Shadow Spinner: Amazon.ca: Susan Fletcher: Books

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From Kirkus Reviews

A young girl, Marjan, rescues the fabled Shahrazad from the Sultan's wrath in this exciting and thought-provoking novel from Fletcher (Flight of the Dragon Kyn, 1993, etc.). With her crippled foot, Marjan never expects to be dragged off to the palace, but that is what happens after a chance meeting with Shahrazadthe storyteller who wins her life each night with cliffhanging stories for the sultan, and who obtains a story from Marjan. Heartbroken at leaving her Aunt Chava and her Uncle Eli, Marjan confronts cruelty within the palace's lush interior, where wives and concubines can be executed at the sultan's whim, and where the Khatun, the sultan's mother, spies on everyone. Dispatched by Shahrazad to find more stories, Marjan sneaks out into the marketplace, where she eventually finds an old storyteller who tells her the end of a story of which the sultan has become fond. Beaten and imprisoned by the Khatun, Marjan escapes the palace, only to return and tell the sultan an allegory that enables him to realize his love for Shahrazad, and to spare her life. Despite the licenses Fletcher takes with the story of Shahrazad, the novel may entice readers into the pages of Richard Burton's far richer work; they will appreciate the power of storytellingthat it may expand the soul of even the most hardened listener. (Fiction. 12-14) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Review

'a story of peril and intrigue beautifully written' Books for Keeps --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

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First Sentence
My auntie Chava used to say to me, "What's going to become of you, Marjan?" Read the first page

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Concordance

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

59 Reviews

5 star:		(45)
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3 star:		(1)
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Average Customer Review

4.7 out of 5 stars (59 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Shadow Spinner a Jade Room play, April 2 2004

By

Marlee Giglio (cambridge, Mass, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow Spinner (Paperback)

Once upon a time there was a sultant who married a beatiful wife who betrade him so he had her killed. So after this he married and killed a new wife every night, untill Sharazad. She kept herself alive by telling a story to the sultant everynight, for nine-hundred and eighty-nine nights! One day Marjan a thirteen-year old girl who has a crippled foot, took a trip to the harem, with her aunt Auntie Chava, to sell trinkets. Marjan ends up telling a story to some of the harem girls. Dunyazad Sharazad's sister listens in on the story Marjan is telling. So Dunyazad brings Marjan to Sharazad. Sharazad is despertly looking for a story to tell o the sultant that night. Marjan tells Sharazad a story that she never heard before. The story is about Julnar a beatiful mermaid. So Sharazad tells the story to the sultant. The sultant then wants to here about Julnars son. So Marjan is set out on an adventure to find the story. She thinks that she heard the story long ago when she was little in the bazaar from a blind storyteller. Marjan has succeded on her quest. She tells the story to Sharazad and Sharazad tells the sultant and Sharazad lives. Once again Marjan needs to get more of the story, but this time Dunyazad comes with Marjan. Remember this everytime Marjan leaves the harem she has to escape without anybody nowing, becaues no woman our aloud to leave the harem ever! All through out the story marjan keeps meeting new friends and enemies. For example: the Khatun (the sultants eveil mother), Ayaz (a poor boy), Zaynab (a crazy bird lady), Soraya (the sultants next victem), Uncle Eli (Auntie Chavas husband and Marjans Uncle) and final Mitra (a girl in the harem).

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5.0 out of 5 stars Shadow Spinner, Nov 29 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Shadow Spinner (Paperback)

Susan Fletcher wrote the book Shadow Spinner. It is about a girl named Marjan, in the Middle East who admires Shahrazad. Shahrazad is a wife to the Sultan in a harem who told stories to the Sultan to keep him from killing more wives than he already had. Dunyazad hears Marjan tell a story to some children in the harem and brings Marjan to her sister Shahrazad. Shahrazad is looking for a new story to tell, because the Sultan doesn't like to hear a story twice. Shahrazad never heard the story before and tells the Sultan it. The Sultan was told the story when he was a child and it was his favorite. The Sultan remembers another half to the story that Marjan never heard. The Sultan wants to hear the rest of the story so Dunyazad and Marjan have to track down the rest of the story.
It's a book of adventure. The author paints the scenes very well with words. I enjoyed the book very much and hope others will too.

A sixth grade student

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5.0 out of 5 stars Shady Says--!, Nov 12 2003

By

Muslima "ilana_muslima" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow Spinner (Paperback)

'Twas a good book. I've read it over and over and have given it to my friend who has fallen in love with it. I love the style, the eloquence, and the person which confines to us her narrative of an expression of deep thoughts and dark bitterness-the type of story that often makes a mark in the classics. Yes, the classic story (1000 tales) has its undying charm but this story is the story behind the stories. This book gave me insight, it gave me window to see charisma and writing as one.

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Most recent customer reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars how dares she?!
How dares this author destroy the wonderful character of Shahrazad? I understand that she wants to present a shy, physically imperfect girl (Marjan) as a person who realises her... Read more

Published on Nov 2 2003 by ex nihilo

5.0 out of 5 stars not only a tale for children
I loved this book. I am in highschool, and my reading level is past college, but this book was a great story. I read it in a day, and then I read it over again. Read more

Published on July 3 2003