I will describe this as multiverse meets sleeping beauty. It's about a girl called Zinna Gray eho was born with a disease that will kill her before she reaches 22 so naturally she's obsessed with the sleeping beauty story and on her 21st birthday she ends up in a sleeping beauty-esque world. This was a really fun face paced read and i loved its take on the Sleeping Beauty classic story. I feel like the feminist or women empowerment themes were a little bit shallow and were stuff i've heard about and i have seen done in various media. I listened to this on audiobook for the first time and i loved the narrator and i believed it helped me get by this book so quickly. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who loves fairy tale retellings and people who want to get into them. It was a fun time.

Sleeping Beauty multiverse-style is not something on my bucket list of things to read but I'm very glad I found it all the same.

Zinnia is going to die any day now. Literally. Her 21st birthday has hit and after being "cursed" with a illness that likely won't let her live much longer, she's a little melancholy. So when she somehow accidentally falls into a different dimension after pricking her finger, she takes to her new adventure quite willingly. Even better, she's landed in a version of Sleeping Beauty's story, and she's going to do her best to help give Princess Primrose the happy ending she deserves while living the rest of her life on her terms for once.

This was such an interesting take on Sleeping Beauty. Everyone knows the Disney version inside and out, how romantic and magical it is, but objectively it's a really crappy fairy tale. Aurora literally sleeps through the climax of her own story, and the original versions of the story are very dark with ... sexual assault as a common denominator. In all of them the princess has no choice in the matter or in how her life will play out. The curse is set out and there is no avoiding it or the "happy ever after" she will have thrust on her once it's broken by a man without consent.

I really like how this took a crack a gender roles in fairy tales. There are a lot of themes of having your own choice and living your life how you want in here, thanks to Zinnia's unfortunate illness and Primrose's curse. Both have their futures stolen from them, but Zinnia is determined to help the princess have the happy ending she wants. They take matters into their own hands rather than letting some pompous prince do it for them. It was cleverly done and in a way quite empowering. Who doesn't love a good feminist reclaiming of an old story?

When I discovered this was a novella, I was disappointed, but after reading it I stand corrected. This was the perfect length for this story. The pace is just right, the story not too in-depth. It was also very relatable and quite humorous at times. I was lucky enough to receive an early audio copy of the book and really enjoyed it. It took me a while to get into it though, because I recently listened to The Queen's Gambit with the same narrator and it was difficult to separate the two stories.

This was a super quick and neat twist on a well-known fairytale, and I'd love to read the next one in the series.

This one was short and sweet! Good for a short plane ride or a long commute. If you love Sub Press-type novellas, this short and sweet intersectional Sleeping Beauty takes Gender Studies 301 redux is for you! I love Alix E Harrow’s voice and will happily read most anything she wants to share with us.

Best quote of this whole book “(she agrees that the 2005 Pride and Prejudice is the superior version, because it is).” And I am only slightly joking!

This was a really fun fairy tale retelling. I was/am and big sleeping beauty fan and I really enjoyed learning about all the different versions through Zin.
I’ve learned something about myself as a reader while reading thing. I love fantasy worlds, but I don’t like when the modern world interupta the fantasy. For some reason I find mixing the fantasy and modern world jarring and I never become fully immersed.
This has nothing to do with how cute and amazing this story was just that it’s not really my thing.
I will definitely be reading the other fables in this series as they come out!! Love the short form, and really important messaging.

Thank you NetGalley and Edelweiss for the advance listening copy and the advance reading copy!

Enjoyed listening to this innovative and fractured retelling of Sleeping Beauty. The writing (including the audio narration) were both well done. I had no idea what I was about to listen to until the story unfolded . It was a story outside of my usual choice of genre but I did enjoy it. I definitely want to go back and read it again - this time as a book edition. I hear there are photos/drawings throughout the book..

I listened to the audio book of this fun to read feminist fractured fairy tale. On Zinnia's 21st birthday, she pricks her finger on a spinning wheel and is pulled into another reality in the multiverse where a beautiful princess is trying to avoid both her sleeping beauty curse and the prince. Can Zinnia help the princess and escape her own curse - an environmentally caused genetic disorder that has her time counting down to near zero now? This is a totally fantastic story and I highly recommend it!

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for providing an ALC copy. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

This was a fantastic, feminist reimagining of the sleeping beauty trope. I adore Alix E. Harrow's writing and it was just as amazing in this short novella.

This features a chronically ill heroine who is facing her mortality head on, on the day of her 21st birthday. I really liked how chronic illness was discussed in here - it's always something I look for in books. But it's definitely heavy at times, so tread carefully!

But my favorite aspect was hands down the friend ship between Zinnia and Charm. Their friendship was so strong and beautiful and I loved them to pieces. Charm deserves the world.

