When I read The Bear and the Nightingale I was enraptured in a way that I had not been with a book in a very long time. I was grieved to reach the ending, fearing that I had read the last of these characters that I had come to love so much. The Girl in the Tower was an unexpected joy, and knowing now that there will be a third book is even better.
The Bear and the Nightingale was such a strong start that one would expect anything following it to pale in comparison, but that did not happen with The Girl in the Tower. Vasya and Morozko are just as delightful and frustrating in this sequel and I find myself cheering for Vasya through every victory and defeat. The mystery and tales entwined through this novel are wonderful, but Arden's rich storytelling could hold my attention through even the most boring of tales. What a wonderful world she has built for us to visit.

Oh, MY GOSH! I love this series so much and The Girl in the Tower was no exception! I really can't go into much detail as this *is* a sequel but if you haven't read The Bear and the Nightingale I would recommend that you do it right away!

The atmosphere in The Girl in the Tower is a mixture of dark, forbidding, and embodied the spirit of storytelling in a wholly magical manner. The landscape of Russia was beautifully laid out in the forests and the bitter winter weather. Even more so than the physical landscape in regards to atmosphere, it felt like there was a lot of work put into keeping the people authentic. From names and titles to the attitudes, I felt like these were real people coming off the page, though I did need to pay attention because the names changed depending on gender and relationship, more so than other fiction I've read.

This is not a fast reading book. Normally I have issues with stories that take forever to get anywhere, but there are instances of when a slow burn plot can be done well: Memoirs of a Geisha, Rin Chupecho's The Bone Witch series, and now Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy. I noticed it when I read The Bear and the Nightingale last year and can confidently add the series, most recently with The Girl in the Tower being published, to the list of successful slow burns.

The narrative opens with Sasha, Vasya's priest brother, and the horror of bandits that seem supernatural in nature and in their capacity for terrorizing the Russian countryside. Then there is some backtracking to Vasya and Solovey's beginning as travelers and what she's been doing, how she's come to meet up with Sasha at a monastery. Nothing is easy and there is always a sense of dread, which made the reading a bit uneasy, but at the same time amazing.

Sometimes Vasya was foolish, always stubborn, but overall I was reminded of what I liked about her from the first book. While the journey was difficult, protecting herself from a life chosen for her, she was determined to find it and her own life. Her strength was present at all times and you could see how much it cost her to brave the world rather than succumb to marriage or a convent.

Solovey was my favorite character: a strong, noble, enormous horse that was companion and mount to Vasya. He was in turns funny and stern and had quite the love of porridge. Morozko was also beguiling and I enjoyed the interactions between him and Vasya. He understood much more of the world and tried to impart this knowledge on Vasya while at the same time allowing her to learn on her own terms, even if that sometime lead to almost deadly pursuits.

I would recommend reading The Girl in the Tower soon after reading The Bear and the Nightingale because it will be easier to remember characters introduced in the first novel and prevent confusion in the second.

Oh god, I think I'm in love. This book was absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to buy my own copy. The world was developed, the characters remarkable, and the writing was simply the best I've read in a long time! I demand everyone has this book on their shelves, it's that amazing!

5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale!

This book picks up right where the first one left off. I don't want to give any spoilers!

When I started this book, it was just a little bit hard to get into. There is a change of setting, which took me a bit of time to adjust to. However, at about 25% through the book, it really took off for me, and I was really invested in the next chapter of the story. This chapter of the story is a bit more political and societal than the last one was, but I really enjoyed that part of it. Again, I marveled at how Arden wove together folklore with historical fiction. Her writing was just as full of detail and magic as in the first book. I am just as in love with Vasya as ever. What a wonderfully headstrong character. I love Solovey. I love Vasya's brothers. I love Morozko. Goodness. I'm SO excited to get my hands on the last book in the series. :) :) :)

