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A review by astrangewind
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
Spinning Silver must be savored. It cannot be read in one sitting, as much as I would have liked to; some moments are so intense, so raw, that I had to set the book down to digest.
The characters come alive on the page: Miryem, the moneylender who pays her debts; Wanda, the strong helper who devotes herself to those she loves; Irina, the practical-minded leader who would do anything for her people. Even the more minor characters who we see a lot of later- mainly Stepon and Magreta - are so rich and diverse that I can't help but love them. The villains, too - the Staryk king and even Mirnatius are likable by the end. Each character is a victim of their circumstances and choices, and they evolve throughout the book in fascinating and sometimes unexpected ways, and I found myself genuinely rooting for them as though they were real. And they could be real.
Naomi Novik is a master of tone. Despite the number of characters who have first-person POV chapters, it is never unclear whose perspective it is. It's clever and subtle in an area where many authors falter. The writing itself, even, is the perfect level of descriptive; the world came alive around me.
The story of the fae and the moneylender lends itself well to problems of deals made, and fulfilling those deals in lateral ways, which I very much enjoy. I've heard from others (and I agree with it) that Spinning Silver has excellent reread value for this reason.
Naomi Novik's romance was a pleasure to read. It isn't overtly sexual, or even overtly romantic; the romance is a function of the characters and their problems, not the other way around. It's far more natural than something like Twilight, for example .
The plot evolves, twisting and turning throughout the book, ageing and maturing. It's never too much, never any surprise plot twists, but the payoff of things set up on every page.
I don't know what else to say about this book. It's absolutely phenomenal. A true joy to read.
The characters come alive on the page: Miryem, the moneylender who pays her debts; Wanda, the strong helper who devotes herself to those she loves; Irina, the practical-minded leader who would do anything for her people. Even the more minor characters who we see a lot of later
Naomi Novik is a master of tone. Despite the number of characters who have first-person POV chapters, it is never unclear whose perspective it is. It's clever and subtle in an area where many authors falter. The writing itself, even, is the perfect level of descriptive; the world came alive around me.
The story of the fae and the moneylender lends itself well to problems of deals made, and fulfilling those deals in lateral ways, which I very much enjoy. I've heard from others (and I agree with it) that Spinning Silver has excellent reread value for this reason.
Naomi Novik's romance was a pleasure to read. It isn't overtly sexual, or even overtly romantic
The plot evolves, twisting and turning throughout the book, ageing and maturing. It's never too much, never any surprise plot twists, but the payoff of things set up on every page.
I don't know what else to say about this book. It's absolutely phenomenal. A true joy to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder