Spinning Silver

This story was exceptional.

Even if the story is objectively a traditional fairy tale (nothing wrong with that, classics are classics for a reason!), it reads with incredible tones and colors very close to the style of Studio Ghibli movies, especially Howl's Moving Castle. If I were to recommend a book to anyone asking about a Studio Ghibli-like story, this book would be the first on my list (more so than the books the movies are based on, since they already heard the stories!). In fact, I wouldn't be surprised that if Studio Ghibli had still been around today, Spinning Silver would be on their short list.

Since the story itself is a bit of what you'd expect of a fairy tale, with a simple plot, royalty, romance, and magic. The narrative voice did most of the work to put this book on the map, it's written in such a way that even if things that are happening could be perceived as dry or mundane, it vividly unfolds the world, the characters, and the plot without giving you room to breathe. I especially enjoyed the eye on detail of on the world itself, it felt, lived. Likewise, even if the theme itself is rather dark at times, it never really takes you 'there', and that makes the book 'feel good' all the way through.

If I had one complaint, then it would be that the characters themselves could have had better depth. Their thoughts, actions, and motivations, don't feel "real" at times (the humans, the antagonists are pretty good and 'alien' in their motives and structure).

All in all, it was easy to loose track of time when reading this book. It's a smooth read, with easy language, yet paints a world, characters, and actions in an explosive and visual way. I have seldom seen such craft in writing before. Highly recommended!

Can't wait to read Uprooted, see if it has similar tones!

It completely passed me by that Naomi Novik's Uprooted was based on Beauty and the Beast, but Spinning Silver is clearly inspired by Rumpelstiltskin, yet also so much more. Miryem is the moneylender's daughter, her father being far too nice for the profession. When she takes matters into her own hands, the business prospers and rumour spreads of the girl who can change silver into gold.

In the cold of winter, the glow of the Staryk Road can be seen close to their village. The Staryk lust for gold and are known to kill anyone who takes what is theirs; the white animals in the forest, the colourless trees. The rumours of Miryem's skill reach the Staryk kingdom, and they come to see if what is said is true.

As with the original fairytale, things are done in threes and the power of names is important to the Staryk. However there's no imp making deals to help Miryem, she must save herself.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, and it's useful to notice the little graphic at the top of each change of viewpoint. The coins are for Miryem, the basket for Wanda, the goat for Stepon, the crown for Irina and the spindle for Magreta.

Wanda lives with her abusive, alcoholic father and her two brothers Sergey and Stepon. They barely survive on meager rations until the day Miryem comes to collect her father's debts. Of course, he has nothing, but Miryem demands Wanda come to work of the debt. Wanda would rather work for the moneylender than be married off in exchange for a pig or goat. I loved her story of how she pulls her family out of poverty, even if she doesn't seem to like them much at the start. It also reflects how fair an employer Miryem turns out to be.

Irina is a duke's daughter, destined to be married off, but no one expects a high position for her. Miryem's solution to her Staryk problem, sets Irina on a new path, a union no one expected, especially not the tsar. As the story progresses, the three girl's paths cross again and again, as do their paths with the Staryk, a cold race of people who live amongst the winter.

It's set in a world where young women are married off, used as bargaining chips. But these characters prove they are so much more than that. In the background hostility to Jews is hinted at, that Miryem's family is better off where they are than in some other places, where Jews are rounded up, echoing Poland's history.

I loved the icy setting, the harsh winter which threatens to overwhelm the kingdom. The Kingdom of the Staryk, where ice is life, versus the heat of summer which they must push back. Maybe it's a tale of good versus evil, but it's not as straightforward as that for all the presented villains.

As with Uprooted there is a definite fairytale feeling and the pages are filled with a magic of ice and fire, and the allure of Staryk silver.