I started the year finding one of my favourite books in The Bear and the Nightingale, the first in Katherine Arden’s wonderful trilogy. With The Girl in the Tower I’ve ended the year in a similar way. Katherine Arden has gone beyond all expectations again and completely blown me away in her world of magic and adventure.

In this second book in the trilogy, the little girl Vasya was has grown into a strong, young woman, and is still the most wonderful, brave, stubborn heroine. She refuses to accept any of the paths laid out for her and decides to create her own and become a traveller and see the world. Watching her growth from book one until the end of book two was a delight, and she’s one of my favourite protagonists by quite some distance.

I liked getting a glimpse under the veil at Morozko too, the man beneath the myth and his battles with himself. This book seemed to set him up for a bigger role in the next, so I’m looking forward to seeing what part he plays in the final book. Of course there were new characters introduced as well, in particular the charming and mysterious Kasyan who has some ‘hidden depths’. His character threw many curve-balls at me.

As well as their individual growth, there was of course the growth of the relationship between Vasya and Morozko, as well as Vasya’s relationship with her horse, Solovey. I love a great animal companion in a book, and Solovey ticked all the right boxes for me. I would normally have a huge smile on my face when I was reading the interactions between Vasya and Solovey.

The world building was once again fantastic, leaving me feeling like I was there, following in Vasya’s footsteps, watching her story unfold. Beyond that there was of course how this book managed to encompass religion, history, folklore, politics, and fairy tales in a well-defined, structured, and enthralling way.

I am so impossibly excited for the third installment. I’m slightly conflicted, as I’m desperate to read book three, but don’t want Vasya’s story to end. That being said, I have complete faith in Katherine Arden’s ability to end this trilogy perfectly, and with the way this book ended I’m pretty impatient to see how it will all wrap up!

Katherine Arden returns to the world of THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE with a sequel that is every bit as satisfying and lovely. THE GIRL IN THE TOWER is a book that's best left savored. Like the first, it feels like an instant new classic - from the immersive world-building to its strength of characters. These are stories that will stick with you long after you finish reading.

5 stars - absolutely stunning.

After so enjoying The Bear and the Nightingale, I wondered how Arden could possibly do justice to a sequel. I needn’t have worried - The Girl in the Tower is even more rich and delectable.

This time the story is not just Vasya’s, our heroine from TBATN, but her brother Sasha’s and her sister Olga’s. There is more magic, more legend, more prophecy. More action, more of Vasya’s reckless bravery, more excitement. It is an absolutely stunning piece of writing, where the pace only slows to enhance an uncertain and suspenseful atmosphere.

It is difficult to describe the novel without giving too much away, but perhaps one of my favourite themes was acceptance of difference (Vasya’s difference, specifically). It didn’t always come easily, but the protection and love of Vasya’s family is written beautifully.

I cannot wait for the next instalment. I am sure it will be incredible.

*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

It's so rare that you find a sequel that is as good as the first book in the series - but this is even better than the Bear and the Nightingale. Absolutely fantastic, I loved every minute of reading this. Vasya is my hero!

Having read the first book in this trilogy I was interested to read this one. I enjoyed it even more than the first one and am sad that I'll have to wait for the final book. A great story with a fantastic heroine. Definitely worthy of 5 stars!

I am a HUGE fan of this author. Her first book, The Bear and the Nightingale is one of my favourite books of all time. This follow up book is just as engrossing and enchanting as the first one. I was hooked from the very first page and loved following Vasya's adventures. As the book progressed, I found myself increasingly anxious about what would happen to Vasya- it was real 'edge of the seat' stuff! I can't wait for the print edition to come out so that I can buy a copy to have pride of place on my bookshelf.

This book reminds me so much of one of my other favourite books of this year, And I Darken which also deals with the idea of how a woman in another time who didn’t want to conform to tradition might have to deal with that. There are a lot of similarities between Vlada and Vasya and I’m proud to have them both in my fantasy list of phenomenal friends who are girls. Although that group is getting a little crowded that just means bulk ordering the jackets will be cheaper!

But I digress.

My point is that, if I liked Vasya in The Bear and the Nightingale, my obsession has only grown through book two. She’s feistier, she has more freedom now and she just runs with it. I love the way that so much of Vasya’s liberation comes from cutting ties (by choice or otherwise) with the people she loves. It makes for some beautifully bittersweet moments that had me almost in tears (almost).

