriguing. For such a short piece, the character development was great, especially with Mr. Palmer. (I love the fact that he was a surgeon in the Civil War. Bring the Civil War into anything, and I like it even more.)
The whole feel of the story is a lot like most every historical/western Christian fiction book I've read, which I personally get tired of when I read too much of it, but I don't happen to be tired of it at the moment and I enjoyed this very much. :-) Thanks Rachel, for letting me read it!
This story was so fun! I had no idea how the Sleeping Beauty premise would work with the western setting, but Rachel fit things together very well. The flow of the story was nice. I'm still getting used to the fast pace of novellas, having only read a few before, but I was pleased that this wasn't too rushed, and nothing seemed awkward. As for the characters -- well, these folks would fit in nearly any good old western movie. Miss Emma Thornberry was an amusing narrator. Rosalind was sweet, Mrs. Mortimer was ATROCIOUS (seriously, who authorizes her to act like she owns the territory?), Victor Owens was good and steady, and Mr. Palmer was quite intriguing. For such a short piece, the character development was great, especially with Mr. Palmer. (I love the fact that he was a surgeon in the Civil War. Bring the Civil War into anything, and I like it even more.)
The whole feel of the story is a lot like most every historical/western Christian fiction book I've read, which I personally get tired of when I read too much of it, but I don't happen to be tired of it at the moment and I enjoyed this very much. :-) Thanks Rachel, for letting me read it!
June 3, 2017
This was a nice set of fairy tales. The stories were diverse - from a western to science fiction, and I enjoyed each of them, which is unusual in most short story collections.
July 16, 2016
I have enjoyed all the Fairy Tale Collections published by Rooglewood Press thus far. Five Magic Spindles is the best collection yet. Ironically, "Sleeping Beauty" is probably my least favorite fairy tale as the premise seems so improbable. A passive princess is awakened by a prince she doesn't even know who professes his undying love? A bit disturbing, especially if you have read some of the modern retellings of this tale.
Despite my misgivings, each author skillfully wove complex versions of "Sleeping Beauty" and made the tale spring to life in vivid ways. I was reminded that, ultimately, this story is about rebirth; the awakening of deadened souls in order that they may become who they were meant to be. Below are my ratings and opinions of each novella.
1. "The Man on the Buckskin Horse". 5 stars. Westerns are not my genre of reading, but this version of "Sleeping Beauty was utterly beautiful. I especially loved the folksy, down-home writing style and the no-nonsense character of Emma. Luke, the hired gunslinger, is deeply complex and a character I loved immediately. I also loved the sheepdog named Blue.
2. "The Guardian of Our Beauty". 4 stars. This story has a lyrical, often tongue-in-cheek writing style that drew me in immediately. I loved the middle-Eastern setting and the vivid characters of Palli and her prince. My favorite aspects of the story were the mysterious creatures such as a lavat, wind-mare and storm-maker. Most wonderful of all, the character of the prince has a facial deformity, and he has a yen for adventure. My only complaints were the villain, who grated on my nerves a great deal, and the sometimes acerbic descriptions of religious ceremonies. In fact, I thought at first I would dislike the story for this reason, but I quickly grew attached to the characters and couldn't put the novella down.
3. "The Ghost of Briardale": 5 stars. This story has an impressive cast of complex characters and a quirky but poignant plot. I loved the exploration of the theme of what makes a person a True Hero. I also loved the ragtag characters who are thrust upon a perilous quest. My favorite character was Roselee, a "ghost" who might not be the person she seems.
4. "Spindle Cursed". 5 stars. The world-building in this story is wonderful, and I particularly loved that the theme of "true love's kiss" was carefully and respectfully explored. The princess is actually kissed by different princes, and the author makes it clear that the kisses cause the princess great pain. Those scenes chilled me quite a bit. The final prince and princess can communicate in the world of dreams, so they must learn to trust one another before a genuine kiss can be given. A very insightful and beautiful fantasy story.
5. "Out of the Tomb". 5 stars! Oh my! This story was incredible. Frankly, it was the one I was looking forward to reading the least. However, the characters are so vivid they practically nestled in my heart and refused to leave. I loved the role reversal of having the "beauty" awaken the "prince". The prince's vulnerability at finding his world so vastly changed is heartbreaking, but his determination to find beauty and hold onto faith in his people is so inspiring. And Tanya, the "beauty" character, is so damaged by her past but so kind and courageous when it counts. This story truly embodies the themes of rebirth and redemption. "Out of the Tomb" was my favorite story in the collection.
Please give this phenomenal set of novellas a try. I especially appreciated that all the authors made certain that the "princess and Prince" characters got to know each other throughout the stories. You will not be disappointed. God bless you all.
Despite my misgivings, each author skillfully wove complex versions of "Sleeping Beauty" and made the tale spring to life in vivid ways. I was reminded that, ultimately, this story is about rebirth; the awakening of deadened souls in order that they may become who they were meant to be. Below are my ratings and opinions of each novella.
1. "The Man on the Buckskin Horse". 5 stars. Westerns are not my genre of reading, but this version of "Sleeping Beauty was utterly beautiful. I especially loved the folksy, down-home writing style and the no-nonsense character of Emma. Luke, the hired gunslinger, is deeply complex and a character I loved immediately. I also loved the sheepdog named Blue.
2. "The Guardian of Our Beauty". 4 stars. This story has a lyrical, often tongue-in-cheek writing style that drew me in immediately. I loved the middle-Eastern setting and the vivid characters of Palli and her prince. My favorite aspects of the story were the mysterious creatures such as a lavat, wind-mare and storm-maker. Most wonderful of all, the character of the prince has a facial deformity, and he has a yen for adventure. My only complaints were the villain, who grated on my nerves a great deal, and the sometimes acerbic descriptions of religious ceremonies. In fact, I thought at first I would dislike the story for this reason, but I quickly grew attached to the characters and couldn't put the novella down.
3. "The Ghost of Briardale": 5 stars. This story has an impressive cast of complex characters and a quirky but poignant plot. I loved the exploration of the theme of what makes a person a True Hero. I also loved the ragtag characters who are thrust upon a perilous quest. My favorite character was Roselee, a "ghost" who might not be the person she seems.
4. "Spindle Cursed". 5 stars. The world-building in this story is wonderful, and I particularly loved that the theme of "true love's kiss" was carefully and respectfully explored. The princess is actually kissed by different princes, and the author makes it clear that the kisses cause the princess great pain. Those scenes chilled me quite a bit. The final prince and princess can communicate in the world of dreams, so they must learn to trust one another before a genuine kiss can be given. A very insightful and beautiful fantasy story.
5. "Out of the Tomb". 5 stars! Oh my! This story was incredible. Frankly, it was the one I was looking forward to reading the least. However, the characters are so vivid they practically nestled in my heart and refused to leave. I loved the role reversal of having the "beauty" awaken the "prince". The prince's vulnerability at finding his world so vastly changed is heartbreaking, but his determination to find beauty and hold onto faith in his people is so inspiring. And Tanya, the "beauty" character, is so damaged by her past but so kind and courageous when it counts. This story truly embodies the themes of rebirth and redemption. "Out of the Tomb" was my favorite story in the collection.
Please give this phenomenal set of novellas a try. I especially appreciated that all the authors made certain that the "princess and Prince" characters got to know each other throughout the stories. You will not be disappointed. God bless you all.
October 3, 2016
I've finally gotten my hands on this collection, and it was just as good as I had hoped. Each story is vastly different, but they all include the most recognizable elements of "Sleeping Beauty," and one thing almost all have in common is the importance placed upon secondary characters to help tell the tale of a sleeping princess.
The first story, The Man on the Buckskin Horse, was a clever western retelling of the tale that I enjoyed whole-heartedly- even if I'm not in general a big fan of the genre. But Emma was such a likable character and the Sleeping Beauty elements were woven in so perfectly that I couldn't help but be completely won over by it.
Within the first sentence, I was immediately drawn in to the absolutely gorgeous writing style of Guardian of our Beauty. The fantasy, Middle-Eastern-like setting fit the story beautifully, and reminded me a little bit of C.S. Lewis's country of Calormen in The Horse and His Boy (That's my favorite Narnia book, by the way, so of course that pleased me) There was something so rich and magical in this retelling. It's difficult for me to pick a favorite from the collection because I liked them all, but this one might be it.
With a plot I personally found the most unusual and original of the entire bunch, The Ghost of Briardale also included comedic elements and some truly zany characters. I wasn't quite as big of a fan of the writing style of this one as I was some of the others, but I felt the cast of characters and the creepy setting of the asylum really picked this story up a notch. And I loved how Franz became a "true" hero!
At first I wasn't sure if I would enjoy Spindle Cursed as much, since it didn't capture my attention as quickly as the others, perhaps because it was much more traditional in its interpretation of the fairy tale. However, I felt this one really got better and picked up the deeper into the story I got, and I ended up really enjoying it. Also, it had a dragon.
The story I was the most worried about was Out of the Tomb- not, I must stress, because I doubted the fittingness of science fiction in a Sleeping Beauty retelling. Actually, I am quite fond of the idea- so fond, in fact, that I have WIP of that exact thing. So, judging from the story synopsis, I admit I had worried that our stories would be too alike. (Every writer's dread!) However, aside from a few small similarities, they weren't too much alike at all, and I greatly enjoyed this one! The opening reminded me a bit of Rey's introduction in The Force Awakens and I loved the revolution-filled background, of which its familiarity and plausibility helped add realism to this fantastical and imaginative story.
