Shadow Spinner

Marjan was only a young girl when the Sultan's vengeance began, when he vowed to marry a new woman each night and execute her each morning. But then a brave woman named Shahrazad volunteered to marry the king. Every night shetells the Sultan a story, and every morning she breaks it off just before the end—forcing the Sultan to let her live if he ever wants to hear the rest.

Almost a thousand nights later,Marjan is a cripple living with her aunt and uncle. When she begins to tell new stories at the palace—inspired by her hero, Shahrazad—she is snatched up and taken to the queen herself. For Shahrazad is nearing the end of her repertoire, and running out of stories mean endangering both her life and the lives of all the young girls she saved. Marjan is determined to help Shahrazad find new stories, but it will take all of her courage and strength, for the palace is full of spies and enemies, and one wrong move could mean death for Marjan—and Shahrazad.

Shadow Spinner explores many of the intriguing questions raised by the classic story of The Arabian Nights. What lengths might parents go to in order to save their daughters from the Sultan's massacre? Did Shahrazad really know that many stories, or did she get outside help? And why did the stories stop after one thousand and one nights?

In answering these questions, Susan Fletcher weaves a tale of suspense and intrigue as artfully as Shahrazad herself might. It is brought to life with rich descriptions of Arabian life, from the quiet harem to the bustling bazaars to the throne of the Sultan himself. Shadow Spinner is a story about stories, about how storytelling is always an act of bravery, for stories are ways of telling the truth.

Review by Lauren Shearer Lauren Shearer writes words for fun and profit. She also makes films, but everyone knows you can't make a profit doing that. Her other hobby is consistently volunteering way too much of her time. You can read more of her reviews here.

Review by Lauren Shearer
Lauren Shearer writes words for fun and profit. She also makes films, but everyone knows you can't make a profit doing that. Her other hobby is consistently volunteering way too much of her time. You can read more of her reviews here.