McKinley: Yet Another Spindle's End Review...

A few spoilers, be forewarned :)

This is going to be a vastly unpopular opinion, I just know it. I'm
sorry. I LOVED the book. Perhaps I've read "The Princess Bride" one too
many times (I think I'm up to eight) but the lengthy parenthesis didn't
even bother me.

I felt a different flavour with this book, compared with the others. I
got the impression that Ms. McKinley was very relaxed with the writing
of it, and that, in turn, let me settle down and enjoy it quite easily.
I liked the humourous edges, and the slightly rambling tendency. Aside -
I'll be the first to admit I hold a double standard in that - I don't
mind writers going into detail about setting, then launching into a
brief historical anecdote... but I did skim most of the description of
the Battle of Waterloo in "Les Miserables", and you wouldn't be able to
get me to "A Tale of Two Cities" again. But "Spindle's End" was relaxed,
and didn't strike me as long-winded in the slightest.

As far as the Damar references go, besides the pointed ones that have
already been mentioned on the list, there are a few rather teasing
mentions in the book, referring to other events. There is mention of
legends of armies of animals helping out past kings and queens, at one
point the steeling up of courage is compared to a lone warrior fighting
a fire-wyrm, and then of course a sneaky reference to a story of the
Beast.

No, the book isn't epic, but it exudes the nature of a fairy tale, and I
found it delightful.

There.

Now you can all argue with me. *grin*

@-}--Willow

-- 
"...and the soul which has seen most of truth shall come to the birth 
as a philosopher, or artist, or some musical and loving nature..."
		-Plato, "Phaedrus"
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