"A delicate weaving of myth and history, The Witch and the Tsar breathes new life into stories you think you know."–Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf
In this stunning debut novel, the maligned and immortal witch of legend known as Baba Yaga will risk all to save her country and her people from Tsar Ivan the Terrible—and the dangerous gods who seek to drive the twisted hearts of men.
As a half-goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumors about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia—now the wife of the tsar, and suffering from a mysterious illness—arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves.
As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan—soon to become Ivan the Terrible—grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine.
Olesya Salnikova Gilmore weaves a rich tapestry of mythology and Russian history, reclaiming and reinventing the infamous Baba Yaga, and bringing to life a vibrant and tumultuous Russia, where old gods and new tyrants vie for power. This fierce and compelling novel draws from the timeless lore to create a heroine for the modern day, fighting to save her country and those she loves from oppression while also finding her true purpose as a goddess, a witch, and a woman.
The Witch and the Tsar is a beautifully creative fantasy retelling of the Baba Yaga story reimagined for modern readers by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore. Released 20th Sept 2022 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley Ace imprint, it's 432 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
I was immediately struck by the lushness of the prose. The author (this is apparently a debut novel) has such a facility with settings and descriptions. The writing isn't overwrought and didn't devolve into preciousness once, but it is perfectly balanced and enchanting.
Baba Yaga is a demi-godess who lives alone and helps those who seek her. When Ivan the Terrible's wife Anastasia seeks her out, Yaga finds herself caught up in much larger supernatural forces at play as she tries to save the heart of medieval Russia.
Four and a half stars. Beautifully written and captivating. Although it's not in any way derivative, some of the writing reminded me of Jane Rosenberg LaForge whose retelling of Bearskin was also wonderful.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
