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

by Katherine Arden

[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.


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