The Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy, #3)

by Katherine Arden

A magical and captivating coming of age novel set in medieval Russia - perfect for fans of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials.

One girl can make a difference...

Moscow is in flames, leaving its people searching for answers – and someone to blame. Vasilisa, a girl with extraordinary gifts, must flee for her life, pursued by those who blame their misfortune on her magic.

Then a vengeful demon returns, stronger than ever. Determined to engulf the world in chaos, he finds allies among men and spirits. Mankind and magical creatures alike find their fates resting on Vasya's shoulders.

But she may not be able to save them all.

'heart-stoppingly good...beautifully written, this adventure shimmers and shines with magic of all kinds. Unmissable.' Sunday Express

'If you're a lover of fairytales you are in for an absolute treat. It's truly magical' The Pool

'Katherine Arden’s Winternight Trilogy isn’t just good—it’s hug-to-your-chest, straight-to-the-favourites-shelf, reread-immediately good, and each book just gets better. 'Laini Taylor

• ISBN10: 1785039733
• ISBN13: 9781785039737
• Publish Date: 3 October 2019 (first published 28 December 2018)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Cornerstone
• Imprint: Del Rey
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[Jo]

Trigger and Content Warnings are under spoiler tags as there are quite a few of them.

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features sex scenes - one scene fades to black and another is one sentence, animal cruelty and death, mob mentality, violence against women, descriptions of bloody violence, threat of rape, sexual assault, attempted murder by burning, torture, suicide, and murder of a pregnant woman and child destruction.

I completely adored the first two books in the Winternight Trilogy, and I couldn't wait to finish it with the final book, The Winter of the Witch. And it was absolutely incredible!

Like with the previous book, The Winter of the Witch starts exactly where The Girl in the Tower ended. Kasyan Lutovich - who was actually the immortal sorcerer Kaschei the Deathless - is dead, the Tatar bandits under his control have fled, and the snowstorm Vasya brought Morozko back into the world for has put out the fires caused by the firebird. Moscow is in a state; while the snowstorm stopped total destruction, a lot of damage has been done. Father Konstantin, overwhelmed with hatred, loathing and desire for Vasya, has stirred the people into a rioting mob who are demanding Vasya be burned for being a witch, and have dragged her out of the grounds of her sister's palace.

And I can't tell you any more than that. So much happens in this book, so much, and it's quite the epic story. Vasya grows and changes in this book; she matures, and she grows into her powers in dangerous ways. She has her morals, and she tries to do what she thinks is right, but she can't do things on her own. And there are now expectations of her. She has a huge amount on her plate, she's under pressure - some of it she has put herself under - and there is a risk to her sanity. But I do feel in this book we actually see Vasya become an adult. Technically speaking, you coul say she's already an adult, but I'm refering her level of maturity, the choices and decisions she makes, and what those decisions mean for her. She looks at the bigger picture, and chooses selflessness every time, even though some would say it's undeserved.

It's also a really shocking and emotional, heartbreaking story. Vasya goes through a lot. She experiences so much trauma, and it does effect her. Yes, she does a hell of a lot in this book, but she doesn't do it uneffected. Pain is her constant companion, yet she manages to carry on despite it all, because she's needed. If she doesn't, no-one will, and the world will go to ruin. But it's not a "chosen one" story. Yes, Vasya can see the cherti, yes, she can communicate with horses, and yes, she has some kind of magical power - but she chooses to do what she does. Many times she is given the opportunity to leave things be, and let them fall as they will. It's not her fight. But she simply can't turn her back on her people. And so, again and again, with more than just pain as her companion at her side, Vasya chooses to try and do what she feels is right, even though all she wants to do is stop. Her greatest strengths are her compassion and her selflessness. She's just incredible.

I want to quickly touch on something I mentioned in my review of The Girl in the Tower, and how people branded Vasya as a witch because she acted in a way that did not befit a woman - too bold and reckless and wild. Vasya has always stayed true to herself, however, has never bowed down to convention, allowed herself to become small under the glares of the patriarchal society. And in this book, she is abducted to be burned for it. In The Winter of the Witch, it's almost as if their insults and violence were prophecy: because Vasya is in possession of magical abilities. I particularly loved the following quote, given both the ideas of a woman who doesn't conform and a woman with magical power.

