THE BONE SPINDLE

Two treasure hunters aim to save a sleeping prince in this gender-swapped “Sleeping Beauty.”

Historian Filore Nenroa and lady “huntsman” Shane Ragnall are teen treasure hunters, each doomed by curse or circumstance to wander far from their homes. While exploring magical ruins, Fi pricks her finger on a spindle and discovers that she is destined to wake Briar Rose, the beautiful sleeping prince who seems to have stepped straight out of shōjo manga. Meanwhile, Shane meets Red, a mysterious and enthralling young woman who keeps popping up at just the right moments. Looming over their journey is the Spindle Witch, who cursed Briar Rose and his fallen kingdom. Vedder comes across as very self-aware of the clichés she is subverting. The unsatisfying ending is clearly a setup for sequels; nevertheless, the overall impression is charming, with lively adventure, likable characters, and a creative take on magic and witches. The romances between Fi and Briar and Shane and Red are passionate and fluttery but stay realistic by—pointedly—rejecting destiny. Fi and Shane face exciting, video game–like fights and puzzles during their quests, always doing their best to avoid killing people. In this fairy-tale world, being gay is satisfyingly unremarkable. Two of the protagonists read as White; the other two ambiguously have tan skin and dark hair, and background characters have a range of skin tones.

An enchanting read for fans of fairy-tale romance and girls with battle axes.