Book Review: The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden

       

Title: The Bear and The Nightingale

Author: Katherine Arden

Series/Standalone: Winternight Trilogy (Book #1)

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical

Pages: 323

Publisher: Del Rey Books

Year Published: 2017

Format: Audiobook

"At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year, and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn't mind- she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse's fairy tale. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim runway souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil. 

After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesced, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.

And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.

As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed- this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales."

My Rating:  4/5

To preface this, I am in complete support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and while I live in Canada I acknowledge that systemic racism is deeply embedded in North American society and it is unacceptable! I may not understand, but I stand! My TBR is changing and I'm looking for diverse books written by POC, so if anyone has recommendations please leave a comment or email me! I do have some on my current TBR, but I'm open to any and all recommendations. 

This fantasy series is really taking booktube by storm over the last few months. It's truly a unique fantasy (as far as I've heard and read). This story takes place in Northern Russia, centres around Russian folklore and magic throughout a small village. The setting is beautifully described and well laid out. It helped to propel me through the story at times where I felt the story was slowing down. I will also say that our main character is interesting and independent in a time where socially that would be unacceptable. Overall, I enjoyed the story, the audiobook was well narrated, and the setting was beautifully written. I plan on continuing with the series in the future.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny