"To find out what a story's really about,' the Librarian said,

'you don't ask the writer. You ask the reader."


- SNOW & ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin


Monday, September 24, 2012

A Review & Giveaway: The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver



by Lauren Oliver
Release date: October 2nd, 2012
Published by: HarperCollins
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Format read: ARC

SUMMARY

"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."


Author, Lauren Oliver, chats about how she was inspired to write The Spindlers!


FAVORITE QUOTES from The Spindlers

"The world is a freak, she should have said.
Everything that happens in it is strange and beautiful."

~ Liza, The Spindlers, (ARC) page 83
_______________________________________

 "Impossible."

"That is a human word," she said.
"And a very ugly one at that. We have no use for it Below."

~ Conversation between Liza and Mirabella, The Spindlers, (ARC) pages 126-127
________________________________________

"I didn't think that hope was something that grew," Liza said.

"Of course it grows," Mirabella said. "What else would it do? Sing?"

~ The Spindlers, (ARC) page 127


MY REVIEW

This is my first Lauren Oliver read, and I honestly don't know why I have waited so long to read one of her books! She has created a magical and unique world called Below where dark and creepy things live and come Above to take things that they need. Now, don't let dark and creepy deter you and make you believe that everything Below is bad, looks can be deceiving. Give things a chance, take a closer look and then decide if it's good or bad... The Spindlers was inspired by Maurice Sendak's book called, Outside Over There, a creepy children's book about a little girl who has to go find her baby brother who was stolen by goblins. Definitely not your typical bedtime story - and neither is The Spindlers. 

One day, Liza wakes up and instantly notices that something is not right with her little brother, Patrick. And she instantly knows what has happened to him - it's the work of a Spindler. A "spindler" is a large spider that has human hands. They come Above (our world), steal people's souls and bring them down Below (there world is under ours) for their Queen. There is no time to hesitate, Liza knows what she must do. As much as a bother little brothers can be, she is the only one who knows what has happened and must go Below and get Patrick's soul back before it's too late. 
As soon as Liza goes Below, I felt like I was right next to her and was able to picture every single detail that Oliver laid out for us!   
We quickly meet Mirabella, an eccentric rat who volunteers to guide and help Liza get to the spindlers nest. Now don't judge, not all rats are dirty and scandalous!
And Liza's determination, stubbornness, bravery and most of all, her outpouring love for her family - even after her parents ignore her and constantly dismiss her "imagination" - she is an inspirational, motivating and memorable character. 

If you are a lover of all things from Alice in Wonderland, the dark and magical things from Coraline and the trials and tribulations of Harry Potter - then this is definitely a must have book to add to your shelf!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Lauren Oliver

"Lauren Oliver comes from a family of writers and so has always (mistakenly) believed that spending hours in front of the computer every day, mulling over the difference between “chortling” and “chuckling,” is normal. She has always been an avid reader. 

She attended the University of Chicago, where she continued to be as impractical as possible by majoring in philosophy and literature. After college, she attended the MFA program at NYU and worked briefly as the world’s worst editorial assistant, and only marginally better assistant editor, at a major publishing house in New York. Her major career contributions during this time were flouting the corporate dress code at every possible turn and repeatedly breaking the printer. Before I Fall is her first published novel. 

She is deeply grateful for the chance to continue writing, as she has never been particularly good at anything else."


Enter to WIN an ARC of THE SPINDLERS by Lauren Oliver!!!
- Giveaway ends October 10th, 2012!
- U.S. only, sorry!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

3 comments:

  1. I can't believe this is your first Lauren Oliver book! I adore her other books so, SO much. In fact I have The Spindlers and can't believe I haven't read it yet. I LOVE her work, and am so glad you do too! I hope you read her other books soon and can't wait to see what you think of them. <3

    ashelynn @ gypsy book reviews.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really need to try this one. So glad you dug it. And I LOVE that first quote.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've heard this is a good one! Her other MG book, Liesel and Po, was charming...loved it! Thanks for hosting this giveaway!

    ReplyDelete

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