There are also still a lot of fairytale and classic story elements throughout this work. The idea of being disguised as a boy in the court, of courting ethereal beings to gain information, evil step-characters. It’s all grounded in some of the most powerful storytelling devices which makes it all so much more engaging when it subverts your expectation.

If you haven’t read The Bear and the Nightingale yet then you probably do need to read that first to understand most of what’s happening here. But if you have already read it and you’re wondering if the sequel is worth the gander then trust me, it is just as evocative, as beautiful, as intense and as inspiring (if not more) than book number one. I may have to buy a physical copy for myself because I am so obsessed and I want them to sit next to each other on my shelf.

My rating: 5/5 stars

Pub date for The Girl in the Tower is the 25th of January!

By the way, I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This dark, haunting and beautifully-written fairy tale novel had me reading at every spare moment. I cannot remember the last time I became so thoroughly immersed in a story and fell so deeply in love with the characters. I found it extremely powerful and moving and I cannot wait for the last book in the trilogy! Katherine Arden sure knows how to combine history with folktale elements.

In this book, we are not just following Vasya. We get a glimpse of her sister's married life, secluded in a tower with other women, waiting for news and for new children's arrival. Her brother Sasha, whom we met at the beginning of the first book, The bear and the nightingale now has a warrior's reputation and is living and fighting alongside Grand prince of Rus. Vasya comes to Moscow and after many adventures of her own, creates tumultuous time for her siblings. She also challenges women's place in the society, making her brother and her sister to choose sides while trying to protect both her and the values they keep.

And again, I was just completely taken with Vasya. She is not merely a heroine, she makes mistakes, sometimes horrendous ones that will challenge everyone's love for her, but I found it easy to forgive her. Many fairy tales feature characters completing impossible tasks to win love or acceptance and I am used to their success in the end, but this is exactly the reason why I loved this book so much - nothing comes easy and everything comes with a price.

Sorcerers, magic, court intrigue, deception, death and betrayal all combine to create a magical mesmerizing read.

A wicked Fairytale with teeth!

Usually, books in a series don’t get much better than the first book, but to my surprise I think this is a much better book than the first one.

If you didn’t read the first one, you can pick this one up and still understand what is happening. However, I strongly recommend reading this first book, The Bear and the Nightingale.

This book picks up from where the first one left off. Following Vasya, her family and Morozko the king of Winter – Death himself!

Unable to except her place in life, to either marry or become a nun, and amongst fear of whispers of those in her village denouncing Vasya a witch, she decides to take control of her own life and destiny.
Dressed as a boy, she takes her horse, Solovey, given to her by Death, and heads out into the world to live the life of a Traveler.
Along the way, she learns that the evil that plagued her village has spread to other parts of the countryside, bandits are roaming the villages burning them down and kidnapping the young women.
With a dazzling display of courage Vasya manages to rescue a group of children from the clutches of the evil bandits and her actions soon catch the eye of the Grand Prince of Moscow.

The court of the Grand Prince of Moscow is also plagued by power struggles and rumours of unrest so the Prince and his trusted companion set out to defeat the raiders and try to bring peace back to the land. It is on their journey that they come across a young man known throughout Moscow as Vasilii the Brave and his magnificent horse.
Only Sasha, a priest with a warrior’s training, recognises this ‘boy’ as his younger sister, thought to be dead or a witch by her village. But when Vasya proves herself in battle, riding with remarkable skill and inexplicable power, Sasha realises he must keep her secret as she may be the only way to save the city from threats both human and fantastical…
Reaching Moscow, Vasya is reunited with her brother Sasha and her sister Olga. There she also meets her cousin Dmitrii, The Grand Prince of Moscow.

The priest who was determined to burn Vasya as a witch is also in Moscow. As soon as he discover’s the witch is in Moscow, he continue’s his desire to see her burned as a witch and he will tell everyone and anyone that Vasya consorts with demons.

The tension mounts as her siblings try to keep her true identity hidden and it falls to Vasya, along with the Grand Prince of Moscow and her own brother, Sasha, to try to rid the land of the forces of evil that are threatening to overtake all of Moscow.

