One of my favorite reads is Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver, so I was thrilled to see she was publishing a novella (particularly because I am loving that medium right now). This was everything I wanted in a novella. The pacing was right and the story was rich with detail and endearing chracters.

We follow Ceila and her family after she accidently places a curse on her brother to never fall in love after finding out he is leaving the family behind. We watch and Celia and her other brother Roric pick up the pieces and develop a sibling bond of their own. They navigate the trechory of their kingdom and the politcs of a war with the fae and what has been promised to them. And unbeknownst to them their older brother Argent also weaves his way into the story.

Using cunning, magic, msic, brawn, and strength these siblings come together to try to fix what has been broken with absolutely beautiful story telling. I can't wait to add this to my shelf. Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced readers copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

Naomi Novik definitely has a way with the unworldly. I loved how she characterized the fae in this book and made them so very non-human. I loved the relationship between the siblings but where I struggled with this novella was with the pacing. Parts of the story needed more meat to balance out others and I think this could work really well as either a full-length novel or a prequel setting up something more.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun and sweet little novella, filled with battles, romance, high-fae revelry, bounteous story-telling, and lots of drama. I enjoyed this story very much, and it's made me interested in Naomi Novik's other novels!

The Summer War is a nice palette cleanser and leisure read, and I was delighted with all my time reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers Del Rey, Random House Worlds, and Inklore for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Naomi Novik is an author who simply cannot write a bad book. I've been a fan for years, and every single thing she writes is a masterpiece. The Summer War is no exception. This novella is a wonderfully thoughtful fable that beautifully explores not only learning to care for one another but also the price of our anger and our lack of understanding.
Novik's writing is, as always, fantastic. She has a magical ability to spin a web that pulls you in completely; you follow the thread, unable to put it down, even though you have no idea where you're going to end up. And when you get there, you realize it was the perfect journey all along. The Summer War is a must-read for any fan of her work or anyone who appreciates a story with real heart. 💖

I loved this story! I have been a fan of Naomi Novik since I read Uprooted a while ago and this title certainly didn't disappoint.
I've always admired Naomi's unique narrative voice and writing style that really does give a fairytale feel to her work. As a novella this is executed slightly differently here, but it was still a really enjoyable read. I would love to read a full length novel in the same setting that I could really get my teeth into as this i devoured in a few hours. The protagonist was sympathetic and cleverly written as she was obviously a bit devious and cunning but with a good heart and the relationships between her and her family were really at the core of the novella that really kept me invested. The plot was delightfully twisty and the plot was delightful. I particularly loved Argent and would love his stories to be developed into a longer work in the future as he was fascinating to me. Overall, this was a delightful read, I'd love to see more of in some form in the future.

If you're familiar with Naomi Novik's Temeraire and Scholomance novels, then you already have some idea of the type of fantasy worldbuilding that awaits you. Grounded in a recognizable reality, but wholly unique in their own ways. The Summer War is no exception.

This time, however, Novik has written what can only be described as a genuine fairy tale. A self-exiled knight, a captive sorceress princess, a cruel prince bent on revenge, and a land next door where time runs on its own rules.

Though only a novella, The Summer War is dense with lore and history, and is ripe for multiple readings to thoroughly take it all in. This is one to keep on the shelf and pass along to your kids.

4 stars

4.75
This book is nothing short of amazing. From the plot to the characters everything is perfect. Highly recommend

I think it’s fair to say that if Naomi Novik writes something, the chances that I’m going to read it are above 99%.

I loved this - it’s engrossing, with fully fleshed out characters, magic, and lands. The relationship evolution between Celia and Roric was wonderful and the fairy tale vibes here are stroooong.

Considering its shorter length, I drew it out as long as I could and enjoyed every single page. Highly recommended for fairy tale lovers.


**Celia’s mother’s favorite winter sitting room - I would love some enchanted summerglass ❤️



Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the DRC

A lovely novella that can be read in an afternoon. Novik has shown herself time and again to be a master of the canny fairy tale, that is, one in which the protagonist understands the mechanics of fairy tale logic and is able to use them to her own ends.

