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cranereader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Violence, and Physical abuse
Minor: Death of parent, Murder, and Kidnapping
soundlysmitten's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Spinning Silver has the feel of a wintry folktale. It’s largely set in a magic-adjacent world inspired by medieval Lithuania and it follows the lives of three young women suffering at the hands of the patriarchy. Each woman has a unique storyline, but their paths slowly weave in and out of intersection as mayhem and sorcery ensue, and the three endeavor to alter not only their own fates, but the fate of the world as they know it.
Something I admired about this novel is the variety of myths it draws from while still maintaining a distinct narrative. To name a few: Miryem’s trials with the Staryk King channel the tales of Rumpelstiltskin and Hades & Persephone, Irina’s predicament with Mirnatius incorporates aspects of Bluebeard and One Thousand and One Nights, and Wanda’s story seems to involve elements of Hansel and Gretel as well as The Juniper Tree.
However, if you enjoy an abundance of action, this might not be the book for you. The content is complex but the pace is more leisurely and the quaint language and spellbinding imagery are best appreciated unhurried. With a myriad of POVs to boast, the story does meander quite a bit, but I personally enjoyed the way it goes. Some people mention disliking how the author chose to use the symbol of a spinning wheel to signify a change in perspective rather than label each section by name. But again, I found the spinning wheel charming and thought there was always enough context to properly glean who was speaking.
As the most popular narrative still seems to imply a heroine must be of ‘unparalleled beauty’ or whatever, I appreciated that the women in Spinning Silver are not prized for their appearance, but for their agency, loyalty, and resoluteness. They each have some questionable moments, but it seems natural for a person’s flaws to flare dramatically in survival mode. And by the end, Irina learns to wield a balance of cunning and compassion, Wanda pairs her newfound independence with fierce devotion, and Miryem is both empowered and humbled at once. Even though there’s a bit of romance in the conclusion of the story, I was glad to see each character’s personal journey played out independently first. And I loved that the story emphasizes family more than romance. Let sisterhood and found families abound 😽But the way Wanda and her brothers come together, first with each other, and then with Miryem’s parents in wake of Miryem’s absence… that especially pulled on my heart strings.
Most notably, I’d like to acknowledge the portrayal of Jewish heritage in Spinning Silver. To me, one of the most beautiful parts of the book involves the gifting of a Jewish name. Of course, there’s also mentions of hatefulness which point to the history of antisemitism. But in retrospect, I see how Miryem playing Rumpelstiltskin, specifically, may further serve to challenge antisemitic stereotypes. This connection was lost on me initially because I was ignorant till just now of the roots of the fairytale I grew up hearing. And turns out this is not the only tale by the Brothers Grimm inspired by antisemitism… Is this common knowledge?
Something I admired about this novel is the variety of myths it draws from while still maintaining a distinct narrative. To name a few: Miryem’s trials with the Staryk King channel the tales of Rumpelstiltskin and Hades & Persephone, Irina’s predicament with Mirnatius incorporates aspects of Bluebeard and One Thousand and One Nights, and Wanda’s story seems to involve elements of Hansel and Gretel as well as The Juniper Tree.
However, if you enjoy an abundance of action, this might not be the book for you. The content is complex but the pace is more leisurely and the quaint language and spellbinding imagery are best appreciated unhurried. With a myriad of POVs to boast, the story does meander quite a bit, but I personally enjoyed the way it goes. Some people mention disliking how the author chose to use the symbol of a spinning wheel to signify a change in perspective rather than label each section by name. But again, I found the spinning wheel charming and thought there was always enough context to properly glean who was speaking.
As the most popular narrative still seems to imply a heroine must be of ‘unparalleled beauty’ or whatever, I appreciated that the women in Spinning Silver are not prized for their appearance, but for their agency, loyalty, and resoluteness. They each have some questionable moments, but it seems natural for a person’s flaws to flare dramatically in survival mode. And by the end, Irina learns to wield a balance of cunning and compassion, Wanda pairs her newfound independence with fierce devotion, and Miryem is both empowered and humbled at once. Even though there’s a bit of romance in the conclusion of the story, I was glad to see each character’s personal journey played out independently first. And I loved that the story emphasizes family more than romance. Let sisterhood and found families abound 😽
Most notably, I’d like to acknowledge the portrayal of Jewish heritage in Spinning Silver. To me, one of the most beautiful parts of the book involves the gifting of a Jewish name. Of course, there’s also mentions of hatefulness which point to the history of antisemitism. But in retrospect, I see how Miryem playing Rumpelstiltskin, specifically, may further serve to challenge antisemitic stereotypes. This connection was lost on me initially because I was ignorant till just now of the roots of the fairytale I grew up hearing. And turns out this is not the only tale by the Brothers Grimm inspired by antisemitism… Is this common knowledge?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Torture
mypoornerves's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Antisemitism
dsarbear's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Physical abuse
readandfindout's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
Style/writing: 4 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Worldbuilding: 4 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Worldbuilding: 4 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Religious bigotry, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Antisemitism, Alcoholism, Child death, Death of parent, Body horror, Violence, Sexism, Grief, Confinement, Racism, Torture, and Blood
Minor: Animal death and Miscarriage
taliesinrex's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Outfitted with both playful storybook logic and grounded character motivations against fantastical imagery that effectively fleshes out its Slavic fairytale-inspired setting, Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver is an artfully constructed reimagining of the Rumplestiltskin fable that just completely blew me away. Novik does an amazing job introducing us to the three central female characters and weaving an enthralling narrative intertwining each of them as we get a clearer picture of each of their motivations and personalities. I found myself deeply caring for each of them, as well as the characters entrenched in each of their lives - Wanda and her brothers, Irina and her nursemaid, Miryem and her family, and even the Staryk king and the tsar Mirnatius.
Though I'm not totally used to reading - and fully enjoying, I should add - books heavy on first-person narration, especially ones that switch between narrators, in the case of Spinning Silver I think it really worked in its favor. Novik's prose reveals the deep sentimentalities of each narrating character with such sincerity that I found myself pretty misty-eyed at several points within each main character's journey and even the stories of supporting characters (Wanda and her siblings' relationship with Miryem's parents hit me especially hard). I think the culmination of the swapping narrators is during the climactic confrontation at Miryem's cousin's wedding, a scene that one would expect to see through Miryem or Irina's perspective, or even perhaps Wanda's that we view through the eyes of Wanda's frightened young brother, Stepon, who feels like an outsider to the whole story that has been unfolding just outside his view. This doesn't seem like something that should work to tie this scene together, but in all its frantic action, seeing it in the perspective of a young boy perplexed by the strange, otherworldly events taking place unites all the moving pieces perfectly.
All in all, I've gone on for long enough and just wanted to conclude by saying I found everything I was looking for and more from a retelling of a fairytale in Spinning Silver. It's incredibly clever and well-constructed, and I'd recommend it to basically any fan of fantasy. As an aside, I also wanted to addthat Miryem and the Staryk king may be the only m/f enemies-to-lovers relationship that, at its beginning, saw one party being really incredibly cruel to the other that I have ever truly felt invested in...the development of their dynamic felt natural within the folkloric arc of Miryem's story while also coming from a place of genuine respect, and that just made me very happy.
Though I'm not totally used to reading - and fully enjoying, I should add - books heavy on first-person narration, especially ones that switch between narrators, in the case of Spinning Silver I think it really worked in its favor. Novik's prose reveals the deep sentimentalities of each narrating character with such sincerity that I found myself pretty misty-eyed at several points within each main character's journey and even the stories of supporting characters (Wanda and her siblings' relationship with Miryem's parents hit me especially hard). I think the culmination of the swapping narrators is during the climactic confrontation at Miryem's cousin's wedding, a scene that one would expect to see through Miryem or Irina's perspective, or even perhaps Wanda's that we view through the eyes of Wanda's frightened young brother, Stepon, who feels like an outsider to the whole story that has been unfolding just outside his view. This doesn't seem like something that should work to tie this scene together, but in all its frantic action, seeing it in the perspective of a young boy perplexed by the strange, otherworldly events taking place unites all the moving pieces perfectly.
All in all, I've gone on for long enough and just wanted to conclude by saying I found everything I was looking for and more from a retelling of a fairytale in Spinning Silver. It's incredibly clever and well-constructed, and I'd recommend it to basically any fan of fantasy. As an aside, I also wanted to add
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Physical abuse
Moderate: Antisemitism and Death of parent
Minor: Rape
bluejayreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I did not have very high hopes for this book. I picked it up because I like fairy tale-inspired fantasy and this looked like an interesting mash-up between the Snow Queen and Rumpelstiltskin. But it also is an 18-hour audiobook and I have a fairly short attention span, so a book has to be really good to make me willing to spend 18 hours with it.
Spinning Silver absolutely delivered. I loved this story.
To start with, the back cover makes it sound like Miryem is the only main character and her two "unlikely allies" are supporting characters in her story. That is incorrect. Miryem has her own story, true, but Wanda and Irina (the lord's daughter) have their own stories too, intertwined but completely distinct. (I think Irina and Miryem meet once, maybe twice, and I don't recall Irina and Wanda ever meeting.) Not only did Naomi Novik give me a fantastic fairy tale, she gave me three fantastic fairy tales spun together in one book.
Each of the three heroines are their own distinct person to root for. Miryem is the granddaughter of a very successful moneylender and the daughter of a very unsuccessful one - her father is a wonderfully kind and compassionate man, but he's too kind to collect from the people who owe him so his family lives in poverty and disgrace. Miryem stomps down her compassion to collect the debts, and becomes so good at moneylending that she brags she can "turn silver into gold" and attracts the attention of the Staryk king. And not only is she Jewish, her being Jewish is what saves the day towards the end.
Irina is a lord's daughter, but she is too plain to be married off to anyone of consequence - until her father develops a plan to use Staryk magic to marry her to the tsar. The tsar is not what he seems and brings another dangerous player into the story. Irina is up to the task of surviving this new threat, though, and is not only strong and brave but also concerned for the safety and interests of her people. All of the characters are compelling in their own right, but Irina is by far the most kind-hearted.
Wanda is a peasant farmer's daughter who ends up working for Miryem's family to pay off her father's debt. Her mother is dead and her father is drunk and severely abusive, and all she wants is to have enough money to get away from him. Her story is less about magic and fae than the other two protagonists' and much more human, but just as compelling - and in some ways more relatable, because fae kings and eternal winter aren't a common situation but abusive families sure are.
The setting and the plot are so intertwined that you can't really talk about one without the other. It has a clear Eastern European feel (Naomi says on her website that the book is based on Polish folklore) and a definite 17th-century-peasant-village vibe without romantacizing the harshness of that life. Miryem and Irina are, through their own separate circumstances and methods, working to prevent the Staryk from creating perpetual winter. Wanda is assisting where she can, quiet but strong and brave. (This description makes her sound less interesting than the other two but I promise she is not.) And above all, all three women are just trying to survive.
There is so much more in this book than what I can put into a review (again, 18-hour audiobook, nearly 500 pages in print). But it's all so worth it. I recall at least two times I thought the plot must be wrapping up soon and then got hit with another new twist, new bit of information, new change in the dynamic that made the magic continue. I can't even mention why the tsar is not what he seems without giving away a major spoiler. This book is dense and lyrical, fantastic and relatable, a story of supernatural forces considering humans beneath their notice and humans standing up and taking back their power. The folktale roots come through clearly, and it has a very strong folktale/fairy tale feel even in the writing style. I thoroughly, unreservedly ignored it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Body horror, Kidnapping, Child death, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Violence and Antisemitism
Forced marriage, poverty, possession/mind controlkatluna's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I think this book is beautifully written but just wasnt my vibe at the time. I loved Miriam, Wanda, and Irina and thought this book beautifully explored relationships with family. The relationships with the Staryk King and Tsar were so lightly written that I almost found the book ending to fast. Over all solid fairy tale retelling but I wish there was a little more focus on potential romantic relationships.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Child abuse
nofriendofmine's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Death of parent and Antisemitism
quinwithonen's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Incest