'"Vasya." [Sasha] made his tone cold, an antidote to the reckless laughter lurking in her eyes. "What do you think will become of you, living in darkness with devils, and doing black magic?"
"I?" she shot back. "I am becoming myself, brother. I am a witch, and I am going to save us."
[...]
"Sasha, do not be afraid for me."
"I am, though," he said. "For your life and for your soul."
"They are both in my keeping, and not yours," she said gently.' (p305-306)

There is such a definace in calling herself a witch, of embracing all the aspects of herself that the world have told her are wrong. To me, it's the ultimate declaration of self-love. She will be who she is, and to hell with those who have spurned her. Except, not to hell with them. Because being who she is, she is the only one who's able to keep those who spurned her alive. If she allowed herself to be cowed, if she became who they wanted her to be - small, meek, mild - they would have no chance of getting out of what comes, alive. To me, those two sentences - "I am becoming myself, brother. I am a witch, and I am going to save us," - sum up Vasya perfectly, and are her battle cry, and I fell even more in love with her for her declaration.

The Winter of the Witch is probably my favourite of the lot, but The Winternight Trilogy, as a whole, is absolutely incredible. Enchanting storytelling, beautiful writing, and a completely engrossing world full of folklore and fairy tales. It has absolutely everything I would want from a fantasy series, and I completely adore it. It's definitely one I'll come back to again and again. I can't recommend it enough.

[HekArtemis]

4.5 stars, I liked this one more than the first two, it had quite a bit less political and mundane stuff and significantly more fantasy.

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Winter of the Witch is the conclusion to Katherine Arden's stunningly good Winternight trilogy. Released 8th Jan 2019 by Random House on their Del Rey imprint, it's 384 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audio formats.

The richness and intricacy of this trilogy, and especially this installment can't possibly be overstated. This is a brilliantly written book full of lush imagery and interwoven within a framework of almost a thousand years of Russian folklore. It has gravitas. In quite a lot of ways it reminds me of truly iconic fantasies, Lord of the Rings, Earthsea, Amber, Melnibone, Dune, etc.

This is an epic coming-of-age fantasy but so much more. I love that the heroine Vasya is the captain of her own story. And through all the sacrifice and pain in this book, she's admirable and determined.

The author's facility with the written word is amazing. I spent a great percentage of my time reading this book in gob-smacked admiration with her writing. It also includes an extensive glossary as well as author's notes which provide a fascinating glimpse into her creative process and some of the real historical background frameworks upon which she wove the story.

Just a beautiful reading experience. I will be revisiting these again.

Five stars for both the book and the trilogy. Wonderful.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Beth C.]

Wow. This trilogy has been one of my favorites since the first book came out. And it has ended remaining so, with a twist (no spoilers) that made me cry and was absolutely unexpected. This series is destined to stand the test of time - it's not just fantasy, but encompasses the best and the worst of humans, and what it means to be different and forge your own path. There is a strong core of *humanity* in this series, and that combined with the folktales and the beautiful writing will keep people reading these. It's not often that I find books I want to re-read, simply because there are just so many other books out there - but these are different. The writing flows, and the echoes of magic still linger long after the last page has been turned.

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of The Winter of the Witch through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Winternight Trilogy has been one of my favorite series, so in many ways I’m sad to see it come to a conclusion. Not that feeling that way was enough to stop me from jumping at the chance to read The Winter of the Witch.
Reading this series has been a highly enjoyable experience for me. I loved so many of the details strewn about, and that I was given an opportunity to immerse myself in a culture I don’t know as much about as I’d like.
The Winter of the Witch concludes the epic tale of Vasya. There has been so much at stake for her this whole time, and she’s been carrying ever so much on her shoulders. Here we see her continue to learn about her heritage and her culture, while also trying to save those that won’t always be willing to listen.