I love Vasya’s character and the fairy tale mixed with realism and we get to learn more of Vasilisa’s siblings and their lives as well as her Vasys’s fate after the events of The Bear and the Nightingale.

There’s a lot more action and adventure in this book, the plot moves at a faster pace than in the first book as this story takes place over weeks rather than years.

I can’t wait to see what happens in the last book, which is where I see the problem with reading advanced copies – an even bigger wait between books!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for my advance copy to review.

Highly recommended 5 star read!

This book will be released on 5th December ’17

I love it. This is one of my favorite series. This is one of my favorite books. I just love everything about them.

This time, we are following Vasya after she runs away from home. She wants to travel and see the world, just like the free spirit she is. But Vasya was never known for thinking too much before acting, plus there’s a lot of things she doesn’t know yet and she is about to get in a lot of trouble!

She is extremely curious and that takes her to difficult and hard situations, from where she needs to be rescued by, obviously MOROZKO!

She manages to reach Moscow, which I was really excited to read about, and see Olga and Sasha! They are not the same as they were as kids and it was interesting to know them as adults. Their beliefs, how they live their life, … they all chose really different paths and this book is all about their paths meeting.

We also meet Olga’s children, especially Marya and she is the sweetest thing ever! I loved how much she was like Vasya!

This book is a lot more action-packed, there’s traveling, war, a lot of blood and bodies, etc. There’s not as much intrigue mainly because we are seeing Moscow through Vasya’s eyes, but there’s a bit and that was fascinating.

This book has a lot more Morozko as promised, but I was totally surprised by how everything was approached! I loved seeing Morozko again and his interaction with Vasya.

I’m always fascinated by these characters, and although they sometimes really annoy the crap out of me it’s mainly because they are so realistic! There’s a big difference from the first book, when they were kids, to this one with them already as adults. It’s so well developed and easy to follow their line of thought even if you don’t agree with them which a lot of times I didn’t.

I’m 100% team Vasya but sometimes that girl should really think a bit more and not be so… brisk, I guess. But Vasya will be Vasya and I love how she is. She is a really surprising and strong character. She always goes for what she wants and never really ponders if that might be the right decision. She is brave. She loves her family and would do anything for them, although sometimes she doesn’t really understand how things work. She is a totally different type of bad-ass and she is also quite stubborn, and that’s one of the things I love most to see, especially with Morozko.

Morozko is perfection and I can’t get enough of him. I love how he cares so much for her. How he really tries to always make her life easier, even if his life is in danger. He really has a soft side, which I can’t wait to see more about. I was a bit worried about him in this book tho and I need him in the next one! After that end, I don’t know what to think!

I really loved how much of Olga and Sasha we had and to see their reactions. They have a bigger understanding about Moscow than Vasya so they are more careful and tense with everything going on. But they still tried to protect her in her own way. Their family relationship is not a cute one or a perfect one. It’s realistic for the time and fascinating to see.

The plot was surprising in many ways. Although I did see the main plot twist coming since the beginning… But all around it was so exciting and gripping! And some parts really left me open-mouthed! And the writing is just amazing. I really love the writing style and how gripping and fascinating the whole story is.

I think the first book might have been more complex. It was quite different, but it was amazing and I really can’t wait for the next installment, especially after that end… Highly recommended!

It’s become quite clear that I will read anything Katherine Arden writes. Her debut The Bear and the Nightingale was one of my favourite reads of last year. I dare say that Bear is a mere drop in the ocean when it comes to Arden’s writing and clever plot twists in The Girl in the Tower.

Following on from the ending of Bear, Vasya is branded a witch and because she's not content with just being some man’s wife or living in a convent as a nun for the rest of her life, she leaves her village with Solovey. Vasya braves the cold wilderness and doesn't look back, she wants to see the world and experience life but the only way to do this is to disguise herself as a Russian boy.

There was a real sense of adventure in Girl, Vasya finds herself embroiled in a brewing political war between the Moscow royal family and the Khan of Mogul. Vasya cannot stand by while villages are burning and children are being kidnapped and instead risks her life, battling bandits with nothing but her cunning mind and tenacious nature.

