Scan barcode
A review by booksbythewindow
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
For full review: https://booksbythewindow.wordpress.com/2022/05/25/spin-the-dawn/
Summary: Spin the Dawn follows Maia, the daughter of a tailor who dreams of becoming the imperial tailor. When she is mistakenly given the opportunity to take part in a competition at the emperor’s palace, she does not hesitate to disguise herself and enter, trying to win the job that she has always dreamed of as well as the ability to send money back to her family. However, the competition puts her in the middle of political tensions as well as bringing her to the attention of the emperor’s Lord Enchanter. The events that follow eventually set her on a journey that will prove to change not only Maia’s life but the lives of all those in the emperor’s palace.
Overall Thoughts: Writing the summary for this novel proved to be difficult as, truthfully, it is only the first half of the narrative that follows the actual competition with the second half of the narrative delving much more deeply into the politics, magic, and darkness of the world that Maia is discovering. Although I enjoyed the first half of the narrative, it was the second half that really stood out to me and had me absorbed in the action. Maia was an engaging protagonist and first-person perspective character. Whilst her motivations at the start of the novel might have seemed a little predictable, her growth in understanding and the way that her perspective changes throughout the narrative was enjoyable to read and she became an easy character to root for. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and found the characters and plot to be very engaging.
Summary: Spin the Dawn follows Maia, the daughter of a tailor who dreams of becoming the imperial tailor. When she is mistakenly given the opportunity to take part in a competition at the emperor’s palace, she does not hesitate to disguise herself and enter, trying to win the job that she has always dreamed of as well as the ability to send money back to her family. However, the competition puts her in the middle of political tensions as well as bringing her to the attention of the emperor’s Lord Enchanter. The events that follow eventually set her on a journey that will prove to change not only Maia’s life but the lives of all those in the emperor’s palace.
Overall Thoughts: Writing the summary for this novel proved to be difficult as, truthfully, it is only the first half of the narrative that follows the actual competition with the second half of the narrative delving much more deeply into the politics, magic, and darkness of the world that Maia is discovering. Although I enjoyed the first half of the narrative, it was the second half that really stood out to me and had me absorbed in the action. Maia was an engaging protagonist and first-person perspective character. Whilst her motivations at the start of the novel might have seemed a little predictable, her growth in understanding and the way that her perspective changes throughout the narrative was enjoyable to read and she became an easy character to root for. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and found the characters and plot to be very engaging.