Robin McKinley

Robin McKinley is an American author of fantasy and children's books. She is best known for her retellings of classic fairy tales, including 'Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast,' 'Rose Daughter,' and 'Spindle's End.' McKinley has won numerous awards for her work, including the prestigious Newbery Medal for her novel 'The Hero and the Crown.' Her writing is characterized by rich world-building, strong female protagonists, and lyrical prose.

Books

This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

  1. 1. The Blue Sword

    Cover of 'The Blue Sword' by Robin McKinley

    The protagonist, a young orphan girl, is taken captive by a desert king in a foreign land. She discovers within herself a latent magical power and a destiny tied to the fate of the kingdom. As she trains under the king's tutelage, she becomes a warrior and a key figure in an impending war. The girl must navigate politics, magic, and her own self-discovery to protect her new home and its people.

  2. 2. Spindle’s End

    Cover of 'Spindle’s End' by Robin McKinley

    In this enchanting retelling of a classic fairy tale, a princess is cursed by an evil fairy to prick her finger on a spindle and die on her twenty-first birthday. To protect her, the infant princess is spirited away by a young fairy and raised in a small village, unaware of her royal heritage. As her twenty-first birthday approaches, various forces converge to either save or doom her, leading to a journey of self-discovery, magic, and adventure. With the help of her friends, including animals she can communicate with, the princess must find a way to break the curse and embrace her true destiny.

  3. 3. Sunshine

    Cover of 'Sunshine' by Robin McKinley

    "Sunshine" is a dark fantasy novel by Robin McKinley that follows the story of a young woman named Rae "Sunshine" Seddon, who works as a baker in a small town. One night, she is kidnapped by a group of vampires and taken to an abandoned mansion where she is held captive with a vampire named Constantine. As they work together to escape, Sunshine discovers her own hidden powers and becomes entangled in a dangerous world of magic and supernatural beings. The novel explores themes of identity, acceptance, and the power of love and friendship.