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Shadow Spinner

Susan Fletcher

Paperback | Pages: 219 pages

Rating: 4.05 | 7099 Users | 464 Reviews

Be Specific About Books As 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)

Interpretation During 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.

Identify Containing 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

Rating Containing Books Shadow Spinner

Ratings: 4.05 From 7099 Users | 464 Reviews

Column Containing Books Shadow Spinner

An amazing book!! Fun to read!

I read this aloud to my daughters for school. I don't give out five stars normally. I loved the rich language that the author, Susan Fletcher used. I could smell, taste and see by her rich descriptions throughout the book. I didn't want this book to end. I knew by chapter 22 that this book was going to be five starts. When I started crying the very last paragraph I am already thinking that this might be one of my favorite books this school year. Great book. My girls 10 & 12 loved it as well.

I love the multiple story lines in the book and the glimpse inside a different culture. I also love the little quotes about stories that is at the beginning of each chapter.

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.

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

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 don't feel ashamed loving it, it's hating. That's what's wrong.