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Girl in the Tower picks up where The Bear and the Nightingale left off. Vasya flees her father's village on her horse Solovey, deciding to travel the world and see the things she has only ever heard about. She encounters towns and hears bells ringing for the first time. Morozko reluctantly helps her in her travels, but the joy of experiencing new things comes to an end as she comes across burnt villages where survivors tell of bandits with a near magical ability to disappear-taking the young girls of the village with them. Vasya's quest to reunite stolen girls with their families brings her to Moscow and puts her in the path of some familiar faces.
The Girl in the Tower is a delightful mix of medieval adventure and Russian fairy tale. Fantasy isn't a genre I usually pick up on my own, but the Slavic folklore in The Bear and the Nightingale caught my eye. I was excited to see what would happen next for Vasya in The Girl in the Tower. I wasn't disappointed and am looking forward to the third installment of her story. This one's ending took me by surprise...I was so caught up in the story that the end of the book crept up on me. I was so disappointed it was over!

(see link for full video review)

The Girl in the Tower is a stellar follow up to The Bear and the Nightingale. Katherine Arden has a way with words, and her writing is lyrical. I enjoyed this book every bit as much as the first one. My one caveat is that the books are dense, and it takes quite a while to get through them both. I received this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

After I finished reading The Girl in the Tower, all I could think was wow, what an amazing followup, because much like The Bear and the Nightingale, Arden's second title in the Winternight Trilogy satisfies some of the questions left at the end of the first book and leaves a lot of questions to be answered in the upcoming final book. The writing and atmosphere is both foreign and familiar, like a fairy tale you've only heard on the peripherals of the familiar stories we've grown up with. Arden expertly weaves and subverts those familiar fairy tale tropes while managing to make her tale fresh and exciting. After such a stunning followup to the already incredible The Bear and the Nightingale, I'll certainly be picking up anything Arden writes in the future without any hesitation.

Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing falls flat in this sequel. The story is just as lush and beautiful as the first. The story comes to life on every page, and I was enthralled from start to finish. I generally devour books, but Arden's writing deserves to be savored. I don't want to give anything away, but read it if you're looking for something magical that you can really sink your teeth into!.

Book: The Girl in the Tower
Author: Katherine Arden

It's been awhile since I've so fully enjoyed two books by an author. But Katherine Arden's The Girl in the Tower and The Bear and the Nightingale are two that I have delighted in. The newest story picks up just after the first, and follows the strong-willed, teenaged, female protagonist as she tries to save her people and discover her place in a man's world. She walks a delicate line in terms of a woman's role in Russia and makes many questionable choices, but that just makes me wince for her all the more and draws me further into the story.
The atmosphere of these books are both chilly and warm, for there is an almost-romance in each that made me both sad and expectant. While this is technically a sequel, it's easy to read as a standalone novel, (but certainly gives the most enjoyment by having read book 1).

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34050917-the-girl-in-the-tower" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Girl in the Tower (Winternight Trilogy, #2)" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1501159995m/34050917.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34050917-the-girl-in-the-tower">The Girl in the Tower</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13922215.Katherine_Arden">Katherine Arden</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2139409996">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
NETGALLEY #4<br /><br />Many thanks go to Katherine Arden, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. <br />Having been emotionally swayed by The Bear and the Nightingale, The Girl in the Tower is leaving me bated.<br /><br />Even better than Book One! Often I dread reading the second book in a trilogy because it's a bridge between the stage set of One and the climax of Three, so just not a very exciting experience. That was not the case with Tower. The same characters from Nightingale are back, but they are up to brand new adventures. The story picks up mere days after the other ended, so no time has passed. Vasya, however must disguise herself as past of the plot, so she's in constant danger. Not to mention her fight against her attraction to Winter. We meet new guardians and welcome old ones. And we support the Muscovites as they battle the evil one who cannot die. <br />I dont know about you, but every time I read Arden's books I become freezing cold. There is just so much snow. I could never live in Russia. That's how I judge.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6595648-bam-the-bibliomaniac">View all my reviews</a>

I have to say that I am loving this trilogy more than I ever expected to. It is completely different from anything else I read and I have trouble “letting go” of the books after I’ve read them. I’ve ended each book feeling like it is a 4.5 star book, but then as it settles within my brain and I keep thinking about it for days and weeks after finishing they inevitable turn into 5 star books.

