Book Review: The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

The Spindlers
by Lauren Oliver

Genre: Children's Fantasy

Ages: Suitable for all ages.

Description:

One night when Liza went to bed, Patrick was her chubby, stubby, candy-grubbing and pancake-loving younger brother, who irritated and amused her both, and the next morning, when she woke up, he was not. In fact, he was quite, quite different.

When Liza's brother, Patrick, changes overnight, Liza knows exactly what has happened: The spindlers have gotten to him and stolen his soul.

She knows, too, that she is the only one who can save him.

To rescue Patrick, Liza must go Below, armed with little more than her wits and a broom. There, she uncovers a vast world populated with talking rats, music-loving moles, greedy troglods, and overexcitable nids . . . as well as terrible dangers. But she will face her greatest challenge at the spindlers' nests, where she encounters the evil queen and must pass a series of deadly tests--or else her soul, too, will remain Below forever.

From New York Times best-selling author Lauren Oliver comes a bewitching story about the reaches of loyalty, the meaning of love, and the enduring power of hope.

My Thoughts:

This is, at its heart, a fairytale. It is simple and sweet and rich with beautiful descriptions. It is not groundbreaking or even particularly original, but it is a lovely story. 

I'm honestly not sure what else to say about this book. It's a bedtime story that you can tell to your children. It doesn't have any great depth. It's good, but not thought provoking. Fun, but it doesn't make you laugh or cry. It's probably the most average thing Lauren Oliver has ever written.

The world is great, I will give it that. It has quirkiness and beauty and an edge of darkness and shadows. I
really liked the nocturni, a winged race of dream carriers.

I would recommend this as a read-aloud for kids of all ages. Just be careful not to expect too much from it; it's lovely, but there are no fireworks.

Rating System: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
There is no profanity in this book.

Sexuality:
There is no sexuality in this book.

Violence:
I give it a 4.10 for kidnapping and attempted murder.

                                   Lieder Madchen