ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is easily one of my top reads of the year. As soon as I'd finished I just wanted to start all over again. I was late coming to 'Uprooted' but loved it once I read it. Spinning Silver is even better imo.

That said I can see now that it's not going to be for everyone. The very things that make me love it so much are probably going to.put others off. For one thing this is not a linear story. It is replete with subplots and multiple povs which at the start seem to stick out like branches on a bow and you can't see how theg are relevant. I absolutely love well crafted subplots. Seriously give me a book with multiple strands of story, the more convoluted the better, and as long as they earn their place by supporting the main story in the end, I am all over that like a fly on excrement. Nothing makes me happier.
If you like less complicated, linear plots without deviations then this may not be for you.

There are multipul first person PoVs and Novak doesn't signal who's talking by writing the character name at the top of each new section - although there are some very cool section break graphics that tell you who is talking. Actually I didn't find it confusinf at all. The characters Ll sounded sufficiently different and I like authors who trust that a reader is intelligent enough to keep up.

Miryem is the first chatacter we meet. A young Jewish woman of incredible grit and determination, not to mention intelligence, she takes over her father's money lending business when he would have allowed it to fail entirely. She's not always likeable - there's a hardness and pride about her - but I rooted for her every step of the way.

Then there is initially coarse and ignorant farm girl Wanda whose family life leaves a lot to be desired. Her father trades her work in repayment for money he borrowed and squandered and she works uncomplainingly, learning that Jews are as much people as any others and that Miryem's family is kinder than anyone else she knows. She is astute and intelligent too as well as patient and hard working. In having kindness shown her Wanda takes it home to her younger brothers and they gradually become a real family unit in a satisfying tear jerking way.

The Duke's daughter, Irina, seems to have far less agency initially than the other two. Her father's plans for tricking the young Tsar into marrying her make her seem a pawn. And then we disciver that while her actual power (inherited from her mother whose own mother was half-Staryk ) is meagre, her mind and grasp of strategy is not. She is every bit as ruthless and cunning as her father and uses all her abilities small as they are to repair a flagging kingdom and avert disaster. Irina really cares about her people and her country and puts them first.

Three more minor povs also occur later in the book; Wanda's youngest brother Stepon, Irina's nurse Margreta and the young Tsar, Mirnatius. Each one adds something unique to the story. It becimes a fairytale told on many levels from the poorest of the poor, to the heights of wealth, to the immigrants that created that wealth in between, to the otherworld creatures - Demons and the Staryk - who are like the Huldre of Nordic myth and the Sidhe of Irish myth in many ways.

Spinning Silver is on the surface a retelling of Rumplestiltskin but it goes far beyond the bounds of that rather dusturbing story. There are echoes of Petresonella (Rupunzel) and 'Clever Janet' here too. Without once producing a typical fantasy female stereotype, Novak puts the 'princesses' front and centre where thet belong. Their beauty is in their competence and intelligence, in their kindness. As they grow in cinfidence and agency we are given a real treat as readers in being shown that wkmen in fantasy can opporate within the bounds of historical restrictions imposed on their sex and still utterly master tgeir own destiny - as in fact so many women did. Novak remembers the less thought of characters fron faurytales too - the poor goat herd, the arthritic nurse whose comfort ans future rests on her charge remembering her devoted service. It tells the tale of the child traded to the otherworldly for personal gain. Spinning Silver is full of unheard voices given advent at last.

There are the thenes too. Material Wealth versus Emotional Wealth. All kinds of family - blood, found and forged from unpromising beginnings. It looks at how women can rescue themsrlves and each other simply by uncompromisingly valuing themselves. Even if they're not beautiful. Even if they're not powerful or wealthy. Even if it seems no one else values them. That's the real message of this book I think. Value yourself and if need be teach others a hard lesson about undervaluing you.