I think what I loved the most about this book is that I NEVER knew what was going to happen next. Everything that happened was unexpected, and even when I tried to guess I ended up wrong. Most of the books I read are formulaic (some extremely so) and it’s refreshing to have a book where I have absolutely no clue what is going to happen at any time. No clue. At. All. Katherine Arden has serious storytelling skills. Both books started off slow for me, but once I let myself become immersed in them then they were excellent. It’s hard to write a review when I want to start each sentence with “The thing I loved most was…”. Everything is my favorite thing about The Girl in the Tower, but especially the atmosphere that Arden developed in The Bear and the Nightingale and then continued/evolved/changed as book two progressed. That atmosphere shines through on the covers and they completely represent the books.

Cover Love is real with these books. I absolutely loved the covers for The Bear and the Nightingale and was trying to decide if I preferred the American or UK cover better. I ended up with an American hardcover, and it is even more gorgeous than I expected. I imagine the UK cover is the same way, so I believe that this is one series that I will be buying in duplicate. Seriously. I never do that, but these covers are that good.

I love sequels that build on everything good about the first book. Did you want more Vasya being badass? This book has it. Did you want even more scary spirits, ghouls, and demons? Wrap yourself in a blanket and hold onto your amulets because there are plenty.

Vasya escapes her town and goes to Moscow to find her brother, Sasha, and sister, Olga. She saves a small village from bandits and goes around as Vasilii, meeting a mysterious lord named Kasyan. Secrets are abound and her family is in even more danger than ever.

I loved all the tower sequences. They were my favorite part of the book. They hit on every emotional, legendary, and mythological level. Each family had more of an arc than in the first book. I even enjoyed Solovey as more of a character, even though the magic horse served as more of a vehicle for both Vasya and her story.

If I had to complain about something, there was a little bit of unnecessary romance. Taken into account of fairy tale nature of the book, I give it a pass. It rang true to tropes and I cannot wait to see how the story comes together full force in the final book.

This is a strong second book from Arden- no sophomore slump here.

Vasya is so much herself here, while still being a young woman figuring out who exactly she is, in this world that doesn't care for women like her. She's headstrong (sometimes to her detriment) and passionate and it all rings very true. The continued exploration of family ties is well done, particularly across generations.

The developments with Morozhoko worked out in a way that I'm content with, we'll see how book 3 goes.

I felt some very real suspense toward the back third of this book, as the tension and stakes ramp up for both Vasya and Moscow.

There really isn't anything I'd change about the story, it's lovely, I just don't end up loving these quite enough for a full five stars (maybe the small cast?)

oh man, I struggled with this one. I do not know why but I just didn't enjoy it as much as the first, though there were certainly some good parts and overall I liked the story and I still want to read book 3, it just wasn't as... <i>enchanting</i> as the first one. if I could do half stars, it would be 3.5.

I really like and am super curious about Morozko, and of course I love Solovey. Unfortunately, Vasya really got on my nerves at times. I get what she wanted and why, totally, but it just seems like she made a lot of stupid decisions and hurt people, but it moved the plot along, so if she'd been smarter, the plot wouldn't have been able to progress as it did. so, I get it, but she still annoyed me at times.

Unfortunately, I really struggled through the first half of the book which tainted the entire book for me. The second half really picked up and was just wonderful, which is great, but I shouldn't have to read half a book just to get to some good parts. that's annoying. Ugh. I don't know. I feel bad rating it a 3, but at the end of the day, even if I want to read the next one, this one did not hold my attention as well as the first, and it was not as enjoyable a read.

I feel like I should apologize to this book for taking so long to read it. It was wonderful. Dark, ethereal, and compelling, and I can't wait to read this again.

I really like this series! I enjoy fairy tale retellings and reading about different cultures. This books has all that and more: compelling characters and deep emotions. I can't wait for the third book to come out!

I love it when a sequel lives up to the level of the first book in the series. I adored The Bear and the Nightingale, and while there were a few loose ends, it could have easily ended as a standalone. So, when I heard there was going to be a sequel, I sighed and kind of wished the publisher would leave well enough alone. I was expecting the sequel to be a pale imitation and leave me wishing I too had just left well enough alone and stopped reading after the first book.

