Shadow Spinner

Another kids book. Another GOOD kids book. You might recall the framing story of "1001 Nights". A Sultan is killing off the wives in his harem every night. That is, until a clever woman named Shahrazad tells the Sultan a fascinating tale and he lets her live another day. And the next day she tells

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another tale and is spared once again. And again, and again. Until after one thousand and one nights of storytelling, the Sultan calls off his killing spree. An exciting little framing device. But can you imagine what it would have been like to be Sharhazad? To have your life and those women waiting their turn depending on your evening's performance? This tale is set when Sharazad is in the 980s of her ordeal. She's running out of stories and needs some help. Through a twist of fate, a servant girl named Marjan--a budding storyteller herself--is called upon to help the effort. It's a great book which not only had an interesting plot, but also touched a chord in my writer's soul. If my daughter doesn't want it for herself, I'm going to put it on my shelf.
--J.

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A riveting tale about a girl living the exciting story of 101 nights-the cruel sultan that killed his wives at sunset until one brave wife keeps him from killing her with her exotic tales-but the wife is running out of stories!
Can a crippled girl find a story in time to save the Sultan's wife?

When Marjan, a thirteen-year-old crippled girl, joins the Sultan's harem in ancient Persia, she gathers for Shahrazad the stories which will save the queen's life. Adventure ensues. Marjan is able to convince the Sultan of Shahrazad's love for him, and he no longer requires stories. Simultaneously,

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Marjan learns to forgive her deceased mother, who crippled her to keep her from being killed by the Sultan.

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Marjan a crippled orphan is taken as a servant into the Sultan's harem. She aids Shahrazad in new stories to placate the Sultan and save the queen's life.

Shahrazad is running out of stories . . . and out of time. She is desperate so when her sister overhears a young girl, Marjan, telling a story in a market - Marjan is brought to the palace to tell Shahrazad the story. Unfortunately Marjan doesn't know the ending so in a life threatening move Marjan

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sneaks out of the palace in order to learn the ending to the story and save Shahrazad's life.

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This story takes place in Persia about a thousand years ago. The Sultan, who was betrayed by his first wife, marries a new woman every day, then kills her at night. Then he marries Shahrazad, who must tell him a new story every night to save her life and the lives of the village women. Shahrazad

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has run out of stories to tell the Sultan, so she must enlist the help of Marjan. After telling the first half of Marjan’s story to the Sultan, the Sultan wants to hear the end, so she must find the storyteller to learn the rest of the story and save her life.

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Loved it. This author can use words to create the smell of the market place, the sensations of being blindfolded and carried, and help you listen to thngs you cannot see. A wonderful sensory author.

This book is based off of myth of Shaharazad (sp?). It's written for young adults, one I'd had on my shelf but never read before. The plot and the characters are both very well done, but since the style is meant for like seventh graders I wouldn't call it amazing.

Shadow Spinner is a fun 'middle grader' book set in Ancient Persia as a new twist on the story of 1001 Arabian Nights. In the original story of 1001 Arabian Nights, Shaharazad is the Sultan's wife who is keeping herself alive by telling the Sultan a story every night and ending each night without

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finishing the story so that the Sultan's curiosity will be aroused and he will keep her alive another day to finish the story.

In this retelling, we visit the world of Sultans, harems, palaces and slaves as seen through the eyes of Marjan, a crippled young girl (pre/early teens?). Marjan is visiting the palace one day to sell wares and while there she starts to tell a story to some of the children. Sharazad has been running out of new stories to tell the Sultan so upon hearing Marjan's storytelling, she pulls Marjan into the harem to help come up with stories.

The plot takes a few twists and turns as the Sultan recognizes Marjan's story and wants to hear the rest of it but Marjan doesn't know the second part of the story. There's a lot of fun intrigue and revelation as Marjan works with Shaharazad to find the ending to the story and to unravel a few mysteries along the way.

The format and tone of this book were a lot of fun. Each chapter begins with a short blurb labeled "Lessons for Life and Storytelling." Many of these introductory segments are profoundly thought provoking. They act as a kind of philosophical meditation on life and the impact and importance that stories can have on life.