This was just lovely and perfect. I can't praise it enough. Highly recommend

Beautiful, dreamy and utterly enjoyable, SPINNING SILVER is a top must-read fantasy of the year living up to the hype created by Naomi Novik's previous novel, UPROOTED.
Extended from the short story of the same name, SPINNING SILVER tells the story of Miryem, the daughter of a moneylender who, in trying to reverse the fortunes of her family, boasts of her ability to change silver into gold and catches the attention of a otherworldly winter king. Only, the sprawling story that follows is about so much more than just that.
Atmospheric writing, emotive characters and a surprising speckling of humour throughout made for a real knockout, and the slow building plot was a delicious treat I tried to savour for as long as possible. Novik's inclusion of not one but three (!!) incredibly strong, clever and cunning heroines burdened by expectation, breaking free and rising above the restraints put upon them made for a delightful read, as well as elements of the Rumpelstiltskin fairytale being cleverly intertwined. A tale weaved with love, family and what we would do for those things, SPINNING SILVER is at once magical and compelling, yet so very human and down to earth.
While each perspective was distinct, it was very helpful to have icons at the beginning of each change in perspective, particularly at the start of the novel, however I can remember on one or two occasions while reading there was no icon/the incorrect icon. A very minor issue which will hopefully be resolved in the final print.
This novel was nothing but warm, rich and enticing, and I'm already making space on my bookshelf for a physical copy when it comes out, and can't wait to read it all over again. I'm very excited for this book to be released so I can see all my friends fall in love with it too.
Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an opportunity to read this fantastic novel!

This novel is so rich and sweeping and generous - it's about bargains, and the price of things, and what people are willing to pay, and it's magic. Novik's fantasy is at the same time utterly compelling and very grounded and human and pragmatic, and I loved the proliferation of perspectives in this novel, and how utterly distinct her heroines are, and how much all of them want things. Her writing is beautiful without ever being too rich for use, and her romances are so quiet and balanced and earned and actually sexily frictive. Spinning Silver is a gloriously grown-up, complicated fantasy, and I loved it.

After being thoroughly enchanted by Uprooted a few years ago, I was beyond excited about Novik’s new standalone.

To give you a general idea of my enjoyment of the book, I binged it — and smiled stupidly with tears in my eyes upon reading the last sentence. It was that sort of story, one that left me with an overflowing of emotions and the distinct feeling that I won’t be able to pick up another book for a while.

Silver Spinning is a standalone “retelling” of Rumpelstiltskin. I am using quotes because, while there are elements that echo the original tale, the story feels entirely new. Miryem is the daughter of a poor moneylender, who is too nice for his and his family’s own good. When her mother spends a harsh winter abed, sick, the young woman takes it upon herself to go collect the debts. She’s faced with scorn and contempt, but eventually manages to take over her father’s business with growing success. She is the woman who can change silver coins into gold — a dangerous reputation to have when the Staryk, the fair folk who bring winter and who are always hungry for gold, are roaming. When their king comes knocking at Miryem’s door with an offer she really can’t refuse, she has to spin silver into gold in order to save herself and her family.

The story is told from six first-person points of view. The way Novik structured her book is very much like a juggler who gradually adds new objects to balance in the air. We start with core points of view and extend to new ones as the story evolves. I think it’s probably the first multiple pov book I’ve ever read where I’m enjoying all of them, and not wishing I could skip a chapter to get to a more exciting character. The way their stories are woven together, in coins of gold and jewels of fairy silver, in sacrifice and love…I didn’t want to miss any of it.

Novik scratched that continuous itch I have for female characters who are strong in different ways. They are all savvy, they are quick on their feet, they are good at what they do. In politics, in business, or in practical household matters; their competence makes them overcome more than a few challenges.

Spinning Silver is also incredibly atmospheric and immersive. The descriptions put us right into the settings. The hardships lived in a Slavic-inspired world ravaged by a lingering winter are vividly portrayed, as well as the Staryk’s eerie but beautiful world of ice.

But what really makes the book stand out, in my opinion, is the rollercoaster of emotions it puts us through. It’s heartbreaking at times, heartwarming at others, with flashes of unexpected and brillant humour. The issues characters are facing are heavy and dark; nevermind the dangerous otherworldly creatures: Miryem and her family have to live with their anti-Semitic fellow villagers, who resent them for the debts they have incurred. Their servant, Wanda, has an alcoholic and violent father. But there is a bittersweetness in the story overall, and it’s often more sweet than bitter.

Naomi Novik spun words into storytelling gold. If you have high expectations for this book, I think they’ll be met. Mine were.

Another winner from Naomi Novik! After reading and adoring UPROOTED when I first started reviewing books (you can find my review here: https://onewayoranauthor.wordpress.com/2015/05/09/naomi-novik-uprooted/), I was exceptionally eager for SPINNING SILVER and I was NOT disappointed. While the books are not connected at all, they follow a similar fantastical theme, with the most recent being fairy-tale based. Both books are amazing for different reasons, and I can’t wait for readers to pick up and love SPINNING SILVER like I did.

Words can’t express how much I adored Miryem, the main POV that this book follows. Miryem’s father is a moneylender, but a very passive one. He’s never taking back the money he borrowed and this leaves their small family poor and hungry. Soon though, Miryem takes things into her own hand and starts becoming the moneylender in the family. Her tenacity and determination make for a cold yet successful businesswoman that soon allows her sick mother to heal and her family to gain back their wealth. This gift is not all great, however. Soon enough, her talents draw out a Staryk lord who will kill her if she does not make the silver coins he gives her into gold. The Staryk are mysterious ice beings that bring winter with them wherever they go. They say that the Staryk are the ones who bring winter, and they are always trying to steal the human’s gold. The nameless Staryk lord promises Miryem that if she can complete the task he assigns her three times, she’ll gain powers and become his bride.

Everything about this premise screams “YES” to me. I adore a stubborn heroine who will do whatever it takes to reach her goals, and Miryem is just that. I also really enjoy Novik’s way of writing dialogue: it’s so concise and informational and a sentence is never wasted. Combine that with her enchanting writing, and it makes for an unforgettable fantasy read. Seriously, I read this huge book in almost one sitting. That’s how addictive it was!

So the story starts with Miryem becoming a moneylender, but several perspectives are followed. The most important three to me, are Miryem, Wanda, and Irina. Wanda is a village girl who suffered from the abuse of her alcoholic father, while Irina is a daughter of a duke who is pawned off to a powerful man with a powerful secret. Novik intertwines these girls’ stories with expert detail and magic. I adored all three of them and their persistent character qualities. While Wanda is more naive of the world, she’s extremely hard-working and grows to love her family. Irina is trying to make the best of it after being wed to a dangerous tsar with secrets, but she finds power within herself - and her ancestry - to duel with him. Each girl has a distinct narrative that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. There was never a boring scene in the book!

Lots are going on with the plot, but the main conflict comes from the fact that winter is plaguing the land, and the Staryk are the ones causing it. This winter is bringing along famine and poverty, so SOMETHING must be done about it - but what? How can Miryem, who has the closest ties to the Staryk, help? What can Wanda and her resilience do? How can Irina and her political machinations solve this problem? I love how Novik gives power to these three seemingly insignificant girls, and every page of their journey was worth the read.

I also enjoyed seeing the Jewish representation! Miryem honors the Sabbath, even when she gets taken to the Staryk kingdom. SPINNING SILVER was expanded on from a short story in the anthology THE STARLIT WOOD: NEW FAIRY TALES and it’s an exceptionally clever retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. Novik addresses the anti-Semitic writing of the original story and makes Miryem’s family Jewish, ultimately making it a trumphiant and empowering story.

I can’t recommend Novik’s fantasies enough, and I really need to dive into her Temeraire series. SPINNING SILVER is just another example of her exceptional writing that just transports a reader into a captivating world you are loathe to leave. There are smalllll, teensy tiny romantic lines that come to fruition (built on very slow burn relationships), strong women who are here to save their loved ones and country, and the underlying cold magic of the Staryk, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Fantasy readers CANNOT miss out on this one!

Content Warning: abuse, alcoholism, trauma, death, mild violence

Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the review copy!