Everything was rushed and any sort of character development or worldbuilding was but a shapeless blur passed over in order to hit the main plot points. The essence of this story is just not there and the connective tissue between moments is really thin. The novella reads like a young adult novel that got torn apart and forced into smaller packaging. I was on the verge of buying in at first, but once Zinnia pricks her finger on the spindle the threads start to unravel. She’s brutally honest about her dire situation and arms herself with a lot of irreverent humor. Our initial introduction to Zinnia’s world was captivating. The two decide they want to rewrite their stories and set out on an adventure to find a new happily ever after. She finds herself in a fairy tale with Princess Primrose who shares the same curse as Sleeping Beauty. Fully committed to the theme, Zinnia pricks her finger on the spindle and is immediately transported to another world. For her last birthday, Zinnia’s best friend surprises her with a sleeping beauty-themed party in an abandoned tower complete with warm beer, roses, and even a spindle. Nobody with Generalized Roseville Malady (GRM) has lived to twenty-two, and Zinnia has already spent twenty-one years under her parent’s oppressive sorrow with a need to live life and do it quickly. Unfortunately, Prince Charming’s kiss is not a cure for Zinnia’s rare medical condition. Zinnia Gray is obsessed with Sleeping Beauty because she’s been cursed just like the classic fairy-tale princess. I certainly loved what this story tried to be, but unfortunately, there were other forces at play. Harrow presented an intriguing remix of Sleeping Beauty in A Spindle Splintered. I am never one to shy away from retellings, and I can’t deny Alix E.

A spindle splintered