History Literature / SpinningSilver

* KickTheSonOfABitch: The way [[spoiler:that Gorek]] dies is really unpleasant--he accidentally trips and falls backward into the hearth, and tips a pot of boiling hot oats onto his face on the way down. But [[spoiler:after everything he's done to Wanda and her brothers, it's hard to feel sorry for him]].

* RagsToRiches:
** In less than four chapters, Miryem's family has gone from dirt poor to living comfortably thanks to her way with numbers and desire to care for her sickly mother.
** Then Miryem [[spoiler:completes the Staryk Lord's tasks and goes from wealthy commoner to queen. The book ends this way as she's fallen in love with him for real.]]

* DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler:The Tzar, Mirnatius, is in one of these, although eventually we find out that he was not the one who made the deal: his mother was, selling her unborn child for the demon's power. He is forced to share his body with a fire demon who uses magic to manipulate those around him and who got him the throne by killing his father and beloved half brother.]]

A SpiritualSuccessor to author Creator/NaomiNovik's previous novel, ''Literature/{{Uprooted}}''. While the two books don't share a setting, their tones and themes overlap significantly, with this book being ''very'' loosely based on the stories of Literature/{{Rumpelstiltskin}}, Literature/{{Bluebeard}}, and Literature/HanselAndGretel.

* CompellingVoice: Mirnatius can do this [[spoiler:thanks to Chernobog.]] Mostly he uses it to keep his advisors from botherig him about how to run the country or his need to get married, but strong-willed people (like his formidable great-aunt) need a lot more power. Irina is immune because of her Staryk blood and jewelry, and she points out that he's not safe from arrows or assassins who may not even give him a chance to speak.

* OutDamnedSpot: After [[spoiler:a guilt-ridden Irina returns from unleashing Chernobog on the Staryk, her nursemaid tries to help her wash her "filthy, bloody" hands, clearly invoking this trope.]]

* LightningBruiser: The Staryk King combines this with AuthorityEqualsAsskicking thanks to his SuperStrength and magical HealingFactor. In his first fight against [[spoiler:Chernobog]], he effortlessly dodges every blow and repeatedly punches his enemy across the room; in his second, he holds his own despite having recently [[spoiler:been impaled]].

* DeathBySex: [[spoiler:Chernobog consumes anyone who tries to sleep with Mirnatius, so Mirnatius goes to a lot of effort to keep his bed empty.]]

* LittleNo: Several times over (along with some BigNo's) late in the book. Stepon characterizes it as the no you say when the person you were dealing with was going to do something so awful that the punishment for refusing them was less painful than if you stood by and let them do it. [[spoiler:Such as standing by and watching Gorek beat Wanda to death, or Wanda refusing to let the Staryk King take Miryem because he couldn't do anything worse to her than take Miryem away.]]

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Literally in the Duke's case. He got his present position during the war that made Mirnatius' father tsar by defeating the previous Duke of Vysnia's forces in battle. He still personally drills his men daily and other nobles who want their sons to have good martial skills send them to be fostered by him.

* AmbiguousDisorder: Chapters from Stepon's perspective reveal that he has an aversion to loud noises, trouble understanding other people, and a tendency to hyperfocus.

* BadassBoast: the Staryk King stays defiant even when chained and depowered and facing prolonged torture:

* RapunzelHair: Irina is quite plain, except for her extremely long and beautiful dark hair.

* TrappedInVillainy: Mirnatius does what he does because [[spoiler:Chernobog will devour him otherwise]]. Irina [[SympathyForTheDevil feels deeply sad]] for him when she realizes he would have been much happier illuminating manuscripts in a monastery, but [[spoiler:ultimately frees him from Chernobog's service]].

* UnevenHybrid: Irina has one Staryk ancestor, whose magic attenuated with each generation until she was left with only mild SupernaturalSensitivity. However, the Staryk silver jewellery [[AmplifierArtifact amplifies]] that remnant enough to let her [[DimensionalTraveler travel to and from the Staryk world]].

* WellDoneSonGuy: Irina doesn't realize that she ever wanted her father to be proud of her because she knew from an early age that he never would be. [[spoiler:It's not until he becomes proud of her for her clever plan to deal with Chernobog and the Staryk, and she's deeply moved.]]