Mixed Feelings // Spin the Dawn Mini Review + Aesthetic

AMAZON — GOODREADS — BARNES & NOBLE — BOOK DEPOSITORY

I feel like I should start paying more attention to book descriptions because the first few lines of marketing spiel can be quite deceiving.

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“Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor …”

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That’s the first (and only) thing I saw about this book that prompted me to read it. It’s probably what’s made several other people eager to read this book, because who wouldn’t be drawn in by the promise of a Mulan kind of story?

However, I think it was a mistake to market this book as a Mulan retelling. Because people (including me) end up comparing Maia and her story to that of Mulan, and when they differ, we end up judging it badly. The Mulan similarities start and end with Maia going to the palace on her father’s behalf (while disguised as a man).

This story also has a few “Aladdin-ish” tendencies, with Edan being a sort-of genie, and there’s a magic carpet somewhere in there, but I won’t go as far as to call it a retelling of that story either.

The good news is, if you’re wary of stories that are too much like existing fairy tales, have no fear. When you get over comparing Maia’s story to that of Mulan, you’ll realise that Spin the Dawn is its own story.. And you’ll enjoy it like I did.

On the other hand, I kind of regret reading it. For some reason, I went into this thinking it would be a standalone (what happens when you don’t read the synopsis before venturing into a new book). And I was happy because the last thing I’m in the mood for is a book that’ll leave me on a cliff’s edge while I’m waiting for the sequel. It wasn’t until I got well into the story and things started escalating to a point that I realised it’ll take more than a book to finish Maia’s story. And to my dismay, the second instalment won’t be out until next summer. So, here I am, face palming real hard because my lack of attention led me to have mixed feelings about a good book.

For your viewing pleasure, here’s an aesthetic inspired by Spin the Dawn.

I’ve come to realise that pictures like this are pretty meaningless unless you’ve read the books behind them. So, have fun figuring out what a walnut, a hawk, and some sewing paraphernalia are doing in the same picture.

How much attention do you pay to a book’s synopsis before you decide to open it?