Warnings first: There is some animal death in this novel. One of them is significant, and I’m not ashamed to say that it made me cry, and even forced me to put the book down for a day or two. You can see the scene coming though, so you can skip it if needed. However, be aware that they reference that moment several times, as it is very important to Vasya.
The Winter of the Witch was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. Words cannot properly convey how much I loved this novel. At a certain point I found myself dreading the end of the book – simply because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet.
Vasya’s tale and the world she’s lived in has captivated me since day one. I love learning more about the beings that only she seems to be able to see. It’s been fascinating getting to see a bit more of Russian lore in this context.
Along with getting to read about Vasya’s varied friends, it was nice to see her again as well. I know this is said frequently, but Vasya has to be one of the strongest characters I’ve ever read about. She’s constantly being put up against these impossible odds, and instead of letting it break her she just takes it all in stride. More though, it seems like when she’s fighting for those she loves she can do so much more, and that’s a beautiful thing to be capable of.
The romantic dance that has been going on this whole series was finally giving the conclusion it deserves – and no, I refuse to say more than that. This is one of those things where you’re going to have to see it all in the moment, as the context is so very vital to it all.
The writing for the Winter of the Witch flowed beautifully. It felt at times like I was reading a longer ballad, especially when considering all the epic events and moments that this one novel alone carried within it.
I’m sad to have to say goodbye to The Winternight Trilogy, but honestly I’m looking forward to seeing what Katherine Arden will write about next. I know that whatever it is, I’ll be reading it.


For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Liz (Bent Bookworm)]

“I called every power of this land to war, winter-king. It had to be done. We cannot fight amongst ourselves.”

The Winter of the Witch is the absolute perfect ending to this trilogy. It shattered my heart, stitched it back together, then stomped on it. Just in case I had any hope of it ever healing properly.

The previous books in this trilogy are just as beautiful and just as compelling, as we first meet Vasya in The Bear and the Nightingale and see her growing into herself in The Girl in the Tower. In this final installment Vasya is still young and still growing, but she has come into herself as a woman and refuses (as she always has, in her way) to bend to societal expectations.

I was bawling within fifteen minutes of starting this book. And then I cried even harder at the end. I was wrung out, unspeakably sad, and yet there was an undercurrent of contentment and joy and hope that has made me recommend this beautiful trilogy to every. single. person. who would listen!

Characters

Vasya, of course. I would go to war with and for this girl. She hasn’t had an easy life but she refuses to be cowed and she embraces who and what she is, even if she doesn’t always understand it.

In her hands was the strength that had broken the bars of her cage in Moscow…”I may die tomorrow. Or live to sour old age. But you are only a wraith in a lake, and you will not command me.“

She has heart, and she loves so fiercely and completely, it completely breaks my soul. Unlike in the previous books, Vasya also explores her sexuality in this one – and while I sort of saw her love interest coming, I couldn’t see HOW exactly it would work out…and then it did, and it was fabulous. Vasya will not take being anything less than an equal, and I absolutely LOVED how her path in life was not something she was willing to give up (nor did she) for anyone, regardless of her feelings for them. So often, even strong female heroines fall in love and give up their plans/dreams for their partner. Not that this is always bad…but it’s so often that it’s almost expected, and it’s definitely still an expectation in our society. It was SO refreshing to see how things settled out for Vasya.

I really fell in love with Vasya’s brother, Sasha, in this one too. He was always a sympathetic character, but his devotion to being a monk sort of turned me off. He really came into his own in this book too, and it became obvious his devotion is really more to people and country than any god. He also stops treating Vasya like a child, and their relationship just blossomed into what I’ve always dreamed a brother/sister bond to be.

Vasya put a hand on her brother’s arm. “Then, if you come with me tonight -” Her grip tightened; their eyes met. “I warn you, the road leads through darkness.”

Sasha said, “Then we will go through darkness, sister.”

Then of course, there are the bad guys…Medved, the Frost-King’s brother, as always up to treachery and warmongering, and the priest Konstantin with his hatred of Vasya and all she represents, coupled with an unrelenting thirst for power. The evil radiates off the page…and yet it is not all so cut and dry. Just as life is not all black and white, no matter how much we may wish it.

Plot

A threat from outside will tear Russia apart, but the boyars seem incapable of anything but internal bickering. Moscow burns, and the people blame Vasya. The only way to unite Russia seems to be the road through midnight…

The plot, while it definitely moves the story along and provides the catalyst for the various characters’ actions, is really secondary to the character and relationship development. It proceeds at a rather breakneck pace (unlike in The Girl in the Tower, where it seemed to meander at times), hurtling us all along towards the final bloody conclusion.

