The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore

The Witch and the Tsar (The Witch and the Tsar, #1)

by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore

"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.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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You guys know that I'm a sucker for mythology stories. Better yet, I love trying new authors, so when I saw The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore, I knew I had to give it a chance. Did I mention that this is a retelling of Baba Yaga? Yes, please!

Baga Yaga's story has been told many times in many ways. Here, she is a half-goddess full of magic. She infamously lives in a hut in the woods, trying to avoid people (and the cause of all her pain). Yet even she can't ignore the pleas from her sick friend, Anastasia.

Anastasia is the wife of the tsar, and she is very ill. It's the sort of thing that only Baba Yaga may be able to deal with. Only...things are much more complex, and it turns out that the illness has a very human source.

I have always been fascinated by tales of Baba Yaga, so when I was promised a retelling of her story with a few unique twists, I couldn't wait to dive into it! The Witch and the Tsar is a magical and sometimes dark tale, portraying a slightly more human version of the character we all know, love, and fear.

Admittedly, the Baba Yaga in this tale is not the one I was expecting. I was fine with it, as it was clearly Olesya Salnikova Gilmore's interpretation of the character. But staunch fans (and folklorists) may be upset about the deviations. So do consider yourself warned.

The thing I loved the most about The Witch and the Tsar is that it gave Baga Yaga a voice. So often, I feel like characters like this are shuffled into tropes (in folklore) and not allowed to explore deeper concepts. So this was very much a refreshing change.

There were plenty of elements to appreciate in this novel, magic, politics, emotional twists, etc. I can't comment on the historical accuracy (I'm trash at remembering historical facts, sorry), but I did enjoy The Witch and the Tsar.

Thanks to Ace and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 4 November, 2022: Finished reading
  • 4 November, 2022: Reviewed