Overall, this was a great fairy tale collection from Rooglewood Press, and I'm excited to see which fairy tale they intend for their next collection.
The first story, The Man on the Buckskin Horse, was a clever western retelling of the tale that I enjoyed whole-heartedly- even if I'm not in general a big fan of the genre. But Emma was such a likable character and the Sleeping Beauty elements were woven in so perfectly that I couldn't help but be completely won over by it.
Within the first sentence, I was immediately drawn in to the absolutely gorgeous writing style of Guardian of our Beauty. The fantasy, Middle-Eastern-like setting fit the story beautifully, and reminded me a little bit of C.S. Lewis's country of Calormen in The Horse and His Boy (That's my favorite Narnia book, by the way, so of course that pleased me) There was something so rich and magical in this retelling. It's difficult for me to pick a favorite from the collection because I liked them all, but this one might be it.
With a plot I personally found the most unusual and original of the entire bunch, The Ghost of Briardale also included comedic elements and some truly zany characters. I wasn't quite as big of a fan of the writing style of this one as I was some of the others, but I felt the cast of characters and the creepy setting of the asylum really picked this story up a notch. And I loved how Franz became a "true" hero!
At first I wasn't sure if I would enjoy Spindle Cursed as much, since it didn't capture my attention as quickly as the others, perhaps because it was much more traditional in its interpretation of the fairy tale. However, I felt this one really got better and picked up the deeper into the story I got, and I ended up really enjoying it. Also, it had a dragon.
The story I was the most worried about was Out of the Tomb- not, I must stress, because I doubted the fittingness of science fiction in a Sleeping Beauty retelling. Actually, I am quite fond of the idea- so fond, in fact, that I have WIP of that exact thing. So, judging from the story synopsis, I admit I had worried that our stories would be too alike. (Every writer's dread!) However, aside from a few small similarities, they weren't too much alike at all, and I greatly enjoyed this one! The opening reminded me a bit of Rey's introduction in The Force Awakens and I loved the revolution-filled background, of which its familiarity and plausibility helped add realism to this fantastical and imaginative story.
Overall, this was a great fairy tale collection from Rooglewood Press, and I'm excited to see which fairy tale they intend for their next collection.
October 1, 2016
Due to time constraints and a busy life, I wasn't able to read all the short stories in this collection - magical fantasy isn't one of my favorite things anyway - but the one I did read ("The Man on the Buckskin Horse" by Rachel Kovaciny) was the one I signed up to be the advance reader for, so that worked out. I hope to write a fuller review of all five stories sometime soon, but for now, I'll just be focusing on "The Man on the Buckskin Horse".
Westerns are AWESOME. I love reading westerns, watching westerns, and writing westerns and so TMOTBH already had that going for it. (Plus, no magic.) One of the things that stood out to me the most in this story was the characters: Emma, Victor, Rosalind, and Luke Palmer. Despite TMOTBH being a short work, each character was fully realized and fleshed-out and there was even character development - on the part of Luke. I'd have to say he's my favorite character because, HELLO, mysterious, incredibly handsome man with a haunted past and emotional scars? What's not to love?
And all the other characters were great. (Except for the villainess, who wasn't quite as bad as Maleficent, but bad enough.) Emma and Rosalind were both strong, western women who weren't afraid to face up to problems and trials. And Victor, well, he's a great dad. :)
Without getting into too much detail, for fear of spoilers, here are some other things I liked: certain relationships between certain characters (SHIP SHIP SHIP), the descriptions were on-point (alternately beautiful - the rose-covered cabin - and cringe-inducing - Rosalind's wound), how the story is one of those 'a small group of people band together to battle stronger forces' (one of my favorite types of stories), and, well, just about everything.
If I had only one complaint (besides the usual cry of "It was too short!") it would be that there weren't as many similarities to the original Sleeping Beauty story as I expected. But the story worked well with the parallels it did draw and I was left with a warm, satisfied feeling as I finished the last page. "The Man on the Buckskin Horse" is a great story.
Westerns are AWESOME. I love reading westerns, watching westerns, and writing westerns and so TMOTBH already had that going for it. (Plus, no magic.) One of the things that stood out to me the most in this story was the characters: Emma, Victor, Rosalind, and Luke Palmer. Despite TMOTBH being a short work, each character was fully realized and fleshed-out and there was even character development - on the part of Luke. I'd have to say he's my favorite character because, HELLO, mysterious, incredibly handsome man with a haunted past and emotional scars? What's not to love?
And all the other characters were great. (Except for the villainess, who wasn't quite as bad as Maleficent, but bad enough.) Emma and Rosalind were both strong, western women who weren't afraid to face up to problems and trials. And Victor, well, he's a great dad. :)
Without getting into too much detail, for fear of spoilers, here are some other things I liked: certain relationships between certain characters (SHIP SHIP SHIP), the descriptions were on-point (alternately beautiful - the rose-covered cabin - and cringe-inducing - Rosalind's wound), how the story is one of those 'a small group of people band together to battle stronger forces' (one of my favorite types of stories), and, well, just about everything.
If I had only one complaint (besides the usual cry of "It was too short!") it would be that there weren't as many similarities to the original Sleeping Beauty story as I expected. But the story worked well with the parallels it did draw and I was left with a warm, satisfied feeling as I finished the last page. "The Man on the Buckskin Horse" is a great story.
August 20, 2016
If you like traditional fairytales but get bored of the same story over and over, then buckle in for some wild and massively creative twists on the story of Aurora (otherwise known as the Sleeping Beauty). Five talented young authors were recently selected to be featured in the Rooglewood Press collection Five Magic Spindles - the end prize of Anne Elisabeth Stengl's yearly writing competition held over at Tales of Goldstone Wood.
I received an influencer e-copy of Five Magic Spindles in return for my honest review - let me tell you folks, you're going to love this! Let's get down to business..
As I've read the past two published collections (with Cinderella and Beauty-and-the-Beast themes) and thoroughly enjoyed them, I had high expectations going in to this one. As expected and anticipated, I wasn't disappointed. Each of the stories had a unique take on the tale of Aurora, which must have been hard to get creative with because at first glance, there's not a lot you can say about a princess that sleeps the entire story through! That being said, let's talk detail.
The Man on the Buckskin Horse - by Rachel Kovaciny || Rating: 4/5 STARS
As the title implies, this is a western, set in the post-civil war era of the USA (at least that's what I could gather from the context). It gives the vibe of some of the western Christian romances I used to read back in the day (*blushes* - they're still tucked away on my bookshelf, hah!). Don't shirk away though! This is definitely more action packed than a typical romance - we've got pistol-slinging hired gunmen and a crazy spinster lady intent on stealing a man's hard-worked farmland. Siege is laid in the wild west, but if that weren't enough action, the farmer's daughter falls deathly ill with infection and it's up to the machination's of a stalwart midwife-turned-physician to save her life. The story becomes a fast-paced race against the clock as a young girl's life hangs in the balance...
My thoughts? It was a pretty good story and definitely left me with the whimsical taste of morning porridge mixed with brown sugar and butter, the tang of trail dust, and creak of leather (these are all very very good things, in case you doubt me :P ). If you like westerns, you'll enjoy this! Several parts of the plot could use a little smoothing out, but otherwise I thought Rachel did a fantastic job at putting a unique spin on the story of Aurora (and I especially like her detail on old western medicine - *loud applause*).
Author Page: http://www.rachelkovaciny.com/
Guardian of Our Beauty - by Katheryn McConaughty || Rating: 3/5 STARS
I did not expect to read a middle-eastern twist on this fairytale, but here it is! Katheryn writes a unique and humourous story with fascinating poetical additions, mystical creatures, pirates, robbers, and awkward princelings. You'll be cringing along with me as you meet Kashap, the evil chief priest with the equivalent position of Maleficent. As a dreadful curse is set upon the entire kingdom, it falls upon the shoulders of an overlooked prince from a distant kingdom to make a dangerous journey to save an entire country.
My thoughts? I loved the eastern twist; it was very different from the preceding western and had a welcomed twist of humour scattered throughout the character's dialogue (I'm a sucker for humour, especially if a writer can pull it off successfully, which I think Katheryn managed). However, I felt that this plot really needed a lot more time to develop. There was so much information and so many unique components that probably could have used a chapter of their own, rather than several paragraphs. In the end, I found it slightly lacking, but I think the humour saved the day and so, for a short story, it turned out very enjoyable :)
Author Page: http://thelanguageofwriting.blogspot.ca/
The Ghost of Briardale - by Grace Mullins || Rating: 5/5 STARS
If I could describe this retelling with one word, it would probably be: perfection. Grace writes with a Charles Dickens/R.A. Salvatore voice - so The Ghost of Briardale comes across as a Victorian-esque Pickwick Papers with high fantasy and dark elves... come again?? IT WAS AMAZING. Poor Franz Happernickle gets tossed into an insane asylum because he sees ghosts... or does he? This superbly well-written short story takes you on a wild ride from Victorian politics to the bowels of a dark asylum where Franz keeps company with a curious strongman, a dwarf, and a green ghost. Not to mention the dreaded Slavering Swamp Beast is chained up just down the hall... I honestly cannot explain how unique this retelling is - you simply have to read it to appreciate Grace's ingenuity.
My thoughts? I 100% loved this story and I adore the Slavering Swamp Beast - definitely on my list of favourite characters. Again, you have to read it to fully appreciate the masterfulness of this story. Grace likely stole my heart with this because of her unique Victorian-esque voice that rings throughout the text; I love Victorian literature and her prose is so musical... yet it's unlike anything I've read before, because it comes across as something akin to Salvatore and his high fantasy. *throws flower petals in air* Mystical magical magnificence - I adored this story 100000%!
Author Page: http://itssimplygrace.blogspot.ca/
Spindle Cursed - by Michelle Pennington || Rating: 4/5 STARS
Spindle Cursed is the only traditional fantasy story in this collection, yet it stands out as unique and is very well written. In a world where magic has a severe price, a disregarded prince must avoid the charms of a sneaky lady (who's a LOT older than she looks), fight his way past a dragon, and ensure he doesn't irk the sleeping princess's fairy guardian (lest she turn him into a fish) so that he might save the day. All the while, another prince is on the move... will our hero make it in time?
My thoughts? I really liked this story, and it came across quite strongly despite being "traditional fantasy". In particular, I really loved how Michelle wrote the internal struggle that our main character has with the whole true love trope. Here, true love isn't a first sight thing, rather it's something that develops out of relationship and requires, oftentimes, a big leap of faith. If anything, this story felt more realistic than the others, simply because the romance was more believable and honest. Yet it isn't an overpowering part of the story - after all, we're talking high fantasy here and there's a dragon to beat!
Author Page: http://www.michelle-pennington.com/
Out of the Tomb - by Ashley Stangl || Rating: 5/5 STARS
It wouldn't be a complete collection without a sci-fi short story! This is like Tomb Raider meets Killjoys meets Star Wars <3 I know I've said all of these stories are unique but OH MY GOODNESS, this one trumps all of them (except maybe The Ghost of Briardale - they tie... :P ). Tanza, a native tephan, is a thief by trade... a tomb raider who makes a living off rich, deceased people. She's an energetic, dangerous individual whose past is sprinkled with all sorts of high-status crimes. Little does she know, her next job is going to produce a lot more than just jewels and collectible medical equipment. The reader is taken on a spell-binding ride with multiple heists, alien politics, and a sacrifice so selfless I legit felt my eyes tear up. This is a one-of-a-kind retelling that was a huge treat to read and makes for the perfect closing piece of the collection.
My thoughts? This retelling was fantastic. It had no romance (a nice break, I admit) and was focused more on the purity of the heart and the kindness of the soul. The whole concept of virtue names was a fascinating one ( :P go buy the collection and read it to find out more!) and I admire how smoothly Ashley transitioned her scenes. It felt like reading a full novel, but it didn't come across as jam-packed with information. Not to mention all the sci-fi goodness and the twist on Aurora's spindle (*fangirls*). The underlying message was a very powerful one - no matter who you are or what you've done, there's always a chance for forgiveness and change <3
Author Page: http://ashleystangl.blogspot.com
TL;DR
So here's my quick overview and I'm pretty much just going to say once again, Stengl and crew picked out some amazing shorts for this compilation and the final product is absolutely magical. In particular, The Ghost of Briardale and Out of the Tomb really shone through as being exceptionally unique, powerful retellings of the classic Sleeping Beauty fairytale. All of the writers did a great job at the task presented and I applaud them for their wonderful tales :) So now, readers, will you be picking up a copy of Five Magic Spindles and joining in the adventure?
I received an influencer e-copy of Five Magic Spindles in return for my honest review - let me tell you folks, you're going to love this! Let's get down to business..
As I've read the past two published collections (with Cinderella and Beauty-and-the-Beast themes) and thoroughly enjoyed them, I had high expectations going in to this one. As expected and anticipated, I wasn't disappointed. Each of the stories had a unique take on the tale of Aurora, which must have been hard to get creative with because at first glance, there's not a lot you can say about a princess that sleeps the entire story through! That being said, let's talk detail.
The Man on the Buckskin Horse - by Rachel Kovaciny || Rating: 4/5 STARS
As the title implies, this is a western, set in the post-civil war era of the USA (at least that's what I could gather from the context). It gives the vibe of some of the western Christian romances I used to read back in the day (*blushes* - they're still tucked away on my bookshelf, hah!). Don't shirk away though! This is definitely more action packed than a typical romance - we've got pistol-slinging hired gunmen and a crazy spinster lady intent on stealing a man's hard-worked farmland. Siege is laid in the wild west, but if that weren't enough action, the farmer's daughter falls deathly ill with infection and it's up to the machination's of a stalwart midwife-turned-physician to save her life. The story becomes a fast-paced race against the clock as a young girl's life hangs in the balance...
My thoughts? It was a pretty good story and definitely left me with the whimsical taste of morning porridge mixed with brown sugar and butter, the tang of trail dust, and creak of leather (these are all very very good things, in case you doubt me :P ). If you like westerns, you'll enjoy this! Several parts of the plot could use a little smoothing out, but otherwise I thought Rachel did a fantastic job at putting a unique spin on the story of Aurora (and I especially like her detail on old western medicine - *loud applause*).
Author Page: http://www.rachelkovaciny.com/
Guardian of Our Beauty - by Katheryn McConaughty || Rating: 3/5 STARS
I did not expect to read a middle-eastern twist on this fairytale, but here it is! Katheryn writes a unique and humourous story with fascinating poetical additions, mystical creatures, pirates, robbers, and awkward princelings. You'll be cringing along with me as you meet Kashap, the evil chief priest with the equivalent position of Maleficent. As a dreadful curse is set upon the entire kingdom, it falls upon the shoulders of an overlooked prince from a distant kingdom to make a dangerous journey to save an entire country.
My thoughts? I loved the eastern twist; it was very different from the preceding western and had a welcomed twist of humour scattered throughout the character's dialogue (I'm a sucker for humour, especially if a writer can pull it off successfully, which I think Katheryn managed). However, I felt that this plot really needed a lot more time to develop. There was so much information and so many unique components that probably could have used a chapter of their own, rather than several paragraphs. In the end, I found it slightly lacking, but I think the humour saved the day and so, for a short story, it turned out very enjoyable :)
Author Page: http://thelanguageofwriting.blogspot.ca/
The Ghost of Briardale - by Grace Mullins || Rating: 5/5 STARS
If I could describe this retelling with one word, it would probably be: perfection. Grace writes with a Charles Dickens/R.A. Salvatore voice - so The Ghost of Briardale comes across as a Victorian-esque Pickwick Papers with high fantasy and dark elves... come again?? IT WAS AMAZING. Poor Franz Happernickle gets tossed into an insane asylum because he sees ghosts... or does he? This superbly well-written short story takes you on a wild ride from Victorian politics to the bowels of a dark asylum where Franz keeps company with a curious strongman, a dwarf, and a green ghost. Not to mention the dreaded Slavering Swamp Beast is chained up just down the hall... I honestly cannot explain how unique this retelling is - you simply have to read it to appreciate Grace's ingenuity.
My thoughts? I 100% loved this story and I adore the Slavering Swamp Beast - definitely on my list of favourite characters. Again, you have to read it to fully appreciate the masterfulness of this story. Grace likely stole my heart with this because of her unique Victorian-esque voice that rings throughout the text; I love Victorian literature and her prose is so musical... yet it's unlike anything I've read before, because it comes across as something akin to Salvatore and his high fantasy. *throws flower petals in air* Mystical magical magnificence - I adored this story 100000%!
Author Page: http://itssimplygrace.blogspot.ca/
Spindle Cursed - by Michelle Pennington || Rating: 4/5 STARS
Spindle Cursed is the only traditional fantasy story in this collection, yet it stands out as unique and is very well written. In a world where magic has a severe price, a disregarded prince must avoid the charms of a sneaky lady (who's a LOT older than she looks), fight his way past a dragon, and ensure he doesn't irk the sleeping princess's fairy guardian (lest she turn him into a fish) so that he might save the day. All the while, another prince is on the move... will our hero make it in time?
My thoughts? I really liked this story, and it came across quite strongly despite being "traditional fantasy". In particular, I really loved how Michelle wrote the internal struggle that our main character has with the whole true love trope. Here, true love isn't a first sight thing, rather it's something that develops out of relationship and requires, oftentimes, a big leap of faith. If anything, this story felt more realistic than the others, simply because the romance was more believable and honest. Yet it isn't an overpowering part of the story - after all, we're talking high fantasy here and there's a dragon to beat!
Author Page: http://www.michelle-pennington.com/
Out of the Tomb - by Ashley Stangl || Rating: 5/5 STARS
It wouldn't be a complete collection without a sci-fi short story! This is like Tomb Raider meets Killjoys meets Star Wars <3 I know I've said all of these stories are unique but OH MY GOODNESS, this one trumps all of them (except maybe The Ghost of Briardale - they tie... :P ). Tanza, a native tephan, is a thief by trade... a tomb raider who makes a living off rich, deceased people. She's an energetic, dangerous individual whose past is sprinkled with all sorts of high-status crimes. Little does she know, her next job is going to produce a lot more than just jewels and collectible medical equipment. The reader is taken on a spell-binding ride with multiple heists, alien politics, and a sacrifice so selfless I legit felt my eyes tear up. This is a one-of-a-kind retelling that was a huge treat to read and makes for the perfect closing piece of the collection.
