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Spin
In Nina Allan's re-imagining of the Arachne myth, Layla, a weaver of extraordinary talent, leaves home to make her own way in life.
She heads to Atoll City in a modern alternate Greece, attracting the interest of an old lady along the way. The old lady informs Layla that she knew her mother, and of the gift the woman once possessed.
A gift that brought tragedy on Layla's family.
A gift that Layla too possesses.
She heads to Atoll City in a modern alternate Greece, attracting the interest of an old lady along the way. The old lady informs Layla that she knew her mother, and of the gift the woman once possessed.
A gift that brought tragedy on Layla's family.
A gift that Layla too possesses.
100 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
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210 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
April 10, 2017
Layla es una joven que parte de su pueblo hacia la ciudad de Atolón, en busca de un futuro en el que abrirse camino. Pero Layla está marcada por su pasado, el ajusticiamiento de su madre, condenada por clarividente. Y es que teme haber heredado el don de la predicción de su madre. Layla, gran tejedora, se encontrará en el viaje a una extraña anciana que dice haber conocido a su madre.
‘Tejedora’ (Spin, 2013), de la escritora británica Nina Allan, es un relato largo, o novela corta, que revisa el mito de Aracne y Minerva. La historia está ambientada en una Grecia alternativa, con el añadido de lo fantástico de manera muy sutil. El relato está muy bien escrito (o traducido), con un interesante prólogo, y un epílogo de la propia autora. Me ha gustado el desarrollo del relato, aunque el final es algo abrupto, y se echa en falta que el elemento fantástico predomine algo más.
‘Tejedora’ (Spin, 2013), de la escritora británica Nina Allan, es un relato largo, o novela corta, que revisa el mito de Aracne y Minerva. La historia está ambientada en una Grecia alternativa, con el añadido de lo fantástico de manera muy sutil. El relato está muy bien escrito (o traducido), con un interesante prólogo, y un epílogo de la propia autora. Me ha gustado el desarrollo del relato, aunque el final es algo abrupto, y se echa en falta que el elemento fantástico predomine algo más.
October 8, 2014
Espectacular. Qué grande es Nina Allan, cómo traduce Silvia Schettin y qué lujo de ediciones digitales prepara Fata Libelli.
June 22, 2018
Spin is Nina Allan's retelling of the myth of Arachne. The central figure is Layla, a young woman just beginning to forge an independent life for herself. She is a skilled artist who creates intricate tapestries. Her mother drowned some years earlier, and this incident has had a formative influence on her work. Layla inhabits a modern-day Greece that is both familiar and strange, sprinkled with elements of the ancient and the futuristic. The main departures from reality are the 'clairvoyancy laws', which meant until recently that women accused as sibyls or 'savants' could still be put to death, and advanced holographic simulations utilised by the super-rich.
The opening of the book finds Layla leaving her father's house for Atoll City. Though her father is a wealthy businessman, Layla wants to make her own way, so her journey is made on a cramped, overheated bus, and the job she's secured is in a factory. (I loved Allan's depiction of Layla's journey, which is filled with vivid imagery.) Ultimately, the plot hinges on whether Layla displays – through her art – sibyl-like powers of prediction, and, if so, whether she should use this talent to help others. People like Nashe Crawe, a woman who appears at Layla's door with a request and an enormous amount of money.
Spin is grounded in a lush yet realistic portrait of Greece. There's a sense of the country's beauty, its fresh, soothing coastline air and vibrant splashes of colour, but there are also litter-strewn car parks, sun-bleached towns empty of life, and shabby roadside hotels. Details like Layla's first encounter with Thanick are perfect: indescribably weird, yet believable in the way that memories can be both believable and suffused with emotion.
The one difficulty I had with Spin was a sense of distance from Layla. When I contrast her with protagonists from some of Allan's more recent fiction – such as Emily in The Art of Space Travel and Willy in Maggots – there's a coldness, an emptiness to her, something that made me feel there was a barrier between me and the ability to fully embrace the character.
Despite that, I really enjoyed this novella; the evocative sweep of its settings, the always-intriguing detail of its worldbuilding. Allan has a wonderful and very honest way of capturing the contrariness of emotion, and especially of instinctive reactions – how repulsion and desire can coexist, for example. Although it works as a reimagining of Arachne, Spin is equally effective as a coming-of-age tale about how one's identity can be realised through creativity.
TinyLetter | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
The opening of the book finds Layla leaving her father's house for Atoll City. Though her father is a wealthy businessman, Layla wants to make her own way, so her journey is made on a cramped, overheated bus, and the job she's secured is in a factory. (I loved Allan's depiction of Layla's journey, which is filled with vivid imagery.) Ultimately, the plot hinges on whether Layla displays – through her art – sibyl-like powers of prediction, and, if so, whether she should use this talent to help others. People like Nashe Crawe, a woman who appears at Layla's door with a request and an enormous amount of money.
Spin is grounded in a lush yet realistic portrait of Greece. There's a sense of the country's beauty, its fresh, soothing coastline air and vibrant splashes of colour, but there are also litter-strewn car parks, sun-bleached towns empty of life, and shabby roadside hotels. Details like Layla's first encounter with Thanick are perfect: indescribably weird, yet believable in the way that memories can be both believable and suffused with emotion.
