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A review by renpuspita
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
4.25
Spinning Silver, the second standalone title from Naomi Novik, imho, is better written compared to Uprooted. A unique storytelling method, told not only from one character, but six (!!) point of view, all of them using first person narrative. However, the story got a little bit dragging in the middle part and Novik's penchant to write repeating words that maybe to emphasize the meaning but I just found it sometimes unnecessary.
This book as first marketed as a loosely adaption of the fairytale Rumpelstiltskin. The ability to change straw into gold is incorporated into the first heroine, Miryem Mandelstam, the daughter of a Jewish moneylender. Her father is too kind to the people who borrow the money resulting in Miryem's family fall into poverty. Take the matter in hand, Miryem harden her heart and begin collecting people's debts no matter that they hate her to do so. Which is so rich, because the Pavys people live in modesty while Miryem's parents suffer in the never ending winter that grazed the Lithvas kingdom, a place where the story happen. In her debt collecting, Miryem meet Wanda Vitkus, a young girl that also suffer from her alcoholic and abusive father. Since Wanda's father can't repay his debt, Wanda become an errand girl in Miryem's house, for the first time finally feel what is the meaning of the family and to never feel hungry again. The story begin unravel when an involuntary bragging by Miryem in which she boast that she can change silver to gold (refer to her ability in doing moneylender business) getting heard by the Staryk King. Staryk, icy fae-like creatures, are a menace to Lithvas because of their love of gold and in order to obtain the gold, they often attack and pillage the people of Lithvas. So, the King begin to challenge Miryem to change silver to gold thrice and in one of her scheme to change the silver, her fate begin entangled with the Vasynia duke's daughter, Irina.
The beginning of the Spinning Silver is slow, too slow perhaps and mundane but I admit Novik have a way with words. The book's pace in overall is very slow and very cold. You can feel how cold the atmosphere just by read the words alone, a testament to how Novik can masterfully create the setting. The cold not only from the description of the setting, but also the character's feeling. The vibe is very bleak and depressing, yet there's no empty feeling when I read the book. I just know that despite the hardship that Miryem, Wanda and Irina endured, they will find their happy ending in the end.
What make Spinning Silver very unique is how Novik write the character's narrative. Often when I read book with multiple characters voice, the writer will explain who is the narrator in the beginning of the chapter. That is not the case of Spinning Silver. There are six characters with first person of view narrative who told the story of this book. Miryem, Wanda, Irina, then Stepon (Wanda's brother), Margreta (Irina's chaperone) and Mirnatius (the tsar). Novik masterfully write a totally different voice without telling who is the focus of the story and it happen not only in one chapter, but WITHIN chapter. So a chapter can have 3 or 4 PoV without a sign who is talking so I won't joke that reading Spinning Silver need to focus less you will getting confused. Definitely can't be skimmed as well or you will get lost, lol. The experience can be a little bit jarring at first, but by 3 chapters I already can follow who is who, because all of 6 PoV have different in tone and characteristic. Miryem with her determination to not lose to the Staryk King, Wanda with her strength regarding her poor condition and fate, Irina with her cold logic and mind when facing the demon's threat inside Mirnatius's body, Stepon with his childish voice but also provide some of important scene when the demon and Staryk King finally meet, Margreta with her worried toward Irina and giving a glimpse into what happen in Irina and her own past and then Mirnatius, a tsar who at first seems aloof and indifferent yet hide a tortured body and mind because of the demon's possession.
From all the 6 PoV, I found that Margreta's PoV is the weakest and sometimes is unnecessary although her PoV provide the setting because I just realize that Spinning Silver was happen in 13th century because Margreta said something about Crusade. The setting of Lithvas while fictional, maybe refer to Lithuania and Latvia. As for the three main heroines, I like Wanda the most. Yes, Miryem is the central character and Spinning Silver actually her story, but I always have soft spot for underdog character. My heart bleed for Wanda's life that full of unfairness and how even today, girl like Wanda still exist. I feel worried when Wanda and her brother, Sergey, must fled from their home and I filled with trepidation that something awful will happen to them. My heart soared when finally Wanda found her home, her true family in Mendelstam family although they aren't blood related but somehow a family didn't need blood relation to help and love each other.
My first complaint with Uprooted was how the romance feel forced and the feeling between the main characters was imbalanced. I'm glad that Novik learn from her mistake and there's a little to no romance in Spinning Silver. Irina and Mirnatius might be husband and wife, but theirs was marriage in convenience. Mirnatius often dumbfounded to see his people seems in awe when Irina was present while he see her as an ordinary girl who is unattractive. Yet, it was Irina who finally save Mirnatius from his impending doom and also saving Lithvas in the process so maybe their relationship will finally blossom into something akin of respect. As for Miryem and Staryk King, you can said that they become as enemy to lover. They are truly enemy through the book and Staryk King was aloof and cold, but that are pretty normal for a fae, though. At least he care for his people and in the process, Miryem start to respect him as well and vice versa. Their romance is not explicitly shown but more like gesture here and there, only happen very near the end. Just like Irina and Mirnatius, Miryem and Staryk King also end up respecting each other with finally the King try to properly court Miryem -after at first he abducted her and forcefully make Miryem as his queen- and I found that I like this kind of romance better.
While Spinning Silver use some elements of Rumpelstiltskin's story, Novik also put some other fairy tales as well. Like Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and maybe another fairy tales elements that I'm not familiar with. She also incorporated some of Slavic mythology and I like the concept of bargaining in the Staryk's society as fae. Some of this book message is if you have debt, then repay it, lel. But, it's not only happen with Miryem's moneylender business but also with the way Miryem and the Staryk fairy folks interact. I also like with how the story feel random at first then it's start to connected in the end, forming a perfect picture and also satisfied ending. Spinning Silver have some strength and also weaknesses as well especially because multiple PoVs can be confusing to read and follow. But I really enjoy Miryem, Wanda and Irina's journey in facing their obstacles to protect their family and people they love.
This book as first marketed as a loosely adaption of the fairytale Rumpelstiltskin. The ability to change straw into gold is incorporated into the first heroine, Miryem Mandelstam, the daughter of a Jewish moneylender. Her father is too kind to the people who borrow the money resulting in Miryem's family fall into poverty. Take the matter in hand, Miryem harden her heart and begin collecting people's debts no matter that they hate her to do so. Which is so rich, because the Pavys people live in modesty while Miryem's parents suffer in the never ending winter that grazed the Lithvas kingdom, a place where the story happen. In her debt collecting, Miryem meet Wanda Vitkus, a young girl that also suffer from her alcoholic and abusive father. Since Wanda's father can't repay his debt, Wanda become an errand girl in Miryem's house, for the first time finally feel what is the meaning of the family and to never feel hungry again. The story begin unravel when an involuntary bragging by Miryem in which she boast that she can change silver to gold (refer to her ability in doing moneylender business) getting heard by the Staryk King. Staryk, icy fae-like creatures, are a menace to Lithvas because of their love of gold and in order to obtain the gold, they often attack and pillage the people of Lithvas. So, the King begin to challenge Miryem to change silver to gold thrice and in one of her scheme to change the silver, her fate begin entangled with the Vasynia duke's daughter, Irina.
The beginning of the Spinning Silver is slow, too slow perhaps and mundane but I admit Novik have a way with words. The book's pace in overall is very slow and very cold. You can feel how cold the atmosphere just by read the words alone, a testament to how Novik can masterfully create the setting. The cold not only from the description of the setting, but also the character's feeling. The vibe is very bleak and depressing, yet there's no empty feeling when I read the book. I just know that despite the hardship that Miryem, Wanda and Irina endured, they will find their happy ending in the end.
What make Spinning Silver very unique is how Novik write the character's narrative. Often when I read book with multiple characters voice, the writer will explain who is the narrator in the beginning of the chapter. That is not the case of Spinning Silver. There are six characters with first person of view narrative who told the story of this book. Miryem, Wanda, Irina, then Stepon (Wanda's brother), Margreta (Irina's chaperone) and Mirnatius (the tsar). Novik masterfully write a totally different voice without telling who is the focus of the story and it happen not only in one chapter, but WITHIN chapter. So a chapter can have 3 or 4 PoV without a sign who is talking so I won't joke that reading Spinning Silver need to focus less you will getting confused. Definitely can't be skimmed as well or you will get lost, lol. The experience can be a little bit jarring at first, but by 3 chapters I already can follow who is who, because all of 6 PoV have different in tone and characteristic. Miryem with her determination to not lose to the Staryk King, Wanda with her strength regarding her poor condition and fate, Irina with her cold logic and mind when facing the demon's threat inside Mirnatius's body, Stepon with his childish voice but also provide some of important scene when the demon and Staryk King finally meet, Margreta with her worried toward Irina and giving a glimpse into what happen in Irina and her own past and then Mirnatius, a tsar who at first seems aloof and indifferent yet hide a tortured body and mind because of the demon's possession.
From all the 6 PoV, I found that Margreta's PoV is the weakest and sometimes is unnecessary although her PoV provide the setting because I just realize that Spinning Silver was happen in 13th century because Margreta said something about Crusade. The setting of Lithvas while fictional, maybe refer to Lithuania and Latvia. As for the three main heroines, I like Wanda the most. Yes, Miryem is the central character and Spinning Silver actually her story, but I always have soft spot for underdog character. My heart bleed for Wanda's life that full of unfairness and how even today, girl like Wanda still exist. I feel worried when Wanda and her brother, Sergey, must fled from their home and I filled with trepidation that something awful will happen to them. My heart soared when finally Wanda found her home, her true family in Mendelstam family although they aren't blood related but somehow a family didn't need blood relation to help and love each other.
My first complaint with Uprooted was how the romance feel forced and the feeling between the main characters was imbalanced. I'm glad that Novik learn from her mistake and there's a little to no romance in Spinning Silver. Irina and Mirnatius might be husband and wife, but theirs was marriage in convenience. Mirnatius often dumbfounded to see his people seems in awe when Irina was present while he see her as an ordinary girl who is unattractive. Yet, it was Irina who finally save Mirnatius from his impending doom and also saving Lithvas in the process so maybe their relationship will finally blossom into something akin of respect. As for Miryem and Staryk King, you can said that they become as enemy to lover. They are truly enemy through the book and Staryk King was aloof and cold, but that are pretty normal for a fae, though. At least he care for his people and in the process, Miryem start to respect him as well and vice versa. Their romance is not explicitly shown but more like gesture here and there, only happen very near the end. Just like Irina and Mirnatius, Miryem and Staryk King also end up respecting each other with finally the King try to properly court Miryem -after at first he abducted her and forcefully make Miryem as his queen- and I found that I like this kind of romance better.
While Spinning Silver use some elements of Rumpelstiltskin's story, Novik also put some other fairy tales as well. Like Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and maybe another fairy tales elements that I'm not familiar with. She also incorporated some of Slavic mythology and I like the concept of bargaining in the Staryk's society as fae. Some of this book message is if you have debt, then repay it, lel. But, it's not only happen with Miryem's moneylender business but also with the way Miryem and the Staryk fairy folks interact. I also like with how the story feel random at first then it's start to connected in the end, forming a perfect picture and also satisfied ending. Spinning Silver have some strength and also weaknesses as well especially because multiple PoVs can be confusing to read and follow. But I really enjoy Miryem, Wanda and Irina's journey in facing their obstacles to protect their family and people they love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape