Describe Out Of Books Shadow Spinner
| Title | : | Shadow Spinner |
| Author | : | Susan Fletcher |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 219 pages |
| Published | : | November 1st 1999 by Simon & Schuster (first published May 1st 1998) |
| Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Young Adult. Fantasy. Fiction. Fairy Tales |
Susan Fletcher
Paperback | Pages: 219 pages Rating: 4.05 | 7099 Users | 464 Reviews
Explanation In Pursuance Of Books Shadow Spinner
Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher is set in Ancient Persia and it is a retelling of 1001 Arabian Nights. The original tale is the story of Shaharazad, the young woman who tells stories each night to the Sultan, ending before the climax is complete in order to remain alive one more day. Over and over she does this, for 1001 nights. The original tale is where we get such beloved stories as Aladdin, Sinbad, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. I have not yet read the original tale, partly because there are so many translations available and I am unsure which is best, but as far as I know, there are a lot of questions that the original tale doesn't answer.
What happened after 1001 nights that the Sultan decided Shaharazad could live without telling more stories? Why was 1001 somehow the magical number? Where did Shaharazad get enough stories to fill 1001 nights? What would have happened if she started to run out?
Shadow Spinner answers these questions and more. I was surprised and intrigued but this book when I learned about it, because Shaharazad is not the main character as one would expect from a retelling of 1001 Arabian Nights. Instead, our story is narrated by Marjan, a crippled young serving girl who gets drawn into the lives of those in the palace. She goes with her mistress to sell baubles in the Sultan's harem and stops to tell a group of young children a story. Her voice and her ability to tell a story are one of her most valued and prized 'possessions' and her hero is Shaharazad. No one believed that an ability to tell stories could change your life until she stepped up and offered to marry the Sultan. Shaharazad's sister overhears Marjan telling her story to the young children and she takes Marjan to meet Shaharazad, because she is beginning to run out of stories and she doesn't know what to do next.
And so, Marjan comes to live in the Sultan's palace as a serving maid to Shaharazad. But there is much more to live in the palace than plush fixings and plenty of food. Even after almost 3 years of storytelling, every morning there is an air of tension when Shaharazad leaves the Sultan's rooms. The Sultan's mother also hates Shaharazad and wants to see her fail, which means a hatred for anyone close to her, or trying to help her.
I love this book. I mean, really, honestly and truly, I love this book. Marjan wants to be a great storyteller. Every where she goes, she collects stories and collects information that could be used to create and weave her own tales. Each chapter begins with section titled "Lessons for Life and Storytelling" and the lesson within would often foreshadow the events to come withing the chapter.
Watching Marjan grow and develop as a person and as a storyteller felt like a gift. In the beginning, Marjan is holding onto some deeply rooted anger and bitterness, although it takes a while for the reader to realize this. I think it takes Marjan herself a while to realize the extent of the anger she is harboring. She also learns about a solid core of goodness within herself. She is fiercely loyal, willing to do whatever she can to protect and shield those she cares about.
Shadow Spinner is a completely unique tale that takes us into a world of palace intrigue, danger, love and hope. It is everything a fairy tale should be. There is no magic in their world but there is magic in their story. And their story teaches us that there is magic within ourselves.
Specify Books Toward Shadow Spinner
| Original Title: | Shadow Spinner |
| ISBN: | 0689830513 (ISBN13: 9780689830518) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Setting: | Iran Persia |
| Literary Awards: | Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2000), Literaturpreis der Jury der jungen Leser for Kinderbuch (2003) |
Rating Out Of Books Shadow Spinner
Ratings: 4.05 From 7099 Users | 464 ReviewsArticle Out Of Books Shadow Spinner
An amazing book!! Fun to read!Although the book is based on Persian culture, I found many familir elements from Moroccan culture. While the plot didn't always flow smoothly, the imagery of the harem and the bazaar captured another world. A good high interest, low reading level book for young teens.
I must admit I was skeptical when I picked up this book. How interesting could a story be about someone who tells stories? I tell stories, and trust me, a book about my life would be very boring. (And then Janette sat huddled in front of her laptop for the next five hours . . . See what I mean?)I'm glad to report that I was really wrong in this assumption. It was an awesome book and I liked it all that much more because the characters talked about stories and their importance. They teach things.
Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing. Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher is set in Ancient Persia and it is a retelling of 1001 Arabian Nights. The original tale is the story of Shaharazad, the young woman who tells stories each night to the Sultan, ending before the climax is complete in order to remain alive one more day. Over and over she does this, for 1001 nights. The original tale is where we get such beloved stories as Aladdin, Sinbad, and Ali Baba and the
My paternal grandparents were born in the United States to immigrants who came from Italy. They were raised in an Italian neighborhood, with Italian traditions, and spoke good English. That is, without an accent, and readily understandable, but now that I think about it, their grammar probably wasn't perfect. They had attended school only through the eighth grade, which must have bothered my grandmother immensely because she always stressed the importance of doing well at school. She was an avid
In this version of the Arabian Nights, a young crippled girl is smuggled into the harem to help Scherazade in her endless quest for new and more intriguing stories. The girl's past, and her future, are just as interesting as that tales she spins, however.
A student booktalked this to our class one day, and by the end of her booktalk, we ALL wanted to read it. I ordered a copy for my classroom library, and once I started it, I couldn't put it down! I was describing the story to my husband, and he said, "I know that story. It sounds like 1001 Nights... you know, Arabian Nights?" REALLY??? I had no clue. All I know is that I was completely caught up in this version with Marjan's story and her journey to help the Sultan's wife, Shahrazad. Without a
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