The one difficulty I had with Spin was a sense of distance from Layla. When I contrast her with protagonists from some of Allan's more recent fiction – such as Emily in The Art of Space Travel and Willy in Maggots – there's a coldness, an emptiness to her, something that made me feel there was a barrier between me and the ability to fully embrace the character.
Despite that, I really enjoyed this novella; the evocative sweep of its settings, the always-intriguing detail of its worldbuilding. Allan has a wonderful and very honest way of capturing the contrariness of emotion, and especially of instinctive reactions – how repulsion and desire can coexist, for example. Although it works as a reimagining of Arachne, Spin is equally effective as a coming-of-age tale about how one's identity can be realised through creativity.
TinyLetter | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
December 10, 2022
Hay una cierta frialdad en la forma en que Nina Allan nos cuenta este momento decisivo en la vida de su protagonista: en proceso de independizarse de su padre, bajo las secuelas de la pérdida de su madre cuando era una niña, se la pide que haga algo que no sabe si será capaz y que, de hacerlo, le llevará a quebrantar la ley. Sin embargo, Allan guarda una cierta distancia, una contención a la hora de relatar sus vivencias cotidianas, que me ha mantenido poco involucrado a pesar de las virtudes de la escritura. La precisión a la hora de elegir qué se cuenta, el uso de las palabras, la simbología detrás de cada recodo del argumento, lo acertado del escenario... Y en su manera de mostrar cómo el arte se abre paso a pesar de las barreras. Un vehículo único para contar y sanar el mundo.
January 6, 2018
I just got Spin as part of a suitcase full of books kindly given me by my friend from Bastian’s Book Reviews. I picked it up right away, because 1) it’s short and 2) I’ve always loved the story of Arachne, which it retells. It took me a little while to find my feet with it — one minute it seems mythical, and the next someone had an iPad, but there were also clairvoyants and some kind of law against them… This isn’t a complaint, because I love when a book makes me pick up on clues to piece things together for myself, rather than narrating, “Ten years ago the law against [x] had come into force, and since that day [y] had feared”…
Of course, other aspects aren’t subtle at all — there are actual spiders in the story, and a mysterious old woman who once briefly maybe looks a little like an actress who once played Athena… But in such a short space, it does a remarkably good job of bringing the scents and sounds and colours of the setting to life, the sticky heat of the Greek summer, the absorption of Layla with her work. It comes together beautifully, and I’m convinced that I should look for more of Nina Allan’s work. Fortunately, one of the other books in the suitcase was also by Nina Allan, so I anticipate a good time when I pick that up.
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
Of course, other aspects aren’t subtle at all — there are actual spiders in the story, and a mysterious old woman who once briefly maybe looks a little like an actress who once played Athena… But in such a short space, it does a remarkably good job of bringing the scents and sounds and colours of the setting to life, the sticky heat of the Greek summer, the absorption of Layla with her work. It comes together beautifully, and I’m convinced that I should look for more of Nina Allan’s work. Fortunately, one of the other books in the suitcase was also by Nina Allan, so I anticipate a good time when I pick that up.
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
August 5, 2016
Layla es el misterio del tejido y de los colores, la creatividad, el arte entre los dedos, la capacidad para ver más allá de lo que los hechos nos muestran, el descrédito ante la magia que permea la realidad, el buscar nuestro sitio en el mundo.
Nina Allan teje y nos enreda en su historia, que es una maraña bien urdida, con personajes consistentes, con misterios que se desentrañan a un ritmo perfecto.
Fatalibelli sigue ofreciendo obras de una calidad extraordinaria, ideales para un tarde veraniega. Qué sigan, por mucho tiempo, haciendo que leer sea un placer.
Nina Allan teje y nos enreda en su historia, que es una maraña bien urdida, con personajes consistentes, con misterios que se desentrañan a un ritmo perfecto.
Fatalibelli sigue ofreciendo obras de una calidad extraordinaria, ideales para un tarde veraniega. Qué sigan, por mucho tiempo, haciendo que leer sea un placer.
September 21, 2020
Un relato en torno a una Gracia «cyberpunk» mezclada con mitos griegos que se repiten en el tiempo.
Se me ha quedado corto y con un final abrupto. Tal como cuenta la propia escritora en una nota al final del libro lo escribió por puro placer y por lo tanto es más un ejercicio de estilo y «world building» que otra cosa.
Le doy 3 estrellas *** y si lo compraste cuando cerró la editorial Fata Libelli no debería dejarlo sin leer ya que merece la pena.
Se me ha quedado corto y con un final abrupto. Tal como cuenta la propia escritora en una nota al final del libro lo escribió por puro placer y por lo tanto es más un ejercicio de estilo y «world building» que otra cosa.
Le doy 3 estrellas *** y si lo compraste cuando cerró la editorial Fata Libelli no debería dejarlo sin leer ya que merece la pena.
December 20, 2017
A mí es que me escribes una novela basada en un mito griego y ya me tienes ganado. Si, además la actualizas y le das un toque futurista, pues aún más.
La narración no es tan fluida como esperaba, puede que sea la traducción o Allan, cuando lea algo más de ella (tengo algún título más en la pila) lo averiguaré.
