![]() ![]() There’s an acute sense of isolation and fear, the judgment of outsiders, that contrasts noticeably with the warmth and “magic,” as Wanda calls it, of prayer and storytelling. The mythologizing of the elements is so compelling-anthropologically it’s as impactful as the setting of THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS, where the harshness of extreme cold determines social customs and cultural rituals for the sake of survival-as is the way the Jewish characters live on the literal fringe of society, nearest to danger. What I think is so interesting about Jewish fairytales, especially those originating in Eastern Europe (Novik’s work seems to be inspired by Polish folk tales), is how winter itself serves as a villain in this case, winter personified as the Staryk. ![]() ![]() The wintry atmosphere and Jewish-inspired folklore of SPINNING SILVER were my motivation for choosing this book, and I am happy to report that my re-read confirmed much of what was enchanting for me about this story on my first read. ![]()
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