My thoughts? This retelling was fantastic. It had no romance (a nice break, I admit) and was focused more on the purity of the heart and the kindness of the soul. The whole concept of virtue names was a fascinating one ( :P go buy the collection and read it to find out more!) and I admire how smoothly Ashley transitioned her scenes. It felt like reading a full novel, but it didn't come across as jam-packed with information. Not to mention all the sci-fi goodness and the twist on Aurora's spindle (*fangirls*). The underlying message was a very powerful one - no matter who you are or what you've done, there's always a chance for forgiveness and change <3
Author Page: http://ashleystangl.blogspot.com
TL;DR
So here's my quick overview and I'm pretty much just going to say once again, Stengl and crew picked out some amazing shorts for this compilation and the final product is absolutely magical. In particular, The Ghost of Briardale and Out of the Tomb really shone through as being exceptionally unique, powerful retellings of the classic Sleeping Beauty fairytale. All of the writers did a great job at the task presented and I applaud them for their wonderful tales :) So now, readers, will you be picking up a copy of Five Magic Spindles and joining in the adventure?
September 28, 2017
Review to come!
December 8, 2016
This is a partial review of one of the stories in the collection. I will update the review when I have read all of the stories.
Sleeping Beauty is my favorite fairy tale. I would watch the Disney movie over and over again, loving the fire breathing dragon, sweet fairies, and the evil fairy. This book has five novella's each with a different take on the classic.
I read one of the five stories. I read Spindle Cursed by Michelle Pennington. In December I plan to read all five of the stories and give a full review of the book.
From reading the descriptions of the stories, this may be the closest to the classic. Arabella is living in a decrepit castle. She is being guarded by one good fairy. The evil fairy isn't a fairy. She is want to be Queen who sustains her youth and power by fairy magic. There is a fire breathing dragon and a handsome Prince.
I felt like the character development was great for a short story. I was able to get a feel for the motivation and thoughts of the Prince and Princess. I liked that the Prince didn't immediately kiss the Princess but got to know her in the dream world. The romance was quick, but it had to be because of the circumstances in the story.
The pacing was well done. The characters were well done. Overall, I would say WELL DONE Michelle Pennington. Thanks for asking me to read your story. I enjoyed it.
update 12/6/16
I finished all five stories. I loved how all of the authors used their creativity to create new stories based off of one of my favorite fairy-tales.
Sleeping Beauty is my favorite fairy tale. I would watch the Disney movie over and over again, loving the fire breathing dragon, sweet fairies, and the evil fairy. This book has five novella's each with a different take on the classic.
I read one of the five stories. I read Spindle Cursed by Michelle Pennington. In December I plan to read all five of the stories and give a full review of the book.
From reading the descriptions of the stories, this may be the closest to the classic. Arabella is living in a decrepit castle. She is being guarded by one good fairy. The evil fairy isn't a fairy. She is want to be Queen who sustains her youth and power by fairy magic. There is a fire breathing dragon and a handsome Prince.
I felt like the character development was great for a short story. I was able to get a feel for the motivation and thoughts of the Prince and Princess. I liked that the Prince didn't immediately kiss the Princess but got to know her in the dream world. The romance was quick, but it had to be because of the circumstances in the story.
The pacing was well done. The characters were well done. Overall, I would say WELL DONE Michelle Pennington. Thanks for asking me to read your story. I enjoyed it.
update 12/6/16
I finished all five stories. I loved how all of the authors used their creativity to create new stories based off of one of my favorite fairy-tales.
October 2, 2016
Okay, finally getting down to writing a review for this oh-so-fabulous book! Five Magic Spindles is a huge favourite of mine now, let me tell you! ;) Five adaptions by five authors on one fairy tale, how fantastic is that?! The stories are so different, yet so unique. And the twists, love ‘em!
The Man on the Buckskin Horse
‘The Man on the Buckskin Horse’ has all the elements of a true Western - guns, leather boots, ranches, cowboys, you name it, it has it all! :D
In this Western adaption of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ a bubbly country midwife replaces the Good Fairy; a nasty demanding lady neighbour the evil fairy,and a dashing cowboy the handsome prince. Though there is not an ounce of magic in this retelling, Ms. Kovaciny succeeds in portraying the features from the original tale. One thing that I found really interesting was that the story was told from the point of view of the fairy/midwife, Emma.
The characters were very likeable, (except Mrs. Mortimer, but you’re not supposed to like her anyway :P) and the writing quite remarkable!
Favourite Quotes
‘You and your sheep! I swear sometimes you think they’re human.”
“Sometimes I like them better than humans.”
'Is this your way of spiting Mrs. Mortimer?’
Guardian of Our Beauty
This was also a very interesting retelling (get used to me saying this, ‘cause seriously, all these stories were equally amazing!! xD) I want to say it’s set in a more African background. Anyway, that’s the feeling I got from it ;) The names were fascinating, but I will admit to having difficulty pronouncing most of them. I especially enjoyed the first couple chapters of Palli’s (the main character) childhood. You know how in the original story, the princess is born, then she’s cursed, then you skip forward quite a few years to when she finds the spindle? Well in THIS story, you get to read more about the princess before her ‘pricking’ ;) Really quite unique and very enjoyable!
Favourite Quotes:
When her other small sisters wondered why Palli went so willingly to bed, Palli only blinked at them and said, ‘It is good practice.’
‘I would rather that you lived to reach Gubla instead of dying while trying to there.’
Neriya was a most unusual man. . . to set out on a long and dangerous journey just because a half-seen person asked for help.
The Ghost of Briardale
Oh goodness, this story was a funny one. It starts off in an asylum because poor Franz was accused of senility because he saw ghosts. Or A ghost.
The characters were all so funny! A clerk named Franz, who is ‘haunted’ by a green ghost named Roselee to save a sleeping princess. A grumpy dwarf that can turn invisible. (why is it that dwarves are always grumpy?) A massive giant who actually lives in Homunculi, a kingdom so small it fits on a pin. Oh, and you can’t forget the Slathering Swamp Beast! A spoiled princess and yes, a very evil fairy. Witch might actually describe her better.
SPOILER
Franz does NOT marry the princess. And I am SO happy he didn’t. When I first found out that the princess wasn’t Roselee, I thought ‘Please don’t marry the princess! Where’s Roselee?” Then when I found out how spoiled the princess really was (she slapped Franz for kissing her, for goodness’ sake!) I was like “PLEASE don’t marry that girl!!!” xD
END OF SPOILER
Finding out who Roselee actually was was really funny and relieving and - oh, I don’t know! It was just like, “HOW did I not see that?!” especially since the answer was RIGHT THERE :P
And reading how the author makes Franz qualify as a True Hero is very neat!
Favourite Quotes:
‘Why don’t you pick on someone half your size for a change?’
So being a True Hero didn’t always mean getting much appreciation.
Was that a flush of pink staining those grey cheeks? No question about it! And the flush spread and spread, and then the stone folds of the gown were lavender, and the parted lips were rosy, and long eyelashes fluttered over sparkling green eyes, and a dainty hand reached up to brush away curls of . . . bright blue. Blue?
Spindle Cursed
This story had a very unique twist on it. The princess, though asleep, is able to talk in her mind, and people are able to visit her through the very spindle that had sent her in such a state. I found this really interesting, especially since the prince, Edmond, gets to know more about the princess before awakening her with ‘true love’s kiss’. I mean, if you think about it, it’s hard to believe someone would be able to truly fall in love with a sleeping person. Edmond himself believes it quite impossible. So him being able to converse with the princess helps quite a bit to make this true love more believable.
Favourite Quotes:
“Martin, I am a fool,” Edmond called.
Reining in his horse, Martin turned his craggy face to look back in surprise. As Edmond drew even with him, Martin inquired, “Would Your Highness wish me to agree with your or disagree?”
‘She was already a pretty baby and a princess. She would be spoiled and petted enough . . . it would have made her insufferable, so I intended to give her the gift of snoring.”
‘Though I believe love is no slave to wisdom. I wonder what does rule it? If we could command our hearts, this would be easier.”
Cut of the Tomb
‘Cut of the Tomb’ is sci-fi. It’s main characters are aliens. There is a role reversal between the prince and the princess. And the princess isn’t even a princess, she’s a tomb robber. Yet Ms. Stangl was still able to pertain to the original story and I LOVED it! I will admit, I’m not much of a sci-fi fan, but this story had me hooked! The characters are also very interesting. Tanza is a very dynamic character. She starts off as hard and prickly; but as she spends more time with Prince Auren, her shell slowly starts to dissolve into something much better. Prince Auren; well he's a male version of Sleeping Beauty. And haha, his 'hair flick' thing; loved it xD
‘Cut of the Tomb’ is a very memorable tale and it’s definitely on my re-read list!
Favourite Quotes:
He looked at Tanza with wary amusement, as if uncertain of proper etiquette toward one’s tomb robber.
‘A name is important whether you live up to it or not.’
‘Last I remember, you were telling a dispatcher all your virtue names.’
‘Only half,’ Auren said. ‘You’d have died before I listed all fourteen.”
