3.75 stars.

If you are tired of the dark, gritty, and violent fantasies and want something to break up the flow, this is the perfect choice for you. Spin the Dawn is a lovely, sweet book.

The main characters in Maia's life are all well meaning and supportive. Edan, although mysterious, is a true cinnamon roll at heart. Maia is determined and dedicated to her craft. In fact, my favorite scenes in the book were the ones where she is sewing, knitting, or mending. She takes such care to craft beautiful clothes that I was always enraptured by them.

I loved the world building in it. I felt immersed in it without being overburdened. The quests to gather the three materials for the dresses was pretty neat actually and had the strongest writing in them. You could really feel the splendor of the palace grounds, the crackling heat of the desert, and the bitter chill of the cold mountains.

Although the plot can be a bit predictable at times and the romance a little too saccharine for me, the story is upheld by the steady and consistent pacing. If you were wondering about the Mulan aspects of it - the most familiar pieces of the tale are present in here but other than that the story becomes wholly its own.

It's a fluffy and fun story, good for summer or those needing a palate cleanser from all the heavy and dark books they've been reading.

eArc provided by NetGalley.

This is a fantastic fantasy book with a great cast of characters and well developed world. I would definitely recommend this one to fellow fantasy lovers.

Gosh, I really liked this one. While some elements of this (including the romance, sigh) will feel familiar to longtime readers of YA fantasy, what I truly loved about it was the magic system and worldbuilding. There was something warm, playful, and magical to it. I don't want to call it light, or even light-hearted, but it was such a welcome departure from the gritty, grim, bloody things I've been reading it. The best word for it is: FUN. I enjoyed cheering for Maia, and would love to see that magic of this world on screen some day.

Review for Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim


ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
Thanks for the opportunity to review this book!


All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warnings (TW): For violence, sexism, graphic depiction of breaking bones. Stay safe, my friends!

Summary:

"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."

In Spin the Dawn we follow Maia, posing as her brother Keton, as she attempts to become the Master Tailor in the kingdom. She squares up against 11 other men who are all older and seemingly more experienced then she is, but she has a secret… a magical pair of scissors that help her create the masterpieces she dreams of in her head and her sketches. This incredible book is set in a Chinese-inspired kingdom and is so incredibly unique in its plot. However, the competition is only the beginning of the journey.


My Thoughts

Part One: The Trial
I really loved getting to know Maia during Part One. The contest itself is fascinating, and getting to read about how she and her competition handles the challenges is magical. Getting to watch her interactions with Edan were always entertaining as well. I would have happily read an entire book only centering on the competition, and a separate book for Part Two: The Journey. I was sad we didn’t get to see more relationship development between Maia and the other tailors, but what we did see was (mostly) so sweet and wholesome, and I had a great time getting sucked right into this story.

“The humming in my head was louder now. I looked down, feeling a strange trembling at my side. At first I thought it came from my scissors, but that was impossible, so I ignored it.

Then they started glowing.”
Quote taken from an ARC and is subject to change upon publication.


The magic in this book is unlike any that I’ve seen before. The setting reminded me of Girls of Paper and Fire, which I absolutely loved. They both have plots centering around a poor girl being sent to the kingdom for a task to gain favor with the king. In Spin the Dawn you get to see the kingdom, a competition, as well as Maia’s growth throughout her journey.

I will say that the pacing felt a bit quick for me. I would’ve happily read an entire 400 paged book about the competition and another book picking up where part two did. I think this is more of a personal thing, as I loved sinking into this book and its magic, but wanted more time to grow and love all the characters in both halves of the story.


Minor spoilers ahead
I felt that the romance was a bit rushed as well. It goes from being fairly juvenile to “I love you,” and getting more physical than I had expected it to, in a seemingly rushed manner. Don’t get me wrong, the physical scenes were very well done, and I enjoyed reading them, but I need way more time with characters to believe that they’ve fallen head over heels for each other.

Overall (TLDR)

4.25/5 Stars for me!
This magical Chinese-inspired novel centers around a young girl vying to become the Master Tailor of a kingdom in order to save her broken family from poverty. The magic within this story is unlike any I have ever read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and all of the characters within the novel. I would’ve loved to see this book split into two and expanded upon, if only to fall a bit more in love with each character. If you’re a fan of Girls of Paper and Fire I think that you will enjoy this as well. It was action packed and I devoured it within 24 hours! I definitely recommend this and I’ll be picking up the sequel as well.

Thank you again to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book!

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Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim starts out exactly as its pitch promises: it’s Project Runway meets Mulan. Maia, daughter of a tailor who has fallen on hard times, longs to be known for who she is inside, rather than as the girl everyone sees on the outside. Aside from singing "Reflection" and getting a talking dragon companion, she really does follow Disney's Mulan pretty closely. She shears off her hair and answers an imperial summons to save her father. She's hopelessly naive. She's terrible at pretending to be a boy. A stuffy bureaucrat looks down on her, and a hot dude starts believing in her. Honor is mentioned.

