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I didn't know what I was actually picking up when I checked out Neil Gaiman's fairy tale, The Sleeper and the Spindle . Earlier this week, I mentioned his quote, "I like stories where women save themselves", and he was talking about fairy tales. The Sleeper and the Spindle , illustrated by Chris Riddell, has a couple unexpected twists, which I will not cover in this review. Three dwarfs, who had once lived with a queen, set out on a journey to buy silk for the young woman who was about to marry. But, the day before her wedding, the dwarfs returned to tell her that that world was falling asleep. It all seemed to stem from an old enchantment. Now, people throughout the neighboring kingdoms were falling under that enchantment, or plague, or whatever you wanted to call it. Only the spiders seem unaffected. They continued to spin webs, which now covered the people. The young queen, who was worried she would no longer have choices once she married, made a couple decisions. ...

"I like stories where women save themselves." That's a quote from Neil Gaiman, a quote about fairy tales. I do, too. That's why Belle in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" is my favorite Disney character. She saves her father and saves the Beast. After I read that quote, yesterday I picked up an older title by Gaiman,  The Sleeper and the Spindle .It's the story of a young queen who is afraid she's going to lose all choices when she marries. When three dwarfs tell her about a spell that put a princess to sleep, the queen postpones her wedding, dons her mail shirt, and sets out to rescue the princess. And, you don't know the rest of Gaiman's story, illustrated by Chris Riddell. So, I'm reading fairy tales this week. I didn't have much time to check in with you last week while I was on vacation. I'm looking forward to catching up with your reading this week. What are you reading or listening to?

Title:  American Gods Author:  Neil Gaiman Publishing Information: Paperback, 576 pages Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (March 28, 2017) ISBN-10: 0062572237 ISBN-13: 978-0062572233 Copy: Sent by Publisher Reviewer: Yagiz " R eleased from prison, Shadow finds his world turned upside down. His wife has been killed; a mysterious stranger offers him a job. But Mr. Wednesday, who knows more about Shadow than is possible, warns that a storm is coming -- a battle for the very soul of America . . . and they are in its direct path." M any consider Neil Gaiman 's American Gods  one of his best works. Consequently it had been on my radar for a long while. But you know how it goes: there are too many good books to read, and never enough time. When I received a copy of the 10th anniversary edition from the publisher, I took it as a sign, and I started to read it the same evening. And I was hooked from the first chapter. The main protagonist, Shadow, is a big fella trying to ...

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman Publishing information: Hardback; 304pgs Publisher: WW Norton & Co., 7 Feb 17 ISBN: 9780393609097 Standalone Copy: Out of pocket Reviewer: Tyson Amazon Synopsis: "Introducing an instant classic―master storyteller Neil Gaiman presents a dazzling version of the great Norse myths. Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales. In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki―son of a giant―blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator. Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, ...