The Man on the Buckskin Horse
‘The Man on the Buckskin Horse’ has all the elements of a true Western - guns, leather boots, ranches, cowboys, you name it, it has it all! :D
In this Western adaption of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ a bubbly country midwife replaces the Good Fairy; a nasty demanding lady neighbour the evil fairy,and a dashing cowboy the handsome prince. Though there is not an ounce of magic in this retelling, Ms. Kovaciny succeeds in portraying the features from the original tale. One thing that I found really interesting was that the story was told from the point of view of the fairy/midwife, Emma.
The characters were very likeable, (except Mrs. Mortimer, but you’re not supposed to like her anyway :P) and the writing quite remarkable!
Favourite Quotes
‘You and your sheep! I swear sometimes you think they’re human.”
“Sometimes I like them better than humans.”
'Is this your way of spiting Mrs. Mortimer?’
Guardian of Our Beauty
This was also a very interesting retelling (get used to me saying this, ‘cause seriously, all these stories were equally amazing!! xD) I want to say it’s set in a more African background. Anyway, that’s the feeling I got from it ;) The names were fascinating, but I will admit to having difficulty pronouncing most of them. I especially enjoyed the first couple chapters of Palli’s (the main character) childhood. You know how in the original story, the princess is born, then she’s cursed, then you skip forward quite a few years to when she finds the spindle? Well in THIS story, you get to read more about the princess before her ‘pricking’ ;) Really quite unique and very enjoyable!
Favourite Quotes:
When her other small sisters wondered why Palli went so willingly to bed, Palli only blinked at them and said, ‘It is good practice.’
‘I would rather that you lived to reach Gubla instead of dying while trying to there.’
Neriya was a most unusual man. . . to set out on a long and dangerous journey just because a half-seen person asked for help.
The Ghost of Briardale
Oh goodness, this story was a funny one. It starts off in an asylum because poor Franz was accused of senility because he saw ghosts. Or A ghost.
The characters were all so funny! A clerk named Franz, who is ‘haunted’ by a green ghost named Roselee to save a sleeping princess. A grumpy dwarf that can turn invisible. (why is it that dwarves are always grumpy?) A massive giant who actually lives in Homunculi, a kingdom so small it fits on a pin. Oh, and you can’t forget the Slathering Swamp Beast! A spoiled princess and yes, a very evil fairy. Witch might actually describe her better.
SPOILER
Franz does NOT marry the princess. And I am SO happy he didn’t. When I first found out that the princess wasn’t Roselee, I thought ‘Please don’t marry the princess! Where’s Roselee?” Then when I found out how spoiled the princess really was (she slapped Franz for kissing her, for goodness’ sake!) I was like “PLEASE don’t marry that girl!!!” xD
END OF SPOILER
Finding out who Roselee actually was was really funny and relieving and - oh, I don’t know! It was just like, “HOW did I not see that?!” especially since the answer was RIGHT THERE :P
And reading how the author makes Franz qualify as a True Hero is very neat!
Favourite Quotes:
‘Why don’t you pick on someone half your size for a change?’
So being a True Hero didn’t always mean getting much appreciation.
Was that a flush of pink staining those grey cheeks? No question about it! And the flush spread and spread, and then the stone folds of the gown were lavender, and the parted lips were rosy, and long eyelashes fluttered over sparkling green eyes, and a dainty hand reached up to brush away curls of . . . bright blue. Blue?
Spindle Cursed
This story had a very unique twist on it. The princess, though asleep, is able to talk in her mind, and people are able to visit her through the very spindle that had sent her in such a state. I found this really interesting, especially since the prince, Edmond, gets to know more about the princess before awakening her with ‘true love’s kiss’. I mean, if you think about it, it’s hard to believe someone would be able to truly fall in love with a sleeping person. Edmond himself believes it quite impossible. So him being able to converse with the princess helps quite a bit to make this true love more believable.
Favourite Quotes:
“Martin, I am a fool,” Edmond called.
Reining in his horse, Martin turned his craggy face to look back in surprise. As Edmond drew even with him, Martin inquired, “Would Your Highness wish me to agree with your or disagree?”
‘She was already a pretty baby and a princess. She would be spoiled and petted enough . . . it would have made her insufferable, so I intended to give her the gift of snoring.”
‘Though I believe love is no slave to wisdom. I wonder what does rule it? If we could command our hearts, this would be easier.”
Cut of the Tomb
‘Cut of the Tomb’ is sci-fi. It’s main characters are aliens. There is a role reversal between the prince and the princess. And the princess isn’t even a princess, she’s a tomb robber. Yet Ms. Stangl was still able to pertain to the original story and I LOVED it! I will admit, I’m not much of a sci-fi fan, but this story had me hooked! The characters are also very interesting. Tanza is a very dynamic character. She starts off as hard and prickly; but as she spends more time with Prince Auren, her shell slowly starts to dissolve into something much better. Prince Auren; well he's a male version of Sleeping Beauty. And haha, his 'hair flick' thing; loved it xD
‘Cut of the Tomb’ is a very memorable tale and it’s definitely on my re-read list!
Favourite Quotes:
He looked at Tanza with wary amusement, as if uncertain of proper etiquette toward one’s tomb robber.
‘A name is important whether you live up to it or not.’
‘Last I remember, you were telling a dispatcher all your virtue names.’
‘Only half,’ Auren said. ‘You’d have died before I listed all fourteen.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2017
On her eighteenth birthday, King Pintamore had a disagreement with his daughter. Angry, the princess ran to the highest tower and hid in the stairwell. Upon finding a very old woman in a room with a spindle, the princess became infatuated with the spinning wheel and asked to spin it herself. Her finger was pricked upon the spindle and she fell to the ground, immediately becoming still. The princess was turned to stone, and her three aunties into animals. Now, five hundred years later, the princess is still a stone, and her aunties are still animals. A ghost by the name of Roselee has been searching for the True Hero, the one whom can break the spell and set the princess and her aunties free. The True Hero must have either saved a kingdom, slain a dragon, or moved a mountain. Roselee has found a few men that she has believed to be True Heroes, for they had each accomplished one of the tasks a True Hero must perform. Yet they were unable to find the fairies' wands and set them and the princess free. Franz, a resident of Yoleton, has been banished to the asylum of Briardale by the towns people for claiming to have seen a green ghost girl. Roselee believes him to be the True Hero, yet he has not performed any of the tasks requested of a True Hero. Yet there may be more to being a True Hero than what meets the eye.
The Ghost of Briardale is Grace Mullins's debut, as well as a part of Five Magic Spindles, which is a collection of Sleeping Beauty retellings. Upon receiving an advanced reading copy, I was asked to specifically write a review for The Ghost of Briardale. And I must admit, it is a sparkling debut. The Ghost of Briardale is a mix of many different elements and is very well-balanced. There's humor, suspense, fantasy, bits of romance, and a happy- as well as surprising- ending. Everything flows together beautifully and creates a wonderful reading experience. It feels more like a traditional fairytale. There are so many fairytale retellings out there, in genres ranging from science fiction, to Western, and contemporary romance. I think this is a great thing, but I will say that I find it nice to read an old fashioned fairytale.
There's something so charming about the setting of this book; in some ways it reminds me of the novel Ella Enchanted. It's lovely, though the time in which it takes place isn't stated. There are so many neat and delightfully quirky characters in this story. You find yourself becoming interested in them and rooting for them as the story goes along. Well, except for Lady Mara, for she is the villain of the story. But hey, every fairytale needs one.
All in all I enjoyed The Ghost of Briardale and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fairytales.
I give this book a 5 out of 5.
Five Magic Spindles will release on July 22, 2016. Be sure and check it out!
*I received an ARC of Five Magic Spindles, yet as always, all opinions are my own.*
The Ghost of Briardale is Grace Mullins's debut, as well as a part of Five Magic Spindles, which is a collection of Sleeping Beauty retellings. Upon receiving an advanced reading copy, I was asked to specifically write a review for The Ghost of Briardale. And I must admit, it is a sparkling debut. The Ghost of Briardale is a mix of many different elements and is very well-balanced. There's humor, suspense, fantasy, bits of romance, and a happy- as well as surprising- ending. Everything flows together beautifully and creates a wonderful reading experience. It feels more like a traditional fairytale. There are so many fairytale retellings out there, in genres ranging from science fiction, to Western, and contemporary romance. I think this is a great thing, but I will say that I find it nice to read an old fashioned fairytale.
There's something so charming about the setting of this book; in some ways it reminds me of the novel Ella Enchanted. It's lovely, though the time in which it takes place isn't stated. There are so many neat and delightfully quirky characters in this story. You find yourself becoming interested in them and rooting for them as the story goes along. Well, except for Lady Mara, for she is the villain of the story. But hey, every fairytale needs one.
All in all I enjoyed The Ghost of Briardale and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fairytales.
I give this book a 5 out of 5.
Five Magic Spindles will release on July 22, 2016. Be sure and check it out!
*I received an ARC of Five Magic Spindles, yet as always, all opinions are my own.*
June 5, 2024
Huge thanks to the friend who, knowing my personal convictions on magical fantasy, encouraged me to pick the book up anyway and told me which two stories she knew I would be okay with and was sure I'd love. Because she was totally right!