Then Project Runway starts up, and there are cash prizes for winners and elimination rounds for everyone. Marrying Mulan and Project runway is a clever way to sell a book, but I found myself wishing Lim had either really leaned into the competition aspect or at least put a different twist on it. As it is, it follows the show fairly closely, but lacks a sufficient understanding of why reality competitions are successful.

So, a slight discursus: what makes reality competitions fun to watch? The subject matter is just one aspect, and it's actually not the most important. Sure, you personally might not turn on a cooking show if you're not into cooking, but you can easily get sucked in if others are watching. What keeps most people watching is the construction of narrative for multiple characters, the drama of the stakes (and not actually the interpersonal drama, except insofar as it defines a hero or a villain), and the description of the process by experts.

We only have Maia to root for, and while she’s a compelling protagonist, we don’t get the snippets of other people’s lives. Almost everyone else is a nonentity or a villain, with one rather lackluster exception, and people are dismissed in droves, not one by one. They’re all also established masters of the craft; while an imperial position would be nice, we don’t have a good sense of how life-changing it would be for anyone except Maia. We also don’t get too many examples of expertise. Sure, there are details of embroidery and weaving, but I would have liked to see more of Lim’s research show on the page (she obviously did her research, and credit to her for that).

However, Lim does understand that we want to see the products of the competition, the clothes. It actually doesn't matter that we can't literally see them, since she's very good at describing the clothing, her prose neither too brief nor too purple. She also understands that we want a snarky judge, one who knows a lot and also knows what they like. Lady Sarnai's whims may frustrate Maia, but they're spot on for the format, very Klum-meets-Cowell.

But just as things settle into absolute predictability, there’s a sharp left turn: Lady Sarnai decides she doesn’t want lewks, she wants the actually impossible. She wants dresses made from sunlight, moonlight, and stars. She wants Maia to become the tailor of legend who crafted the three celestial dresses, or die trying.

The story of the tailor who made the three celestial dresses should have been seeded earlier in the plot, since this feels like it was two books: the book that was cleverly pitched, and then the book Lim actually wanted to write. Once the competition is over (and it's over surprisingly soon), the Project Runway aspect never really comes up again. The competition is an excuse to send Maia on the journey, but a number of other excuses might have worked just as well, since none of the other competitors help or hinder her on her journey. The pitch is basically prelude to the quest narrative, which sends Maia off to retrieve “the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars.”

Perhaps because she spent a solid amount of time on the competition, the race to obtain these mysterious materials is straightforward. A little too straightforward. Things are difficult, but nothing really goes wrong until the very end. I’m torn about whether I like this or not, because it did keep the plot moving at a very consistent clip. On the other hand, everything felt inevitable rather than exciting.

Where Spin the Dawn won me over was in the charming dialogue and Lim's unique voice, which starts to come through more and more as the book progressed. I much prefer her original ideas and myths to her straightforward homages. She's creative and innovative, and I hope that she gains confidence to write her stories as she continues to publish. The magic spiders, hidden pools, labyrinthine temples and more are all brilliant details that make a rich and inviting world. And her characters, when given room to breathe, have so much potential. Edan, the sly sorcerer, and the other members of the court are far more interesting and complex once the tropes fade away.

There's a compelling political mystery going on in the background, which is a major reason I'll be eager to pick up book two. On it's face it's rather predictable as well: the emperor must marry the daughter of a rival to ensure peace. But there are huge questions about the cause of the rebellion, the motivations of the emperor, and the powers of his soon-to-be wife that really made things interesting. Why did the rebel leader resort to demonic aid? What really happened to the emperor's family that allowed a second and sickly son to ascend the throne? What part does magic play in all of this? Maia cannot really investigate since her status is so low, but her relative incuriosity was maddening at times. The war took a heavy toll on her family—doesn't she want to know more about what caused it?

Of course, Maia is distracted by her budding romance, so I can forgive her somewhat. Spin the Dawn is heavy on the romance, which is predictable but still appealing. I am not a huge fan of the particular trope Lim uses to create the romantic tension, but this is a highly personal preference. I'll leave it at that to avoid any spoilers, but the romance doesn't end where you'd expect, even given the tantalizing prologue.

The concluding volume, Unravel the Dusk, has a lot of work to do to stitch up all the loose threads and streamline the plot, but I have faith that Lim will find her footing. This is a solid debut from an author who is more creative than she lets on. I hope she unleashes everything she’s got for book two: it will be a wonder.

