Katherine Arden’s bestselling debut novel spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent with a gorgeous voice.
“A beautiful deep-winter story, full of magic and monsters and the sharp edges of growing up.”—Naomi Novik, bestselling author of Uprooted
Winter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil.
Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village.
But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed—to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales.
Praise for The Bear and the Nightingale
“Arden’s debut novel has the cadence of a beautiful fairy tale but is darker and more lyrical.”—The Washington Post
“Vasya [is] a clever, stalwart girl determined to forge her own path in a time when women had few choices.”—The Christian Science Monitor
“Stunning . . . will enchant readers from the first page. . . . with an irresistible heroine who wants only to be free of the bonds placed on her gender and claim her own fate.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Utterly bewitching . . . a lush narrative . . . an immersive, earthy story of folk magic, faith, and hubris, peopled with vivid, dynamic characters, particularly clever, brave Vasya, who outsmarts men and demons alike to save her family.”—Booklist (starred review)
“An extraordinary retelling of a very old tale . . . The Bear and the Nightingale is a wonderfully layered novel of family and the harsh wonders of deep winter magic.”—Robin Hobb
I forgot how much I loved fairy stories. This book is slow moving at times but I wanted to crawl inside to story and stay for awhile. Unfortunately, the slow moving pace grew to frustrate me a little and it took me a while to get through the story. Perhaps it was a story that I should have listened to rather than read?
The atmosphere was great. It felt slightly haunting but I wanted more. I always find it interesting how fairy tales are similar no matter where you are, no matter what culture they’re from. Even though I’m not familiar with Russian fairy tales or folklore, there was just something very familiar about the story.
The characters were interesting enough. I always enjoy female characters sticking to their guns and not doing what society is forcing them to do. Vasya is my type of girl. She rebels but not in an Earth-shattering way. Just enough to buck against what she is being forced to do. It was great to see Vasya grow up over the course of the story. I look forward to seeing what happens in future books.
All in all, The Bear and the Nightingale is a story to get lost in and live for a while. Great addition to your Fall/Winter TBR.
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Reading updates
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Started reading
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8 February, 2019:
Finished reading
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8 February, 2019:
Reviewed