Spindle's End

By: Robin McKinley

Narrated by: Justine Eyre

Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

"We will keep her safe."

All the creatures of the forest and field and riverbank knew the infant was special. She was the princess, spirited away from the evil fairy, Pernicia, on her name-day. But the curse was cast: Rosie was fated to prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a poisoned sleep - a slumber from which no one would be able to rouse her....

©2000 Robin McKinley (P)2019 Tantor

Great story

I've loved the story for years. I waited for the Audible with great anticipation. I like the performance, mostly, but I could really do without the change in her voice for each character. Some are kind of annoying. Overall, this is still a really enjoyable experience.

As Good As I Remembered

read this book years ago, and this audiobook captures the characters and dialogue, narrative and drama as well as I had remembered from that earlier read. This is one of my favorites by Robin McKinley, and the only one I kept in hard copy.

Great story, awful narrator

I might have to read the physical copy of this because I was so distracted by the awful fake british accent to truly appreciate the story, especially the way she made men's voices sound. I've always enjoyed Robin McKinley, and her other audiobooks were much better since they used different narrators.

Very Fun

Great retelling! Wonderful narration. Just an overall enjoyable book that makes my heart warm inside.

Loved the story!

I’ve always enjoyed Robin McKinley’s stories, ever since reading “Beauty” 40-odd years ago. I feel like I could stop right into these worlds! This author’s gift for language and world building is unmatched. Unfortunately the narrator’s odd pronunciations pulled me right out of the story.

Exciting and adventure filled and endlessly surprising!

This book was full of joy and fear, excitement and wonder of a new world. It showed me the rules of this world and envited me in. I was afraid I would pretty much know the plot but it has wonderful loophole that you never quite see coming.
I love the book as much as the other robin McKinley books I have read and would recommend to all.

A joy to revisit

Spindle’s End was my favorite of McKinley’s novels when i first discovered them, and I eagerly waited for this audiobook. I am not disappointed.

The story is great, though both it and the narrator lose steam near the end. I find myself starting the book over to spend more time with the characters growing up, and happily re listening to the whole book.

While this is my own interpretation, I’ve always seen Rosie as non-binary. To come back to the story as an adult, I can see this story as being important for lgbtq kids to see someone like them who is loved, heroic, and encouraged to be themselves.

Delightful world-building, characters you want to have tea with

If you want a fast-paced retelling of Sleeping Beauty, this isn’t the book for you. If you love intricate world-building, characters, and slowly rising emotional stakes, all with beautiful writing, then you may love this retelling. McKinley has always been one of my favorite authors, and I was thrilled to see this come out as an audiobook.

The narrator in general does an excellent job throughout. I occasionally question her choices for the male voices, but loved her reading overall.

a full feast of a story

Don't be daunted by the amount of detail you are given at the beginning of this book. The author does not waste your time with things that will not be important to you. Every detail is leading to the ending which is both surprising and satisfying. This is definitely a book to reread because knowing things about the story and reading it again you can see how often you're being told exactly what's going to happen but until you have hindsight you have no idea that's where you're being led. Also she references to her other books in this one too. Not in a way that makes it feel like you don't understand the story but like a little wink to those who are fans of all of her work.

Another great story from Robin McKinley!

I love McKinley's fairy tales and this was just absolute perfection. A lovely and unique take on Sleeping Beauty with plenty of laughs and twists.