A boon rife with ramifications, even when used with good intentions. Rather than the distinction of either good or bad, Lim portrays magic more ambiguously as both good and bad in equal measure, a blessing and a curse. The magic system, albeit not entirely dissimilar from other fantasy stories, capitalizes on the double-edge nature of magic. From Maia’s ventures themselves to the magic system she comes to know, this novel dismantles expectations. Despite the inspiration and reminiscence from Mulan, as well as bits from other such fairy tales, the originality shines through and propels readers on a journey that feels wholly new. Lim fashions such a unique plot and riveting quest within Spin the Dawn.
Spin the Dawn transcends mere garment making and glory instead, it enraptures with a multifaceted quest, the favorable and punitive elements of magic, and the strength of romantic and familial bonds. Just as quickly as that apprehension developed, however, this book showed me how sorely I’d misjudged. I initially approached this novel with an air of skepticism, for I feared the plot wouldn’t have enough substance. As the competition heats up and tensions flare, Maia’s given an ultimatum: craft three dresses made of the sun, moon, and stars or risk losing the only family she has left. To fulfill the emperor’s demands and her own vocations, Maia disguises herself as a man and enters the trial as her father’s son. When the emperor summons him to compete for the spot of the Imperial Tailor, Maia knows her father, frail with age and an aching heart that won’t heal, wouldn’t survive the journey, let alone the strain of the position. Behind the scenes in her father’s shop, she works as a seamstress and mends the crippled quality of her father’s tailoring, his former renowned skills sullied by growing indifference. Maia Tamarin has longed for repute as a tailor, for despite her prowess with needle and cloth, a woman in A’landi can only hope to marry well.
Aptly described as a cross between Mulan and Project Runway, Spin the Dawn marries magic and couture, with a stitch of subterfuge. Much like how her protagonist spins the dawn, Elizabeth Lim spins an equally enchanting tale in her magical debut.
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