Somebody bought me this book many years ago, but it was only yesterday that I actually bothered to pick it up and read it, (It took me from 11pm till 2am) a better description on the back would have helped it along somewhat. But despite me being older than the target audience I still found it interesting, if slightly confusing at the end.

A retelling of the classic Briar Rose/Sleeping Beauty story, this book follows the life of a girl growing up in a marshy backwater, raised by her two aunts, apprenticed to the blacksmith and uninterested in makeup or dresses, she's the last person she expects to be outted as a princess. The ending was interesting but I agree with another reviewer, what would have happened if the friend hadn't been there to help? It would have made for a very different book.

I really liked the portrayal of magic this book presented, as a heavy dust that settles in corners and has to be swept away and scraped out the kettle once a week. Visible but not really usable by everyone, and even then not even used by all that can.

The prince character seemed a bit well placed. Nobody else could find her, but he did? Simply because he swore an oath to marry her when he was 10? I'm sure every knight at the castle swore an oath to protect her the day she was born and countless boys in the local towns and villages made marriage oaths over the years, yet none of them turned up and they probably meant it just as much, if not more than he did.

Finally, there's a part of the climatic battle at the end that's a little confusing and I'd have to read again more carefully to properly understand, but the book sorts itself out so I still give it four stars and reccomend it to any girl of around ten or above who enjoys reading fantasy books. At an age double that, it still kept me entertained for an evening. ( )

A light, entertaining, retelling of a familiar tale, with an somewhat unexpected twist at the end.

I think I may have found another author to fall in love with! So far the only thing I've read by her is this book, "Spindle's End," but if the rest of her books are any thing like this one then I'm in love! I think you will be too.

"Spindle's End" is a fanciful retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story. The story is set in a land where magic permeates every day life, and there are fairies in most of the villages. When the princess is born the King and Queen decide to invite 21 fairies to be her godparents. Unfortunately, as they each give the princess her gifts, an evil fairy shows up. She curses the princess to die by pricking her finger on a spindle on her 21st birthday. But can the curse be evaded?

Katriona is a going to be a fairy when she gets older, and she was blessed enough to attend the Princesses name day ceremony. She finds herself accidentally kidnapping the Princess, but it's the best thing that could have happened! By taking away the Princess to her home village she hides her from the evil fairy, Pernicia, and because of this she has the blessing of the palace, not that any one knows where Katriona and the Princess are.

The Princess, who they call Rosie, grows up to be her own determined personality. She talks to animals, doctors horses, and works hand in hand with the village blacksmith. Eventually, though, she must learn her true parentage, and then face Pernicia's curse. Will she manage to triumph? You'll have to read the book to find out! ( )

an ok book if you like sleeping beauty although it is different in its own way ( )

Grown up fantasy. Hard to get through, flowery language, but I did enjoy it ( )