When I first came across The Witch and the Tsar in the releases for this year, I had a feeling it was going to be something special and Gilmore does not disappoint.
It is at it's core, a historical fiction fantasy based around some 'what-if' scenarios with the Romanov family, following the path of the folklore legend, Baba Yaga. The immortal witch is nothing like the hideous descriptions she's known as and Anastasia, now all grown up with a family of her own, is everything the hearts of those who deify her believe she could have become.
Yaga is a strong, genuinely independent female protagonist, who manages to wield power with empathy and kindness and still come across as someone who can hold their own in most situations. She's indelibly human, despite being a demi-goddess.. capable of mistakes that are all too relatable, but she learns and adapts, persevering throughout them.
Gilmore paints a stunning picture of both the beauty and brutality of sixteenth century Russia. From the architecture of old Moscow to the trenches of what is ultimately civil war, her prose is eloquent, yet not overly flowery. There's a coolness to the Eastern European storytelling style that I just love, which tends more toward the discussion of feelings than the dramatic expression of them. There are moments of course, where both occur, but I find the former to make the latter far more impactful than in a story where the main character is constantly on an emotional rollercoaster.
The magic system is creative and diverse. That which seems good or evil might simply be leveraged in some way, as the development of even many of the briefest meetings we get with characters is rich with substance and vitality.
I absolutely loved this book. If you like complex layered storytelling, characters that aren't always what they seem, dark fantasy, and Slavic themes.. give this one a try. You'll be glad you did.
(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)