Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful, Simply Beautiful
Review: I'd not read Robin McKinley before this book--but this makes me want to delve further into the world of her literature. The book was fast paced and different--just close enough to resemble Sleeping beauty, but far enough away from the story that Robin makes it her own. I loved the way it was written, the plot, and the fact that she took something old and made it knew. That's my favorite thing about any book. If an author can take a familier tale, myth, legend, or story and make it into something new and almost believable, then they've got my readership. This should most definately make your "to read" list, and perhaps should be bumped up to the top. (Right underneath Song of Albion Trilogy by Lawhead).
Rating: 
Summary: Robin McKinley's great but this one lost me.
Review: I'm an avid reader and usually love Robin McKinley but this one was painful to get through. At first, I enjoyed the plot but by the second half, it stopped making sense. The entire ending seemed pointless and unpurposeful, and although Petunia's love plot was nice, Rosie was in love with a 40 year old man. I'm sorry but if you want to read Robin McKinley, read The Blue Sword.
Rating:
Summary: Magically Delicious
Review: Don't let appearances fool you; despite my cynical exterior I'm a sucker for a good fairy tale. Usually I'm a bit wary of 'reimaginings' because they mostly consist of padding out the original, giving the characters inventive names and then either changing a detail or two or slicing and dicing until almost no semblance of the story remains. There are reasons myths and fairy tales persist for so long and if you can't fathom them then you shouldn't make any attempt to rework one of your own. If anyone has attempted to read the Ann Rice "novel" (note the derisive quotation marks) The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty then you'll know what I'm talking about. Luckily, Robin McKinley seems genuinely in love with fairy stories and with Spindle's End brings us a wonderful retelling that explains away quite a few inconsistencies in the original and gives a much needed feminist boost. There are no prissy princesses or testosterone-crippled prince charmings here, only flesh and blood characters. There were moments when I questioned whether to keep going but only because I enjoyed seeing things from Katriona's point of view and didn't think Rosie would be nearly so much fun. Rosie is a rough and tumble, never out of her trousers, independent tomboy of a heroine with just the right amounts of kindness and spark to make her enjoyable to read. I kept waiting for her fairy blessings to kick in to give her pouty lips and perfect hair and turn her into someone impossibly beautiful and utterly loathable but thankfully it never happened. Some people may not like the end, simply because it is so different then canon but it's also much more satisfying. Are we really meant to believe that happily ever after means marrying the first man able to hack his way through a hedgerow? Instead we gets acts of magic and heroism with sacrifices to be made and sorrows to share, things that make it so much more than just another revamped fairy tale with just another princess in distress.
Rating:
Summary: frustration...
Review: As an avid reader of anything related to fantasy or science fiction I found this novel incredibly annoying. I know its just my personal preference speaking but I could barely finish this book, and that is an unusual circumstance. I found that the characters for the most part were dull and not very lifelike. A good example is about halfway through the book when Rosie and her family move to the town from the country. Rosie is determined that she is going to hate Peony because they are complete polar opposites but instead they start laughing hysterically when they meet and are suddenly best friends. WHY??? Also, Narl the smith... I feel that there should of at least been an inkling of his specific quality that is discovered at the end, it would make for more interest, as it is it seems like she just threw it in for no reason. Throughout the novel things happen that are never fully explained and the characters reactions never make sense because you don't really know whats going on. It felt like as the author was writing a sequence she got bored and forgot to put the most important aspects in. I found this book in the young adult section at my library and that suprises me, because if I (a third year university student)can't get through it I wonder how a 13 year old could. I tend to prefer clear concise writing where you know whats going on, you underestand the characters and you feel like you know them. To me, this is definately not that. this is just my personal opinion however and it definately has some good qualities which is why I gave it 2 stars. The idea behind the story was really interesting. This is the only Robin Mckinley novel I have ever read and because of this I doubt I will want to read any of the others. But I hope someone enjoys it.
Rating:
Summary: McKinley Does it again!
Review: Since i love reading fantasy and romance with adventure as well i decided to read this book and i loved it! Robin McKinley rewrites the story of Sleeping Beauty but she gives it a hard twist! Thats what livens up the whole story. Rosie the princess and main charcter in the story has lived for almost twenty-one years when a startingly truth unfolds one night and she discovers that she is not who she has believed herself to be her whole life. But, instead of 'she pricks her finger on a spinning wheel and falls into an enchanted sleep and only her one true love can wake her with a kiss' McKinley twists and turns the whole story, but in the end all is well and Rosie does find her true love and has known him all along. I'm not going to tell you what twists the story because then i'd ruin it for you if you are planning on reading this book. And if you weren't planning on it and this changes your mind then you'll just have to read the book and find out!
Rating: 
Summary: 3 1/2 stars; made me smile
Review: This is a sweet, fanciful reworking of Sleeping Beauty. Read it because you like tough heroines who can work real magic with animals. Read it because you can delve into a world that seems extremely pleasant to live in. The book had certain flaws: the character of Katriona was much more compelling to me than Rosie herself. Also, the villainess was never a fully realized character. That said, a lovely way to wile away the hours,
Rating:
Summary: Windstorm
Review: This is an amazing book. I think one of the best things about it is the charecters, you really get to know them and they seem so real. I think this book may well be McKinleys best. if you like this book try Ella Enchanted (10&up), the Outlaws of Sherwood(12&up), or the spellkey(14&up)
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I have been a fan of Robin McKinley's writing since I was in elementary school (1980's!) when I read "The Hero and the Crown". Sadly, the last few books she has written have been disappointing. Spindle's End has an enchanting beginning, and the character development was interesting, but despite it all, I read the book with only halfhearted interest. I felt that interesting characters were only half explored. Interpersonal relationships were too perfectly good or bad without that wonderful complexity that pulls you into them. I miss the days when this author was spinning a story and makes you never want to leave the world you're in.
Rating:
Summary: Lovely and surprising
Review: A beautiful fairy tale by Robin McKinley. What more is there to say? Spindle's End celebrates our ability to make our own choices, even if we're cursed at our christenings by evil fairies. This novel is perfect for young and old alike: unlike Deerskin, which was only for adults, or Rose Daughter, which had a somewhat high reading level. Get this book for yourself or any young person looking for his or her own path in life.
Rating:
Summary: A fairy tale for everybody!
Review: I have read and loved every one of Robin McKinley's books, but Spindle's End is by far my favorite. I always loved fairy tales as a child, but I thought I had outgrown them. This book proved me wrong. This version of Sleeping Beauty for adults brings the story to life. Despite fairies, magicians, enchantments and magic dust, it is as believable as any nonfiction ever written. Personally, with Ms. McKinley's fantastic talent, I think I would believe anything she wrote. I would recommend this to anyone who still secretly reads Grimm's tales and watches Disney movies!
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