Vasya is reunited with her brother Sasha, a priest and right hand man of Prince Dmitry and Olga a Russian princess who is sequestered in a tower with her children and terem. I loved the complex relationship Vasya had which each sibling and how they each battled with the internal struggle of religion and what was expected of women and their role within society compared to their wild sister. As always Arden’s abilitiy to carefully craft a book filled with religion, history, politics and fairytales is truly genius.

I didn’t think it was possible to enjoy Girl more than Bear but I was wrong. Between the stunning prose, the lush world building and a slow burn budding romance, I was completely hooked and found myself reading long into the night. I was absolutely delighted to see Arden include yet more Russian myths and legends, such as the fire bird, Polunochnitsa and I particularly loved reading about Kaschei the deathless.... and of course my beloved Morokzo. The elusive Frost-Demon is just as thrilling and enticing as always, there weren't enough pages with him in to satisfy my shameless obsession with him!

The Girl in the Tower is a bewitching sequel, with magical writing and stunning prose that transports you to medieval Russia, you would swear you could feel the winter frost nipping at your fingers while reading. Arden takes readers on a thrilling adventure, elegantly weaved with gorgeous Russian history and folklore that keeps you in its thrall until the very end. The Girl in the Tower was easily one of my favourite books of the year and although I really don’t want this series to end I can’t wait for book three!

The Bear and the Nightingale was my favourite book of the year. I had been anticipating this one for months and thanks to netgalley and the publisher I got to read it early.
Words cannot describe how much I adored this book, it is absolutely gorgeous. It is rich in Russian folklore, has a strong female character that is trying to break free from what is expected of females at the time, a beautiful magic horse and lots of action.
The writing itself flows easily, the author does an amazing job of making you feel the atmosphere without being too descriptive.
I loved the main character Vasya, in order to escape from the fate of Women (convent or marriage), she decides to explore Russia and disguises herself as a boy. The book explores so many themes such as family, freedom, friendship, religion.....yet with a dash of magic.
Do yourself a favour and read this if you want a feel good story.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review by Netgalley.
Russian culture+wild lady witch = great book

I am in LOVE with this trilogy!!! 😍😍😍😍
This second book was even more adventure-charged than the first-and that's saying something. Mild spoiler: there's a bit of a Mulan theme in this one :)
At first it seemed like the main character was going to be Vasya's sister, -thank heavens she wasn't-but the spotlight quickly returned to (in my humble opinion) the most interesting character, Vasya herself, as wild and unruly as ever. The omniscient narrator only made it better, making an extremely engaging atmosphere.

The Russian culture, which was my Absolute favourite aspect from the first book, is still very present, and only adds to the reasons why I recommend reading these books!

After The Bear And The Nightingale i had the highest expectations and this second installment hasn't let me down. It's a little less fascinating than the first book, maybe because the extraordinary fairytale atmosphere is no longer a surprise but still, i loved every page. The atmosphere is darker and the tension is palpable and i really want the third book now!
Kathrine Arden is an extraordinary author. I felt part of Vasya's world even more than in the Bear and the Nightingale, since there's more action and adventure and we get to know many new characters. Maybe i was expecting a little bit more about Morozko because i wasn't really fully invested in the romance since we get to know him very little but i also loved the pace of their relationship.

When I requested The Girl in the Tower from NetGalley, I somehow missed that it was the second in a series, and I haven't read the first book. I therefore approached it with some trepidation, worried that I wouldn't be able to follow the story. Luckily, that wasn't a problem. While it would have added value to know some of the past events to which the characters referred, it was still possible to enjoy this book without knowing them. In fact, I completely fell in love with it. (Okay, I confess, I fell in love with Morozko). The world building was great, and the blending of Russian folklore into the tale perfectly handled. I loved all the characters and became invested in their stories right from the start. This is definitely a book I'd like to own, and I will certainly go back and read the first book now too. I am keen to see how it will all end in book three! In conclusion, this is a beautiful, captivating tale for lovers of folklore-inspired fantasy and one of my top reads for 2017.

I love Katherine Arden. There, I’ve said it, I do. I love her, but more than that I love her books – and this book in particular. So be prepared for some full-on gush. I love the way she writes, I love what she writes about, I love her attention to detail, I love her characters, I love the way the books make me feel – oh my god, the feels – but most of all I love Vasya, the girl with fire in her eyes, who defies expectations and refuses to live in a cage. Poor well meaning, destructive, confusing, magical Vasya.

