Title: Spinning Silver

Author: Naomi Novik

Publisher: Del Rey 2018

Genre: Fantasy 

Pages: 480

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Share-a-Tea

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. Set an impossible challenge by the nameless king, Miryem unwittingly spins a web that draws in a peasant girl, Wanda, and the unhappy daughter of a local lord who plots to wed his child to the dashing young tsar.

But Tsar Mirnatius is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and her two unlikely allies embark on a desperate quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power, and love.

Finally dove into July's BOTM selection and why oh why did I wait so long? I love fairy tale retellings so much and this was was beautifully layered and new. The first 40 pages were a bit slow, but looking back I realize that Novik was allowing the reader to spend time getting to know the three main female characters. We spend a lot of time in each of their worlds before they really interact with each other. I loved how Novik wove their individual stories into a larger story involving the Staryk and a fire demon. Once I the characters connected with each other I couldn't put the book down. It was just too lovely! I sped through to the end desparately wanting to see how Irina, Wanda, and Miryem dealt with the trials they faced. Definite recommend!

Next up on the TBR pile: