Spinning Silver
Select Format
Select Condition 
Book Overview
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - "One of the year's strongest fantasy novels" (NPR), an imaginative retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale from the bestselling author of Uprooted.
NEBULA AND HUGO AWARD FINALIST - NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review - NPR - Time - Tordotcom - Popsugar - Vox - Vulture - Paste - Bustle - Library Journal With the Nebula Award-winning Uprooted, Naomi Novik opened a brilliant new chapter in an already acclaimed career, delving into the magic of fairy tales to craft a love story that was both timeless and utterly of the now. Spinning Silver draws readers deeper into this glittering realm of fantasy, where the boundary between wonder and terror is thinner than a breath, and safety can be stolen as quickly as a kiss. 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. She will face an impossible challenge and, along with two unlikely allies, uncover a secret that threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Praise for Spinning Silver "A perfect tale . . . A big and meaty novel, rich in both ideas and people, with the vastness of Tolkien and the empathy and joy in daily life of Le Guin."--The New York Times Book Review "Gorgeous, complex, and magical . . . This is the kind of book that one might wish to inhabit forever."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Cool and clever and . . . dire and wonderful."--Laini Taylor, author of Strange the Dreamer "The Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale has never been as captivating. . . . Spinning Silver further cements Novik's] place as one of the genre greats."--Paste
NEBULA AND HUGO AWARD FINALIST - NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review - NPR - Time - Tordotcom - Popsugar - Vox - Vulture - Paste - Bustle - Library Journal With the Nebula Award-winning Uprooted, Naomi Novik opened a brilliant new chapter in an already acclaimed career, delving into the magic of fairy tales to craft a love story that was both timeless and utterly of the now. Spinning Silver draws readers deeper into this glittering realm of fantasy, where the boundary between wonder and terror is thinner than a breath, and safety can be stolen as quickly as a kiss. 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. She will face an impossible challenge and, along with two unlikely allies, uncover a secret that threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Praise for Spinning Silver "A perfect tale . . . A big and meaty novel, rich in both ideas and people, with the vastness of Tolkien and the empathy and joy in daily life of Le Guin."--The New York Times Book Review "Gorgeous, complex, and magical . . . This is the kind of book that one might wish to inhabit forever."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Cool and clever and . . . dire and wonderful."--Laini Taylor, author of Strange the Dreamer "The Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale has never been as captivating. . . . Spinning Silver further cements Novik's] place as one of the genre greats."--Paste
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0399180990
ISBN13:9780399180996
Release Date:May 2019
Publisher:Del Rey Books
Length:480 Pages
Weight:0.89 lbs.
Dimensions:1.3" x 5.4" x 8.0"
Customer Reviews
3 ratings
Fairytale Vibes
Published by Stephanie , 10 months ago
I heard this book had strong fairytale vibes and was a Rumpelstiltskin retelling. I definitely felt the fairytale vibes and saw the hints to the classic fable, but I admit this book was a little too slow for my personal taste. Still, I can see why people love it.
Pleasantly surprised
Published by Charlie , 2 years ago
I read Novik’s previous book, Uprooted, and enjoyed it but felt it wasn’t quite cohesive. I was willing to give her another go with Spinning Silver. I read the entire book in a day. She masterfully blends Jewish and Polish folk tales in a beautiful, detailed world. The characters are mainly women with a variety of attitudes, beliefs, and motives; and oh are they well rounded. I look forward to more by Novik. The other complaint I have, and this is a mild spoiler; there is a romance that just doesn’t make sense. It’s kind of been there but so subtle that the final chapter seems out of nowhere. It didn’t fit with how the characters had been interacting up to that point, like it jumped 3 or 4 steps. It was not as drastic as the sudden romance in Uprooted, which I will maintain was entirely unnecessary and illfitting. It didn’t ruin Spinning Silver but I would have appreciated more development of the romance or leaving it out/at a lesser level. I am giving it 5 stars because I think it was wonderful even with this small bump, and any fantasy lover would be better for reading it.
An Instant Favorite Book
Published by SuziMoonBeam , 3 years ago
This book is a mixture of fantasy, history, mythology and folk tales all spun together in three different storylines. The women are brave, strong, and intelligent, but absolutely not paragons by any means, and yes, the same is true of many of the men. I found it so difficult to put this book down, I resented having to work or cook or do anything but read. In fact, l love this book so much--it was a gift from a friend who thought l would love it--that I have bought it for several friends l thought would like it too. In fact, I came here today to buy a copy for my daughter-in-law.
Spinning Silver Mentions in Our Blog
Bone Up on Shadow and Bone
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • April 19, 2021
Shadow and Bone, volume one of the bestselling fantasy trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, has been adapted into a new Netflix series premiering on April 23. It is the story of Alina Starkov, a teenage orphan whose life is transformed when she unexpectedly harnesses a power she never knew she had in order to save her best friend.
Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
