#novik

They have the dynamic: "he's not my friend" -> closer than anyone in this place

So, I just finished reading Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik.  I had heard great things about this book, including a recommendation from another user, tartts.  And safe to say, I wasn’t disappointed at all!

This is technically my 3rd book of the year; first was The Girl in Red by Christina Henry, and the 2nd was The Sister of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner.  I didn’t particularly care for either one, and I actually gave up on Rossner’s because I just couldn’t connect with the story.  I’ll write about those two in a separate post, because the 3rd time was the charm and I couldn’t wait to review Novik’s amazing story.

Before I talk about the story, I just need to gush for a moment about the dust jacket artwork. There are technically two different styles, and I think I read that the one I have is the UK version (please feel free to correct me if I’m mistaken) It’s absolutely stunning, fitting in perfectly with the setting and descriptions of the Staryk kingdom.  On a personal level it appeals to me because it uses my favorite colors, blue and purple, varying them enough that the scene looks so alive.  If that weren’t enough, it features this gorgeous silver lettering for the title that catches the light in a way that’s, dare I say, magical. (I’m not sorry at all for that pun)

Like the Winternight trilogy, Novik uses medieval Russia as the backdrop to this fantasy, drawing on folktales and characters that are as rich and fleshed out as they are terrifying.  Whereas Koschei is heavily featured in the Winternight books and Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente, the antagonist of this book is the demon Chernabog, and to a lesser extent the Staryk King. 

This book has so many amazing features that I’m going to list a few here:

-Smart, competent, and well-written out female characters whose motives and arcs don’t revolve around a love interest

-Having said that, there is some delicious slow burn (in my opinion) romance and enemies to lovers featured, but it’s not really what the story revolves around

-A recurring and uplifting theme of families banding together during hardships, including a group of siblings breaking free of an abusive situation

-Sympathetic antagonists that are still called out on their bullshit (especially Miryem and the Staryk King)

-Russian folktales and myths, for which at this point I’ll admit I’m such a sucker

-Russian equivalent of Fae Folk, complete with trickeries, magic, and carefully crafted answers in the form of riddles

-Realistic and fleshed out Jewish characters that are MAIN CHARACTERS

To build on the last point, I have to commend Novik on how wonderfully she wrote Miryem and her family.  In the few books that I’ve read that have Jewish characters, it seems that authors have a hard time reconciling Jewish culture and religion with the story itself.  In the case of The Sisters of the Winter Wood, the author spends so much time inserting and explaining Yiddish words and bits of Jewish culture that it interrupts the flow of the story.  At that point, I no longer feel like I’m reading a novel, but rather a confusing textbook.  Spinning Silver not only makes Miryem the main character, but also has her Jewishness be an essential part of who she is and blends it into the narrative perfectly.  Also, I love how the book touches on and explores antisemitism, even among those that have been Miryem’s neighbors her entire life. What starts as casual antisemitism grows into outright hatred and eventual violence against her and her family.

“Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father's inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty - until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold. When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk - grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh - Miryem's fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered.

She will face an impossible challenge and, along with two unlikely allies, uncover a secret that threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike,” (Naomi Novik).

I enjoyed Novik’s novel for several reasons. First, it was well-written despite its numerous spelling and grammatical errors, (e.g. sentences that were missing words). It also contained a host of well-rounded, intriguing characters with their own distinct personalities and motivations. This included three strong female leads who consistently fought to attain whatever it was they desired. An example would be Miryem, who did whatever it took to earn money and keep herself and her family safe from starvation during the harsh winter. Another example would be Wanda, who fought to protect herself from unhealthy situations and toxic relationships. I also really enjoyed the chapters told from Stepon’s perspective because it felt like Novik captured his childish innocence perfectly. I also enjoyed the world that Novik created and the lore that surrounded it—particularly the Staryk kingdom, (e.g. the forests and icy mountain). I also appreciated the lack of gratuitous violence, sex scenes, and cursing, since that isn’t something you see much nowadays. However, I felt as though it suffered from several slow patches. Had some unnecessary details been pulled here and there, the novel would have gone faster and been even stronger.