While I would have loved a longer book with this same world and characters, it’s clear that the novella length was intentional. The story is written in a more mannered fairy tale style than her other works, while simultaneously maintaining a level of interiority that is a bit deeper and more personal than a typical fairy tale. This tension between a mode that casts the story in a timeless and removed sphere and one which allows the characters individuality beyond just inhabiting an archetype is quite successful at this length, but seems like it would slacken in a larger work. I’d happily read many more novellas like this!

A clever heroine, a curse inflicted in anger and regretted later, a once-ambitious and now downtrodden father, a weaselly royal family, some really unfortunately stupid elves, the reforging of damaged sibling bonds, and how to make estate account-books fun. If any of this intrigues you, or you simply enjoy fairy tales, or you like anything else Novik has written, you should read this book!

Complaining that a novella should be longer is such a boring take but I honestly can't give a much better review than the person who said this reminded them of the short story version of Spinning Silver published in Novik's recent anthology "Buried Deep". Though the short story is clever and entertaining on its own, when balanced against the measure of its enchanting full-length counterpart in shrinks into little more than a promising echo of itself. This pretty adequately captured my feelings reading "The Summer War" - a "just fine" novella that could probably have been built into a "tremendously good" long-form book on par with Novik's other fairy tale retellings.

4 stars

An enthralling fairy tale about siblings determined to avert their fates.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding in this novella. Human lands brush up against the Summerlands, inhabited by Summerlings, immortal fae that live out courtly romances and struggle to remember finished stories. There’s an emphasis, in a society that prioritizes noble bloodlines, on the ordinary people screwed over by the moves of the great and powerful.

Celia is a wonderful heroine, a little ruthless and a lot clever and with a heart that loves so much. I’d highly recommend this novella to fans of clever and feminist modern fairy tales.

Novik does a solid job creating the feel of a classic fairy tale. Her choice of language and rhythm makes the reader feel immersed in this fantastical world and sweeps them up in the tale with all the atmosphere and world-building of a classic tale. The writing is lush and light, much like a summer's day. It's the author's greatest strength.

I think Novik could easily expand this novella into a full-length story--as she's done in the past--and the story could benefit from a little more breathing room, namely in the back half, where I found myself a little lost at times. The time jump/progression of Celia from 12 to 15 is amorphous, and rarely does Celia act like a girl that young--save for her cursing her brother at the story's outset. Instead, she acts beyond her years, scheming and plotting and understanding the world like an adult. Her actions move the plot forward but don't necessarily follow as logical given her more sheltered upbringing and youthfulness. For instance, it's not well explained as to how she's able to pivot from being deceived into marrying Elythion to scheming to destabilize the status quo. Moreover, I was most confused by the rapid development of Argent and Elythion's relationship at the end of the story; it truly felt like it came out of nowhere. Likewise, I found the narrative neglected Roric as much as the characters in this world did, and I would've liked to see a bit more development of his character for the story to feel more natural. The dynamics of Celia's family, overall, were well done and well-established from the outset. Overall, though, many of the issues I had with this story could've been resolved by giving the story a bit more space to develop.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sitting down with a new Naomi Novik book is much like settling into a hammock and letting the lilt and sway of the story rock your sense of self into near oblivion. With her own story line she affixes patchwork pieces of old stories, folk and fairy tales and even songs into a narrative blanket, familiar and yet totally unique. Summer Wars, is shorter than her recent works and while compelling , it often seemed like more of a sketch of a novel that was hiding behind this one. Her usual strong plot lines are in place: characters caught up in curses with revenging wrongs reverberating through lifetimes, the indifference to and oppression of the poor and the marginalized, always pawns in her clash of the titans. Also present is the meticulous moral complexity of each side; there are rarely simple one-dimensional baddies The hero’s journey, and there is usually more than one, always involves a change of world view and a broadening of heart. These are all present in the Summer Wars and if I wasn’t familiar with her previous work this would be a self-contained and largely satisfying tale. Celia, the titled daughter of a cunning and crafty low born war hero, witnesses the estrangement of her beloved swordsman brother, Argent, to his family because his father seemingly cannot accept that Argent likes boys. Brokenhearted by Argent’s seeming indifference to her, Celia, upon cursing him, discovers she is a sorceress, thus igniting another set of betrothal rituals to the king’s son. After Argent flees to the Summer Lands of the warlike summer fairies, Celia forges a friendship with her other largely ignored brother, as they hatch a plan to find Argent in the dangerous Summer Lands. Of course the plans are unexpectedly upended and Celia finds herself in a deadly bind. The plot is entrancing, but the actions and character development propelling it are so abbreviated that what is missing often seems more evident than what is there. Still anything by Namoi Novik is a worthy read, even when it seems like a whisper of a longer book.

Evocative descriptions, and an enchanting world, this Novella is a work of art.

Even though it’s short, it is well developed with attention to detail. It’s clever how Celia’s fate came down to Fae Oaths and riddles, I loved that aspect of the plot.

I honestly feel like there could be many more stories to come out of this world, and I’d be there for it.

Highly recommend for a quick and whimsical read.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Del Ray, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliantly told story that smacks heartily of fairy tale but this is a Naomi Novak fairy tale so you know it's going to delight and intrigue you with originality. This heroine is humanized and the magic has teeth. Come along as our girl plants the seeds of her own salvation and has to deal with betrayals- both given and received- by working within the framework built by the fae.

This review is based on an advance copy that I received for free.

I love Naomi Novik. This book was filled with drama, politics, and fairytales. I do wish it were longer, I didn’t want to leave this world. This is a story about familial love and follow our main character as she grows and matures. This story was deeply complex with an expansive world and gripping emotional journeys, somehow all packaged nearly into a novella you could read in one sitting.
Highly recommend for any fairytale fan.

Thank you Del Rey for providing me with an ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC for my read and review. Some relatively light spoilers below.

Celia, disappointed by her brother, accidentally curses him and spends this novella trying to unwind the curse. This is on the heels of a recent peace (or is it?) with the fae-like creatures who can only cross to the human realm in the summer.

Naomi Novik is typically a „can’t put it down”’read for me but for some reason, this didn’t quite hit the same. But even in novella form, it was enjoyable and I particularly enjoyed the middle portion when Celia plots and bonds with her middle brother. Honestly, would love to read a follow up involving him someday.

A parable with a happy ending, to me this was 3.4, rounded to 4 stars, but always such a pleasure to read the author.

As always, Naomi Novik delivers spectacular magic systems, heartfelt characters, and a satisfying ending.

Naomi Novik never misses, and The Summer War is proof of that. This novella is small in size but absolutely brimming with heart, weaving together magic, family, and the weight of unintended consequences in the way only Novik can.

Celia’s curse on her brother Argent is such a devastatingly human mistake, born of anger, grief, and love all tangled together. It gives the story a sharp emotional core that pulled me in right away. The sibling dynamics feel raw and real, especially with the reluctant alliance between Celia and her middle brother, which grounds the sweeping, fairy-tale atmosphere in lived-in relationships.

What I loved most is how Novik folds the personal into the mythic. The centuries-long Summer War and its immortal enemies echo the curse itself: bitterness calcified into destiny, waiting to be broken by compassion and courage. The resolution is both satisfying and deeply moving, carrying the kind of quiet, resonant hope that lingers long after finishing. I devoured it in one sitting and immediately wanted to reread.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a fun escape from reality! I read Novik’s novella in one sitting finishing it at 1 a.m. Novik reigns over the modern, adult fairytale and this one did not disappoint. I only wish that it had been longer so I could have stayed in that world. My most grateful thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance digital copy of this book by one of my favorite authors.