I would have loved to see more of that struggle and view how that has shaped her every action. For example, Zinnia has spent her entire life in a tug of war between trying to do the things that every kid and teen does and the awareness that she is living on borrowed time. While there is no doubt that the characters are fully rounded (especially Charm), I do wish that there had been time to really get into the nitty gritty of what made them tick. The author embraces the shorter format, eschewing long character introductions in favor of quick ones with the development continuing at a rapid pace throughout the rest of the story. That’s a silly hang-up on my part since I’ve read many shorter novels that have been absolutely amazing, but we all have our failings. I am always a littles hesitant about shorter books, wondering whether they can tell complete tales as well as a longer novel can. I expected it to be longer based on Harrow’s last few books (which I highly suggest reading, by the way). I was a little surprised at how short it was. I didn’t know too much about it, but I knew I needed to read it. So when I heard about A Spindle Splintered, I grabbed it as quickly as possible. She could write a book about the color taupe and I would stand in line to read it.

But when Zinnia pricks her finger, something strange and unexpected happens, and she finds herself falling through worlds, with another sleeping beauty, just as desperate to escape her fate. Her best friend Charm is intent on making Zinnia’s last birthday special with a full sleeping beauty experience, complete with a tower and a spinning wheel. Not much is known about her illness, just that no-one has lived past twenty-one. When she was young, an industrial accident left Zinnia with a rare condition. It’s Zinnia Gray’s twenty-first birthday, which is extra-special because it’s the last birthday she’ll ever have.

A spindle splintered