Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I was drawn to Night Spinner upon hearing it was a retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. And while it’s more of a loose retelling (“inspired by” it instead of adaptaing a lot of the major plot beats), I still was not disappointed, appreciating how Addie Thorley took that inspiration in some key moments, particularly in the beginning, and created her own story from there, while also maintaining a theme of seeking acceptance from others.
Enebish is a pretty great main character. I empathized with her early on through seeing some of the things she went through due to the fact she lost control of her power and killed everyone in a merchant caravan, amplified by her ostracism from society. I could understand the hard choices she had to make from a simple hunt for a rebel to a choice between doing what she needs to belong and what is morally right.
The other characters are also pretty interesting. Serik is a complete sweetheart, and definitely my favorite character. I also hope the relationship between sisters is fleshed out more in the next book, as it plays a crucial role here, but it feels like there’s more to be explored.
With a compelling blend of a Hugo-esque atmosphere and a YA fantasy feel that is similar to the likes of Sarah J. Maas or Renee Ahdieh without feeling overly derivative, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to what’s next for these characters. And if you’re interested in what a blend of those elements would look like, I think you’ll enjoy this too.
Enebish is a pretty great main character. I empathized with her early on through seeing some of the things she went through due to the fact she lost control of her power and killed everyone in a merchant caravan, amplified by her ostracism from society. I could understand the hard choices she had to make from a simple hunt for a rebel to a choice between doing what she needs to belong and what is morally right.
The other characters are also pretty interesting. Serik is a complete sweetheart, and definitely my favorite character. I also hope the relationship between sisters is fleshed out more in the next book, as it plays a crucial role here, but it feels like there’s more to be explored.
With a compelling blend of a Hugo-esque atmosphere and a YA fantasy feel that is similar to the likes of Sarah J. Maas or Renee Ahdieh without feeling overly derivative, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to what’s next for these characters. And if you’re interested in what a blend of those elements would look like, I think you’ll enjoy this too.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: 3/5
Characters:3/5
Plotline:2/5
Themes:3/5
Writing:3/5
Enjoyment Factor:3/5
Review: I had such high hopes for this since it was advertised as a loose Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling, and I did see those themes and characters but it was overly predictable. I found that the plot was very loose and this was more character driven, but I had a hard time caring for the characters.
Characters:3/5
Plotline:2/5
Themes:3/5
Writing:3/5
Enjoyment Factor:3/5
Review: I had such high hopes for this since it was advertised as a loose Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling, and I did see those themes and characters but it was overly predictable. I found that the plot was very loose and this was more character driven, but I had a hard time caring for the characters.
I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.
Enebish is a wounded warrior, accused of murdering innocent merchants as a result of a mission going wrong. A mission that she can’t clearly remember but dreams of often. Exiled to a monastery filled with monks that hate her, only one person is at her side. A boy she’s grown up with since being taken in by a well-off family and Ghoa, her adopted sister who was more like a mother growing up. Serik is Ghoa’s cousin and grew up along side her and Enebish. Serik was given to the monastery when he didn’t develop a gift, to keep him from being treated as a second-class soldier in the war. Serik is the one true friend Enebish has. The one person who stands up to the monks for her. The one who tries the make her see reason. Also, the one who started the series of events that take place in this book…
I don’t want to give away too many details to this book, but I have to say, the only reason why it didn’t get a five star review is because I figured out a particular part of the plotline, or two. But the end twist was very good. Enebish is a bit naive for a seasoned warrior but perhaps she was simply desperate for a place to belong.
With Intrigue, deceit on all fronts, Night Spinner is a highly entertaining start to a series/duology. I can’t wait until book two come out!
Enebish is a wounded warrior, accused of murdering innocent merchants as a result of a mission going wrong. A mission that she can’t clearly remember but dreams of often. Exiled to a monastery filled with monks that hate her, only one person is at her side. A boy she’s grown up with since being taken in by a well-off family and Ghoa, her adopted sister who was more like a mother growing up. Serik is Ghoa’s cousin and grew up along side her and Enebish. Serik was given to the monastery when he didn’t develop a gift, to keep him from being treated as a second-class soldier in the war. Serik is the one true friend Enebish has. The one person who stands up to the monks for her. The one who tries the make her see reason. Also, the one who started the series of events that take place in this book…
I don’t want to give away too many details to this book, but I have to say, the only reason why it didn’t get a five star review is because I figured out a particular part of the plotline, or two. But the end twist was very good. Enebish is a bit naive for a seasoned warrior but perhaps she was simply desperate for a place to belong.