This book is really short, sweet, and to the point, so it wasn't my absolute favorite. But I had a really good time reading it - and the narrator is fantastic! She really brought the story to life and I absolutely flew through the audiobook.

I definitely plan to pick up the next books in this series/world! I enjoyed the really fresh take on this classic story/trope.

CONTENT WARNING: implied rape, implied abortion

So, Sleeping Beauty isn’t a fairy tale that gets retold too often, as far as I’m aware, and with good reason. Because it’s a pretty sucky story as far as fairy tales go. But this book kind of changed my mind about it. It puts a decidedly feminist spin on a tired and chauvinistic story and makes it exciting and intriguing.

Zinnia has a fatal illness that leaves her doomed to die young. A curse, you might even say. Naturally, Sleeping Beauty is the fairy tale that she gravitates towards. So on the night of her 21st birthday, fated to be her last, her best friend Charm sets up an elaborate Sleeping Beauty themed birthday party. But … it sends her into the multiverse and shoots her into an alternate universe where she’s presented with Primrose, another girl who is another sleeping beauty.

They quickly team up and work to undo the curse on Primrose. Things never go smoothly, and of course everything goes south rather quickly. Zinnia discovers that like all fairy tales, things aren’t what they seem and everything is open to interpretation. And … not all princesses want a hero prince to dash in and save them. Although Zinnia has studied fairy tales in the academic world, she now has to view them in a different light:

“‘You are accustomed to thinking of fairy tales as make-believe.’ Doctor Bastille looked straight at me as she said it, her face both searing and compassionate. ‘But they have only ever been mirrors.’”

In addition to the chronic illness representation, there’s some awesome lesbian representation in the story, which was a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t quite sure how the girls were going to solve the issue, but the way things worked out was another pleasant surprise. It’s very much a feminist story and I was HERE FOR IT. Alix E. Harrow is an amazing storyteller, and my biggest complaint about this one was that it was SHORT. I was expecting a longer story, and was surprised when the audiobook clocked in at 3 hours and 20 minutes. I’m excited at the idea of more of these fractured fables, though.

Definitely a 4.5 but I’m rounding up.

I never actually read the author’s previous book despite it being nominated and winning many awards because I never felt it was my thing. I also didn’t bother to read much about the premise of this book due to similar apprehensions, but reading a gushing review by my fellow awesome blogger Misty convinced me that maybe I should give this a try. And this turned out to be so much fun.

I usually love retellings but more on the mythological side, because I’m not that fond of the usual European fairytales. And I hardly remember anything about Sleeping Beauty but that didn’t hamper my enjoyment of this story. This story is an ode to classic fairytales with a modern twist, when the princesses don’t need a charming prince to save them because they are perfectly capable of saving themselves. The author does a seamless blending of modern day technology and a medieval world full of rigid gender roles, peppering the story with witty and biting dialogue, fast pacing which kept me so engaged that I didn’t wanna put it down at all, and an excellent audiobook narration which enriched my experience. The way Amy does the various accents as well as voices, her sarcastic tone and just her overall way of telling the story was super entertaining.

Zinnia is such a fascinating protagonist. Having a terminal condition, she has been prepared to die before turning 22 as long as she can remember but when she gets the opportunity for an adventure, she takes it all in with both her hands. She is brave and witty, not easily ruffled by unexpected situations, and is smart enough to put her folklore degree to good use when she finds herself in a fairytale world. She is ably supported by her childhood best friend Charm who is her rock and ready to send out PowerPoint presentations to help her out despite sounding freaked out and is determined to find a cure for Zin’s condition. Their friendship is goals and I loved how it evolved towards the end of the book.

And Primrose is the princess in the fairytale story who is cursed to become the Sleeping Beauty but is not ready to accept it. I loved the depiction of her character, especially through the audio because it showed both her vulnerable as well as slightly prideful sides. Together with Zin, Charm and a few other surprise characters, she takes her destiny into her own hands and refuses to conform to the rigid role she is being forced into.

Overall, this was a completely unexpected surprise. In under 150 pages, the author manages to give us a world full of fairytales and characters who find themselves in stories not belonging to them, but determined to chart their own course of their life story. If you love fairytale retellings with a twist, women being very supportive of each other, a thoroughly entertaining story with even better narration, and maybe some primer on what to do when you find yourself in a fairytale situation yourself - do give this a try. You will not regret it.

I loved this book! This was a short story but boy did I wish it went on longer. It was a great story and I really enjoyed the characters. The unique take on fairytales in an almost multiverser way really interested me. Everything about this book was right up my alley. I hope this book gets a sequel or Harrow has another book coming out soon cause I love their books and can't wait for more!