4/5 Stars

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Publisher/Imprint: Knopf

Edition: e-ARC, 288 Digital Pages

Hardcover Publication Date: July 09, 2019

A Spine that Shines? Quite Well!

*This review is based on the e-ARC edition provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All quotes used in this review come from the uncorrected proof. These are my honest opinions. Thank you.*

Ask me to spin the finest yarn or thread, and I can do it faster than any man – even with my eyes closed. Yet ask me to tell a lie, and I will stumble and falter to think of one.
Maia, Spin the Dawn

Initial Thoughts:

Spin the Dawn FanI truly enjoy reading retellings, and Spin the Dawn is a pretty good one in my opinion. It is inspired by Mulan, but it is still its own original tale as well. Maia is the daughter of a common tailor. After her father falls apart from the death of her mother, Maia disguises herself as a boy and takes her father’s place in the competition to become A’landi’s royal tailor. During her journey, she must construct three magical dresses, one made of sunlight, one of moonlight, and one of the blood of the stars.

There is a lot to like about this book:

The prose style is elegant and descriptive.
The setting is Asian, and the mythology is Chinese-inspired!
The competition to become royal tailor is fierce!
Magic abounds in this tale – including a magic carpet, magic scissors, ghosts, and demons.
Maia truly loves her family, and that is what motivates her most of the time. Her devotion to her family is touching.
The romance is sweet and is not insta-love.

My whole life, I’d been told what I couldn’t do because I was a girl. Well, this was my chance to find out. The only thing I could do was take it.
Maia, Spin the Dawn

Characters & Romance:

The two characters at the heart of this story are Maia Tamarin and Edan, the Emperor’s Lord Enchanter.

Maia is a strong, determined young woman living in a society that keeps telling her what she can’t do. I love that her family background is well developed, and she undergoes great character growth throughout the story. She meets Edan while she is disguised a boy for the royal tailor competition.

As the love-interest, Edan is quite intriguing. His background is a bit mysterious, and we don’t learn everything about him in this book. But his predicament is quite interesting. (I can’t say more without spoiling a large plot point.)

The chemistry between Maia and Edan is believable, and their banter is endearingly funny. They seem to have a genuine trust that develops over a period of time. (Although, Maia does do something near the end that may affect that trust later on.) I truly think they make a great couple, and I am eager to see how their relationship will progress in the sequel.

“Seize the wind,” I whispered. “Don’t become like the kite that never flies.”
Maia, Spin the Dawn

Final Thoughts:

Spin the Dawn CranesWhy didn’t I give the book a full 5 stars? For one thing, it just didn’t suck me in immediately. A lot of the first half of the book is slower paced and feels like set up for the second half of the story. (But I did really enjoy the second half!)

Also, there’s one “villainous” competitor who kind of disappears in the second half of the book, when I had hoped he would continue to cause conflict. I mean, he does in a way, but is not very present in the second half because the “villain” becomes someone else. But perhaps he will show up again in the sequel.

Another thing I suppose I should point out is the disability representation. One of Maia’s three brothers returns home from a war with paralyzed legs. While I’m glad that there is disability representation, the book does sort of present the paralysis as something that needs a “cure.” Ever since I took a course about disability studies, I’ve just been more mindful regarding the different ways disability is presented in literature. This does not mean that the book is bad. I’m simply pointing out the manner in which the book includes disability so that readers can be fully informed.

Overall, I thought Spin the Dawn was quite creative and original, and I really enjoyed the second half. If you enjoy retellings, I would recommend giving this one a try when it comes out on July 09th! Happy reading!

*Content Warnings: A woman is stripped and flogged, and there is one sex scene between the two main characters (but not a very long scene and not super explicit).

h, it’s a lovely feeling when a book you’ve anticipated for quite some time is as good as you hoped it would be! I’m so thrilled to say that "Spin the Dawn" is just that.

I was incredibly engaged with the plot from the first chapter. I love how the author eases us into the main character, Maia’s, life, and the stories she weaves from it. I felt like I was just settling into the Tamarin family when Maia decides to disguise herself as a boy and go to the palace. The author sets up a wonderful story for Maia and truly shows the young women’s talent as a tailor but the hinderance she faces as a girl. I loved being at the palace and seeing this side of life that is completely unknown to Maia. I adored being introduced to each of the tailors she competes with and the interesting way magic is introduced in the book. However, you could definitely tell that not everything is as it seems and while I hoped there would be some conclusive evidence in regard to the emperor, things still seemed somewhat abstract by the end of the book. The story felt a little rushed though, not just at the end. The comp titles (Project Runway + Mulan) works but both sort of fall to the wayside toward the middle of the book.

