The Sleeper and the Spindle
Summary:
This book is based on a reimagining and intertwining of two classic fairy tales: Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, but there are no princesses being rescued by princes in this story. Instead, we see a determined young queen sacrifice her own wedding day in her quest to save other people from a plague of sleep, to bring people together, and to make the world a better place.
Edited by: Dublin City University
Comment:
This retelling of two enduring fairy tales brings strong female characters to the fore, though these characters still largely fall into categories of good and evil. Of most significance here is the side-lining of the romantic plotline, which goes beyond the queen simply sacrificing her wedding day for the good of other people. Even before the Queen hears the news of the sleeping plague, she questions the institution of marriage, seeing it as an end to her choices and bringing only a clear, uninspiring plotting of her life. Significantly, the Queen’s ambivalent attitude to marriage persists throughout, despite other traditional resolutions.