This is one of the most insightful, thoughtful, inclusive retellings I have ever read and did it all in under 150 pages. Sleeping beauty takes a big spin in this story. Starting in the real world with a girl who's illness would kill her before she turns 22 she loves sleeping beauty, believing she is her own version of the story. Then on her 21st birthday she pricks her finger and enters a "multiverse" of different sleeping beauty stories. She enters one and goes on an adventure to save the princess. We have characters of different race, sexual orientation, beliefs, and backgrounds. We have conversations about how fairy tales differ throughout history and how dark things can really get, representing real life. There is a small conversation about sexual assault. Themes of what life is worth living, should we focus on living our lives or saving our selves from our deaths.

This takes on the idea of what makes up a fairy tale, how anything can exist and what should exist in a fairy tale. I absolutely loved this book and think it something I would love to reread and analyze. This would make an extremely interest subject for a paper or class discussion. I would love to see some book clubs read and talk about this. I cannot wait for the next book.

This was a very unique take on Sleeping Beauty. I really enjoyed it! The narrator was very good and she handled the different voices well. I did not like the voice she used for Zin's father but it was such a small part in the book it didn't bother me too much. I wish we had gotten to see the romance more from Charm and Briar Rose but since the story is not from their perspective, I understand why we didn't. I would love to read a story from their point of view in the future though.

4.5 stars
I didn't initially realize how short this book was, but it was so good! An entire, full, heart breaking, heart melting story all in just over 100 pages!
I loved Zinn and Charm. Their best friendship was just so great. It was so great to see Charm always, always there for Zinn throughout her fatal illness.
It was very fun to see that this was a retelling, but the characters literally knew it was a retelling. Sleeping Beauty was Zinn's favorite fairy tale and she ends up living it. I liked really thinking about how there could be so many different versions of Sleeping Beauty and how the characters within the story could be different than the verision(s) we all know.
It was very well written and easy to listen to.
Definitely check this one out if you are looking for a quick, amazing retelling!

4.5

Despite opinions stated within this story, Sleeping Beauty is one of my favorites. So when I saw that Alix E Harrow was going to flip what has been traditionally known about this fable, I was all for it. But I think I really appreciated the fact that Alix (through main character Zinnia) really tackled all the complex and, let's face it, problematic issues regarding the Sleeping Beauty story throughout its many iterations. I think it was interesting to acknowledge where the story came from and how it morphed from Perrault to Disney and other things in between. Then, most of all, I enjoyed seeing where Alix E Harrow took the story.

An industrial accident left Zinnia Gray with a rare condition. She is just turning twenty-one and doesn't expect to live much longer. Zinnia has much identified with the story of Sleeping Beauty - a young woman who lives under a curse to sleep for 100 years - except when the time comes Zinnia will not be falling asleep only to be awakened with true love's kiss. While Zinnia has grown evermore resigned to her fate, her best friend Charm is not ready to let go so easily.

For her twenty-first birthday, Charm throws Zinnia a Sleeping Beauty-themed party, complete with a spinning wheel and everything. What starts as Zinnia cheekily playing along with the fairytale, ends up sending her through a portal where Zinnia meets Primrose, a princess who is also living her own Sleeping Beauty tale.

Zinnia soon sees an opportunity to rewrite her own story, with the help of Primrose and interdimensional texting with Charm, Zinnia just may live to see her next adventure.

It was strange starting this book because a previous audiobook that I just finished was read by this same narrator. In that regard it took me a minute to switch gears into the new story. I think Amy Landon does a great job of really making each character distinct and giving each of them such personality. From Zinnia's resigned demenor, Primrose's very formal and proper pronunciations, and Charm's "don't mess with me" attitude they call were very distinct and it was easy to understand who was talking during the sections of dialogue.

For me, the story was all about changing your narrative. Taking the power that's rightfully yours and making your own story. I think it resonated so well in that regard. This idea of our fates being laid out before us set in stone, yet really it takes some determination - and let's face it an awesome support system - and we can obtain the unimaginable. I love that despite Zinnia's rather bleak outlook, there's so much hope infused within she just needs to find her path, her own story.

I loved that this was such a quick read. I think that it made the story more fine-tuned to the really important parts. There was no time for extra, and Alix E Harrow really brought out all the best within the story making it feel very full.

I see that this is listed as #1 of a new series so I'm really excited to see what fable Alix E Harrow decides to fracture next because I am here for it!

First of all, this book was MUCH shorter than I was anticipating. I guess I could have looked at the page count before "reading" it, but I didn't, and so when the book got to a point where it naturally sounded like it was starting to wrap up, I thought, "What?! Really?!"

I listened to it on audiobook, and I finished the whole thing in a single sitting. Of course, I listen on 1.5x speed, so that makes it go by faster, of course, but I swear... I couldn't have listened to this book for more than... 3 hours tops? And I don't even think it was that long.

So, I say all that to say this: If you're looking for a quick audiobook that you can knock out on a flight or on a commute heading to a vacation spot or a work conference a couple of hours a way, this one is great for that!

I love long, intricate audiobooks that I can lose myself in for weeks, but sometimes, it's also nice to have a short, quick read that you can knock out for a certain occasion (like those I mentioned above). So consider this book the next time you need something to fill a couple hours of your time.

Now, onto the actual book. I really enjoyed it. The first chapter was EXCELLENT. I loved the way it opened. To be honest, at first I wasn't sure if the book had started or if I was listening to some kind of "foreward" by the author. I quickly (like within minutes) realized it was the actual book, and that made me love it even more. It was an EXCELLENT opening.

The rest of the book was good, too. It wasn't the best book I've read all year, but it was a new and exciting take on the traditional Sleeping Beauty, and despite all the recent fairytale retellings that have been published in the last decade, this one actually had a fresh new take. I love the way the author approached it, and I love the way it was executed.

I'd love to say something else, but I'm afraid of spoiling something.... Okay, I want to say it anyway, so let me go ahead and add my spoiler alert here.

Spoiler alert.

Spoiler alert.

Stop reading if you don't want the spoiler alert.

Spoiler alert.

Spoiler alert.

Last warning.

Okay, here goes.

I loved the idea that there were multiple "Sleeping Beauties" spread through the Multiverse (I also liked the incorporation of the Multiverse, period. That was interesting and unexpected.) and that none of them have the same story. The main character's "curse," for instance -- I thought that was a phenomenal way to approach the Sleeping Beauty story. I also liked Primrose's story, as well.

Additionally, I loved that there was both queer representation and representation of people with disabilities/illnesses in the book! I'm seeing a lot more of that these days, and I love it. I'm not even a member of the LGBTQ community, but I am an ally, and I love seeing more characters that represent the people that actually live in the world with me!

Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a bit. There were parts of it where things got a bit predictable, but it wasn't so much so that it was irritating or made me think less of the overall writing. I give this one a good, solid four stars, and I recommend it to anyone who loves fairytale retellings.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this new take on Sleeping Beauty. It felt much more modern and applicable than the older versions which show a helpless female who has to wait for a man to save her. In this story, the females save themselves and each other.

I think the only thing that disappointed me about this book was its size. I’m not sure if the goal was to stick firmly in novella territory or what, but it all seemed so incredibly rushed. I wanted deeper relationships and more world building and just more depth overall. It was captivating and intriguing so there was no reason to have it all so rushed. Regardless, I’m looking forward to more fractured fables.

I received this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Spindle Splintered is sleeping beauty, portal fantasy retelling wherein our princess is a 21 year old woman with a rare disease, with a prognosis of less than 22 years.
However, at midnight of her 21st birthday party she is cast into another world, where another Sleeping Beauty-esque princess is doomed to marry a not-so-prince-charming.

Harrow weaves an imaginative tale in a short novella. Though I always wish there were more when it comes to novellas, I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook and look forward to the next installment in this retelling series.

This was my first experience reading one of Harrow’s works, though I own her 2 others. They have definitely moved up to the top of my TBR pile!!

Advanced Reader’s Copies (I ended up with an egalley and the audiobook) that were provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The audiobook is from Macmillan Audio and the egalley is from Macmillan- Tor/Forge.

This was a fun novella from Harrow! I loved the concept that fairytales have been told by so many people throughout generations and generations that the essence of each tale has seeped into parallel universes and spaces to allow for a Sleeping Beauty (for example) in each dimension. In A SPINDLE SPLINTERED, each version of Sleeping Beauty has their own version of a curse that will end their life too soon. For Zinnia Gray, that means a rare disease that means she won't see her 22nd birthday. But when she pricks her finger on a spinning wheel, she finds herself in a different world... with another Sleeping Beauty who is running out of time. But this allows Zinnia the courage to decide to try to find a way to stop the cycle and give every Sleeping Beauty ownership of their own destinies.

May everyone have a best friend like Charm. I need more of her story! Amy Landon does a great job with the audiobook performance too.

I received an advance copy of this audiobook to listen to through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. A Spindle Splintered by Alix E Harrow and narrated by Amy Landon is the first book of a new series called Fractured Fables. This story is a re-imagining of Sleeping Beauty with a modern-day heroine Zinnia Grey who has a rare genetic condition that will end her life prematurely. On her twenty-first birthday, her best friend Charm arranges a Sleeping Beauty themed celebration. When she pricks her finger on a spindle, she is sent time and space travelling to a fairytale world where Princess Primrose has also just turned twenty-one and is about to touch a spindle whose prick will send her into sleep for a hundred years. I loved how the author took the classic fairytale, turned it sideways and made it about heroines saving themselves and each other. It was simply delightful, and I am very much looking forward to further books in this series. The narrator does an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. Publishing Date: October 5, 2021. #ASpindleSplintered #AlixEHarrow #MacMillanAudio #FairyTalesRetold #bookstagram #bookstagrammer