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A review by cakeroo
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
4.0
I liked Spinning Silver quite a bit!
The overall plot was compelling (it's a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin (my fave!), but instead of being a weird gross goblin, Rumpelstiltskin is conveniently a hot fae king) and the world-building was nice & rich. If you happen to be reading this review *before* reading Spinning Silver, I'd say this book is heartier than the Nora Roberts' brand of romance-fantasy. It's not a light read, but it's not particularly heavy. Beginner fantasy for the discerning reader, I think. :)
Miryem is an awesome protagonist- mostly likable but definitely (and realistically!) flawed, clever, interesting. I really can't say enough positive things about her.
Wanda is a great character, but what really stands out in Wanda's chapters is Novik's ability to write multiple POVs. The style of Wanda's chapters reflect equally her competence and background- specifically her lack of a formal education.
Irina is okay. To be honest, I read this book a few months ago and I had to do a quick google search to recall her name, so I think it's safe to say she's kind of forgettable (but I am also prone to forgetfulness).
For those who read the book & are here to discuss-
I really, really enjoyed this book, but the ending kinda lost me. I just finished Uprooted by the same author, and I think I'm starting to recognize a trend.Novik tries to infuse a bit of romance into her novels, which I have no problem with- I love romance! But the Staryk king....? And Miryem? It just didn't really land for me. It felt like Novik shoehorned their romance in because readers of the genre would expect it. Same thing happens in Uprooted, but Novik at least lays *some* groundwork ahead of time. It just appalls me to this day that the Staryk king apparently experienced enough character development to want to date the girl he was once mortified to even bargain with. And she even set him up to be killed! Mere months before they get married! I have a pretty high capacity for suspension of disbelief, but this pushed it.
The overall plot was compelling (it's a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin (my fave!), but instead of being a weird gross goblin, Rumpelstiltskin is conveniently a hot fae king) and the world-building was nice & rich. If you happen to be reading this review *before* reading Spinning Silver, I'd say this book is heartier than the Nora Roberts' brand of romance-fantasy. It's not a light read, but it's not particularly heavy. Beginner fantasy for the discerning reader, I think. :)
Miryem is an awesome protagonist- mostly likable but definitely (and realistically!) flawed, clever, interesting. I really can't say enough positive things about her.
Wanda is a great character, but what really stands out in Wanda's chapters is Novik's ability to write multiple POVs. The style of Wanda's chapters reflect equally her competence and background- specifically her lack of a formal education.
Irina is okay. To be honest, I read this book a few months ago and I had to do a quick google search to recall her name, so I think it's safe to say she's kind of forgettable (but I am also prone to forgetfulness).
For those who read the book & are here to discuss-
I really, really enjoyed this book, but the ending kinda lost me. I just finished Uprooted by the same author, and I think I'm starting to recognize a trend.