The Man on the Buckskin Horse - 4 stars
I love the way the author manages to translate even the most fantastical of fairy tales to a realistic western setting and make it feel believable, while still making it obviously a fairy tale retelling. I think Palmer was my favorite character in this one (quite a feat, considering his role in the beginning), but Emma was probably my second, and I loved the way her unique perspective came through so well in the narration. I also really liked the twist at the end that defeated the bad guys, which I had forgotten since the first time I'd read it. :D
Out of the Tomb - 5 stars
Did I have a gender-flipped, sci-fi Sleeping Beauty retelling with shades of Anastasia on my must-read list? Nope. Did I need it in my life? Absolutely yes! Definitely my favorite Sleeping Beauty retelling that I've ever read, and I can think of several I've enjoyed. Auren was just the sweetest and most adorable thing ever, and I loved the way his naivety in some things was balanced out by unwavering convictions and more understanding of the dark side of the world than you might have guessed from the rest of his personality. And even though Tanza had her moral issues in the beginning, I found myself liking and rooting for her right away, and I loved watching her arc. The details of the revolution were chilling, and I really liked the messages that were drawn not only from the history but from the present-day "revolutionaries" as well. And although I didn't try too hard to picture the characters as aliens instead of humans, it was interesting to see the humans as the alien species and the "outside" opinions on their civilization. ;) Just overall an incredible story, and 100% worth buying the collection!
The Man on the Buckskin Horse - 4 stars
I love the way the author manages to translate even the most fantastical of fairy tales to a realistic western setting and make it feel believable, while still making it obviously a fairy tale retelling. I think Palmer was my favorite character in this one (quite a feat, considering his role in the beginning), but Emma was probably my second, and I loved the way her unique perspective came through so well in the narration. I also really liked the twist at the end that defeated the bad guys, which I had forgotten since the first time I'd read it. :D
Out of the Tomb - 5 stars
Did I have a gender-flipped, sci-fi Sleeping Beauty retelling with shades of Anastasia on my must-read list? Nope. Did I need it in my life? Absolutely yes! Definitely my favorite Sleeping Beauty retelling that I've ever read, and I can think of several I've enjoyed. Auren was just the sweetest and most adorable thing ever, and I loved the way his naivety in some things was balanced out by unwavering convictions and more understanding of the dark side of the world than you might have guessed from the rest of his personality. And even though Tanza had her moral issues in the beginning, I found myself liking and rooting for her right away, and I loved watching her arc. The details of the revolution were chilling, and I really liked the messages that were drawn not only from the history but from the present-day "revolutionaries" as well. And although I didn't try too hard to picture the characters as aliens instead of humans, it was interesting to see the humans as the alien species and the "outside" opinions on their civilization. ;) Just overall an incredible story, and 100% worth buying the collection!
July 9, 2016
For those enjoy a bit of magic and fairy tales, I'm sure you'll fall in love with this book. In 5 different ways, you get to relive the story of Sleeping Beauty. Each with a different author's spin on the story.
My favorite in the collection is Grace Mullins' The Ghost of Briardale. What do I love? The connection between a spell cast more than 500 years ago and how it all came to a climax as the spell finished its cycle, in the early 1900s, I believe. Immediately this gives the reader something interesting -- definitely something I'd never read before.
Franz Happernickle, a bank's clerk, is sent to the Briardale asylum as a lunatic, a place where no one ever gets out again. (The asylum bit adds just enough of a tinge of creepiness to the story.) Well, that and Lady Mara who is just evil and is about to reign after her 500+ year wait. The truth is, though, Franz is embarking on the quest of his lifetime: to save a sleeping princess turned to stone. And so he starts out... with only a little ghost to guide him.
Really cute book. A fun collection!
- - - - - - - - - -
"And how hard can it be? Heroes aren't so rare as all that."
"True Heroes are," said the second fairy irritably. "A True Hero has to have performed one of the Three Great Deeds: save a kingdom, slay a dragon, or move a mountain."
"Well," said the youngest fairy, trying to smile through her tears, "at least we have a hundred years to find one--"
- Five Magic Spindles, The Ghost of Briardale
My favorite in the collection is Grace Mullins' The Ghost of Briardale. What do I love? The connection between a spell cast more than 500 years ago and how it all came to a climax as the spell finished its cycle, in the early 1900s, I believe. Immediately this gives the reader something interesting -- definitely something I'd never read before.
Franz Happernickle, a bank's clerk, is sent to the Briardale asylum as a lunatic, a place where no one ever gets out again. (The asylum bit adds just enough of a tinge of creepiness to the story.) Well, that and Lady Mara who is just evil and is about to reign after her 500+ year wait. The truth is, though, Franz is embarking on the quest of his lifetime: to save a sleeping princess turned to stone. And so he starts out... with only a little ghost to guide him.
Really cute book. A fun collection!
- - - - - - - - - -
"And how hard can it be? Heroes aren't so rare as all that."
"True Heroes are," said the second fairy irritably. "A True Hero has to have performed one of the Three Great Deeds: save a kingdom, slay a dragon, or move a mountain."
"Well," said the youngest fairy, trying to smile through her tears, "at least we have a hundred years to find one--"
- Five Magic Spindles, The Ghost of Briardale
May 9, 2017
If you had asked me throughout my entire childhood which fairy tale was my favorite, I would have unswervingly answered, “Sleeping Beauty.” Much of this answer was, of course, influenced by the Disney movies, and Sleeping Beauty had it all. Beautiful music, humor, a prince who not only had a name, but also a backbone as well as the ability to sing and dance, and a truly evil witch who turns into an awesome dragon!
A few years later, I was given a Child’s Book of Fairy Tales by my grandpa and it included slightly darker (and probably more original) versions of many of the fairy tales I’d grown up reading/watching/hearing. Sleeping Beauty was still a favorite, though other, non-Disney-fied stories began to attract my interest (Twelve Dancing Princesses, for example).
So I was more than a little excited to hear that Rooglewood’s next project was going to be Sleeping Beauty. I preordered a copy as soon as I could and it was a day of great joy when this beautiful tome arrived on my doorstep, carried by the winged feet of Hermes… er… Amazon.
A round of applause to each author and to Rooglewood Press for putting together yet another stellar product.
Read the rest of my review here: http://jenelleschmidt.com/five-magic-...
A few years later, I was given a Child’s Book of Fairy Tales by my grandpa and it included slightly darker (and probably more original) versions of many of the fairy tales I’d grown up reading/watching/hearing. Sleeping Beauty was still a favorite, though other, non-Disney-fied stories began to attract my interest (Twelve Dancing Princesses, for example).
So I was more than a little excited to hear that Rooglewood’s next project was going to be Sleeping Beauty. I preordered a copy as soon as I could and it was a day of great joy when this beautiful tome arrived on my doorstep, carried by the winged feet of Hermes… er… Amazon.
A round of applause to each author and to Rooglewood Press for putting together yet another stellar product.
Read the rest of my review here: http://jenelleschmidt.com/five-magic-...
November 29, 2020
~ Original review on Short & Snappy ~
INITIAL RESPONSE
Okay, now what am I supposed to do with my self?
THE MAN ON THE BUCKSKIN HORSE
Initial Response
Emma is absolutely hilarious!
High Lights
- I really love the setting in this story. The old west is always a fun place to write about.
- Emma is actually my favorite in the whole world. Really. (Although, I was kinda picturing her older than she actually was…?) Her internal monologue is yes.
- Rosalind is the perfect choice for a sleeping beauty. She’s so gentle and quiet and I really loved her in that role.
- Palmer. Enough said. Surgeon/Gunman that is also incredibly sweet and gentle. What’s not to love?
- Victor is actually pretty awesome too. He will stop at nothing to ensure that Rosalind is safe. I love strong familial relationships.
-
Low Lights
- Mrs. Mortimer is basically the bane of my existence. She is so preposterously horrible, I just can’t. (Which, I realize is what the author was going for, but still.)
- Yeah. That’s all I got.
Conclusion
This may be one of the shorter stories in the book, but it is ADORABLE and AWESOME. Palmer is the nicest person on the planet and I could relate to Emma in scary amounts. This is a great kick-off for the anthology!
4/5.
GUARDIAN OF OUR BEAUTY
Initial Response
CAN I GIVE NERIYA A HUG OR SOMETHING. PLEASE AND THANK YOU.
High Lights
- This is such a creative idea!! That Palli can still see what’s happening around her and even interact with people even though she sleeps. YES.
- Palli is such a brave main character. I love how actually nice she is. I mean,
- NERIYA. He is literally the bravest man that there ever was in the history of ever. Seriously. Giants? No problem. Snakes? Scorpions? Nope, this guy just keeps going. Insane evil sorcerer? COUNT ME IN.
- The world-building is amazing! It’s not an easy thing to incorporate into a short story, but the author does it so amazingly well. I really got a feel for where I was and felt entirely immersed in the story.
- Perakha is goals as a mother. Just saying.
Low Lights
- Ashui annoyed me to no end. I found myself glaring at the page whenever she was around. (Again, that was the point, but still.)
- Shokorru was SO. FRUSTRATING. *shakes head* I couldn’t stand him.
- Likewise with Etlu-kashid.
Conclusion
I LOOOOVED this story!! The setting was wonderful, the characters delightful (for the most part ;)), and it was an all-around fabulous read. BRAVO!
5/5.
THE GHOST OF BRIARDALE
Initial Response
*hugs story forever and an eternity*
High Lights
- WHERE TO BEGIN.
- FRANZ. He’s an adorkable little honey roll that is actually really smart and knows things and is a logical bean. He’s wonderful, in short.
- Roselee is a poor little ghoul that is in dire need of a hug and some hot chocolate. I sympathize with her A LOT.
- CRETE AND EIDOR ARE THE BEST THINGS OF ALL THE THINGS OKAY.
- Paisley is actually really sweet and I feel kinda bad for him, poor thing.
- The magic system was really well thought out and it made SENSE. I loved it.
- Kingdoms on pins are pretty awesome.
-
- I actually really liked the setting. What with it being an insane asylum, I thought I wouldn’t like it as much as I did. But LOVE IT I DID.
- The three fairies. So. Much. Yes.
Low Lights
- Lady Mara is the perfect personification of evil. Which naturally means that I hated her to the utmost ends of the earth.
- Um…yeah, I can’t think of anything.
Conclusion
POSSIBLY MY FAVORITE STORY OUT OF THIS COLLECTION. You really just need to read it to understand. It’s epic, to say the least.
5/5.
SPINDLE CURSED
Initial Response
EDMOOOOOND.
…
*ahem* Yes. Edmond is delightful. Quite so.
High Lights
- Well, Edmond, duh.
- …
- What else is there to speak of?
- Oh, okay, well, I really like Martin too. He was great.
- Arabella is SO. BRAVE. If I were stuck in a tower for a hundred years, I would totally go insane. I mean, I already am insane, so that probably wouldn’t help matters.
- Lona is the perfect crazy fairy who kinda doesn’t make sense but is still so lovable and hilarious. She’s great.
- DRAGONNNNNNNN. I loves it.
- But seriously, back to Edmond, he’s awesome. He can fight like nobody’s business, (I LOVED all the fight scenes), and he’s the picture of chivalry.
- Can I have him? XD
Low Lights
- Lady Rhoswen is absolutely despicable.
- Nicol too. I dislike him so much.
- Nothing. A story with Edmond in it can’t have low lights.
Conclusion
Characters were fantastic, (I really like Edmond, in case you couldn’t tell), setting was super neat, and it was just such a fun little read!!
5/5.
OUT OF THE TOMB
Initial Response
Tomb raiders! Sci-fi tech! Long asleep princes! YES!
High Lights
- AUREN, FIRST OF ALL. He’s so innocent and confused and I loved him so very muchly.
- Tanza is epic and doesn’t need any help whatsoever. (Haha, just kidding, she needs MAJOR help, but she’s still awesome.)
- I loved how the roles were switched, (it’s a sleeping prince, instead of a princess). I thought it a very fascinating twist.
- Auren’s…out-of-it-ness. XD
- I really loved the concept of virtue names. It was a neat little world-building bit.
- Auren and Tanza need each other. Really badly.
Low Lights
- Keffer made me super mad most of the time. Which brings me to…
- Berimac. I cannot even begin to express how annoyed I was with him. He’s nothing but a cowardly old buzzard that cares nothing for anyone but himself. Needless to say, I disliked him immensely.
- But yeah, other than that, I got nada.
Conclusion
Auren is my favorite, Tanza is an adorable little spitfire, and basically this story was a whole lot of YES. A perfect way to end this collection.
5/5.
CONCLUSION
WHY DID YOU HAVE TO END?! I WANT MOOOOOORE. *cries* I really loved this collection so very much and I’m so glad I own it in paperback so I can hold it and be a happy little bookworm. I highly, HIGHLY, recommend this book. (I also recommend the other two collections by Rooglewood as well. They are AMAZING.)
5/5.
INITIAL RESPONSE
Okay, now what am I supposed to do with my self?
THE MAN ON THE BUCKSKIN HORSE
Initial Response
Emma is absolutely hilarious!
High Lights
- I really love the setting in this story. The old west is always a fun place to write about.
- Emma is actually my favorite in the whole world. Really. (Although, I was kinda picturing her older than she actually was…?) Her internal monologue is yes.
- Rosalind is the perfect choice for a sleeping beauty. She’s so gentle and quiet and I really loved her in that role.
- Palmer. Enough said. Surgeon/Gunman that is also incredibly sweet and gentle. What’s not to love?
- Victor is actually pretty awesome too. He will stop at nothing to ensure that Rosalind is safe. I love strong familial relationships.
-
Low Lights
- Mrs. Mortimer is basically the bane of my existence. She is so preposterously horrible, I just can’t. (Which, I realize is what the author was going for, but still.)
- Yeah. That’s all I got.
Conclusion
This may be one of the shorter stories in the book, but it is ADORABLE and AWESOME. Palmer is the nicest person on the planet and I could relate to Emma in scary amounts. This is a great kick-off for the anthology!
4/5.
GUARDIAN OF OUR BEAUTY
Initial Response
CAN I GIVE NERIYA A HUG OR SOMETHING. PLEASE AND THANK YOU.
High Lights
- This is such a creative idea!! That Palli can still see what’s happening around her and even interact with people even though she sleeps. YES.
- Palli is such a brave main character. I love how actually nice she is. I mean,
- NERIYA. He is literally the bravest man that there ever was in the history of ever. Seriously. Giants? No problem. Snakes? Scorpions? Nope, this guy just keeps going. Insane evil sorcerer? COUNT ME IN.
- The world-building is amazing! It’s not an easy thing to incorporate into a short story, but the author does it so amazingly well. I really got a feel for where I was and felt entirely immersed in the story.
- Perakha is goals as a mother. Just saying.
Low Lights
- Ashui annoyed me to no end. I found myself glaring at the page whenever she was around. (Again, that was the point, but still.)
- Shokorru was SO. FRUSTRATING. *shakes head* I couldn’t stand him.
- Likewise with Etlu-kashid.
Conclusion
I LOOOOVED this story!! The setting was wonderful, the characters delightful (for the most part ;)), and it was an all-around fabulous read. BRAVO!
5/5.
THE GHOST OF BRIARDALE
Initial Response
*hugs story forever and an eternity*
High Lights
- WHERE TO BEGIN.
- FRANZ. He’s an adorkable little honey roll that is actually really smart and knows things and is a logical bean. He’s wonderful, in short.
- Roselee is a poor little ghoul that is in dire need of a hug and some hot chocolate. I sympathize with her A LOT.
- CRETE AND EIDOR ARE THE BEST THINGS OF ALL THE THINGS OKAY.
- Paisley is actually really sweet and I feel kinda bad for him, poor thing.
- The magic system was really well thought out and it made SENSE. I loved it.
- Kingdoms on pins are pretty awesome.
-
- I actually really liked the setting. What with it being an insane asylum, I thought I wouldn’t like it as much as I did. But LOVE IT I DID.
- The three fairies. So. Much. Yes.
Low Lights
- Lady Mara is the perfect personification of evil. Which naturally means that I hated her to the utmost ends of the earth.
- Um…yeah, I can’t think of anything.
Conclusion
POSSIBLY MY FAVORITE STORY OUT OF THIS COLLECTION. You really just need to read it to understand. It’s epic, to say the least.
5/5.
SPINDLE CURSED
Initial Response
EDMOOOOOND.
…
*ahem* Yes. Edmond is delightful. Quite so.
High Lights
- Well, Edmond, duh.
- …
- What else is there to speak of?
- Oh, okay, well, I really like Martin too. He was great.
- Arabella is SO. BRAVE. If I were stuck in a tower for a hundred years, I would totally go insane. I mean, I already am insane, so that probably wouldn’t help matters.
- Lona is the perfect crazy fairy who kinda doesn’t make sense but is still so lovable and hilarious. She’s great.
- DRAGONNNNNNNN. I loves it.
- But seriously, back to Edmond, he’s awesome. He can fight like nobody’s business, (I LOVED all the fight scenes), and he’s the picture of chivalry.
- Can I have him? XD
Low Lights
- Lady Rhoswen is absolutely despicable.
- Nicol too. I dislike him so much.
- Nothing. A story with Edmond in it can’t have low lights.
Conclusion
Characters were fantastic, (I really like Edmond, in case you couldn’t tell), setting was super neat, and it was just such a fun little read!!
5/5.
OUT OF THE TOMB
Initial Response
Tomb raiders! Sci-fi tech! Long asleep princes! YES!
High Lights
- AUREN, FIRST OF ALL. He’s so innocent and confused and I loved him so very muchly.
- Tanza is epic and doesn’t need any help whatsoever. (Haha, just kidding, she needs MAJOR help, but she’s still awesome.)
- I loved how the roles were switched, (it’s a sleeping prince, instead of a princess). I thought it a very fascinating twist.
- Auren’s…out-of-it-ness. XD
- I really loved the concept of virtue names. It was a neat little world-building bit.
- Auren and Tanza need each other. Really badly.
Low Lights
- Keffer made me super mad most of the time. Which brings me to…
- Berimac. I cannot even begin to express how annoyed I was with him. He’s nothing but a cowardly old buzzard that cares nothing for anyone but himself. Needless to say, I disliked him immensely.
- But yeah, other than that, I got nada.
Conclusion
Auren is my favorite, Tanza is an adorable little spitfire, and basically this story was a whole lot of YES. A perfect way to end this collection.
5/5.
CONCLUSION
WHY DID YOU HAVE TO END?! I WANT MOOOOOORE. *cries* I really loved this collection so very much and I’m so glad I own it in paperback so I can hold it and be a happy little bookworm. I highly, HIGHLY, recommend this book. (I also recommend the other two collections by Rooglewood as well. They are AMAZING.)
