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A review by heartbrekker
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
5.0
Can I just start off this review by stating Naomi’s fairytale writing is pure gold? And, yes, that is a slight pun to this whole story reimagining Rumplestiltskin. It was just magical and marvelous with lush writing to its core.
They’re six point of views, and while I enjoyed all of them in the end, there was one that took me a bit of time to warm up to.
Naomi weaves a tone that resembles an old fairytale, but instead of the obsessive patriarchy that left women as empty shells of who they’re in those old tales, this story shows them as strong humans who do not bend to male will.
I cannot tell you the amount of times I screeched for Miryem, Irina, and Wanda because they all emphasize strong family dynamics and love for them. These girls in the end hold themselves higher. They don’t balk in the cruelty or threats of others because they themselves have seen the darker side of humanity. You watch them grow into themselves, and it is beautiful. They know what they want and what they’re worth, which is something fairytales never really gave to women.
SS also includes a mix of fairytale folklore with Jewish faith. Miryem is a Jewish moneylender, and throughout the entire novel we see the anti-semitism evident throughout Europe. It isn’t the main plot of the novel, but it is strongly there. I was curious to see how Naomi was going to juggle these two aspects (fairytale/ Jewish faith), and I’d say she represented them very well. Miryem was incredibly strong about her faith, and it made me happy to see her pursue her desires. She was strong willed and hardworking, but her intelligence was my favorite aspect. It’s runs along with her other attributes, and her thought process and scheming really surprised me. She was an equal Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Miryem just really became my absolute favorite, and I cannot thank the author enough for her complexity and empowering nature. Some may see her as greedy and all, but slowly, the reader realizes that that is just a front. Plus, starvation is a big motivation to change and work harder.
I’ve read from some other reviews that certain characters mirror different Rumplestiltskin personalities or ideals within the original fairytale, and after looking back, that aspect is really incredible. I’m annoyed I didn’t pick up on it while reading, but it’s such a unique aspect to this retelling.
Now I could go on and on to tell you about the beautiful writing or the stellar plot/ world building but all you really need to know is that it is there. And it was beautiful *heart eyes*
Okay I’m going to splurge on the setting a tad. It seemed to have magic edged into each word and description. It felt like you were reading a fairytale honestly (what I wanted so YAY!), and the countryside/ city dynamics really added to it. It felt peaceful, heart wrenching, and VERY cold. Naomi’s ability to mirror the environment to emotions is astounding.
They’re six point of views, and while I enjoyed all of them in the end, there was one that took me a bit of time to warm up to.
Naomi weaves a tone that resembles an old fairytale, but instead of the obsessive patriarchy that left women as empty shells of who they’re in those old tales, this story shows them as strong humans who do not bend to male will.
I cannot tell you the amount of times I screeched for Miryem, Irina, and Wanda because they all emphasize strong family dynamics and love for them. These girls in the end hold themselves higher. They don’t balk in the cruelty or threats of others because they themselves have seen the darker side of humanity. You watch them grow into themselves, and it is beautiful. They know what they want and what they’re worth, which is something fairytales never really gave to women.
SS also includes a mix of fairytale folklore with Jewish faith. Miryem is a Jewish moneylender, and throughout the entire novel we see the anti-semitism evident throughout Europe. It isn’t the main plot of the novel, but it is strongly there. I was curious to see how Naomi was going to juggle these two aspects (fairytale/ Jewish faith), and I’d say she represented them very well. Miryem was incredibly strong about her faith, and it made me happy to see her pursue her desires. She was strong willed and hardworking, but her intelligence was my favorite aspect. It’s runs along with her other attributes, and her thought process and scheming really surprised me. She was an equal Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Miryem just really became my absolute favorite, and I cannot thank the author enough for her complexity and empowering nature. Some may see her as greedy and all, but slowly, the reader realizes that that is just a front. Plus, starvation is a big motivation to change and work harder.
I’ve read from some other reviews that certain characters mirror different Rumplestiltskin personalities or ideals within the original fairytale, and after looking back, that aspect is really incredible. I’m annoyed I didn’t pick up on it while reading, but it’s such a unique aspect to this retelling.
Now I could go on and on to tell you about the beautiful writing or the stellar plot/ world building but all you really need to know is that it is there. And it was beautiful *heart eyes*
Okay I’m going to splurge on the setting a tad. It seemed to have magic edged into each word and description. It felt like you were reading a fairytale honestly (what I wanted so YAY!), and the countryside/ city dynamics really added to it. It felt peaceful, heart wrenching, and VERY cold. Naomi’s ability to mirror the environment to emotions is astounding.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
Parental abuse