With Intrigue, deceit on all fronts, Night Spinner is a highly entertaining start to a series/duology. I can’t wait until book two come out!
I thoroughly enjoyed this Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling! From the first page I was sucked in by the magic system and it got better from there. There were twists within twists and by the end, you don't know who to believe.
The world-building could use some expanding but I think that will be rectified more in a 2nd book. I really appreciated how much grey area there was in terms of who was good and who was bad. Overall rating 4.5 stars!
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
The world-building could use some expanding but I think that will be rectified more in a 2nd book. I really appreciated how much grey area there was in terms of who was good and who was bad. Overall rating 4.5 stars!
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Going into this review I think it only fair to mention, that Night Spinner is supposed to be a retelling of the classic "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", which I haven't read so I'm not going to compare it to that (since my whole knowledge of that story is based on watching the Disney movie as a child).
The story starts out with our protagonist Enebish, exiled amongst monks for a crime that branded her a traitor and left her physically disfigured. Her only solice is her best friend and monk, Serik and her birds that she trains for the king. Enebish used to be one of the Kalima, a magic-wielding warrior, able to control the threads of darkness. Much like her adoptive sister Ghoa, who controlls the king's armies.
-
Startingt the book, we as a reader didn't really know much about Enebish or her history, which is something we came to learn over the course of the book. The same goes for the other character that we meet as the story progresses. Usually I think learning things as we go is a good thing because it feels less interruptive especially if it goes hand in hand with the worldbuilding, but to me the first third of the book felt a little slow. We met some of the important characters, learnt about the world and magic system but it took me a while to warm up to the book and writing. Things got better after a certain point and picked up speed though.
We quickly came to realize who the important characters were going to be and they were definitely more fleshed out than some of the others. Enebish, Serik, Ghoa and Temujin were by far the most realistic characters, or at least felt more real and fleshed out than the others. We had characters with different beliefs and character traits, opposing agendas and emotions. Unfortunately some of the side characters felt flat compared to the "main cast" and I felt myself not really invested in their fates.
Generally I feel like the wordlbuilding was there but not enough to give me a better understanding of the world and it conflicts, which I think is a pity since there was an active war going on and I would have loved to know more which would have made some of the motivations more tangible.
But overall I think that the story was captivating and always kept me curious. I had the feeling that there were things that were hidden to Enebish and the reader but couldn't quite figure out what exactly it was, which also left me questioning many of the character's motives and actions. The last third was especially good and I devoured it in one go wanting to know what would happen next.
I liked how relationships changed and evolved, how people grew and changed but sometimes I wished that things would have happened a little slower. In general I felt that some parts were a little rushed and that a 100 pages more would have been great to elaborate more on the worldbuilding and characters. I would also have loved to know more about the other Kalima powers, because I'm sure we barely got a glimpse of it.
What I really loved about the book though, was the slow burning romance. I'm not gonna go into detail here but to me it felt really relatable and I'm already excited to hopefully see more of it in the next book.
The ending itself was really satisfiying and definitely made me look forward to the release of a sequel (?). It ended at a great moment with much potential for another book.
Overall I would give it 3.5 to 4 stars.
Going into this review I think it only fair to mention, that Night Spinner is supposed to be a retelling of the classic "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", which I haven't read so I'm not going to compare it to that (since my whole knowledge of that story is based on watching the Disney movie as a child).
The story starts out with our protagonist Enebish, exiled amongst monks for a crime that branded her a traitor and left her physically disfigured. Her only solice is her best friend and monk, Serik and her birds that she trains for the king. Enebish used to be one of the Kalima, a magic-wielding warrior, able to control the threads of darkness. Much like her adoptive sister Ghoa, who controlls the king's armies.
-
Startingt the book, we as a reader didn't really know much about Enebish or her history, which is something we came to learn over the course of the book. The same goes for the other character that we meet as the story progresses. Usually I think learning things as we go is a good thing because it feels less interruptive especially if it goes hand in hand with the worldbuilding, but to me the first third of the book felt a little slow. We met some of the important characters, learnt about the world and magic system but it took me a while to warm up to the book and writing. Things got better after a certain point and picked up speed though.
We quickly came to realize who the important characters were going to be and they were definitely more fleshed out than some of the others. Enebish, Serik, Ghoa and Temujin were by far the most realistic characters, or at least felt more real and fleshed out than the others. We had characters with different beliefs and character traits, opposing agendas and emotions. Unfortunately some of the side characters felt flat compared to the "main cast" and I felt myself not really invested in their fates.
Generally I feel like the wordlbuilding was there but not enough to give me a better understanding of the world and it conflicts, which I think is a pity since there was an active war going on and I would have loved to know more which would have made some of the motivations more tangible.
But overall I think that the story was captivating and always kept me curious. I had the feeling that there were things that were hidden to Enebish and the reader but couldn't quite figure out what exactly it was, which also left me questioning many of the character's motives and actions. The last third was especially good and I devoured it in one go wanting to know what would happen next.
I liked how relationships changed and evolved, how people grew and changed but sometimes I wished that things would have happened a little slower. In general I felt that some parts were a little rushed and that a 100 pages more would have been great to elaborate more on the worldbuilding and characters. I would also have loved to know more about the other Kalima powers, because I'm sure we barely got a glimpse of it.
What I really loved about the book though, was the slow burning romance. I'm not gonna go into detail here but to me it felt really relatable and I'm already excited to hopefully see more of it in the next book.
The ending itself was really satisfiying and definitely made me look forward to the release of a sequel (?). It ended at a great moment with much potential for another book.
Overall I would give it 3.5 to 4 stars.
**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**
Addie Thorley begins a new young adult fantasy series with Night Spinner. Marketed as a Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling, Thorley introduces a magic system that is sure to please fans of the Grishaverse. Our titular Night Spinner is Enebish, a girl who was once a warrior in the Imperial Army. After losing control of her power, causing a massacre, and gaining the cognomen "the Destroyer", Enebish is sequestered in a monastery. Her foster sister, Ghoa, is an Ice Herald and becomes Commander of the Kalima (magically-gifted) portion of the Imperial Army. Enebish is surviving with the mental and physical scars from the day of the massacre when her sister comes to her with an offer. Infiltrate the rebellion called the Shoniin. Lead to the capture of the notorious criminal Temujin. Earn a pardon and reinstatement as a warrior.
Thorley manages to balance fast paced action with character development. I found myself very much invested in both Serik and Temujin, and enjoyed the way she introduced Kartok and his place in the story. Enebish came across as inherently good-natured, if naive, and was an accessible and relatable narrator. While I didn't exactly like Ghoa(nor do I think I was meant to), her ambition and manipulative tendencies were well-written.
This story was good fun, and it was easy to identify various roles being fulfilled from Hunchback. I understand that retellings are the fad of the moment, and this one is done well. But I almost wish it hadn't been marketed as a retelling, but evolved to stand on its own merit. It was a very quick read, and a solid introduction to a series. I do find myself eager to read the next installment, and am excited for how the story will grow outside of the Hunchback framework.
Addie Thorley begins a new young adult fantasy series with Night Spinner. Marketed as a Hunchback of Notre Dame retelling, Thorley introduces a magic system that is sure to please fans of the Grishaverse. Our titular Night Spinner is Enebish, a girl who was once a warrior in the Imperial Army. After losing control of her power, causing a massacre, and gaining the cognomen "the Destroyer", Enebish is sequestered in a monastery. Her foster sister, Ghoa, is an Ice Herald and becomes Commander of the Kalima (magically-gifted) portion of the Imperial Army. Enebish is surviving with the mental and physical scars from the day of the massacre when her sister comes to her with an offer. Infiltrate the rebellion called the Shoniin. Lead to the capture of the notorious criminal Temujin. Earn a pardon and reinstatement as a warrior.
Thorley manages to balance fast paced action with character development. I found myself very much invested in both Serik and Temujin, and enjoyed the way she introduced Kartok and his place in the story. Enebish came across as inherently good-natured, if naive, and was an accessible and relatable narrator. While I didn't exactly like Ghoa(nor do I think I was meant to), her ambition and manipulative tendencies were well-written.
This story was good fun, and it was easy to identify various roles being fulfilled from Hunchback. I understand that retellings are the fad of the moment, and this one is done well. But I almost wish it hadn't been marketed as a retelling, but evolved to stand on its own merit. It was a very quick read, and a solid introduction to a series. I do find myself eager to read the next installment, and am excited for how the story will grow outside of the Hunchback framework.
