REVIEW: Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Del Rey

ISBN: 0399180982

Format: Hardback, Paperback, E-Book,
Audio-Book

Release Date: 10th July 2018


Links: Goodreads, Amazon.com, Indigo,
B&N, Book Depository

Website, Twitter


Rating: 8/10


Synopsis:

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders... but her father isn't a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife's dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty--until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers' pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed--and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold.


But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it's worth--especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand.

Review:

**Thank you to PRH Canada for sending me a copy in return for my review**

Well, where do I begin with this book?

Spinning Silver isn't a direct sequel of Uprooted. Instead we follow the character Miryem, the daughter and granddaughter of money collectors. She soon takes over her Father's work to pay of the debts of their family. That is until she draws the attention of the king of the Staryk.

I have to admit; when I first picked up this book I was a little disappointed that we wouldn't be following the same characters from the first book. However, I ended up really enjoying it.

Miryem was a wonderful character. I loved her strength and determination to help her Father pay his debts. She not only helps support her family but also takes in a girl who relies on her more than she knows. 

The Staryk king was an interesting character. He takes an interest into Miryem and yet seems to hate her for the majority of the book. He often insulted her and became angry with her. Yet, the two seem to enjoy one another's company and eventually work well together. Despite their differences, I actually really enjoyed reading about their interactions with one another, whether it is their arguments or conversations. 

The plot didn't seem to go anywhere at the start of the book. The majority of the time was spent introducing the different characters and the situations they found themselves in as well as some backstory. The story switches between the characters perspectives which I found very confusing. There was no indication of perspectives switching so I was left guessing at who's perspective I was reading from. 

I read Uprooted and Spinning Silver back to back and I personally preferred the first book. I really loved the romance in the first book whereas it, personally felt, a little more forced in this one. 

Naomi Novik's writing is very whimsical and she does a beautiful job at creating a fantastical setting. I loved that Spinning Silver was a loose retelling of Rumpelstiltskin and that Miryem was the one skilled at changing silver to gold.

I may not have enjoyed Spinning Silver quite as much as Uprooted; I couldn't put the book down. The setting and characters were wonderfully written and I read the book in a day.

I would love more books to be added into this setting. The magic and fantasy world is beautiful and I can see the series going further than it already has.