Rate: 4.5/5

Medium: Audiobook

Overview (No Spoilers):

Novik has done it again! Despite hearing glowing reviews for Spinning Silver I’d been skeptical she could deliver another delightful fairy tale after how Uprooted had so captivated readers.  As with Uprooted, there is a dark streak throughout this tale that is more than toeing the line from the young adult to full blown adult genre Additionally, Novik again weaves strong, independent female characters whose goals extend further than finding their own personal Prince Charming.  It was so refreshing to read the perspectives of the three young women who were from such different backgrounds but were brimming with clever wit. Furthermore these characters are not completely heroes as they are presented with difficult choices in which innocents will be scarified regardless of the option pursued. As with her previous novel, the depth of each character was significant, along with the world building. While I enjoyed the details provided throughout, there were key instances where I felt as though the surroundings were purposely glossed over to keep an air of mystery.  From the beginning, the reader was eagerly glued to the story as our main characters encounter one seemingly impossible hurdle after another. As each impasse is overcome, these characters from such diverse backgrounds become ever closer intertwined until all their fates are woven together.  Overall, Spinning Silver was a fantastically novel reworking of the old Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale and I can’t wait to find out what Novik will come up with next!

Additional Insight (Spoilers Abound):

• Who was the witch that built the house in the woods? What happens if she comes back and for that matter where did she go?
• Did Miryem ever get cold in the Staryk Kingdom? Is she now immortal? I want more details from this fantastical literary realm!
• Did Irina and the Tsar ever fall in love? Did they hold off the rebellion since Irina didn’t end up marrying the son of the potential rebel? Did they have children? Did she have to convince her father that the Tsar wasn’t demon ridden anymore?
• Poor, poor Wanda! Will her brothers and her ever be able to heal after her father’s abuses?