As I stated earlier, I really do love these characters! When Maia is introduced to Edan, I loved their interactions. The way they grow together in friendship which blossoms into something more was really heart-warming. Edan is such a charming character and he truly cares about Maia. Again, not everything is as it seems so when we learn more about the emperor and his bride, there’s a feeling of “something’s not quite right but I don’t know what it is yet.” I adored Maia’s dedication to her family, and I loved how they had confidence in her and didn’t try to make her feel less because she is a girl. I’m really interested to know more about emperor and his bride, and I hope it is explored more in the second book.

I really don’t have anything bad to say here. I loved the non-Western world, the world-building itself, especially the whole idea of the laughter of the sun, tears of the moon, and blood of the stars. Things aren’t described simply, but we see through Maia’s eyes the colors of the world and the fabric, how precise she is. It really lends well to pulling the reader into the story, and I really don’t have a lot of bad things to say. This book was a solid read for me, and I’m glad I enjoyed it so much.

Also, this cover is gorgeous and most things on this cover are in the book so…

<b>At once wonderfully familiar and refreshingly new, <i>Spin the Dawn</i> is an #OwnVoices novel that is bold as the sun, elegant as the moon, and artful as the stars.</b> It is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year so far, and after a couple disappointing new releases, it has restored my faith in YA fantasy as a whole.

<b>The book is pitched as "Mulan meets Project Runway," but that's not entirely accurate.</b> The tale begins in the kingdom of A'landi with Maia, daughter of a once-talented tailor whose abilities declined as he grew older and grieved the death of his wife. Maia's three brothers fought in the Emperor's war, and while a truce was reached, two of her brothers died, and the third returned home crippled. When the Emperor's Imperial Tailor dies, he recruits Master Tailors to compete against each other for the newly vacated position, and because of her father's reputation, Maia's family is asked to send someone. Maia, realizing her father can no longer sew and her brother was never a good tailor to begin with, but also knowing a girl cannot be a Master Tailor, does the only sensible thing: she disguises herself as a boy, pretends to be her brother, and heads off to compete in a series of absurd challenges--embroider a shawl in a single day! Make shoes out of pottery! How about a paper jacket? There is backstabbing galore, the political stakes of the contest are higher than Maia thought, and for some reason, the emperor's Enchanter, Edan, has taken a keen interest in Maia.

But that's only the first ~40% of the book! The remainder is what happens <i>after</i> the contest. Maia is presented with a further challenge: to create three legendary dresses, made from the sun, the moon, and the stars. To do so, she embarks on a perilous journey with only Edan for company, knowing that the price for her failure--if she even makes it back alive--could mean destruction for the entire kingdom.

<b>This book did so much right.</b> First, of course, #OwnVoices novels are hugely important, and this fantasy in an Asian-inspired world, written by an Asian author, is a fantastic example of what magic can happen when a book of a non-Western cultural background is written well: old stories take on new significance, classic tropes get inverted, and our assumptions are frequently put to the test. (Great example: we assume that badass female protagonists need to be warriors, that domestic activities can't be rebellious? This girl's entire plot revolves around <i>sewing</i> and still manages to be gripping. That's pretty neat.)

Second, just the writing in general was fantastic. The narration was smooth and easy to read; it actually felt like listening to Maia telling her story, without sounding artificially childish or supremely pretentious like many YA narrators do. She is self-aware, prone to second-guessing herself (but not obnoxious about it), and perhaps most importantly, she is determined to earn her own success. Even when she has the opportunity to use magic to enhance her work, she insists on not doing anything that doesn't actually reflect her skill or the time and effort she has put into her craft over the course of her life. She obviously has feelings, and grief over her family's struggles plagues her, but her love for them and her determination to succeed really shine through. And the language itself is pretty but not overwrought, so you can actually read it quickly and not get tangled up in overly complex sentences and excessive jargon, a trap which far too many fantasy authors fall into.

In terms of the story itself, the pacing is quick without being rushed; at no point did I find myself getting bored or wondering when things would actually move forward again. And the story itself is an excellent fusion of Mulan, a game show, a "chosen one" quest, and a doomed love story (oh, yes, there's a nice rivals-to-lovers romance). There are a handful of ghosts and demons, but nothing too overpowering, and the ending manages to strike a balance between wrapping up this story's conflicts and throwing a wrench into things, paving the way for a sequel (which, incidentally, I am already anxiously awaiting--funny, given that this book technically isn't even out yet).

<b>Normally, this is the part of the review where I would list some of the cons of the book, but I'm struggling to think of any
</b> Some may say that the plot is somewhat predictable, but I think that would be missing the point. This book, in many ways, is combining several old stories with new elements, so of course some of it will feel familiar. For me, that familiarity was comforting without being annoying or uninspired, but I guess I could see people getting frustrated with that. I will also reiterate that the "Project Runway" element of the book really only lasts for the first third or so, which the blurb doesn't make clear. Please don't let the fact that it doesn't match your expectations detract from how enjoyable it is!

