“The Sleeper and the Spindle” by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell – Tales Twisted and Reborn

The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell (Book cover))
Old fairy tale classics have been alive for so many years for a reason: the basic stories have stood the test of time and resonate with us as much as they did for the folks of the time.

However, hearing them over and over again throughout the years does dull them a bit, stripping their inviting charm and replacing it with pure old boredom.

Thankfully though, there is nothing a skilled writer cannot solve with the help of his trusty pen (or pencil, or keyboard), and so Neil Gaiman set out to add a new twist to these old tales. The result is The Sleeper and the Spindle,  illustrated with jaw-dropping details by Chris Riddell.

This book basically brings Snow White and Sleeping Beauty together in the same story, though the former is only known as The Queen. Anyhow, three dwarves one day set out on a quest to bring some silk for The Queen who is to be wed soon, but encounter stories of a sickness spreading in a neighbouring kingdom, one that lulls everyone to sleep... with there being a princess in a castle that hasn't woken in over seventy years.

The dwarves return to their queen and inform her of the situation. Not being keen on the wedding to the begin with, The Queen decides to kiss her prince goodbye, takes up her sword and shield and, with the dwarves, heads onwards to face this curse and free the princess.

I won't reveal more of the story, but I will say that for those of you who have seen Riddell's illustration of The Queen kissing Sleeping Beauty, the story doesn't turn into a lesbian romance at all. It remains a complex and challenging fairy tale, with that choice having been made more out of pragmatism rather than anything.

With that being said, the story itself twists and turns on itself in rather unexpected ways and breathes some much-needed fresh air into fairy tales for adults. It's very interesting to see how Gaiman managed to create a mash-up of different stories, with many other characters from fairy tales making their appearances here and there... almost like cameos.

While the story remains simple it has a certain depth to it, one where the author discusses identity, the freedom of choice and the courage to proceed with it, just to name some things. The only real downside to this book is that it is a rather short one and will certainly leave you wanting more... though if Gaiman writes more of these, a collection is definitely to be expected.

One big reason The Sleeper and the Spindle is such a fantastic book is the work of Chris Riddell. His style of drawing is extremely detailed while being slightly cartoonish, and he truly knows how to make every element of the picture matter.

The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell (Book cover))
His art adds new dimensions to the story, bringing the characters and the locations to life right in front of you... even if this book came without text, the illustrations themselves would still be worth admiring.

All in all, this very unique book is a resounding success in what it set out to achieve and anyone who truly enjoys more complex fairy tales with new twists to them will fall in love with this story and the art that comes with it.


Neil Richard Gaiman (Author)

Neil Gaiman


Personal site

Neal Gaiman is an English author whose efforts have mostly consisted of short and graphic novels, comic books, audio plays and he even dabbled in films.

He received more than 24 awards for his books, including one International Horror Guild Award and one British Fantasy Award. Some of his better-known books include Stardust, The Alchemy of MirrorMask, and Smoke & Mirrors.

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