5/5.
October 6, 2017
It took me a long time to get around to reading this book, because I had so hoped to have my own story as a part of this collection. Disappointment was bitter, but with the promise of Five Poisoned Apples on the horizon I decided to give this story a chance and ended up enjoying this collection of stories very much.
Rachel Kovaciny writes perhaps the strangest retelling in her The Man on the Buckskin Horse. A story that takes place in the Wild West, with no magic (if you can believe it), and the protagonist is not even the Sleeping Beauty herself.
Kathryn McConaughy's tale Guardian of Our Beauty on the other hand was very fantastical. It took place in a well developed world, with its own hierarchy, culture, and even religion.
The Ghost of Briardale by Grace Mullins was my favorite story in this collection. It was just so amusing, and I grew to love all the characters so much.
Spindle Cursed was a traditional tale of Sleeping Beauty, following closely along the original tale, but still very interesting. The characters were all so enjoyable, especially Martin, Lona, Edmond... and well everyone really! And I finished this story with a smile on my face.
Out of the Tomb by Ashley Stangl was also a very interesting tale, taking place on another planet, where the sleeping royalty is actually a prince. I liked Tanza, and the world was very interesting. How strange to have your main character be an alien... on a planet where the humans are the true aliens!
Rachel Kovaciny writes perhaps the strangest retelling in her The Man on the Buckskin Horse. A story that takes place in the Wild West, with no magic (if you can believe it), and the protagonist is not even the Sleeping Beauty herself.
Kathryn McConaughy's tale Guardian of Our Beauty on the other hand was very fantastical. It took place in a well developed world, with its own hierarchy, culture, and even religion.
The Ghost of Briardale by Grace Mullins was my favorite story in this collection. It was just so amusing, and I grew to love all the characters so much.
Spindle Cursed was a traditional tale of Sleeping Beauty, following closely along the original tale, but still very interesting. The characters were all so enjoyable, especially Martin, Lona, Edmond... and well everyone really! And I finished this story with a smile on my face.
Out of the Tomb by Ashley Stangl was also a very interesting tale, taking place on another planet, where the sleeping royalty is actually a prince. I liked Tanza, and the world was very interesting. How strange to have your main character be an alien... on a planet where the humans are the true aliens!
November 11, 2021
These stories are AMAZING. Read it! And the other collections by rooglewood fairytale press!
September 11, 2016
Typically, I am not a huge fan of short stories, probably for the same reason I am not a fan of small coffee mugs or brief rain showers. If the first bite is delicious, I want there to be the option for a second bite. Despite this, I have found myself enjoying each of the collections of short fairy tales published by Rooglewood Press, and Five Magic Spindles is probably my favorite.
Fairy tale retellings are one of my favorite genres (sub-genres?), and I'm always looking for something new and surprising -- a perspective that makes me see the story in a new way. This is especially true with any take on Sleeping Beauty. What's to be done with a story where the primary protagonist spends most of her time asleep?
Fortunately, all five of the authors in this collection answered this question in fantastic ways. The Man on the Buckskin Horse by Rachel Kovaciny was something utterly new in my experience. I loved the idea of a fairy tale western and found myself wishing it was longer. Guardian of our Beauty, by Kathryn McConaughy, was outstandingly fun and well written. The prose was beautifully captivating and delightfully humorous, which made me happy to keep reading. The Ghost of Briardale by Grace Mullins was also quite unique, in that the story is not told from the viewpoint you might expect. Some of the plot points might have been overly convenient, but the unexpected characters kept it fresh and interesting. Spindle Cursed, by Michelle Pennington, is more of a traditional presentation of the fairy tale, but the author made good use of creative world-building to give it dimension, and gave us a memorable character in Lona, the long-suffering fairy. Probably my favorite out of the whole collection was Out of the Tomb, by Ashley Stangl. It probably departs the most from the source material, but in this case that was more a strength than a weakness. A gender-swapped sci-fi Sleeping Beauty? Yes please! The characters have great depth and dimension, and the sci-fi setting was well done. Thematically, the story succeeded in being thoughtful without being too heavy-handed, which is difficult to pull off, especially in short fiction.
I would definitely recommend this collection (and its companions) to anyone who loves their fairy tales bite-sized and loaded with creativity!
Fairy tale retellings are one of my favorite genres (sub-genres?), and I'm always looking for something new and surprising -- a perspective that makes me see the story in a new way. This is especially true with any take on Sleeping Beauty. What's to be done with a story where the primary protagonist spends most of her time asleep?
Fortunately, all five of the authors in this collection answered this question in fantastic ways. The Man on the Buckskin Horse by Rachel Kovaciny was something utterly new in my experience. I loved the idea of a fairy tale western and found myself wishing it was longer. Guardian of our Beauty, by Kathryn McConaughy, was outstandingly fun and well written. The prose was beautifully captivating and delightfully humorous, which made me happy to keep reading. The Ghost of Briardale by Grace Mullins was also quite unique, in that the story is not told from the viewpoint you might expect. Some of the plot points might have been overly convenient, but the unexpected characters kept it fresh and interesting. Spindle Cursed, by Michelle Pennington, is more of a traditional presentation of the fairy tale, but the author made good use of creative world-building to give it dimension, and gave us a memorable character in Lona, the long-suffering fairy. Probably my favorite out of the whole collection was Out of the Tomb, by Ashley Stangl. It probably departs the most from the source material, but in this case that was more a strength than a weakness. A gender-swapped sci-fi Sleeping Beauty? Yes please! The characters have great depth and dimension, and the sci-fi setting was well done. Thematically, the story succeeded in being thoughtful without being too heavy-handed, which is difficult to pull off, especially in short fiction.
I would definitely recommend this collection (and its companions) to anyone who loves their fairy tales bite-sized and loaded with creativity!
August 31, 2016
Like all of Anne Elisabeth Stengl's anthologies, Five Magic Spindles is a collection of five very different novellas that all involve events and themes from one fairy tale - in this case, the Sleeping Beauty story. I highly recommend this fun anthology! Here's a little information about each of the individual stories.
The Man on the Buckskin Horse
A fairy tale retold as a Western? How fun! The author makes it work entirely without magic. This story was also unique in that the main character was neither Sleeping Beauty nor the prince.
Guardian of Our Beauty
Talk about an unusual part of the world to set a re-told fairy tale in. But the author pulled it off! I enjoyed Palli's personality and abilities.
The Ghost of Briardale
I thought this one was quite clever. True Heroes in this world are people who have either saved a kingdom, slain a dragon, or moved a mountain, and only a True Hero can get through the enchantment around Sleeping Beauty. How is an ordinary boy with a hero's heart supposed to manage?
Spindle Cursed
This story is unique in that it's told largely from the fairy godmother's point of view. Unlike most of the others, it begins shortly before the prince sets out to rescue Sleeping Beauty instead of before she falls into her enchanted sleep.
Out of the Tomb
I have to say, this one is definitely my favorite out of the five. The author has done an amazing job of worldbuilding, perhaps the best I've ever seen in a story of this length. Her descriptions give a vivid picture of the planet's history, technology, plant and animal life, and culture. In many cases, this is done with just a few well-placed words and phrases here and there that blend seamlessly with the action. I definitely want to read more by Ashley Stangl!
In summary, this is an exciting and entertaining book that is definitely worth the $3.99. Grab your copy today!
The Man on the Buckskin Horse
A fairy tale retold as a Western? How fun! The author makes it work entirely without magic. This story was also unique in that the main character was neither Sleeping Beauty nor the prince.
Guardian of Our Beauty
Talk about an unusual part of the world to set a re-told fairy tale in. But the author pulled it off! I enjoyed Palli's personality and abilities.
The Ghost of Briardale
I thought this one was quite clever. True Heroes in this world are people who have either saved a kingdom, slain a dragon, or moved a mountain, and only a True Hero can get through the enchantment around Sleeping Beauty. How is an ordinary boy with a hero's heart supposed to manage?
Spindle Cursed
This story is unique in that it's told largely from the fairy godmother's point of view. Unlike most of the others, it begins shortly before the prince sets out to rescue Sleeping Beauty instead of before she falls into her enchanted sleep.
Out of the Tomb
I have to say, this one is definitely my favorite out of the five. The author has done an amazing job of worldbuilding, perhaps the best I've ever seen in a story of this length. Her descriptions give a vivid picture of the planet's history, technology, plant and animal life, and culture. In many cases, this is done with just a few well-placed words and phrases here and there that blend seamlessly with the action. I definitely want to read more by Ashley Stangl!
In summary, this is an exciting and entertaining book that is definitely worth the $3.99. Grab your copy today!
July 14, 2016
3.5 stars (I would recommend this to people who enjoy fairytale retellings)
Disclaimer: I am friends with one of the authors in this collection, and received and Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
As with any collection I liked some of these stories better than others, but that being said, I did like all of them. These are all written by fairly new authors and I am interested to see what they publish in the future as they continue to grow in their writing.
I will be uploading a more detailed review talking about each of the stories soon.
Disclaimer: I am friends with one of the authors in this collection, and received and Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
As with any collection I liked some of these stories better than others, but that being said, I did like all of them. These are all written by fairly new authors and I am interested to see what they publish in the future as they continue to grow in their writing.
I will be uploading a more detailed review talking about each of the stories soon.
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