<b>In short, <i>Spin the Dawn</i> is a fairytale quest with a twist that proves there is still new ground to be covered in the realm of YA fantasy.</b> If you like awesome female leads, romances that don't overpower the plot, gorgeous descriptions of clothing, intrigue and deception, traditional three-step quests, delightfully sarcastic and charming men, magic that comes with a price, <i>Mulan</i>, and/or girls proving men's expectations wrong, this is definitely the book for you. Strongly recommended--I seriously cannot adequately express my love for it.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! This has not influenced my rating in any way.</i>

Spin the Dawn took me on a magical journey I was not expecting or ready for. I'll admit that I am probably in the minority and I did not love Mulan. I liked it and I enjoyed it a lot, but it was not a favorite. I read the description of this book and was just not sure I would love it, but that cover really drew me in and made me want to read it. I am so glad I got to read it and was given the opportunity.

Lim tells a beautiful story. This book had my emotions all over the place. I started it on a Wednesday night after the kids were in bed and I had to force myself to put the book down to sleep. I finished the next night.

Lim will fill your heart with love in this story, she will remind you that it's worth fighting to save your loved ones. You can find love when you least expect it. This story filled my heart with love and hope and then it ripped it apart, but left me with hope that love will find a way in the end. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

This is a book that speaks volumes about the power that females possess to change the world and love is a powerful weapon.

Project Runway meets Mulan is a perfect tag for this book! Y’all, I was extremely invested in this world. Lim paints a picture of fashion so alluring I wanted to see them in real life more than anything. I loved the competition in the first half and the adventure in the last! Both were very different and very interesting!

Characters. Maia was very likable and relatable. Her character progression was done very well. She was shy at first but then owned her skills. She was just a nice person to read about, without being boring. Edan was intriguing and mysterious. He was a good mix of cocky and sweet. The person I wanted to know more about was Lady Sarnai! She was straight up FIRE! I hope to get more of her in the next book! And the Emperor can go away. He’s so annoying.

World. There’s not really a magic system. It’s extremely rare in people and in enchanted items. It was interesting to learn about how the Enchanters were made though. I really enjoyed the China-like world. Lim did a fantastic job of giving detailed descriptions.

Plot. Very unique. I have not read something like this. Have I said I loved the descriptions of the fashion yet?! Lim writes like a dream! The first half of the book is very different than the last half. The first half was more Project Runway and the last half was Mulan. The journey Maia goes on to collect the magic she needs for her dresses is amazing! It’s the type of adventure I love! Magic, romance, danger, and an ending that leaves you wanting more.

Final Thoughts. The ONLY things I didn’t like were very minor. There was a time where Maia stabbed a creature with her scissors and ran but then they were with her later. Then another time where she left her cane at the Summer Palace but then randomly had it at the Fall Palace. Small details like that happened a few times. I loved this book. I didn’t really get the Sarah J. Maas vibe but I do agree that it’s like Renee Ahdieh! I highly recommend! I cannot wait for the next book! Also, officially obsessed with Lim’s writing!

was so hyped to read this book because I feel I’d been only hearing great things about it in people’s reviews, and after finishing it I totally understand why they talked so highly about it, because it was one of my favorite reads of 2019 so far. Not only it was one of my most anticipated releases, but also fulfill by far all the expectations I had going into it, and I cannot wait to know more about the sequel, because after that ending I was left wanting more.

I think one of my favorite parts about Spin the Dawn was the plot. I adore stories that share any type of element with Mulan, because that was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid (and as an adult too, let’s face it), and though this book was so unique and it ended up being much more than what was told in the synopsis, the first part had some similarities with the movie, and I was so pumped. The change from the first part to the other three was a bit quick and fast, but I still really loved reading their journey and the path the plot was taking throughout the story. Whereas the first part was more focused on political intrigued and the competition, the other three added more depth to the character’s arcs and their journeys, and we learnt more about the world and the magic, which was so incredibly nice.

Another favorite part of mine, and one that stood the most to me, was the mythology. It was such a cool and interesting concept, and I tend to fall in love completely with books that had some type of history or mythology that centers around the sun, moon and stars, and those elements were so present in Spin the Dawn, which made me enjoy the novel even more.

When it comes to the characters, nothing that I’ll say will do them justice. I adored Maia with all my heart, and think she was such a strong, selfless and caring heroine. Her evolution throughout the story was so incredibly well done, and I absolutely adored the dynamics and the relationship between her and Edan. It was kind of a slowly enemies to lovers situation (which is one of my favorite tropes) and their interactions were so intriguing, and later on seeing such a pure relationship evolved was incredible. I would say the last two parts were a bit more focused on the romance, but I can understand why it was done that way since it played a huge part in the ending.