See this review and others at Whispers & Wonder
Night Spinner is a haunting, yet hopeful tale of betrayal, abandonment, and finding strength and purpose through suffering endured. Author Addie Thorley takes us on a journey defined by predetermined fate and the almighty power of acceptance, as she contends the war between good and evil is often skewed, and harmony is ultimately the desired outcome. Simply put, it's an engaging and touching story that I absolutely adored.
Thorley presents us with a wonderfully complex cast of layered characters, each always seeming to hide their true intentions behind a well-crafted facade. Enebish is a Night Spinner, one able to clutch and wield tendrils of night and starfire; a monster capable of massacring innocents when the darkness consumes her. Longing for freedom after imprisonment and to find her rightful place in the world, we witness her evolution as her constitution is constantly chipped away by deceit. You would assume she'd weaken, but she only grows stronger. The one constant in her life is Serik, and for fear of spoiling anything, I'll just say his progression is incredible to behold.
While at times it seems the villains are pretty evident, we begin to see that many of the characters within are willing to use others as means to an end, often altering what we believe to be true. This ongoing character development creates a constant injection of interest that flows perfectly along with the narrative, making this book nearly impossible to put down.
The strongest aspect of this story is its plot, which is bursting with twists and turns and oozing with tension. Several times throughout the book I believed I was finally on the right path, but nothing is ever as it seems and everything is merely an illusion, keeping me guessing until the very end. Simple prose allows for a strong emotional factor, which I found to be gripping and organic through use of a generally bleak tone and close character interactions. It's definitely a story that will sink its hooks and refuse to let go.
There's a lot of mention and implication of various aspects of the world, including cultural staples and deities, which in turn directly define and influence both the status of the world and its magic. I found myself intrigued by these concepts, but wished they were more thoroughly developed. Warring factions, led by complicated ruling powers, each side with unique appearances and abilities, warriors bestowed with divine gifts – unfortunately, the worldbuilding fell a bit flat for me and I needed more. I'm hoping to learn more about the world itself in future installments of this series.
Night Spinner is a compelling read that I thoroughly enjoyed making my way through. While it slightly suffers from a slow start, it quickly picked up and swept me away. The initial story arc ties up nicely, and readers are presented with the beginnings of the next leg of the journey, which I personally can't wait for. If you're on the hunt for a darker YA tale of finding one's true path in life, then this may be just the one you're looking for. I highly recommend.
Note: A huge thank you to Addie Thorley and Page Street Kids for providing me with an advance complementary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and to The Fantastic Flying Book Club for organizing and inviting me to participate in this book tour.
Be sure to check out all the other stops along the tour by visiting the official schedule here.
I know how it feels to lose everything. I know how it feels to be terrified and unsure. But I also know how it feels to be remade, to cloak yourself in steel and wash yourself with fire and refuse to be trampled. To stand and say, 'I am not what they make of me, but what I make of me.' Remake yourself, Enebish!
Night Spinner is a haunting, yet hopeful tale of betrayal, abandonment, and finding strength and purpose through suffering endured. Author Addie Thorley takes us on a journey defined by predetermined fate and the almighty power of acceptance, as she contends the war between good and evil is often skewed, and harmony is ultimately the desired outcome. Simply put, it's an engaging and touching story that I absolutely adored.
Thorley presents us with a wonderfully complex cast of layered characters, each always seeming to hide their true intentions behind a well-crafted facade. Enebish is a Night Spinner, one able to clutch and wield tendrils of night and starfire; a monster capable of massacring innocents when the darkness consumes her. Longing for freedom after imprisonment and to find her rightful place in the world, we witness her evolution as her constitution is constantly chipped away by deceit. You would assume she'd weaken, but she only grows stronger. The one constant in her life is Serik, and for fear of spoiling anything, I'll just say his progression is incredible to behold.
While at times it seems the villains are pretty evident, we begin to see that many of the characters within are willing to use others as means to an end, often altering what we believe to be true. This ongoing character development creates a constant injection of interest that flows perfectly along with the narrative, making this book nearly impossible to put down.
The strongest aspect of this story is its plot, which is bursting with twists and turns and oozing with tension. Several times throughout the book I believed I was finally on the right path, but nothing is ever as it seems and everything is merely an illusion, keeping me guessing until the very end. Simple prose allows for a strong emotional factor, which I found to be gripping and organic through use of a generally bleak tone and close character interactions. It's definitely a story that will sink its hooks and refuse to let go.
There's a lot of mention and implication of various aspects of the world, including cultural staples and deities, which in turn directly define and influence both the status of the world and its magic. I found myself intrigued by these concepts, but wished they were more thoroughly developed. Warring factions, led by complicated ruling powers, each side with unique appearances and abilities, warriors bestowed with divine gifts – unfortunately, the worldbuilding fell a bit flat for me and I needed more. I'm hoping to learn more about the world itself in future installments of this series.
Night Spinner is a compelling read that I thoroughly enjoyed making my way through. While it slightly suffers from a slow start, it quickly picked up and swept me away. The initial story arc ties up nicely, and readers are presented with the beginnings of the next leg of the journey, which I personally can't wait for. If you're on the hunt for a darker YA tale of finding one's true path in life, then this may be just the one you're looking for. I highly recommend.
Note: A huge thank you to Addie Thorley and Page Street Kids for providing me with an advance complementary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and to The Fantastic Flying Book Club for organizing and inviting me to participate in this book tour.
Be sure to check out all the other stops along the tour by visiting the official schedule here.
A lot of stories we can find in literature, cinema, or art are retellings of the classics, begging the question: why rewrite the same story? The answer is that often, when the story is changed, it can teach us something new or unexpected. By changing just a few details, there is representation for people who weren't there before, or a deeper understanding of multiple characters. Retellings are the most exciting stories, in my opinion, because they can be viewed as a kind competition -- who did it best, the original or the retelling? Like the book vs. adaptation question, this question lacks a clear answer. Luckily, that means we can continue to invite these stories into the world, and Addie Thorley does just that with her novel, Night Spinner. A retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which combines epic fantasy elements, engaging characters, and a series of crazy plot twists, Night Spinner proves that retellings are surprising and necessary.
Addie Thorley, author of Night Spinner, also wrote the YA historical fiction novel An Affair of Poisons, which was chosen as a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers selection and is a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults nominee. After graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in journalism, Thorley decided to enter the world of fiction, and never looked back (good call!!). Now, Thorley lives in Princeton, NJ with her husband, daughter, and wolf dog. You can find her on Twitter @addiethorley or at www.addiethorley.com.
Enebish was one of the greatest warriors in the Sky King's Imperial Army before the massacre. Honored with the titled Enebish the Warrior, she utilized her powers of the night sky as a Night Spinner to protect the people of Ashkar against their enemies, the Zemyans. Now, she's known as Enebish the Destroyer, banished as a traitor to a monastery far from home. But when her adoptive sister, Imperial Army commander Ghoa, arrives with an opportunity for Enebish to return as one of the warriors of the Kalima, Enebish jumps at the chance to prove herself. All she has to do is find the notorious Temujin, whose band of rebels has been stealing the army's supplies. Sounds simple enough, until Enebish becomes reacquainted with the country that's now losing a war. She's torn between duty and conscience, Temujin and her sister. No matter who she chooses, can she still help her people? Or will they still be defeated by an even greater enemy?
Enebish is another amazing female main character to add to the ranks of the amazing female main characters of fantasy. Her character is one that we have to pull apart at different levels to understand. She sees herself in black and white: the Enebish before the massacre, and the Enebish she is now. Warrior or Destroyer. She's drawn by conscience and duty -- another juxtaposed pair, which to her are two choices that can't exist together. The only constants are Serik, her best friend since childhood; her Night Spinning -- even if she can't always practice it; and her faith, despite all the twists and turns that might cause anyone else to lose faith. Throughout the course of the book, though, we learn that there aren't just two Enebishs -- there's multiple that mesh together to create the whole character: Enebish before she was taken in by Ghoa as a child; Enebeish the Warrior; Enebish the Destroyer; the Enebish she wishes she was; the in-between Enebish she is during the course of the novel as she tries to redefine herself and her place. It's a treat to see all these versionsof the same character, because we truly get to see Enebish evolve and grow. I also enjoy that she's not strong -- she's disabled, she hasn't used her magic for years and still struggles to regain control of it, and she's dependent. Enebish is wildly criticized by those closest to her that she's like a puppy looking for a master, but I think Enebish is an able warrior looking for a cause. That's noble, and a warrior's way of life. She wants a cause, and there's nothing puppy-like about that. I can see myself in her, because she wants to see the good in people (and the rebels' cause), even if she can't immediately trust them. She makes the best choices she can with the information she has, which is a very relatable kind of decision. Enebish's disability is also important to mention. It's obviously a big identifier of a Quasimodo character in a retelling, but regardless, it's always positive to see characters who have either physical or mental disabilities because it can help readers with disabilities see themselves in more characters. I think Thorley did a good job of balancing how Enebish felt held back from a warrior's life because of her physical disabilities, but how she evolves to accepting this part of herself and using it to her advantage (which is something I hope we see in the sequel, too).
