Spinning SilverSpinning Silver
Score Modern
What it's about
Miryem, a moneylender's daughter, takes over her soft-hearted father's business and boasts she can turn silver into gold, a boast that reaches the Staryk, cold fairy lords who demand she prove it. Her fate becomes tied to Wanda, a peasant girl escaping her abusive father, and to Irina, a duke's daughter married off to a tsar with a terrible secret, in this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula awards. It's a rich, wintry fairy tale with three remarkable heroines.
You'll love it if you liked
Uprooted
Circe
The Bear and the NightingaleGood to know
It stands alone, unrelated to Uprooted. It's told by several narrators, which takes a chapter or two to settle into.
By the numbers
- Readers85 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller42 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz10 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #21 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #53 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #224 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #444 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Naomi Novik
Uprooted
A Deadly Education
His Majesty's DragonIf you like this, read next
Six of Crows
A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Dog's Purpose
Legendborn
Throne of Glass
The Ten Thousand Doors of JanuaryExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Spinning Silver worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula awards. It ranks #444 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Spinning Silver about?
Miryem, a moneylender's daughter, takes over her soft-hearted father's business and boasts she can turn silver into gold, a boast that reaches the Staryk, cold fairy lords who demand she prove it. Her fate becomes tied to Wanda, a peasant girl escaping her abusive father, and to Irina, a duke's daughter married off to a tsar with a terrible secret, in this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin.
How long does it take to read Spinning Silver?
About 12 hours (465 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Spinning Silver?
If you liked it, try Uprooted by Naomi Novik, Circe by Madeline Miller or The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden.