fantasy and science fiction book reviewsThe Spindlers by Lauren OliverThe Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

I can’t say that Lauren Oliver’s The Spindlers is a particularly memorable middle-grade novel, but its combination of familiar plucky heroine and unusually plucky rat, echoes of The Borrowers, and a few moments of inspired originality made it a consistently enjoyable one.

When Liza’s younger brother Patrick begins acting strangely one morning (one clue is his lack of sticking his tongue out at Liza), she realizes his soul has been taken by the Spindlers, evil spidery creatures that can change size and that have heads at the end of each of their eight legs. Liza had been schooled in the Spindlers and other fantastical creatures by her former babysitter Anna, who unfortunately is off at college. This leaves Liza on her own to travel via a crawlspace in her basement into the “Below,” land of the Spindlers.

But before she can get to the Spindler nests to rescue her brother’s soul, Liza must first apologize to the rat she landed on at her entry into the Below — a wig-wearing, make-up covered rat named Mirabella who also has a few missing items from Liza’s house “Above,” including her father’s reading glasses. Mirabella becomes Liza’s guide through the land of Below as they travel to the Spindlers’ nests via the Troglod Market, the dungeons of the Nid, The Live Forest, and The River of Knowledge. She also meets the Nocturni, the beautiful creatures that bring dreams to those Above (one Nocturna per person) and must pass through several horrifying trials.

The Spindlers is a lean, sprightly novel that moves quickly but lacks the full richness of detail that would make it a truly standout book. A few scenes feel a bit perfunctory, with an added jot to try and distinguish them from overly familiar situations, such as the scary living trees or the riddle test. Other moments, however, rise much higher to the occasion, especially the Nocturni. The Spindlers have potential but it doesn’t feel like their frightfulness is fully mined.

Liza doesn’t stray too far from the usual young heroine mold, though she is sharply characterized and so feels less a character type than an actual young girl. Perhaps the best touch in this regard is her love of story and her recognition of the necessity for it in life, as when she thinks:

That was what her parents did not understand…  Liza told herself stories as though she was weaving and knotting an endless rope. Then, no matter how dark or terrible the pit she found herself in, she could pull herself out, inch by inch and hand over hand, on the long rope of stories.

As is the case of all such stories, Liza returns from the fantasy world not quite the same person she was when she left; she knew, as she says, “many things she had not known yesterday.” If there weren’t quite enough “things I had not known yesterday” in The Spindlers to make it a top read, there were enough to make it a mostly enjoyable one. Moderately recommended for middle readers.

The Spindlers — (2012) Ages 8 and up. Publisher: 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

  • Bill Capossere

    BILL CAPOSSERE, who's been with us since June 2007, lives in Rochester NY, where he is an English adjunct by day and a writer by night. His essays and stories have appeared in Colorado Review, Rosebud, Alaska Quarterly, and other literary journals, along with a few anthologies, and been recognized in the "Notable Essays" section of Best American Essays. His children's work has appeared in several magazines, while his plays have been given stage readings at GEVA Theatre and Bristol Valley Playhouse. When he's not writing, reading, reviewing, or teaching, he can usually be found with his wife and son on the frisbee golf course or the ultimate frisbee field.