Within just the opening pages I could tell that this book was for fans of Woven in Moonlight and the Grishaverse books. But this book stands apart from those novels because of its emphasis on faith. I haven't read a whole lot of fantasy (yet!) but this book was exciting because Thorley took a lot of time to build the world, but also the sociological aspects, like faith and family cultures and traditional army customs. The faiths were especially interesting, because they were at war with one another, via the vessels of warring countries. To me, this element of the story emulated the kind of wars of religion we see in Europe in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Not only did Thorley have to build one religion, but she had to build two -- something that deserves a lot of respect, because crafting a convincing faith foundation is no simple feat (anyone who has taken a sociology class would know). And on top of loosely basing her story on The Hunchback of Notre Dame, she also built her story around some of the classical historical events like the wars of religion. Anyone who loves Hugo, sociology, or European history will see the influences these things had on the story, no matter how subtle, and because I'm a fan of all three, it made my reading experience more fun.
If you, like me, tried drawing all the character parallels between the characters of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Night Spinner, you might have gotten something like this. Enebish is our female Quasimodo, Ghoa and the Sun King are our Frollo-like characters, and Temujin is a kind of Esmerelda. What I enjoyed about this retelling is that it's actually very loose -- Thorley used it as a kind of base to jump off of, and while she leaves little Easter egg images throughout, this is truly Enebish's story, and the story of Ashkar. I think framing the novel as a The Hunchback of Notre Dame novel was clever, though, because we can apply what we know about Quasimodo and Frollo and Esmerelda to these characters while also leaving plenty of room for them to develop themselves. Ashkar is its own world, but giving it something familiar to bounce off of brings in more interested readers -- I was one of them, and I'm so glad!
I was impressed by the pacing of this novel. At the beginning, it felt rather slow, and started to pick up when Enebish finally entered the rebel stronghold. The slow pace of the beginning allowed for the world-building, and for readers to cement the culture of this fantasy in their head. I never felt too overwhelmed by all the fantasy elements (the places, the gods, the names of the armies, etc.) and I think a good part of that has to do with the slower pace. All throughout the beginning, though, I was wishing for a map! A lot of fantasy series I read have them and it makes the reading experience just a bit more immersive and allows for a bit of a faster pace, and I truly believe the experience with Night Spinner could have been enhanced by a map. Nonetheless, once all the fantasy elements were in place, Thorley could pick up the pace as Enebish begins her journey with the rebels. While it does pick up, it doesn't go at rapid speed, but more at a quicker boil. We can feel something happening beneath the surface, but we have to keep moving because we need to know if Enebish will fail. At this point in the novel, I also felt like we were beginning to wonder what exactly happened that day in Nariin, which is a story we get with a subtler build than the big plot twist. I could feel the writing build to the plot twist when I was a bit more than 100 pages from the end, and that's when I couldn't put the book down. I was literally reading to have the whole world turned upside down, which makes for a really kind of a strange, and strangely enjoyable, reading experience. The plot twist itself was wicked! As in, you can really get lost in the writing and shocked by it if you don't try to guess too much ahead. Breaking the book apart like this to see how pacing worked was really an experiment for me, and helped me understand the characters and plot so much better! If you ever want to think critically about any book you read, breaking down the pacing is always a great way to do so.
And what's in store for Enebish and the rebels now, by the end of Night Spinner? I started reading this book the literal day Addie Thorley announced the title of the sequel, Sky Breaker! We can only hope that we see more of Serik and Enebish against the world, and how they'll lead their country to the finish line. Sky Breaker is set to release in early May of 2021. Stay tuned for my review!
*This review can also be found on my blog, toreadornottoreadnm.blogspot.com*
Addie Thorley, author of Night Spinner, also wrote the YA historical fiction novel An Affair of Poisons, which was chosen as a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers selection and is a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults nominee. After graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in journalism, Thorley decided to enter the world of fiction, and never looked back (good call!!). Now, Thorley lives in Princeton, NJ with her husband, daughter, and wolf dog. You can find her on Twitter @addiethorley or at www.addiethorley.com.
