Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Exciting Sleeping Beauty flip has strong female leads.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
THE BONE SPINDLE is about a young treasure hunter, Fi, who accidentally pricks her finger on a spindle she finds in the ruins of an old castle. This finger prick, and the mark it leaves behind on her finger, bind her magically to the young prince Briar Rose, who was cursed into an enchanted sleep 100 years in the past by a vengeful witch. Fi is now Briar's only hope of waking himself and the rest of his kingdom from their long sleep. But before Fi can get to the room in the castle where Briar lies, she and her treasure-hunting partner Shane will have to outrun the Witch Hunters, cross treacherous landscapes, and battle monsters in the forest of thorns, while putting their beliefs about destiny and true love to the test.
Is It Any Good?
Fantasy fans will enjoy this exciting adventure that nicely combines a familiar fairy tale with a refreshing twist on gender roles. In The Bone Spindle, it's the women battling monsters, bounty hunters, and evil spells while the man waits for rescue in a far-off castle. There's plenty of humor as characters banter, bicker, and drive each other crazy along the way, and a good dose of magic and mystery. Alternating points of view help balance the plot with revelations about the well-developed characters' pasts, and keep the pages turning. Older tweens and teens will relate to the characters as they test their beliefs in destiny, love at first sight, and true love. The cliffhanger ending will have fans eager for the next installment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in The Bone Spindle. How much is too much? Is reading it different from seeing in movies, videos, and other media?
Do you like new or different takes on old, familiar stories, or would you rather they stay the same? How does swapping genders change this story? Does it give you any new insights into the story itself, or what people are capable of?
Why are fantasies so popular? What do we love about them?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Razorbill
- Publication date : January 11, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 416
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate