Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Spinning Silver

Overall Thoughts:
⁕ This book is layered and has so many moving pieces at all times! It’s impressive how Novik ties it all together, but the plot is over-complicated and bogged down at points.

⁕ The characters are so unique and distinct from one another… I just didn’t find them personable and had a hard time emotionally connecting to them.

⁕ Novik’s writing style has all the markers of dark, traditionally western fairytales. It is worth it for the ✨a e s t h e t i c ✨if nothing else.

To read my full review, visit: https://evereads.online
For regular book-related content, follow my Instagram account: @eve_reads

Content Warnings

kaziaroo's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I’ll begin by admitting I was disappointed in this book because I was hoping it would be like Uprooted (by the same author), which I enjoyed a few years ago, and given the rave reviews I was sure I’d enjoy it even though the blurb didn’t sound very interesting to me. And in the first half, I was optimistic; it was nothing like Uprooted, but I still held out hope that I could enjoy it because it was well written if a bit slow. My attention was wandering, but I was sure that as the plot progressed and I got more into it I’d be more interested.

Unfortunately, the second half was only worse. By the time I was two thirds of the way through, I was thoroughly bored and couldn’t wait for it to end. I didn’t warm (pardon the pun) to any of the characters, and by the end I was sick of them. Unlike most reviewers, I enjoyed the unlabelled point of view (POV) transitions – that is, until the number of POVs kept increasing and I was dragged back to the perspective of side characters who had no reason to have so much time in the spotlight. None of the character relationships were convincing or fleshed out enough to be interesting, and the characters themselves were unlikeable. It seemed like no matter whose perspective was next, I was still disappointed.

I also want to mention some more serious flaws in this book (avoiding spoilers as much as I can). This book tries very hard to make certain characters forgivable, even for horrible sins, making their sins not only forgiven but also forgotten as if they never did anything wrong. This makes the ending very uncomfortable as the author clearly wants you to believe that the characters will live happily ever after, but there’s just no precedent for this. Characters who hated each other (for good reason) throughout the book suddenly love each other with no build-up, further shattering any remaining suspension of disbelief. Everything is tidied up into a neat happy ending with no negative consequences, even when they are justly deserved. This left me feeling sour and unsatisfied.

Despite this, I gave Spinning Silver three stars because it was still well written on a sentence level and the characters had distinctive voices (although I did forget who was talking halfway through a chapter once or twice, so maybe not always!), and the first half was decent. There were some nice domestic scenes which, while they slowed the book down, I found enjoyable to sink into. I’m now teetering between 2 and 3 stars, so who knows, maybe I’ll go back and edit this later after thinking further. On the other hand, I feel like I've spent more than enough time with this book.

Content Warnings

soundlysmitten's review against another edition

Go to review page

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?

Content Warnings

pardum's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional tense fast-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? No

4.75

This is everything you want in a modern fairy tale. It hints at the classics enough to be familiar without being predictable.

Content Warnings

puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

More...