Worldbuilding

While I can’t say I would want to live in Katherine Arden’s medieval Russia, it is certainly beautiful and captivating – while also be cold and cruel, especially to women. She weaves in folktales and pagan traditions with the new Church, and who is to say it wasn’t, actually, just like that?

I am planning to re-read this trilogy every year. I bought the US and the UK editions of all three books. They resonate in my heart and soul. If you ever listen to any recommendations I make, PLEASE GO READ THESE BOOKS.

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Just got an ARC of this and I am OVER THE FREAKING MOON!!

[Kate (Blogging with Dragons)]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars. Major spoilers marked.

I was not even sad that the Winternight Trilogy came to end, because The Winter of the Witch was perfectly true to the series and the characters that I came to love so much. On the rare occurrence when I was not entirely thrilled by something that happened in the book, it was still absolutely in character and true to the overall themes of the novel. Katherine Arden is true writing goals—planning where she meant her characters to go and getting them there in ways so suitable that I couldn’t even imagine them, and for weaving in humor and magic throughout her often darktales.

Though this was probably my least favorite out of the trilogy that included The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower—mostly because I’m not a huge fan of reading about battles or preparing for them—I still laughed, wept, and was extremely proud of heroine Vasilisa “Vasya” Petronova. She is the type of female character that audiences are lucky to get every decade or so—one who has power and is not afraid to wield it as she sees fit. A small town girl, Vasya ends up saving her entire country—a feat impressive enough on its own—but she does not stop there. She continually challenges the forces of her time period and its restrictive customs until she can finally squash them. In The Winter of the Witch, Vasya grows into a woman, comes fully into her own powers, and takes the word “witch,” and OWNS it—all  while shattering the traditional consequences women associated with the term “witch’ faced. And she doesn’t apologize for it.

"I have been running through the dark, trying to save all who have need of me. I have done good and I have done evil, but I am neither. I am only myself. You will not make me ashamed…..”

Perhaps the hardest—and strongest part of the novel—is that to truly stand on her own feet and come into her own as a magic-wielding witch, author Arden rips away many of Vasya’s few loyal allies at the very beginning of the novel. Solovey, Vasya’s loyal, sweet, intelligent, and porridge-loving horse is savagely struck down by a mob at almost the very beginning of the novel—something I knew was going to happen from the very first time Morozko the Winter King brought him to her way back in The Bear and the Nightingale, but still wept at bitterly. Next to go is Morozko,the Winter King, and god of death who has protected Vasya since childhood, but whose powers are in shambles. Medved—aka the Bear and the brother of the Winter King—imprisons Morozko, who previously freed him in a desperate attempt to save Vasya’s life. But Vasya somehow does not despair, and emerges from the literal fire (of course someone had to try and burn her at least once or it wouldn’t be realistic to the whole witchcraft accusation thing), a blade honed. I could not wait to see what she did next.

Vasya finds the strength to go on, wandering the perilous path of Midnight—a magic road that only appears to those with the Sight, at you guessed it, midnight. This road leads through all the realms during Midnight—as long as the wanderer does not fall asleep, which will trap them in their current realm until next midnight. I thought this was such an amazing and interesting concept. Vasya’s journey was made even better by her finding new allies, including a spunky mushroom, and a firebird in the guise of a horse named Pozhar. Along the way, the legendary Baba Yaga also makes an appearance.

Throughout all of her ordeals, Vasya’s continued strength of character is just so empowering. Through Arden’s lyrical and touching prose, Vasya’s victories were my victories and her setbacks were my setbacks. I do not think I have ever been more attached to a character—let alone one who is so secure in her own power and self. Her entire journey—facing the judgement of those who do not understand, fearing being forced into a convent or into a marriage she didn’t want—is reminiscent of every woman’s struggle, but on a grander, more magical scale. To see her finally triumph over all of her foes and obstacles standing in the way of who she was truly meant to be in The Winter of the Witch was beyond heartening. Vasya is truly every girl’s dream character—a warrior, a witch, and a princess all in one.

“It was never your task to pick out the good
from the wicked. Your task was to unite us. We are one people.”

