ARC Review: The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

Publication Date: October 2nd, 2012

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.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I'm not a huge reader of Middle Grade fiction, but there are a few exceptions to that, and anything by Lauren Oliver falls into that category.  I was really excited when she announced this upcoming book at a signing last year, and couldn't wait to get my hands on it (although I have to admit that my then seven year old son was even more excited than I was).  When the first reviews came out, however, I was dubious... One reviewer basically said it was Lewis Carroll meets Roald Dahl meets Neil Gaiman, and people, THAT is A LOT to live up to for anyone, but for me (and my son), it equals three classic MG Lit GODS.  I was afraid I would be disappointed.  Well, I'm here to tell you that I was not!  This book was magical and fabulous and just awesome.  I read it with my son and we both loved it (in fact, he wants to be a Spindler for Halloween)!  Let me tell you why...

• The World: Lauren has really outdone herself with the world-building in this book.  In her YA novels, I was a bit underwhelmed with the world-building.  The stories and characters well made up for this fact, but I never saw it as one of her strengths.  Liesl & Po was much better, but I was blown away by The Spindlers.  The descriptions were rich and imaginative, filled with beauty, horror, hope, and despair.  The world was definitely one of my favorite parts of this book.
• The Characters:  Liza was great.  Spunky, determined, and conscientious.  She was going to get her brother, Patrick's, soul back from the Spindlers at any cost, even that of her own soul.  I also loved Mirabella the rat!  She provided so much comic relief in what would have been a very dark story otherwise.  Often whiny and petulant, she was a perfect companion and guide on Liza's determined and principles-driven quest.  It was often that Mirabella's childish, spoiled attitude, tempered by her innocence, served as a reminder of Patrick (rather unlikeable at times) for Liza on her quest.  Even the most minor supporting characters were well drawn as well; the many creatures and inhabitants of Below were sometimes grotesque (the Moribats), sometimes beautiful (the Nocturni), and sometimes a little of both (the Lumer-Lumpen).  I loved them all, even the ones I just loved to hate like the Queen of the Spindlers.
• The Plot and Pacing:  This book is full of adventure and peril, set within the fantastical world, but it is so much more.  It is about love and relationships and determination in the face of adversity.  That said, it never EVER seems preachy to those points, which is SO important when writing for kids.  It never lulls and has surprises around each corner.  As an adult reader I did find some things a tad predictable, but when I look at it through the eyes of my eight year old son (the book's intended audience), I found it full of intrigue and magic.  I also loved the way it spoke of the strength of sibling love.  My son said he thought it was "nice that Liza wants to save Patrick even if she doesn't LIKE him much, because he is her brother and she LOVES him."  That is pretty much the story of his relationships with his two sisters, and I really loved that he picked up that subtle message.
• The Cover:  I got an eGalley of this book, so I didn't really get to look closely at the cover at first.  When I finally did, I was so impressed by the quality of the art and the many subtle plot-related details the artist included.  I think it is tied with Liesl & Po for my favorite Lauren Oliver cover.

In the end, I think The Spindlers is a must-read for Middle Grade readers, especially those who love Fantasy.  As for YA and adult readers, read it, but understand the intended audience, and try to keep that in mind.  I've read a few negative reviews that focused on predictability and that fact that there were some cliches and such.  Yes, there is some predictability at times, and it is a bit juvenile at others, but it is meant to be; it is no less wonderful in my mind because of those things.  The Spindlers is beautifully written and definitely a book I will be buying a finished copy of for my shelf.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  This is a Middle Grade novel, so the content is clean as it pertains to sex, violence, and language.  That said, it is scary at several points throughout.  There were a few times when I wondered if it would give my eight year old nightmares (it didn't).  That said, if a child is particularly sensitive to scary stuff, hold off.  The same wonderful world building and character development that made me love this book could end up being the stuff of nightmares for a too-young or very sensitive child.  Ages 8 and up (2nd/3rd grade+), older for the aforementioned.