Spinning Silver

Starred review from April 23, 2018
This gorgeous, complex, and magical novel, grounded in Germanic, Russian, and Jewish folklore but richly overlaid with a cohesive, creative story of its own, rises well above a mere modern re-
imagining of classic tales. Novik (Uprooted) begins the story through the eyes of Miryem, a Jewish moneylender’s daughter, whose pride in her ability to wring payments from borrowers draws the demanding attention of the terrifying, otherworldly, and rules-bound Staryk, who are ruled by a wintry, gold-loving king. Secondary characters—a peasant boy, a duke’s daughter, a tsar—eventually become narrators, weaving interconnections that feel simultaneously intimate and mythic. Novik probes the edges between the everyday and the extraordinary, balancing moods of wonder and of inevitability. Her work inspires deep musings about love, wealth, and commitment, and embodies the best of the timeless fairy-tale aesthetic. Readers will be impressed by the way Novik ties the myriad threads of her story together by the end, and, despite the book’s length, they will be sad to walk away from its deeply immersive setting. This is the kind of book that one might wish to inhabit forever.

Novik updates the story of Rumpelstiltskin with a wildly original fantasy tale that has all the markings of a future classic. A young woman with a special gift attempts to save her family but is swept up in world of magic and demons. What follows is a dark fantasy focused on three complex women in a morally nuanced world. Lisa Flanagan's steady narration, especially her accents and inflections, elevate the story wonderfully. Every character benefits from a distinct and engaging voice, particularly the raspy growl of the fire demon. The story alternates perspectives often, and Flanagan ensures that the transitions are smooth. Novik's story would stand on its own, but Flanagan's fantastic narration makes it even better. J.M.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine