Spin the Dawn
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers on July 9, 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 392
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 052564699X
Goodreads
An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.
Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.
Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.
And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.
Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.
My favorite parts!
First things first – that COVER. Wowowow it is gorgeous! It’s probably one of my favorite covers of all time. The artist is Tran Nguyen, who actually also did the cover artwork for The Storm Crow, and the recently revealed cover art for Horrid. One of my goals this year is to not just appreciate cover artwork but also credit the artists who are behind these beautiful pieces!
Okay now to the story! I think my favorite thing about the book was how the clothes were described haha. I honestly really want someone to create art/fanart based on the pieces because they sound BEAUTIFUL. Especially the dresses described in the second half of the novel! The way Lim is able to make the reader fall in love with these pieces is amazing. My second favorite thing would be the mythology of the dresses Maia is asked to create and the quests/specific tasks she has to complete to make each dress. I love a world with gods/goddesses and folklore that are an important part of the story.
The plot!
The story is split into two major arcs. The first is the competition to become the imperial tailor (which you can guess that Maia wins based on the synopsis of the book. The second arc is the quest to find magical items to craft three very special dresses. I liked the general idea and plot of both arcs, but it definitely felt like they could have connected better. The execution of the quest storyline also felt like a letdown compared to the competition storyline. It dragged on and was a bit bogged down by the romance – which I think a lot of people will enjoy! I however felt a bit bleh towards it.
The characters!
Mostly the characters were okay, but I never felt super connected to Maia, or Edan ( the secondary main character). I’m not sure why! She has great motivation (providing for her family, staying alive), and is interesting but I don’t know, there was just a disconnect. My favorite thing about Maia is her relationship with her father and her brothers. She is so close with them and loves them so much!! I wish we could have seen maybe letters from them to her, in addition to her letters.
Also!! I wish we had gotten to see more of Lady Sarnai, the women who is to be wed to the emperor. She seemed so badass but also vulnerable and complicated and like!! I just want more!! I would read a book about her tbh.
The meh?
There were a few things in the book that bothered me, and some things I wanted to mention for other readers to think about. The main character does fake a disability for a good portion of the book, and I find that to be a bit questionable. I’m not disabled myself, and am not well educated enough to comment on it but just so other readers know! Additionally the social structure in this book is heavily patriarchal. Which makes sense for a sort of historical fantasy setting, but I’m just kinda tired of reading about them. Also as a result of that, there are rigid gender roles for men and women. This doesn’t take into account and the book doesn’t mention in any way gender fluidity/gender non-conforming people. It would just have been nice to see a bit more diversity on that front.
Hope you enjoyed my review! Have you read this one? If so, what did you think about it?
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