The Sleeper and the Spindle

By: Neil Gaiman

Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt, Lara Pulver, Niamh Walsh

Length: 1 hr and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

A full cast audio production performed by Julian Rhind-Tutt, Lara Pulver, Niamh Walsh, Adjoa Andoh, Peter Forbes, John Sessions, Michael Maloney, Sean Baker, Jane Collingwood, Clare Corbett, Allan Corduner, Katherine Kingsley, and Daniel Weyman. 

It was the closest kingdom to the queen's, as the crow flies, but not even the crows flew it. 

You may think you know this story. There's a young queen about to be married. There are some good, brave, hardy dwarfs; a castle shrouded in thorns; and a princess cursed by a witch, so rumor has it, to sleep forever. 

But no one is waiting for a noble prince to appear on his trusty steed here. This fairy tale is spun with a thread of dark magic, which twists and turns and glints and shines. A queen might just prove herself a hero if a princess needs rescuing.... 

©2013 Neil Gaiman (P)2015 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"The cast of accomplished British voices, including Julian Rhind-Tutt as the narrator and Lara Pulver as the queen, is a joy." ( AudioFile)

A suprising twist to the Sleeping Beauty

Once again Neil Gaiman delves into the fairy tales from the Grimm brothers to come up with a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty that blows one's mind away. Using the listener's own knowledge of the well-known tale he goes against expectations and recast the fairy landscape in much the same way he recasted the faiths of the United States in American Gods.

What I liked the most about the story was the little details he lifted from the Grimm brothers' fairy tales using it as clues to guide the listener on where the story is going. His attention to detail is remarkable. I really didn't see the end coming, though afterwards, I thought that it is self evident.

At one point I thought that the story might be a GLBT rewriting of a well-loved tale. Well it isn't

Jullian Rhind-Tutt, Lara Pulver and Niamh Walsh did an outstanding rendering of the story, adding to its enjoyment.

All in all Neil Gaiman stays one of the master story tellers of our age. His rendition... adjustment... of the Sleeping Beauty comes highly recommended.

an interest twist on a classic fairy tale

Excellent performance by the entire cast. as always, Gaimen crafted a memorizing tale that is at once familiar and enchantingly unique in its telling. I don't usually care for the full cast performances, but it is done exceedingly well here and suits the story perfectly. It's a rather short listen at just over an hour (it's one of his short stories, which are always fantastic literary snacks for the hungry mind) but well worth the money or credit.

Fantastic Full Cast Version of A Fairy Tale

This is probably the shortest book I've read/listened to in a while but it was very enjoyable from start to finish. I loved this full cast version because it really felt more like an audio drama with sound effects and music playing in the background. It was really neat and I loved Julian Rhind-Tutt's narration (he played Silas from The Graveyard Book full cast and was my favorite of all the voices).

I only wish there were more stories like this one by Neil Gaiman that dealt with dark twists on fairy tales.

Not so intriguing as confusing

What did you like best about The Sleeper and the Spindle? What did you like least?

I initially purchased the book to hear Julian Rind-Tutt who was so brilliant and silky in "The Graveyard Book". This story line was intriguing but the sound effects were distracting and irritating.. Definitely not necessary to the story. I was interested in finding out why the Sleeping Beauty spell was spreading, but disappointed by the ending!

Would you be willing to try another book from Neil Gaiman? Why or why not?

I Liked Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book" so that's why I listened to this one. I definitely intend to try more of his books. I won't hold this one against him. It's really not all that bad... just bizarre.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

The narrator, Julian Rind-Tutt. I really like his voice. Although the others were good.

Was The Sleeper and the Spindle worth the listening time?

It was a short listen, so yes.

I love it!

Great little story. Very engaging. Once you start it, you finish it. I enjoyed it!

spectacular as always

Neil Gaiman strikes again, this time with a cast presentation! The story is an interesting twist on two classic fairytales.

Anyone who loves Sleeping Beauty and is a fan of the older versions of these fairytales should give it a read or a listen.

loved it. nice new take on the tales

So nice to see a respectfully made version with a strong princess instead of weak damsel in distress. no prince , only powerful women. also, so spooky it threatened to give nightmares.

What a wonderful tale

I think this is wonderful interpretation of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale we were all told when we were little girls. It is fair to say that no one ever saw the beauty as a selfish , power hungry character . This is certainly not a story for very young children,but I will be sharing it with my older grand children very soon. Hopefully it will spark great discussion and interesting interpretations,,,,,,

Another knock out from Gaiman

Classic, eerie, and enchanting. Such a great story and performance. Perfect for Halloween! A must read!

imaginative but ending is disappointing

A very creative take on Snow White and Sleeping Beauty

*spoilers*

Would have been better if it ended with a lesbian romance.