Spinning Silver: A Novel

· Del Rey
4.7
124 reviews
eBook
480
Pages
Eligible
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About this eBook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “One of the year’s strongest fantasy novels” (NPR), an imaginative retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale from the bestselling author of Uprooted.

NEBULA AND HUGO AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF PASTES BEST FANTASY BOOKS OF THE DECADE • ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Public Library

With the Nebula Award–winning Uprooted, Naomi Novik opened a brilliant new chapter in an already acclaimed career, delving into the magic of fairy tales to craft a love story that was both timeless and utterly of the now. Spinning Silver draws readers deeper into this glittering realm of fantasy, where the boundary between wonder and terror is thinner than a breath, and safety can be stolen as quickly as a kiss.

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.

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, Time, Tordotcom, Popsugar, Vox, Vulture, Paste, Bustle, Library Journal

“A perfect tale . . . A big and meaty novel, rich in both ideas and people, with the vastness of Tolkien and the empathy and joy in daily life of Le Guin.”The New York Times Book Review

“Gorgeous, complex, and magical . . . This is the kind of book that one might wish to inhabit forever.”Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Cool and clever and . . . dire and wonderful.”—Laini Taylor, author of Strange the Dreamer

“The Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale has never been as captivating. . . . Spinning Silver further cements [Novik’s] place as one of the genre greats.”Paste

Ratings and reviews

4.7
124 reviews
Eltaninsroses
14 July 2018
Another lovely story by Naomi Novik, tho I have to admit I liked Uprooted better. It is somehow more finished, more polished, in the way of polished silver. Spinning Silver however with its many many points of view feels...less fluid. The story doesnt meld its way artound you. Instead each change of perspective feels like a cold bath or some abruptly opening the curtains to let the morning light in. Maybe the editor could have used a sterner hand. Maybe Ms Novik could have made the transitions better. But the atmosphere and the characters fit the style and the fairytale aspect of it exceedingly well
13 people found this review helpful
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Heather
14 October 2018
Not sure yet.... I'm going to start it over....I had a hard time staying along with it, with Russian words & names, and how it kept switching person/perspective... I'm still trying to finish and maybe once I start it over I'll understand better.
4 people found this review helpful
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Emily Anne MacAnlis
22 September 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It caught my attention and never let it go. Is it the best fantasy book I've ever read? No, but i would certainly recommend it to readers who like a fairy tale twist and a good, long, standalone story. I'll be rereading soon
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About the author

Naomi Novik is the New York Times bestselling author of A Deadly Education, The Last Graduate, and The Golden Enclaves, the award-winning novels Uprooted and Spinning Silver, and the Temeraire series. She is a founder of the Organization for Transformative Works and the Archive of Our Own. She lives in New York City with her family and six computers.

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