From the Bookshelf of Once Upon a Time...…

Spinning Silver

Naomi Novik

Start date: July 1, 2023

Finish date: July 31, 2023

Discussion leader: Gem

Why we're reading this: July 2023 Group Read
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What Members Thought

Sep 27, 2020 Susan Chapek added it

Shelves: mg-ya-historical, fairy-tales-and-classics-retold, ya-fantasy, favorite-authors

I would read anything Naomi Novik writes for the sheer pleasure of hearing the author spin sentences. But this is my favorite of her stories.

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Aug 19, 2018 ❄Elsa Frost❄ rated it really liked it

Shelves: fairy-tale, fantasy, retellings, adult, literary-fiction, jewish-hebrew, russia

I really enjoyed this one, but an important factor made me rate this 4 stars instead of 5. So here's the problem: The PoVs. It is very, very, VERY, VERY difficult to tell who's PoV is next, especially since all of the PoVs are told in first-person narrative and not third-person narrative. Needless to say, the multiple PoVs and the switches between them without showing whose PoV is up next (especially since it's first-person narrative and not third-person) made it difficult for me to follow along ...more

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Aug 13, 2019 Kirstie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: pure-awesome, fairy-tale, quiltbag-characters, quality-characters-w-disabilities

This book is right up my alley - it feels like a fairy tale retelling, but isn't really - like Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle, existing in that fairy tale world but more than just that.

The real world elements such as prejudice toward the Jews added a cool depth and realism to the world to the point where I wondered if there were myths about the staryck in reality.

I loved all three of the main girls and the way their stories wove together. I really enjoyed the slow reveals and character ...more

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Aug 09, 2018 Shelly Hammond rated it liked it · review of another edition

Well, it sure does have a beautiful cover!
Unfortunately, this book wasn't the best fit for me. Although, I did really enjoy the basics of the story being told, most of the characters, the plot was good, the diversity of character and strong wills of the female leads, all of these things were very, very good and quite enjoyable. However, I didn't enjoy the authors writing style making it less pleasant of a reading experience. It made this one of the hardest reviews I've written so far. I was into ...more

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