Spinning Silver

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

After reading Uprooted, I knew I really loved Naomi Novik's fairy tale style, and once Spinning Silver was announced, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. And the book totally lived up to my expectations. Billed as a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, but with elements of Cinderella and a handful of other folk & fairy tales, this is a truly unique and captivating novel.

I did listen to the audio book version, and found the inflection that Lisa Flanagan gave to each character to be very clear when our point of view shifted between them without pulling me away from the story to have to catch up.

Our story follows the trajectory of two parallel kingdoms as they intersect: the Staryk kingdom of a cold elven race - the stuff of winter & fairy tales, and Lithvas - the kingdom of a tsar with nobles, farmers & peasants. Our heroines are three women: Miryem, Irina & Wanda who we follow as each fights to protect their place in their world.

Miryem is the daughter of a money lender, and not a very good one, who takes on her father's business when her family sinks into desperate poverty. It so happens that she has a knack for it, and becomes so good at turning a profit that she catches the attention of a Staryk lord who gives her silver to turn to gold, with thinly veiled threats of what will come if she does not succeed.

Irina is the daughter of a Duke who has traces of Staryk blood from her late mother, but no sign of latent magical abilities. Irina unwittingly catches the attention of the tsar, the son of a dark sorceress, who has been pressured by his advisors to seek a bride.

Wanda is the daughter of a poor farmer and drunkard whose mother died in childbirth. He owes Miryem's family a large sum that he borrowed then spent on gambling and drink, so Wanda takes work in Miryem's household to begin to pay it off.

And that's how our story begins. Novik weaves the intersection of real and fantastic elements in such a seamless way, and leads readers on a journey through ice & snow, fire & smoke, and love & family.

Favorite Quotes:

“But the world I wanted wasn't the world I lived in, and if I would do nothing until I could repair every terrible thing at once, I would do nothing forever.”

“A power claimed and challenged and thrice carried out is true”