Thankfully, my worries were for nothing. The Girl in the Tower has the same magic and storytelling charm and I am so, so glad I picked it up. The same blend of fantasy, folklore, and history that worked so well in the first book continues to work well here. The chapters continue to be on the longish side, but that is also still not a problem for me. I flew through this book and had to force myself to read slower and savor the story. The characters continue to be likable, and while they still aren't hugely deep (fairy tale!), Vasya's storyline allows for more depth of character as we watch her try to come to terms with who she is and what she wants, and does not want, from life.

Bottom line

Readers who enjoyed the first book should enjoy the sequel just as much. Katherine Arden has a gift for storytelling and her words and tales are enchanting. I cannot wait for the third book.

Four stars: A brilliant sequel that plunges you back into the cold, wintery world of Moscow in the olden days.

Vasya after the crushing loss of her father, must make some hard choices. She is an outcast in her village thanks to the priest and her stepmother branding her a witch. Vasya’s choices are to run to her sister in hopes of finding a suitable husband, go to a convent, or remain with the Frost Demon. Spirited Vasya, picks none of the above. She wants to see the world, and she refuses to be put in a cage. So instead she masquerades as a boy and sets out to see the world with her trusted stallion, Solovey. Unfortunately, trouble finds Vasya quickly enough. She encounters village after village burned and pillaged by bandits. Then she comes face to face with the bandits. Quick thinking Vasya, outwits the bandits, but she soon learn she has made a terrible enemy. As she flees to Moscow, danger follows. In Moscow, Vasya still pretending to be a boy, is reunited with her sister and her brother. She doesn’t realize that she has now brought the danger to her family. Can Vasya outwit danger once again?
What I Liked:
*I was a huge fan of Ms. Arden’s debut book, The Bear and the Nightingale. I was more than eager to plunge back into this snowy world filled with magic, folklore, dark tales and demons. I wasn’t disappointed in this sequel, though perhaps it wasn’t quite as good as the first, it still delivered a fantastic tale steeped with all the old world charm that I so loved in the first.
*I was relieved to see that the religious themes were not as prevalent in this one. There is still the menace of Christianity as it overtakes the country, causing people to leave behind their pagan ways and belief, thus the magic is dying. Instead, this is more a story about Vasya fighting against the social ideas of what it means to be a woman. She masquerades as a boy, and soon finds out the deadly consequences of her actions. I loved seeing Vasya once again fight against the system and those that want to chain her down, and even worse, there are small minded people who want to accuse her of witchcraft. Her passion, fiery personality and fierce determination are outstanding.
*I loved Solovey, Vasya’s horse. Solovey can talk to Vasya, and the two are inseparable. They were the perfect pair. My favorite part of the book was the horse race. It was thrilling.
*The story is full of danger and suspense. Vasya learns the truth about the bandits, unwittingly placing herself and her family in grave danger. The book builds and builds to a dramatic climax that had me on the edge of my seat. It was fantastic.
*Once again, I was enchanted by the world building. Ms. Arden does a tremendous job bringing old world Moscow to the reader with its harsh cold, haunting folklore, magic, ghosts and demons. Excellent world building!
*The Frost Demon, Morozko, is back, and he is as enigmatic as ever. I thought I had it figured out how the relationship between Vasya and Morozko would play out, but I was wrong. It is complex, and I am not sure at all as to the future. I am fascinated by Morozko, and I am eager for more of his character.
*One thing I like about this series is that the books don’t end with a cliffhanger. Both books have ended in a good spot. If this was the end, I would be satisfied, but it’s not. I have one more book to look forward to!
And The Not So Much:
*This book felt like it took longer to get going. The story wandered around for a long time, and I wasn’t sure where the plot was headed. When Vasya gets to Moscow things begin to slide into place.
*There was this reveal at the end regarding the sorcerer and the ghost. I was disappointed that this story line was left hanging. I wanted more details!

The Girl in the Tower is a beautifully written book that transports the reader to the bitter cold days of winter in old world Russia. I love the setting, the characters and the world building. If you want a book with old world folklore, danger, magic, demons and ghosts along with a fiery main character and her trusty horse, look no further. This is the perfect book to get lost in on a wintery day.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.