By: Addie Thorley
Published By: Page Street Kids
Release Date: February 11, 2020
Series: Night Spinner #1
Pages: 400
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon
Goodreads Summary: A must-read for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse, transforming The Hunchback of Notre Dame into a powerful tundra-inspired epic.
Before the massacre at Nariin, Enebish was one of the greatest warriors in the Sky King’s Imperial Army: a rare and dangerous Night Spinner, blessed with the ability to control the threads of darkness. Now, she is known as Enebish the Destroyer―a monster and murderer, banished to a monastery for losing control of her power and annihilating a merchant caravan.
Guilt stricken and scarred, Enebish tries to be grateful for her sanctuary, until her adoptive sister, Imperial Army commander Ghoa, returns from the war front with a tantalizing offer. If Enebish can capture the notorious criminal, Temujin, whose band of rebels has been seizing army supply wagons, not only will her crimes be pardoned, she will be reinstated as a warrior.
Enebish eagerly accepts. But as she hunts Temujin across the tundra, she discovers the tides of war have shifted, and the supplies he’s stealing are the only thing keeping thousands of shepherds from starving. Torn between duty and conscience, Enebish must decide whether to put her trust in the charismatic rebel or her beloved sister. No matter who she chooses, an even greater enemy is advancing, ready to bring the empire to its knees.
FTAF: I need the next book now, please!
Addie Thorley’s An Affair of Poisons was very popular around Bookstagram. So when I saw that she had a new fantasy book coming out, I knew it had to be on my TBR list.
Enebish used to be a great warrior. Now, she is reduced to a shell of her former self, banished to a monastery to atone for her crimes. When her adopted sister, Ghoa, the commander of the Sky King’s army, arrives at the monastery unexpectedly, Enebish learns that she will finally have a chance to redeem herself and get her old life back. Only the mission does not turn out to be as simple as she expects. She should have been eager to turn over traitors to her sister and restore her name, but she finds herself conflicted. The deeper undercover she goes, the more imperative it is that she decide where her loyalty lies—with her family or with her country.
From the beginning of this book, I was completely enamored with the beautiful prose. In this retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the original story is gender-swapped and subtly woven into a lush fantasy narrative. Although Enebish is disfigured, it is a result of her crimes, and that is also why she is hidden away. Still, she wants to do right by her family and even her jailers. Throughout the book, she is constantly at war with herself, truly wanting to follow the right course of action but almost always unsure of what that is. It is this debate that also makes the book so engaging for the reader. Should Enebish trust Ghoa? Serik? Temujin? Or only herself? Half-truths and secrets are rampant in this story.
The world-building is so rich, and yet I found myself wanting even more. Kalima powers are bestowed upon the lucky individuals, and they can control different elements like ice, the sun, the wind, and the night. I’d love to know more about this system in the second book. Beyond this, the scenery is so well-described that I was transported to each setting, from the beautiful to the appalling squalor. Everything about the writing is captivating and had me wanting to read faster yet savor the story at the same time.
The ideas of religious freedom and unity despite cultural and ethnic differences also play heavily into this book despite the fantasy setting. Warriors and rebels come from all countries, families are (forcibly) broken and (by choice) reformed, and almost everyone is accepting of this. The love of friendship and family is tangibly felt in every chapter, and it made the villains and the struggles that much more complicated. In many ways, this book showcased the triumph of the human spirit and showed how resilient and powerful people can be.
Although I haven’t read Addie Thorley’s first book, I will definitely be moving it up on my TBR. I’ll also be waiting impatiently for the sequel to find out how this story concludes!
Most Memorable Aspect: The detailed yet elegant writing style.
She spent her childhood playing soccer, riding horses, and scribbling stories. After graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in journalism, Addie decided “hard news” didn’t contain enough magic and kissing, so she flung herself into the land of fiction and never looked back. She now lives in Princeton, New Jersey with her husband, daughter, and wolf dog. When she’s not writing she can be found gallivanting in the woods or galloping around the barn where she works as a horse trainer and exercise rider.
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