Enebish was one of the greatest warriors in the Sky King's Imperial Army before the massacre. Honored with the titled Enebish the Warrior, she utilized her powers of the night sky as a Night Spinner to protect the people of Ashkar against their enemies, the Zemyans. Now, she's known as Enebish the Destroyer, banished as a traitor to a monastery far from home. But when her adoptive sister, Imperial Army commander Ghoa, arrives with an opportunity for Enebish to return as one of the warriors of the Kalima, Enebish jumps at the chance to prove herself. All she has to do is find the notorious Temujin, whose band of rebels has been stealing the army's supplies. Sounds simple enough, until Enebish becomes reacquainted with the country that's now losing a war. She's torn between duty and conscience, Temujin and her sister. No matter who she chooses, can she still help her people? Or will they still be defeated by an even greater enemy?
Enebish is another amazing female main character to add to the ranks of the amazing female main characters of fantasy. Her character is one that we have to pull apart at different levels to understand. She sees herself in black and white: the Enebish before the massacre, and the Enebish she is now. Warrior or Destroyer. She's drawn by conscience and duty -- another juxtaposed pair, which to her are two choices that can't exist together. The only constants are Serik, her best friend since childhood; her Night Spinning -- even if she can't always practice it; and her faith, despite all the twists and turns that might cause anyone else to lose faith. Throughout the course of the book, though, we learn that there aren't just two Enebishs -- there's multiple that mesh together to create the whole character: Enebish before she was taken in by Ghoa as a child; Enebeish the Warrior; Enebish the Destroyer; the Enebish she wishes she was; the in-between Enebish she is during the course of the novel as she tries to redefine herself and her place. It's a treat to see all these versionsof the same character, because we truly get to see Enebish evolve and grow. I also enjoy that she's not strong -- she's disabled, she hasn't used her magic for years and still struggles to regain control of it, and she's dependent. Enebish is wildly criticized by those closest to her that she's like a puppy looking for a master, but I think Enebish is an able warrior looking for a cause. That's noble, and a warrior's way of life. She wants a cause, and there's nothing puppy-like about that. I can see myself in her, because she wants to see the good in people (and the rebels' cause), even if she can't immediately trust them. She makes the best choices she can with the information she has, which is a very relatable kind of decision. Enebish's disability is also important to mention. It's obviously a big identifier of a Quasimodo character in a retelling, but regardless, it's always positive to see characters who have either physical or mental disabilities because it can help readers with disabilities see themselves in more characters. I think Thorley did a good job of balancing how Enebish felt held back from a warrior's life because of her physical disabilities, but how she evolves to accepting this part of herself and using it to her advantage (which is something I hope we see in the sequel, too).
Within just the opening pages I could tell that this book was for fans of Woven in Moonlight and the Grishaverse books. But this book stands apart from those novels because of its emphasis on faith. I haven't read a whole lot of fantasy (yet!) but this book was exciting because Thorley took a lot of time to build the world, but also the sociological aspects, like faith and family cultures and traditional army customs. The faiths were especially interesting, because they were at war with one another, via the vessels of warring countries. To me, this element of the story emulated the kind of wars of religion we see in Europe in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Not only did Thorley have to build one religion, but she had to build two -- something that deserves a lot of respect, because crafting a convincing faith foundation is no simple feat (anyone who has taken a sociology class would know). And on top of loosely basing her story on The Hunchback of Notre Dame, she also built her story around some of the classical historical events like the wars of religion. Anyone who loves Hugo, sociology, or European history will see the influences these things had on the story, no matter how subtle, and because I'm a fan of all three, it made my reading experience more fun.
If you, like me, tried drawing all the character parallels between the characters of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Night Spinner, you might have gotten something like this. Enebish is our female Quasimodo, Ghoa and the Sun King are our Frollo-like characters, and Temujin is a kind of Esmerelda. What I enjoyed about this retelling is that it's actually very loose -- Thorley used it as a kind of base to jump off of, and while she leaves little Easter egg images throughout, this is truly Enebish's story, and the story of Ashkar. I think framing the novel as a The Hunchback of Notre Dame novel was clever, though, because we can apply what we know about Quasimodo and Frollo and Esmerelda to these characters while also leaving plenty of room for them to develop themselves. Ashkar is its own world, but giving it something familiar to bounce off of brings in more interested readers -- I was one of them, and I'm so glad!
I was impressed by the pacing of this novel. At the beginning, it felt rather slow, and started to pick up when Enebish finally entered the rebel stronghold. The slow pace of the beginning allowed for the world-building, and for readers to cement the culture of this fantasy in their head. I never felt too overwhelmed by all the fantasy elements (the places, the gods, the names of the armies, etc.) and I think a good part of that has to do with the slower pace. All throughout the beginning, though, I was wishing for a map! A lot of fantasy series I read have them and it makes the reading experience just a bit more immersive and allows for a bit of a faster pace, and I truly believe the experience with Night Spinner could have been enhanced by a map. Nonetheless, once all the fantasy elements were in place, Thorley could pick up the pace as Enebish begins her journey with the rebels. While it does pick up, it doesn't go at rapid speed, but more at a quicker boil. We can feel something happening beneath the surface, but we have to keep moving because we need to know if Enebish will fail. At this point in the novel, I also felt like we were beginning to wonder what exactly happened that day in Nariin, which is a story we get with a subtler build than the big plot twist. I could feel the writing build to the plot twist when I was a bit more than 100 pages from the end, and that's when I couldn't put the book down. I was literally reading to have the whole world turned upside down, which makes for a really kind of a strange, and strangely enjoyable, reading experience. The plot twist itself was wicked! As in, you can really get lost in the writing and shocked by it if you don't try to guess too much ahead. Breaking the book apart like this to see how pacing worked was really an experiment for me, and helped me understand the characters and plot so much better! If you ever want to think critically about any book you read, breaking down the pacing is always a great way to do so.
And what's in store for Enebish and the rebels now, by the end of Night Spinner? I started reading this book the literal day Addie Thorley announced the title of the sequel, Sky Breaker! We can only hope that we see more of Serik and Enebish against the world, and how they'll lead their country to the finish line. Sky Breaker is set to release in early May of 2021. Stay tuned for my review!
*This review can also be found on my blog, toreadornottoreadnm.blogspot.com*
Rounded up to 3.5 stars.
For my full review, go to:
https://www.leahsbooksandcooks.com/post/night-spinner
I didn’t love the story. It was kind of slow moving, with long periods where not a lot went on. It felt like the author couldn’t really decide on whether to create a slow-burn romance or a love triangle, and ended up just not really doing much with that angle. I would have preferred if she had just come down on one side of the fence or the other, but instead there was a long, drawn-out, not quite romantic angle. It was honestly a little disappointing. The final nail in the coffin for this one? The fact that it ended on a total cliffhanger without any real resolution, which is a total pet peeve of mine. I don’t mind when there are some loose threads to carry into the next book, as long as there is some kind of closure provided, but there really wasn’t any closure at all, and then it hit me with “END OF BOOK ONE” which made me want to just scream in frustration.
For my full review, go to:
https://www.leahsbooksandcooks.com/post/night-spinner
I didn’t love the story. It was kind of slow moving, with long periods where not a lot went on. It felt like the author couldn’t really decide on whether to create a slow-burn romance or a love triangle, and ended up just not really doing much with that angle. I would have preferred if she had just come down on one side of the fence or the other, but instead there was a long, drawn-out, not quite romantic angle. It was honestly a little disappointing. The final nail in the coffin for this one? The fact that it ended on a total cliffhanger without any real resolution, which is a total pet peeve of mine. I don’t mind when there are some loose threads to carry into the next book, as long as there is some kind of closure provided, but there really wasn’t any closure at all, and then it hit me with “END OF BOOK ONE” which made me want to just scream in frustration.
I wasn’t expecting much from this book as I haven’t been feeling in the mood for YA fantasy lately but I’m so glad I picked this one up! It is a retelling of the Hunchback of Notre Dame in a tundra setting. It took the absolute perfect amount of inspiration from Hunchback, it was enough to recognize the source but not too much to be a carbon copy. I really enjoyed our main character, the story, and the world. It was fast paced and kept me engaged and entertained from the first page. I will say I wish there was more development of the side characters, they all were very much in the background. I also wish it would have included a bit more about the other magic types than our main characters. I didn’t get a good sense for the overall system since it mainly focused on hers. I also think it was a bit heavy handed with the foreshadowing, I wish it was pulled back a bit to make reveals more surprising. I’m excited to continue on with this series when book 2 comes out!