Pensad que el catálogo de Fata Libelli dejará de estar disponible a final de mes, si queréis alguno de sus títulos, no os durmáis en los laureles, o en los olivos:
https://lektu.com/e/fata-libelli/7?af...
La narración no es tan fluida como esperaba, puede que sea la traducción o Allan, cuando lea algo más de ella (tengo algún título más en la pila) lo averiguaré.
Pensad que el catálogo de Fata Libelli dejará de estar disponible a final de mes, si queréis alguno de sus títulos, no os durmáis en los laureles, o en los olivos:
https://lektu.com/e/fata-libelli/7?af...
April 14, 2017
Novelita corta, mi primer acercamiento a esta autora y no creo que sea el último me ha gustado mucho el estilo narrativo.
December 2, 2014
Nina Allan parece ser una 'rara avis' de la literatura fantástica. No solo apuesta por obras breves y autoconclusivas, algo ya de por sí poco habitual en la fantasía, si no que además les dota de una carga poética nada usual en el género. Es, sin duda, uno de los casos más representativos en los que no importa tanto qué se cuenta, si no cómo se narra. Pudimos comprobarlo ya en el extraño juego literario que fue ‘Máquinas del tiempo‘ (Nevsky) y lo reafirmamos tras disfrutar de la breve pieza que es ‘Tejedora‘ (Fata Libelli), traducida por Silvia Schettin.
En esta novela corta se hace más evidente incluso que en su ‘Máquinas del tiempo‘ la apuesta de Allan por crear un escenario rico en detalles con tan solo unas pequeñas pinceladas (aunque en este caso lo más acertado sería decir: con solo unas puntadas). La autora británica nos presenta una Grecia clásica evolucionada hasta un tiempo equiparable a nuestro presente, pero donde la sombra de los antiguos dioses olímpicos todavía no ha desaparecido del todo, y donde dones como la clarividencia despiertan el recelo de muchos, pero todavía resultan temidos.
Dicho de esta manera puede parecer que el componente fantástico va a estar presente en cada párrafo de la narración, pero lo cierto es que no es así. Allan escribe obras casi costumbristas, que parecen basarse fundamentalmente en el desarrollo de los personajes. En el caso de ‘Tejedora‘, de nuevo la trama se desarrolla de manera pausada y con casi nulos giros argumentales. A cambio, la autora nos propone una larga descripción activa de la protagonista, Layla, en lo que desde el principio sabemos que es una revisión del mito clásico de Aracne.
Hay al menos dos reseñas disponibles y muy recomendables de esta novela corta. Una se puede disfrutar en el blog ‘Leer sin prisa‘ y la otra está disponible en ‘Donde acaba el infinito‘. Las dos destacan el final abrupto de la historia, y desde luego no seré yo quien les lleve la contraria. Es cierto que cuando parece que estamos más metidos en la narración, esta llega a su fin. En mi caso tuve que volver atrás un par de páginas (virtuales) para releer esa última escena a sabiendas de que se trataba del punto final y descubriendo entonces la realidad de lo que Allan quería contarnos con ese extraño encuentro y esas pocas palabras. Y de nada me sirvió conocer el mito original para suavizar el impacto de ese cierre terrible y precioso.
‘Tejedora‘, ‘Spin’ en el original que se hizo merecedor del British Science Fiction Award, es una historia breve para disfrutar de una sentada, pero también de forma pausada. Aunque suene pedante, es una obra en la que importan más los matices y lo que aparece en segundo plano, que los grandes detalles y la trama principal. Es una novela corta para disfrutar de las descripciones, para maravillarse con el escenario, y en general, para disfrutar con el amor hacia el arte que tan pacientemente parece urdir su autora. En definitiva, un mito clásico tan fresco y original que consigue atraparnos como una tela de araña.
En esta novela corta se hace más evidente incluso que en su ‘Máquinas del tiempo‘ la apuesta de Allan por crear un escenario rico en detalles con tan solo unas pequeñas pinceladas (aunque en este caso lo más acertado sería decir: con solo unas puntadas). La autora británica nos presenta una Grecia clásica evolucionada hasta un tiempo equiparable a nuestro presente, pero donde la sombra de los antiguos dioses olímpicos todavía no ha desaparecido del todo, y donde dones como la clarividencia despiertan el recelo de muchos, pero todavía resultan temidos.
Dicho de esta manera puede parecer que el componente fantástico va a estar presente en cada párrafo de la narración, pero lo cierto es que no es así. Allan escribe obras casi costumbristas, que parecen basarse fundamentalmente en el desarrollo de los personajes. En el caso de ‘Tejedora‘, de nuevo la trama se desarrolla de manera pausada y con casi nulos giros argumentales. A cambio, la autora nos propone una larga descripción activa de la protagonista, Layla, en lo que desde el principio sabemos que es una revisión del mito clásico de Aracne.
Hay al menos dos reseñas disponibles y muy recomendables de esta novela corta. Una se puede disfrutar en el blog ‘Leer sin prisa‘ y la otra está disponible en ‘Donde acaba el infinito‘. Las dos destacan el final abrupto de la historia, y desde luego no seré yo quien les lleve la contraria. Es cierto que cuando parece que estamos más metidos en la narración, esta llega a su fin. En mi caso tuve que volver atrás un par de páginas (virtuales) para releer esa última escena a sabiendas de que se trataba del punto final y descubriendo entonces la realidad de lo que Allan quería contarnos con ese extraño encuentro y esas pocas palabras. Y de nada me sirvió conocer el mito original para suavizar el impacto de ese cierre terrible y precioso.
‘Tejedora‘, ‘Spin’ en el original que se hizo merecedor del British Science Fiction Award, es una historia breve para disfrutar de una sentada, pero también de forma pausada. Aunque suene pedante, es una obra en la que importan más los matices y lo que aparece en segundo plano, que los grandes detalles y la trama principal. Es una novela corta para disfrutar de las descripciones, para maravillarse con el escenario, y en general, para disfrutar con el amor hacia el arte que tan pacientemente parece urdir su autora. En definitiva, un mito clásico tan fresco y original que consigue atraparnos como una tela de araña.
December 2, 2017
Una novela corta con un final un tanto precipitado. Me ha gustado mucho por sus personajes, por ese amor al arte que desprende y por lo buena que ha sido la reinterpretación del mito por parte de la autora.
October 13, 2014
Una muy interesante reinterpretación del mito de Aracne, en la cuidada edición habitual de Fata Libelli. Como siempre, el prologo no hace más que sumar interes por la historia.
December 26, 2020
"Spin" is a retelling of the Arachne story, set in an alternate modern day Greece. It's immersive and brilliant and jarring, and I wanted more than the abrupt ending.
March 18, 2013
Disclosure: I received an advance review copy of this novella from TTA Press.
Review: It requires a degree of courage to take an existing story and to then create another based around it. Such endeavours are often met with the immediate prejudice of the reader, who will naturally wonder why the author didn't create their own tale to begin with. (To all the lazy, execrable "mash-ups" currently clogging up bookshelves across the world, I'm looking straight at you at this point.) Yup, these days, if you're going to step into that particular arena, it seems you'll need a rocket-propelled grenade to accompany that trident and net of yours.
To then make your own story work regardless of the original, and when the original story itself is older than most every story in history... well, that requires a hell of a lot of skill too.
Which takes us to "Spin", Nina Allan's aptly-titled take on the story of Arachne, newly released by TTA Press as part of their novella series.
Set in a near-future alternate Greece we follow Layla as she leaves her father, Idmon, a successful dyer, and travels from her small coastal village to the big smoke where she begins to make her own way in the world as a weaver of considerable skill. Along the way she meets an old woman who informs her that she knew her mother, a sybil who died in tragic circumstances when Layla was a child. The old woman informs Layla that she too has the "gift" once possessed by her mother. What happens next... well, you'll have to get hold of a copy to find out.
Of course, those versed in Arachne's story may have an inkling where this all leads. As one who is not up on their Classics to the extent they perhaps ought to be, however, I'm happy to report that "Spin" stands up well on its own terms. You don't need an intimate knowledge of the source material in order to understand and appreciate the story. There is much to enjoy here, particularly for those who like their fantasy and sci-fi stories with a literary bent.
For me, it is in describing and fleshing out her alternate Greece that Allan really shines. Layla's expert eye allows Allan to fill her world with dazzling splashes of colour, from topaz sunsets to "the searing catamite yellow of the robes of choirboys" - a wonderfully barbed line that had me dashing for my Chambers (which is no bad thing). I'm fairly certain that the scorching heat described in the story upped the temperature in my house a couple of degrees, which was no mean feat given that it was close to Absolute Zero outside.
Even the parts of Allan's alternate Greece that initially jarred began to make sense the morning after the read before. For example, the casual mention of drachmas and their relatively low exchange rate clicked once one took into account the technological advancements that the country (or at least the wealthier element) enjoyed. Allan's Greece is a more economically sound country than the one we see today, and yet it is one that still carries chilling echoes of the very real racial intolerance and right-wing politics brewing there.
It is this attention to detail that should give you an idea of the skill and the care that has gone into writing this piece. Allan has an immense, poetic command of language and a vocabulary to die for. This is one for which you will want to pour a drink, pop your feet up on the sofa and to put your phone on silent before heading on in.
Ultimately "Spin" succeeds for me because Allan is not trying to compete or improve upon the Arachne myth, nor is she wilfully offering up a new and jaunty twist. (Meowmorphosis... please.) No, instead what we get is a highly personal piece that was written for and is dedicated to her father. No RPG's were needed in the arena after all, folks. The fight wasn't there to begin with.
In short, I'd heartily recommend "Spin" to fans of literary sci-fi and fantasy, and especially to those already familiar with Nina Allan's work. If you tick any of those boxes then I doubt you'd be disappointed with this.
Review: It requires a degree of courage to take an existing story and to then create another based around it. Such endeavours are often met with the immediate prejudice of the reader, who will naturally wonder why the author didn't create their own tale to begin with. (To all the lazy, execrable "mash-ups" currently clogging up bookshelves across the world, I'm looking straight at you at this point.) Yup, these days, if you're going to step into that particular arena, it seems you'll need a rocket-propelled grenade to accompany that trident and net of yours.
To then make your own story work regardless of the original, and when the original story itself is older than most every story in history... well, that requires a hell of a lot of skill too.
Which takes us to "Spin", Nina Allan's aptly-titled take on the story of Arachne, newly released by TTA Press as part of their novella series.
Set in a near-future alternate Greece we follow Layla as she leaves her father, Idmon, a successful dyer, and travels from her small coastal village to the big smoke where she begins to make her own way in the world as a weaver of considerable skill. Along the way she meets an old woman who informs her that she knew her mother, a sybil who died in tragic circumstances when Layla was a child. The old woman informs Layla that she too has the "gift" once possessed by her mother. What happens next... well, you'll have to get hold of a copy to find out.
Of course, those versed in Arachne's story may have an inkling where this all leads. As one who is not up on their Classics to the extent they perhaps ought to be, however, I'm happy to report that "Spin" stands up well on its own terms. You don't need an intimate knowledge of the source material in order to understand and appreciate the story. There is much to enjoy here, particularly for those who like their fantasy and sci-fi stories with a literary bent.
For me, it is in describing and fleshing out her alternate Greece that Allan really shines. Layla's expert eye allows Allan to fill her world with dazzling splashes of colour, from topaz sunsets to "the searing catamite yellow of the robes of choirboys" - a wonderfully barbed line that had me dashing for my Chambers (which is no bad thing). I'm fairly certain that the scorching heat described in the story upped the temperature in my house a couple of degrees, which was no mean feat given that it was close to Absolute Zero outside.
Even the parts of Allan's alternate Greece that initially jarred began to make sense the morning after the read before. For example, the casual mention of drachmas and their relatively low exchange rate clicked once one took into account the technological advancements that the country (or at least the wealthier element) enjoyed. Allan's Greece is a more economically sound country than the one we see today, and yet it is one that still carries chilling echoes of the very real racial intolerance and right-wing politics brewing there.
It is this attention to detail that should give you an idea of the skill and the care that has gone into writing this piece. Allan has an immense, poetic command of language and a vocabulary to die for. This is one for which you will want to pour a drink, pop your feet up on the sofa and to put your phone on silent before heading on in.
Ultimately "Spin" succeeds for me because Allan is not trying to compete or improve upon the Arachne myth, nor is she wilfully offering up a new and jaunty twist. (Meowmorphosis... please.) No, instead what we get is a highly personal piece that was written for and is dedicated to her father. No RPG's were needed in the arena after all, folks. The fight wasn't there to begin with.
In short, I'd heartily recommend "Spin" to fans of literary sci-fi and fantasy, and especially to those already familiar with Nina Allan's work. If you tick any of those boxes then I doubt you'd be disappointed with this.
May 28, 2013
As a fan of Greek mythology it’s always of interest to see modern interpretations of the ancient myths. Spin is based loosely on the legend of Arachne and her defiance of Athena. Arachne boasted that her skill was greater than that of the goddess. She refused to acknowledge that her knowledge came, in part at least, from the gods. Taking the themes from this story Nina Allan has given this ancient tale a modern twist.
Layla Vargas is a normal girl who has grown up with just her father on the Greek coast. The one thing that sets her apart from all others is her ability as a weaver. Her talent to create vibrant, colourful images from the silk her father manufactures is so good that it has prompted a change. Layla is moving to the city, to start a new life, taking a chance to control her own destiny. Everything appears to be going perfectly but who exactly is the mysterious old woman that keeps cropping up when Layla least expects it?
On a deeper level this story explores the nature of what it means to be a creator, what it means to bring something new into the world. How does the creative process and that intangible spark of talent blend together to make something new. Does the act of creation come from within or is there some unknown power guiding us? Through Layla’s work, we get glimpses of this as she turns her artistic vision into something tangible.
There is a nice open-ended quality to the final pages of Spin. You’re left in little doubt that all you’ve witnessed is just the beginning of a much larger story.
At first glance, Spin may appear to be a straight fantasy novel, but Nina Allan has also blended in a few nice science fiction flourishes. Set in a near-future version of Greece there are a couple of subtle sci-fi elements, handled very delicately, which add some extra depth to the story.
I’m fortunate enough to have travelled on the Greek mainland and also some of the islands and, even though the author freely admits she has taken some liberties with geography, she has perfectly captured the sights and sounds of this wonderful part of the world. It’s so easy to picture the quiet coastal villages or the bustle of the city streets.
I read Spin straight through in a single sitting. It’s not a huge novella, but it is thoroughly captivating. What impressed me was the evocative, sensory quality to the writing. Allan truly brings Layla and her journey vividly to life. This is a beautiful story filled with some wondrous moments. I always enjoy that moment when you discover an author’s writing for the first time. Spin is a perfect introduction to Nina Allan’s work. I will most definitely be seeking out more.
Layla Vargas is a normal girl who has grown up with just her father on the Greek coast. The one thing that sets her apart from all others is her ability as a weaver. Her talent to create vibrant, colourful images from the silk her father manufactures is so good that it has prompted a change. Layla is moving to the city, to start a new life, taking a chance to control her own destiny. Everything appears to be going perfectly but who exactly is the mysterious old woman that keeps cropping up when Layla least expects it?
On a deeper level this story explores the nature of what it means to be a creator, what it means to bring something new into the world. How does the creative process and that intangible spark of talent blend together to make something new. Does the act of creation come from within or is there some unknown power guiding us? Through Layla’s work, we get glimpses of this as she turns her artistic vision into something tangible.
There is a nice open-ended quality to the final pages of Spin. You’re left in little doubt that all you’ve witnessed is just the beginning of a much larger story.
At first glance, Spin may appear to be a straight fantasy novel, but Nina Allan has also blended in a few nice science fiction flourishes. Set in a near-future version of Greece there are a couple of subtle sci-fi elements, handled very delicately, which add some extra depth to the story.
I’m fortunate enough to have travelled on the Greek mainland and also some of the islands and, even though the author freely admits she has taken some liberties with geography, she has perfectly captured the sights and sounds of this wonderful part of the world. It’s so easy to picture the quiet coastal villages or the bustle of the city streets.
I read Spin straight through in a single sitting. It’s not a huge novella, but it is thoroughly captivating. What impressed me was the evocative, sensory quality to the writing. Allan truly brings Layla and her journey vividly to life. This is a beautiful story filled with some wondrous moments. I always enjoy that moment when you discover an author’s writing for the first time. Spin is a perfect introduction to Nina Allan’s work. I will most definitely be seeking out more.
March 21, 2013
Originally published at Risingshadow.
I became aware of Nina Allan by reading one of her short stories, Bellony, in the Blind Swimmer anthology (Eibonvale Press, 2010). Then I had a chance to read The Silver Wind (Eibonvale Press, 2011), which was a fascinating short story collection. I was very impressed by her writing, because her stories were good, so I'm glad that I had a chance to read and review Spin, which is without a doubt one of this year's best novellas.
The author has created an alternate and futuristic Mediterranean world. She blends fantasy with science fiction and mythology in an entertaining way to create a new and modern reimagining of the Arachne myth. Her version of the Arachne myth is genuinely fascinating and will be of interest to several readers who enjoy reading good and well constructed stories.
Here's a few words about the story: The protagonist is Layla Vargas, who makes panoramas and tapestries. Nashe Crawe asks Layla to help her son, Alcander, but Layla says that she can't heal him...
Layla is an interesting character, because the author writes fluently about all aspects of her life. Her transformation is the core of the story, because she has a gift and she has to accept who she is. It was interesting to read about her inner struggle with her gift.
There are wonderful scenes in this novella. The scenes with Alcander are written beautifully and touchingly. It was fascinating to read about Alcander's disease, because it made him look different. The scenes with the old woman, Thanick Acampos, were also well written.
Nina Allan writes good prose and easily captures the heart of the reader with her descriptions about the places and people. She is a talented author who clearly has a vivid imagination. In my opinion she writes beautifully about weavers, sybils, clairvoyance laws, spiders (Saint Joan Spiders) and other things.
If you're looking for an extraordinary and beautifully written story that will charm you with its happenings you've just found it. Spin is perfect entertainment for SFF readers, because it's a well written and surprisingly literary novella, which combines science fiction, fantasy and mythology.
Excellent novella!
I became aware of Nina Allan by reading one of her short stories, Bellony, in the Blind Swimmer anthology (Eibonvale Press, 2010). Then I had a chance to read The Silver Wind (Eibonvale Press, 2011), which was a fascinating short story collection. I was very impressed by her writing, because her stories were good, so I'm glad that I had a chance to read and review Spin, which is without a doubt one of this year's best novellas.
The author has created an alternate and futuristic Mediterranean world. She blends fantasy with science fiction and mythology in an entertaining way to create a new and modern reimagining of the Arachne myth. Her version of the Arachne myth is genuinely fascinating and will be of interest to several readers who enjoy reading good and well constructed stories.
Here's a few words about the story: The protagonist is Layla Vargas, who makes panoramas and tapestries. Nashe Crawe asks Layla to help her son, Alcander, but Layla says that she can't heal him...
Layla is an interesting character, because the author writes fluently about all aspects of her life. Her transformation is the core of the story, because she has a gift and she has to accept who she is. It was interesting to read about her inner struggle with her gift.
There are wonderful scenes in this novella. The scenes with Alcander are written beautifully and touchingly. It was fascinating to read about Alcander's disease, because it made him look different. The scenes with the old woman, Thanick Acampos, were also well written.
Nina Allan writes good prose and easily captures the heart of the reader with her descriptions about the places and people. She is a talented author who clearly has a vivid imagination. In my opinion she writes beautifully about weavers, sybils, clairvoyance laws, spiders (Saint Joan Spiders) and other things.
If you're looking for an extraordinary and beautifully written story that will charm you with its happenings you've just found it. Spin is perfect entertainment for SFF readers, because it's a well written and surprisingly literary novella, which combines science fiction, fantasy and mythology.
Excellent novella!
October 5, 2014
La fábula de Aracné siempre se encontró entre mis favoritas, buena culpa de ello la tiene mi madre explicándome el cuadro de Velázquez. Está novela corta me parece una buena revisión actual del mito, sí bien me habría gustado más que la autora se extendiera sobre el mundo que refleja su historia (en determinados momentos es vago e incluso confuso ) lo cierto es que la narración extrapola el mito y le da una nueva forma.
Novela que en caso roza la sinestesia, es imposible no ver / oler / saborear esos colores
Novela que en caso roza la sinestesia, es imposible no ver / oler / saborear esos colores
October 26, 2015
2015 is the year of the novella for me - so many short works this year have proven staggeringly good. This is the kind of book that makes you late for things. It's potent lyrical stuff, a superb amalgamation of SF, fantasy, myth and humanity. Layla is compelling and complex, the allusions deft and relevant. Same as Grendel and Signs Preceding the End of the World, I felt at the end like waking from a dream, hazing back into reality. It's a dream I already want to revisit, because I suspect there's a lot more to be garnered here.
July 20, 2014
Great novella about the artist and her art, taking place in a near future alternate world. It is not a post-European Enlightenment world, but a descended of the 5th Century BC Athenian Enlightenment (it is like Sparta never defeated Athens and crushed the first Age of Enlightenment in the history of the world).
December 28, 2014
4,5/5,0 Gran ambientación, gran caracterización y grandes imágenes con un estilo soberbio. La trama (jaja, arañas, tejido, trama) no sorprende.
December 23, 2017
Me ha encantado! Nada más.
July 31, 2018
Cuando leí La carrera ya me llamó mucho la atención la prosa de Nina Allan y la forma que tenía de abordar las temáticas en su narración. Si a eso le sumamos lo que me gusta la mitología y los diferentes acercamientos que se hacen a ella desde diversas perspectivas, tarde o temprano esta novela corta que publicó hace un tiempo Fata Libelli debía caer en mis manos.
Allan nos traslada a una Grecia a caballo entre los antiguos gremios y un futuro no demasiado lejano. Es un ambiente un tanto difícil de identificar, pero sin duda muy apropiado para esta historia, en la que la realidad y la magia se entremezclan de modo que no sabemos dónde acaba una y empieza la otra. Hay múltiples metáforas encerradas en el pasado de Layla, la protagonista, en las apariciones de una misteriosa anciana, en la araña a la que dedica una escena. La autora no oculta que esta historia hunde sus raíces en el mito de Aracne, pero lo que nace a partir de él es mucho más complejo.
Hay una reflexión esencial sobre el equilibrio entre arte, talento y esfuerzo, que se revela de muchas formas a lo largo de la obra. El prólogo de las editoras ayuda a contextualizar este tema, pero aun así es de esas obras a las que hay que volver para estudiar, leer entre líneas y extraerles todo el jugo. Disfruto mucho de las historias que merecen esta atención, este intercambio de lecturas y análisis. Si además añadimos su brevedad, la magia de la que la envuelve Allan, su prosa tan particular, la excelente traducción de Silvia Schettin y la edición de Susana Arroyo, no puedo por menos que recomendarla.
Allan nos traslada a una Grecia a caballo entre los antiguos gremios y un futuro no demasiado lejano. Es un ambiente un tanto difícil de identificar, pero sin duda muy apropiado para esta historia, en la que la realidad y la magia se entremezclan de modo que no sabemos dónde acaba una y empieza la otra. Hay múltiples metáforas encerradas en el pasado de Layla, la protagonista, en las apariciones de una misteriosa anciana, en la araña a la que dedica una escena. La autora no oculta que esta historia hunde sus raíces en el mito de Aracne, pero lo que nace a partir de él es mucho más complejo.
Hay una reflexión esencial sobre el equilibrio entre arte, talento y esfuerzo, que se revela de muchas formas a lo largo de la obra. El prólogo de las editoras ayuda a contextualizar este tema, pero aun así es de esas obras a las que hay que volver para estudiar, leer entre líneas y extraerles todo el jugo. Disfruto mucho de las historias que merecen esta atención, este intercambio de lecturas y análisis. Si además añadimos su brevedad, la magia de la que la envuelve Allan, su prosa tan particular, la excelente traducción de Silvia Schettin y la edición de Susana Arroyo, no puedo por menos que recomendarla.
March 18, 2021
I enjoyed this novella from Nina Allan. As usual, her prose is uniformly excellent with some vivid descriptions and interesting imagery. There's a great juxtaposition between the fantastical and the mundane, a kind of parallel universe where myth and current technology subtly entwine. However, based on the Arachne myth as it is, I felt a bit distanced overall; probably down to personal preferences because myth on the whole doesn't interest me. So whilst there is no doubt a great book here with some arresting imagery particularly towards the end, I couldn't involve myself as I have done with her other work. If anything, I wanted a novel in this world, where plot coincidences might feel less contrived in a longer length format. Recommend, as with all of Allan's work, but a little bit flat for this reader.
January 19, 2021
The struggle the author must have had in the weaving of the book itself is testament to its end and it is up to the reader to read between the lines or strands or beachheads of Layla as she stares out to sea or as “She clung to the balcony railing”. The “chafing against her skin”, we pray, to become “the pure mauve light of a summer evening”. I won’t tell you what choices I think you will need to make by the end of this book as that would be be a spoiler.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.
November 4, 2017
At first, it read like an ancient Greek legend, but as the story progressed it became a tale of near Grecian future, yet the people of Atoll City and the surroundings still clung to ancient ways.
Allan's writing is sumptuous, and the landscape and characters skilfully realised, but I didn't quite understand the ending due in part to not really knowing the Arachne myth that well.
But, it makes a wonderful introduction for a possible series of stories set within Atoll City.
Allan's writing is sumptuous, and the landscape and characters skilfully realised, but I didn't quite understand the ending due in part to not really knowing the Arachne myth that well.
But, it makes a wonderful introduction for a possible series of stories set within Atoll City.
October 8, 2020
As a short novella, this story was OK, the 2 points for writing talent - the poetic imagery and art/craft allegories were engaging. Unfortunately, as a retelling of the Arachne myth I found it disappointing, lacking any insight into the mythical characters and their motivations.
May 5, 2022
No soy fan de los cuentos cortos, pero brillante!!
January 28, 2023
Bellamente escrito con un final abrupto
May 4, 2024
Atrapante, bien escrito, y la reflexión es interesante, ¿se nace con el don o se desarrolla? y si se nace con este, entonces... ¿hay proeza?
April 28, 2013
I love the novella as a form. Actually, I think I just love good fiction as an art form, and in many ways the novella simply encapsulates my own particular tastes. There’s the extra room to manoeuvre of a novel, but still the tight and refined sense of attentive purpose which so draws me to short stories.
But I get ahead of myself.
Nina Allan’s “Spin” is the second of TTA’s new series of novellas — the astute amongst you will remember that I also reviewed the first; “Eyepennies” by Mike O’Driscoll. “Spin” is set in a strange version of Greece, which seems recognisable, but strays in distinct ways into a fantastically strange world.
Layla, the daughter of dye magnate, leaves home to make her own life and find success as a weaver. But, with the death of her mother — executed for “clairvoyancy” crimes — hanging over her, she struggles to escape the uncomfortable touch of destiny.
There are layers of meaning hidden within this story — hidden to a depth that I don’t seriously believe that I have understood them all. One, on the very edge of my periphery, is a heavy influence of the classical myth of Arachne. But as I said, I know very little about that.
I did, however, still enjoy the story in its own rights.
Allan has created a palpable sense of location here. The prose drips with a hot Mediterranean sweat which gives the whole story a sense of slow and exotic weariness, a real palpable sense of both the weather and the lingering sense of oppression. Layla is very much a woman trapped; by her parentage, by the expectations of the people she meets, and by her own gift for embroidery.
So too the characters hum with a vitality of their own. Layla leads the charge, with an achingly sympathetic urge for freedom and independence — ultimately the architect of a peculiar kind of arrogance which forms her downfall. But behind her is a rich and fascinating cast. Bit parts, mostly, but they all feel complete and whole. Like we are simply passing through their stories, and that greater of them remains untold — but that is a different tale.
Of course, the flipside of such an abstract tone is that it requires closer attention. Twisting avenues of plot and description will see the unfocused reader lost and turned around. Several times I had to re-read passages simply because their labyrinthine complexity had confused me.
But to call this anything but excellent would be a lie. I loved it because it excited me, and I found myself so easily consumed by it. With beautiful settings and compelling characters, Allan writes a subtle smudging of real-world lines, blurring fantasy and reality into a heady and intoxicating cocktail.
But I get ahead of myself.
Nina Allan’s “Spin” is the second of TTA’s new series of novellas — the astute amongst you will remember that I also reviewed the first; “Eyepennies” by Mike O’Driscoll. “Spin” is set in a strange version of Greece, which seems recognisable, but strays in distinct ways into a fantastically strange world.
Layla, the daughter of dye magnate, leaves home to make her own life and find success as a weaver. But, with the death of her mother — executed for “clairvoyancy” crimes — hanging over her, she struggles to escape the uncomfortable touch of destiny.
There are layers of meaning hidden within this story — hidden to a depth that I don’t seriously believe that I have understood them all. One, on the very edge of my periphery, is a heavy influence of the classical myth of Arachne. But as I said, I know very little about that.
I did, however, still enjoy the story in its own rights.
Allan has created a palpable sense of location here. The prose drips with a hot Mediterranean sweat which gives the whole story a sense of slow and exotic weariness, a real palpable sense of both the weather and the lingering sense of oppression. Layla is very much a woman trapped; by her parentage, by the expectations of the people she meets, and by her own gift for embroidery.
So too the characters hum with a vitality of their own. Layla leads the charge, with an achingly sympathetic urge for freedom and independence — ultimately the architect of a peculiar kind of arrogance which forms her downfall. But behind her is a rich and fascinating cast. Bit parts, mostly, but they all feel complete and whole. Like we are simply passing through their stories, and that greater of them remains untold — but that is a different tale.
Of course, the flipside of such an abstract tone is that it requires closer attention. Twisting avenues of plot and description will see the unfocused reader lost and turned around. Several times I had to re-read passages simply because their labyrinthine complexity had confused me.
But to call this anything but excellent would be a lie. I loved it because it excited me, and I found myself so easily consumed by it. With beautiful settings and compelling characters, Allan writes a subtle smudging of real-world lines, blurring fantasy and reality into a heady and intoxicating cocktail.
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