And despite all of those titles—Vasya ends up being even more. Vasya serves as the bridge between men, their new religion, and the old ways of the chyert. Admittedly, at first, I was disheartened that she did not choose to remain in the realms of winter with her paramour and partner, Morozko, but I realized it truly would not have been at all a fitting end for adventurous Vasya. I was stupid to think she could ever be happy with that kind of settled existence—and realized that I had probably been conditioned since childhood to believe that the heroine of every fairytale has to settle down with her man in her own “happily-ever-after.”

Luckily for me, Arden had thought of a much more suitable ending for Vasya. She will reside in the land of midnight, in Baba Yaga’s hut by the lake, as the guardian of the magical steeds. And with Solovey back at her side, something that caused me to weep yet again—but this time with tears of joy—I’m sure she’ll be traveling through the other realms of midnight once again—and probably quite often to the realms of Winter. The rest of the happy ending probably should have been cheesy or felt too perfectly-wrapped up, but not once did it feel like that.

Somehow Arden makes Vasya’s balancing of the world, its religions, and its two warring supernatural brothers, the resurrection of her beloved steed, and her acceptance by Baba Yaga, anything but saccharine. Instead, it is a poignant, touching, and remarkable—just like the rest of the series. And when a character nonchalantly asks Vasya—who was so often confronted with the expectations of her gender and her lack of independence—“Vasya….where do you wish to go?” I was overjoyed that she finally had a choice and that someone cared what this precious girl wanted—that it could have been the last line of the book, with no other explanations, and I would have been perfectly happy.

"I will guard it. And I will watch over my family. And I will ride the world, in between times,through the farthest countries of dark and day. It is enough for one life.”

From the beginning of this trilogy, it was obvious that the author knew where she wanted her character—not just Vasya—to wind up in the end.I especially loved how Arden dealt with the character of Konstantin—who poetically met his end by his own tortured hand. It is a testament to her writing ability that she managed to keep Vasya’s hands clean of the blood of the most pitiable villain of the book—even though he definitely deserved it—and somehow came up with an even more tragic end for the character. The only time I was unhappy with the development of a character was with Vasya’s brother, Sasha. It was so dang obvious that that goody-goody monk was going to die in his one-on-one trial by combat that I could barely stand to read it. But this is a small blip of discontent in an otherwise wholly great work.

It is also notable that though this novel deals with a lot of heavy material—accusations of witchcraft, riots, murder, the plague, failed childbirth, religion, the gender roles of women, suicide, and more—the author manages to successfully weave in wit and humor throughout the book too. I often laughed aloud at many of the things the Bear, the most despicable villain from way back in The Bear and the Nightingale said—and even found myself growing fond of him, something I would not have believed possible.

I adored every minute of reading, not only the The Winter of the Witch, but also the entire the Winternight Trilogy, and simply cannot recommend the series enough. It is not often that a series that I love this much is wrapped up in such an artful manner that I would both remain perfectly happy with the ending or jump at the chance to read more of the same characters in future installments. Katherine Arden is an amazing author of whose lyrical prose, beautiful settings, developed characters, and unique ideas sets her apart. She is officially a member of my very short—I-must-read-this-author’s-books-immediately-upon-release-list. These books are perfect for lovers of fantasy, historical fiction, magic, powerful female characters, and romance.

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[nightingalereads]

How could I possibly review this book? I cried twice. Each word pierced my heart. Katherine Arden's writing and storytelling is so visceral, her words so perfectly crafted, that the story just plays out in your mind like you're watching first-hand. As in the first two books, she tackles faith and religion, freedom and duty, all set against the backdrop of 14th century Russia. You can tell the author did her research, because the history interweaves seamlessly with the plot. I know it sounds grandiose, but the Winternight trilogy truly is a masterpiece.

On a more personal note, I never want to leave Vasya's world. I never want to say goodbye to Morozko, Sasha, Olga, and Solovey. Even Medved and Konstantin - in the end, I couldn't bring myself to hate anyone. I think a part of me will forever ride with Vasya on a dark road through Midnight. Despite the moments of heartbreak, the ending of The Winter of the Witch was everything I could've asked for and more.

You probably couldn't tell, but this is one of my favorite series of all time.