Overall, I absolutely adored Spin the Dawn. I loved the writing styled and how incredibly detailed the descriptions about the designs of the clothes were, and the mythology and characters made it stood out to me.

2.75 Stars

I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Spin the Dawn is an Asian inspired fantasy told in a first person POV with the story divided into three parts. It is pitched as Mulan meets Project Runway. While this is a good description for Part One, the two remaining parts veer away from this identity almost completely.

Part One introduces us to Maia, the daughter of an old respected tailor. When war comes to her country, she has grown into a highly skilled seamstress, forced to remain at home while her three brothers join the army. When the war only ended on the basis of a very strenuous engagement, the emperor calls for a competition only among the country's most talented tailors. Maia's family is invited, and after years of struggling financially due to the war, the invitation appears as a blessing. If her family wins, they'll gain fame and fortune. However, Maia's father has grown old and can no longer sew as he once did and her only surviving brother, home and injured from the war, can't sew to save his life. With the competition forbidden to women, Maia chooses to do the unthinkable and enters the competition in her father's place disguised as her brother.

Part One of Spin the Dawn was my favorite part out of the entire book. I loved reading about the competition aspect and the different challenges the competitors were asked to do. I loved the setting of the novel at the palace. I could easily picture the scenes in my mind as they happened. I loved reading about the magic Maia discovers out of something seemingly ordinary. I admired Maia's character as she was disguised as a boy. She was very determined and worked hard to be assertive to do all she could to remain in the competition.

After the story moved into Parts Two and Three, my enjoyment of the book began to decrease at a rapid rate. After Part One, the story takes the reader on a quest to find three very specific, magical items. While the idea of the plot moved along the journey, the primary focus was on the romance that was hinted at in Part One. I really enjoyed the aspect of the journey and Maia's quest for three magical objects was very interesting and I would have enjoyed it more if it weren't for the romance. I didn't like the romance at all. For me, it all moved too fast, too intense, too soon. It felt very insta-lovey. It didn't feel natural between the characters. If anything, it made Maia very immature because she'd pout and kick at the sand if her love interest didn't kiss, like a child would. Her mind should have been focused on getting the items she needed to you know, save her country, but priorities right?

Maia frustrated me even more in Parts Two and Three with the decisions she made. She constantly put herself in danger to "try and help" her love interest when in reality: 1) she never was able to help except to help things get worse and 2) she was the one who needed help and to be rescued CONSTANTLY. The love interest over-helped her, time after time after time. This exertion of energy from her love interest made her character appear weak, and incapable. As a reader I got the impression that Maia couldn't do anything for herself outside of sewing, which confused me because where was the assertive girl from Part One? She was left behind apparently.

The most frustrating scene in the book is one of the last ones right before the ending. There's a very specific task Maia has to do to receive a magical item. Her love interest gives clear specific instructions about how to do it successfully and what does she do? The very opposite of what she was told to do. It's like, she didn't even make an effort and in the end she still had to be rescued from her love interest. Again.

The ending was alright. There are hints of a sequel but I don't think I'll be continuing on with the story. Maia was too frustrating as a character. The beginning was fun but the rest of the story just did not work for me.

Rating: 3.5

Basics
SPIN THE DAWN is one of those books that just feels like an old-timey fairy tale. While I love retellings that modernize the story, I also really appreciate how Elizabeth stuck to traditional fairy tale pacing and elements while still making the old tale brand new.





What I loved


It’s been pitched as a Mulan retelling meets Project Runway, which I think definitely fits to an extent. It’s like Mulan with scissors, and Project Runway if the participants had to go on deadly quests to acquire their supplies. But what I can’t figure out and my personal favorite part is that it also seems to be a retelling of my absolutely all time favorite fairy tale, Allerleirauh (Bearskin, Catskin, there are many translations) from the Grimm’s collection. The original is about a girl who tries to avoid a creepy marriage to her father (ew) by requesting dresses made of the sun, moon, and stars, which she assumes will be impossible. When he manages to get it done, she flees with the dresses hidden in walnuts and becomes a cook in a far-off kingdom’s palace. Either there’s another similar fairy tale Elizabeth is basing this on, or it’s a retelling. Either way, it’s super exciting to see my favorite tale reimagined so cleverly, from the point of view not of the princess, but of the person who has to make the damn dresses.


The setting is East Asian inspired, I believe primarily by China. I love seeing fantasy worlds that deviate from the stereotypical English medieval prototype that used to be omnipresent. Elizabeth’s world is intricate and immersive, from the linguistics to the food to the clothing. You feel instantly transported. It helps that she trusts her reader to catch onto unfamiliar words and ideas in context, rather than resorting to a lot of tedious infodumps like some fantasy authors do. You feel like you’re traveling to a new place and exploring, instead of getting a lecture.


While we’re talking about worldbuilding, I loved the mythology! This is a place with gods and superstitions, and folklore and fairy tales. It creates this solid sense of history and place. I love how Elizabeth shared some of the folktales Maia grew up on, and how they become so important to the plot.


Maia is a fierce, clever narrator who doesn’t rely on weapons or fighting to be badass. Her weapon of choice is a needle. She creates whole worlds with her outfits. She sews to take care of her family, to express herself, and to take charge of her own life. She likes traditionally feminine things like pretty dresses and there’s no shame for it. She’s also very stubborn, a trait that both keeps her going and gets her into trouble. I found that even when I disagreed with her choices, I found her believable and compelling as a character.


I love how Elizabeth explores family and grief. Maia’s mother died when she was young and two of her brothers died in the war. While grief isn’t the main subject of the text, Elizabeth does show how Maia grapples with her grief and how it affects the way she relates to her remaining brother and father in a sensitive, realistic way.


I freaking love Edan. He’s this sarcastic, arrogant enchanter who can never be serious, talks in riddles, and thrives on banter. My weakness! I loved the tension and repartee between him and Maia. He reminded me so much of Numair from Tamora Pierce’s books, but snarkier.


My favorite part of the story was the dress competition. Honestly, I wish it had gone on a little longer. It was fun watching Maia compete against all these cranky old male tailors, and to see their designs matched up against each other.


The side characters felt real and solid, even if they had small parts. I was especially intrigued by Lady Sarnai. You don’t interact with her much, but it’s clear that she has this full, rich backstory and her own trials and grief. I’d love to see more of her in the sequel.


The ending. Wow! I thought I knew where Elizabeth was going with the last few chapters, but she managed to surprise me. I love that she didn’t wrap everything up neatly. She forces Maia to make difficult choices and to live with the fallout.




What didn't work as well


Some of the dialogue is kind of wooden or people are talking about things that they know in a way that’s just meant to let the reader now. That tends to rip me out of the story.


The middle kind of lulls—oddly enough, because I think it goes a little too fast. The pacing in the competition is so taut and exciting, but when they’re journeying, they’re covering so much time and ground in such short page space that it’s hard to feel immersed. It felt like the trials were a bit too quick and convenient, just because there wasn’t enough time to dwell on them. There were also some really abrupt time jumps that threw me off.


Maia seems a little passive during the trials. Edan basically tells her everything she has to do. I connected with her most when she was taking charge, making dresses, and figuring things out for herself.


This is definitely a “me” issue that you may not care about, but I thought that Maia and Edan fell in love too quickly. A few weeks together, and they were already talking of marriage and a future! It’s not that I didn’t fully buy it; I just personally like the slow burn bantery stage, and so I get kind of bored once everything is smooth and there seems to be a perfect understanding between the characters.


Other things to know


It’s definitely a patriarchal world, so you should know that going in. Men have all the power, women are subjugated. There isn’t much allowance for anyone nonbinary. But interestingly, although it seems to be unusual to be openly gay, people in this world also don’t seem to have a problem with it.


There are also some threats of sexual violence. Personally I didn’t think they were excessive or gratuitous, but if that’s something that you don’t like seeing, be aware going in.


My thoughts overall


A glittering gem of a fairy tale with a unique mythology, clever premise, and exciting finale.

I really enjoyed this book!

Part of me wonders if it was a little too much and could've been two separate books – the competition and then the challenge from Lady Sarnai are both hefty storylines, and it's a lot of book for a debut. That is the main reason I gave it four stars instead of five – it felt rushed in some places, and slow in others, and I think pacing issues could've been resolved with a first and second book in a series, instead of one combined book covering all of that ground.

However, again, I really enjoyed it. The ship is great, and Maia is a wonderful main character. I am so excited for the sequel!

I LOVED this book!! I stayed up waaay past when I should've gone to bed to finish reading it and now I am clamoring for the second book! It can't come out fast enough! This book has a little bit of everything- romance, adventure, fashion, family. It was described as being Project Runway meets Mulan and that's partially true, but there are also hints of Aladdin and other classic fairy tale elements. The main character, Maia, is likable and relatable. The pacing of the book is great- there was no point where I didn't want to pick it up again and keep reading when I had time (curse you work- keeping me from reading!). And let me just say the ending! Gah- with the cliffhangers! I mean, this was not as bad as some other books I've read (I'm looking at you Empire of Storms) but there were enough hints of where the story is headed that make it a little painful having to wait so long for the final conclusion. That said- I highly, highly highly recommend that you read this book, enjoy it, and pass it along to all your friends!

A fun and original re-imagining of the Mulan myth smashed up with Project Runway. I really loved the heroine. The clothes sounded amazing. And the hero was dreamy.

This is described as Project Runway meets Mulan and in ways it is. But it’s also so much more than that! It’s beautifully written and I found myself almost unable to put it down.

The cover is what grabbed my attention, but I was even more intrigued by the synopsis. I’ve not had much luck so far this year, so I was ready for something new. Something fresh. And oh, how Spin the Dawn checked those boxes.

Maia’s journey is clearly inspired by the Mulan tale. Of course there are many changes and they’re fantastically done. I loved the idea of a female tailor competing against others in disguise. I loved the challenges. And beyond that, I loved the build up of the romance.

This book is rich in fantasy. From magic, demons, ghosts, and enchanters, I couldn’t get enough! The lore of the tale is magnificent. It felt real, despite the impossibility of it all. And for as fun as most of it is, it can also feel intensely dramatic and downright sad. There’s a lot going on in the story, but Lim does an incredible job of keeping it all easy to follow. All of the details are there, nothing is convoluted or hard to follow.

For as much as I loved the overall story, I really enjoyed the romance. When done will, it tends to be a favorite part of a book for me. And it was brilliant here! I loved Maia and Edan. From their seeming dislike to the smallest blossoms of feelings to outright declarations of love, I lived for it! It in no way detracts from the rest of the story. It definitely adds another element. One that makes all of Maia’s decisions THAT much tougher. As love tends to do.

I love, love, LOVED this book! And I’m so sad it’s already over for me. I’m jealous of all those who get to experience it anew in a few weeks.

And I absolutely cannot wait for the next part of Maia’s journey!

This had me hooked from the very first sentence. I loved everything about it—the characters, the world, the story, the magic. Too often, the stakes of a story or the consequences of characters’ choices aren’t compelling enough to keep me immersed, but I could not put this beautifully-woven story down. I’ll be on pins and needles waiting for the next one!

A huge thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley! I will be posting this on my blog and Goodreads within two weeks of the publication date.

"The laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars." That's got to be one of my most favorite sentences in the history of ever. I think it really describes the author's writing style well!

The first half! I mean, magical competitions are my weakness*. The whole concept of tailors and dresses drew me in and never let me go. Listen, I may not know anything about fashion but I’ve taken it upon myself to learn. So clearly, magical dresses are the way to go!


I also freaking loved Maia’s character SHE WAS AMAZING. First of all, I believe that this is #OwnVoices Chinese inspired! I could sense a lot of the culture seeping through the very pages of the book, the author was just that good.

And Maia actually eats food!!!!!! Like a normal human being!!!!

I could rant forever about YA female characters never seem to eat or have zero thoughts on food whatsoever. It’s a travesty, a crime, something that ought to be crushed from the the face of literature*. Fortunately, Spin the Dawn carries none of those problems! In general Maia just feels so real. She has her flaws, and her hopes, but I actually connected with her.

And the romance! It’s slightly bittersweet but as for what I liked about it, there was forbidden romance which makes me literally scream with happiness. The entire first half has somewhat Project Runway vibes, but I would say the whole Mulan dynamic is stronger. And the second half really reminded me of Aladdin with the whole adventurous feel.

I didn’t hate anything about this book but I will say that the second half didn’t intrigue me like the first. It kinda felt predictable, and slightly dragged. Also, it really didn’t do the romance any favors because it turned both characters into carbon YA copycats obsessed with each other. Of course, that’s just my opinion, others might disagree!

And the ending.
It was…disappointing. Mainly because it felt like the entire book could have been fixed or summed up and finished off if the second half hadn’t dragged like it did. Actually, I think the book would have been better if it had been written as a stand-alone. The whole second half would have felt better, and not so contrived. So overall, I'd give this 3.5 stars!

I loved this book! Can a book about sewing be exciting? Oh yes it can! I love the main character, Maia. The world is interesting and vast, and the characters are intriguing.

Maia is an excellent seamstress in a world where tailoring is a man's domain. She has dreams of being the tailor to the emperor, but she's afraid that dream will be squashed and she'll have to end up marrying one of the local boys instead. Of course, that would make an awful story.

Instead, she is summoned to the king's palace to try out for the chance to be the Emperor's tailor instead. Well, she isn't, but one of her male family members is. Her father is too broken-hearted to go, and her brother can't sew to save his life. To save the family name, she impersonates her brother and off she goes.

But that isn't the end of the story. I can't say more without giving away spoilers, but she makes powerful enemies and finds the love of her life. There is beautiful prose here, like "I knew then we were like two pieces of cloth, sewn together for life. Our stitches couldn't be undone." But even love is complicated in this story. I'm certainly looking forward to reading the second book in this exciting series!