For a fairly short and simple book, I was pleasantly surprised at the fun developments of interesting characters and intriguing plot. There were some points that were predictable but others that were uniquely unexpected. I haven't read the original 1001 Arabian Nights so I can't speak directly as to how it compares. It does evoke at least a sense of Ancient Persia and I had fun getting into the layers of myth and storytelling that Shaharazad (and others) used to present their messages.

****
4 out of 5

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Every evening, the brave queen of Persia, Shahrazad, goes into the Sultan's rooms and begins a weave of words, hoping to entice the Sultan to let her live another night so she can continue her story. But Shahrazad has a big problem: She is running out of stories. With a delicate stroke of luck, a

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cripple girl, Marjan, ventures into the harem with her Aunt to sell various wares. As her Aunt is selling things, Marjan entertains some of the children with a story. Unbeknownst to Marjan, Shahrazad's sister, Dunyazad, has heard her telling the story. Marjan is taken directly to Shahrazad and asked to recount the story. The tale keeps the queen alive another night and the queen decides to keep Marjan.
As her helper, Marjan has to go into the city and look for tales that the Sultan has not heard. She has several close calls with the Kathun, the voracious female who rules the harem and who is set against
Shahrazad. Finally the Sultan proclaims that he will stop killing women every night. Unfortunately, Marjan is still in danger and has to be taken out of the city along with Zaynab, an old woman who assisted Marjan.

Since my mom suggested this book to me, I thought that it would be boring. It was quite the opposite. I was intrigued from the very beginning to the end. I loved the byplay between the characters and the thrilling escapes from various places. One thing that didn't please me was the ending. The ending was abrupt; the story just kind of stopped and left you wondering what happened next in Marjan's life. But all in all, this book was amazing and I have read and re-read it many times

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This is a wonderful book that takes you straight to the streets of Persia. Marjan is a captivating character and the stories that she tells and the story that she is entangled in are fantastic! Adults and kids will love this story.

This book surprised me by how well it drew me in. I think that many of my boy readers would be drawn into this. I enjoy this type of historical fiction anyway, but was impressed by how Fletcher connects characters. The “Lessons for Life and Storytelling” both kept readers thinking about what

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was to come and gave great hints on how to tell stories; a sort of how-to on the writing process in some ways. Beyond the adventure in the story itself, there is a fine morality tale and serious life-changing decisions being made. As the story of Marjan’s foot becomes known to the reader, it gives perspective into the lives that girls live here in the US.

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plenty in Clan but none in CC

This is a middle grade fictional novel about some of what went on behind the scenes in the story of Shahrazad and the 1001 nights. It's a quick read, but has some interesting twists and good characters. And it follows it's own advice, weaving lessons into the story that it tells.

The story of Shahrazad has always puzzled me. This King kills his wives day after day and his people just let it happen? They didn't revolt? Monarchies have been tumbled for much less! Yet this slip of a girl manages to stand up to this King and save her people.

She has never gotten her proper due

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in my opinion.

Fletcher's book however is a decent step in that direction. Though about Marjan, we see what it must be like for Shahrazad. Night after night for years, constantly frightened and stressed that at any moment the wrong word, the word turn of phrase will get her family killed.

Marjan is just as brave and clever as Shahrazad, which is both a blessing and curse for women in those days. A muslim hired out to a Jewish man and his wife, her life isn't easy, but they care for her like a daughter and she is happy at least. Its not that Marjan does reckless things--impetuous perhaps, but not reckless. She emphasizes with Shahrazad and reveres her like a hero, willing to do anything (including putting her life at risk) to save hers.

The outside 'force' in the story, that of the Sultan's greedy, waspish, over indulgent mother Khatun, is necessary. Her actions are just this side of evil, but they are covered with 'I need to protect my sons!'.

Just as in life, in Shadow Spinner things do not end 'perfectly'. A measure of happiness for most, but no real 'justice' is given to Khatun's actions and Marjan is forced to flee the city, never seeing her Aunt and Uncle, or friends at the palace again. I could almost wish for a sequel, to make sure that Marjan's life hereafter isn't a let down after this adventure, but sometimes a story needs an ending.

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