Recent Reads: The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, by Katherine Arden
The Winternight trilogy is going to consist of The Bear and the Nightingale, The Girl in the Tower, both available now, and The Winter of the Witch which is due out on 10th January 2019.
Like Spinning Silver (you can read my review here), this has a basis in Russian fairy tales, which adds newness and snow to the story.
Vasya is a young girl, who can see and talk to the Chyerti, who are the supernatural creatures that protect the homes, the stables, and the bath houses, and the supernatural creatures out in the world. An example is the domovoi, who lives in the oven, eats crusts of bread, and is loyal to their family.
Vasya is quite wild, and so her father decides that since her mother died giving birth to her, she needs a new mother, Anna, who can also see these spirits, but she rejects them as ungodly creatures.
The church leader in Moscow has a problem priest, one is who is getting too much attention, and so is sent to this same little village, to be their priest, but he likes to make people scared of all their old ways, telling them they are making God angry. And something seems to be happening in the village, making fires burn faster and people scared.
My review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Vasya continues her adventures, but the reality of a young woman travelling isn't ever far from us. But, with her other options being marriage or a convent, travelling seems the best thing, and if she's dressed as a boy, then everything will be fine, right?
We meet Vasya's brother and sister, Sasha and Olga, and see how life has treated them in the ten years since they left home, one to marry, the other to become a monk.
These two books make up a fantastical story, set in snowy Russia, with a heroine that you cheer on. Katherine Arden really breathes life into the setting and the characters, and it makes it such an enjoyable read, and I can't wait to read the third book!
Vasya's story continues, and with the Crown Prince unhappy with her, and spring arrived, I wonder what fresh trouble she can get herself in!
The Winter of the Witch is due out on 10th January 2019.
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