Everything that was set up so brilliantly in The Bear and the Nightingale has reached its culmination in The Girl in the Tower, which in every way builds and improves upon its predecessor.

The stakes are higher and so was my investment. I was so engrossed I almost missed my stop.

Highly recommended: a beautifully told story, woven with intricate care.

The Girl in the Tower follows on from The Bear and the Nightingale, but it has quite a different feel, but the writing is just as stellar. Vasya is now grown up and takes us on quite a ride, literally, as she spends quite a bit of time on her horse, Solovey. She manages to get herself into all sorts of trouble, from fighting bandits to masquerading as a boy to avoid being married off or worse, put in a convent.

I really enjoyed following this headstrong young woman on her adventures. Maybe this book missed some of that magic that the first book was filled with, but I still really enjoyed it. Katherine Arden’s storytelling is compelling and she transported me to Vasya’s world. I love how some characters don’t get much ‘page-time’, but still manage to feel fully formed and essential.

I will definitely be buying the print copy to re-read in the future and would happily recommend this book..

I absolutely adored The Bear and the Nightingale so I was so happy when I was granted a review copy of The Girl in the Tower thanks to Netgalley and Ebury publishing.

No spoilers here for The Girl in the Tower but if you haven't read The Bear and the Nightingale yet I would warn you that there are spoilers for that book here and you would be better reading my spoiler free review of that book here: https://lifehasafunnywayofsneakinguponyou.wordpress.com/2017/04/06/the-bear-and-the-nightingale-by-katherine-arden-review/

The Girl in the Tower picks up from the events which happened in The Bear and the Nightingale, first focusing on Sasha and Olga in Moscow as the Grand Prince prepares for war against the Tartars and Olga receives news about the death of her father, stepmother and her little sister Vasya. The reader of course knows that Vasya is not dead but has escaped to the Frost King's cottage for shelter.

We pick up with Vasya next as she tells the Frost King that she intends to travel the country and be free rather than allow the people in her village to force her into a convent or marriage. I was glad to see the return of Vasya's fiery spirit. But when she arrived in Moscow masquerading as a boy, it is here that Vasya's fiery spirit gets her into trouble.

I enjoyed this book so much, I love learning about folklore particularly the folklore of Eastern Europe which is always so deliciously dark. Katherine Arden demonstrates incredible research about the spirits, demons, myths and legends and weaves them into a fantastic story which is not only interesting but believable. Vasya is a character who is very easy to empathise with, a woman in a man's world destined for nothing but a convent or marriage to a man she does not want. Instead she shows herself as a fierce survivor full of determination. Though she sometimes hurts the ones she loves I find that I see this as their fault not hers, their refusal to understand her and their determination to live by social protocols makes her the proverbial black sheep and I really dig that!

If you haven't read this series already then you should certainly do so as soon as possible. I challenge anyone to not enjoy these books.

This is getting to be a truly awesome series. I just became totally immersed and lost into these books so very quickly. The Girl in the Tower is the second in the trilogy and I am already bursting wanting the third book. This story begins where the last one ended and I soon felt the cold of the long Russian winter wrap itself round me and I welcomed it.
Vasya was never going to fit what was expected of her, or should I say what could be done with her to make her conform with normality. Entering a convent or marrying would be like clipping the wings of a bird that should fly. The town blamed Vasya for the hard times they were suffering and now the protection of her father had also gone. Taking her beautiful magical horse she began her own quest with the reluctant blessing of Morozko, the frost demon that takes the souls of the dying.
Dressed as a boy, Vasya finds more freedom and now no longer a child she has greater understanding of the gifts she has. This story is much deeper and darker than the first, taking place in the villages plagued by ruthless bandits and Moscow and its politics.  This is a story that tells of harsh times as death is accepted as much as life but even here there are some very touching moments and unseen forces to other people. It was literally like time had stopped with emotions raw, rules broken and deals made to make bargains against nature.
This is certainly a coming of age time for Vasya where she shows compassion, sacrifice and bravery in a very powerful story.  There is something very magical about these Russian fairy tales wound in the words of Katherine Arden. The love and passion she has just bursts from these pages as you read. The research is very extensive with just a fraction of her knowledge continued after the story ends explaining the customs of the Russian people from the way names are given to the terms used. A stunning story.