Spinning Silver

Spinning Silver, Naomi Novik

This release by Naomi Novik is another fairytale style story (based on the tale of Rumpelstiltskin).

Miryem is the daughter of a Jewish moneylender, whose father is so kind, nobody actually ever repays. When her mother falls ill, she realises they need warmth and food and so she heads out to collect debts. It turns out she is very good at it and it appears to many that she can turn silver into gold. The Staryk king, whose realm creates winter, asks her to turn his silver into gold upon threat of death for failure, but marriage for success. With no real choice, she does what he requests.

At the same time peasant girl Wanda ends up working for Miryem’s family to pay off her own father’s debt. He is a nasty drunk who hits his children, so she and her brothers Sergey and Stepon come to know and love Miryem’s family and their kindness.

In town, Irina, the daughter of the duke, benefits form Miryem’s silver changing as she receives the amazing jewellery made from Staryk silver in an attempt to buy her marriage to the Tsar. Her magic means she can also access the Staryk world, escaping her husband who is possessed by a demon.

It all sounds a bit complicated, but it’s engaging to read as the story develops. The parts that deal with the political intrigues of some kingdoms are a little less interesting, but otherwise, each of the three women have various moral dilemmas to work through as their relationships and lives change.

The whole story is written in the first person, but changes the perspective and there are at least six characters that you hear from: Miryem, Wanda, Irina, the Tsar, Stepon and Irina’s nurse.

I probably preferred Uprooted, but I still enjoyed reading this one. I have have since turned to Novik's other writing as well.