Book Review: Spinning Silver

Spinning Silver

by Naomi Novik

Blurb: Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father's inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty--until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold.

When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk--grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh--Miryem's fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. Set an impossible challenge by the nameless king, Miryem unwittingly spins a web that draws in a peasant girl, Wanda, and the unhappy daughter of a local lord who plots to wed his child to the dashing young tsar.

But Tsar Mirnatius is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and her two unlikely allies embark on a desperate quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power, and love.

Channeling the vibrant heart of myth and fairy tale, Spinning Silver weaves a multilayered, magical tapestry that readers will want to return to again and again.

Cover Review: The cover is one of the things that drew me to this book. It's striking, and catches the eye. It also helps that it doesn't follow a lot of the current cover trends, instead having a nice woodblock/pen and ink look.

Plot: This story takes its time, and invites you to take your time reading it. It takes a while to build up the characters and the story until you can't put it down. It feels like an old fairy tale, the kind that most people have forgotten. It's captivating all the way through as you follow the stories of these young women and how they take hold of their fates. I loved it so much.

Characters: There are a lot of POV characters, but the three main characters are Miryem, Wanda, and Irina. Miryem is Jewish, which I think was super cool to see and added this grounding to the story. She is tough and hard, and doesn't put up with any B.S. I like how all her actions were driven by wanting to take care of her family, which I empathize with.

Wanda is a poor girl from an abusive household who becomes Miryem's servant. She was a more simple sort of girl, but still whip smart and completely loyal to her brothers. She had a bit of Cinderella thing going on with a tree that talks to her over her mother's grave.

Then we have Irina, the daughter of the Duke, who gets married to the Tsar. She's not weak or stupid either, instead having an excellent understanding of politics and a strong desire to do right by her people. I loved her as well, and the fact that all the girls in this novel were fully active characters that I enjoyed rooting for.

World: The world was quiet interesting, as it was like Russia, but also like a fairy tale world. There was also the world of the Staryk, which is frozen and beautiful. It all felt super magical, even the mundane parts. The magic of simple normality.

Other: May I just say how awesome it was that this whole book was completely clean? No cussing, no sex, no graphic violence. It was so refreshing and anyone could read it. It's so rare to find something like this anymore.

Rating: 5 stars (or all the stars in the sky)

Have you read this book? What's the last book you completely fell in love with? Tell me in the comments.

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