zoeelizabethk's Reviews (642)

I’m a little unsure how much I actually like this but it was definitely worth reading. This defies so many expectations and challenges how we approach fairy tales, storytelling, right and wrong, love and loss, prose and poetry. This is definitely the type of story that needs to be read in one sitting or two and maybe revisiting. I appreciated the tie in to Russian culture, fairy tales, and mythology, and I would recommend that anyone interested in these topics or storytelling check this out.

This was an absolutely beautiful book. I loved the writing, it was absolutely mesmerizing, and in a lot of ways Spinning Silver reminded me of Catherynne Valente’s Deathless. I loved the Slavic mythology and faerie tale tie ins and I was amazing at the way she plays with time and space here and manages so many first person narrative seamlessly. I know some people complained about two many narrators but, for me, it just accentuated the way she blends narratives and reveals the world. My only complaint was that a couple times it felt a bit long as she sort of wrapped up one faerie tale and you thought it must be over but she just brought in another thread. But overall I loved Spinning Silver and I’m definitely going to be reading Uprooted!

Catherynne Valente's Deathless is a perfect mix of fairy tale, myth, and historical fiction, written with carefully crafted writing that lingers with you. The story feels Russian, the way it addresses so many themes. This is not simply a retelling of a fairytale, but a reflection on life, death, war, hope, love, pain, and so much more. This novel breathes the Russian experience, and mirrors so many of the things people have told me while I've been living here in Russia this semester. I also enjoyed Valente's whimsical and revealing names, revealing her extensive research and understanding of Russian. In my opinion, this is the type of writing and book we long for, but is so rarely written. Молодец!