The Spindlers

Creepy (spiders!!) and quite the adventure. Reminded me in a very vague way of the Gregor books.

This book reminds me of Gregor the overlander, so if you have a child who,enjoys make believe and adventure it's perfect

I started this one by reading an advanced copy, but I finished it up via the audiobook version through the Overdrive library system. This was an interesting read and one I plan to keep on the shelves. I also plan to watch for more stories from Lauren Oliver in the future. The Spindlers is the adventure of one girl named Liza who is searching for her real brother's soul and she believes he has been replaced by evil spider-like beings that suck out his soul. As she sets off to find Patrick she comes up against many different tests to find him again, or at least attempt to... This has a flavor of Alice in Wonderland and on some elements I even got a hint of Harry Potter here and there, and even Coralinebut really it's just the bringing out historical mythology of legends past.

This is a neat and interesting story that keeps a reader hooked, but that's not the important part. This is a book about maturity, about what matters most, about the truly important things. It touches on lots of issues that current in-between age children may see or experience but not really understand in relation to their siblings, friends and parents. This is a quest novel through an unbelievable underworld and has just the right amount of scary, and just the right amount of challenge. It is one of those that I truly think a reader can find his or herself growing in the end.


There is also a Discussion Guide available.


I received this product free for the purpose of reviewing it. I received no other compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are my personal, honest opinions. Your experience may vary. Please read my full disclosure policy for more details.

Will be posted to CreativeMadnessMama.com

I'm in love with Lauren Oliver's writing, and to be honest all I've read so far are her Middle Grade novels. If they are at all indicative of her overall writing style, I'm sold. Head over heels in love. Even as an adult reader The Spindlers captured my heart and mind. You couldn't have pried this book out of my hands.

Liza is our main character and I adored her from page one.Strong, stubborn, and braver than most young girls I know, she was a wonderful character to follow. Her belief in magic was sweet, and the relationship that she had with her brother Patrick was even sweeter. We all know that siblings bicker. That you can love the stuffing out of your younger brother or sister and still thing they are utterly obnoxious at times. I loved the reality of Liza's relationship with Patrick for that very reason. She knows what drives her crazy about him, and yet she sets it all aside to save him when he needs it.

What really sparked my imagination was the world that Oliver builds in the “Below”. Liza must face some rather terrifying events and inhabitants to save her sibling. I loved how they were just the right amount of scary, without being too over the top. Also, they are offset by the cunning that Liza must use to solve puzzles in her quest as well. There was such a nice mix of trials for her to pass that, despite being an older reader, I found myself entranced by her journey. It reminded me slightly of Alice in Wonderland. A girl who is young and on her own, and yet does great things.

The Spindlers deals with sibling relationships, friendship, and finding courage within. Best of all, it does it in a format that is friendly to young readers. If you have a reader at home who loves adventures, or who believes in magic, this is a book for them. Actually, even if you are adult and have these same qualities, you'll love this book! I did, and I can't wait for more from Lauren Oliver.

Liza is the only one who realizes her brother Patrick's soul has been stolen by wicked Spindlers, spider-ish creatures who live Below. Liza slips through a secret hole in the wall in her family's basement to search for her brother. She befriends a giant rat, Mirabella, who agrees to take her to the Spindlers.

Action. Adventure. Humor. Wit. This story has it all. You will love it, middle-grade readers.