I have loved this whole series, and the Winter of the Witch is a fitting conclusion. Full of magic, wonder, demons, Russian folklore and history, medieval Russia is brought to life. Some sections are a little slow paced, but Vasya's world of sorrow, triumphs, magic and love is a world I am going to miss. And I'll always see Winter through a different eye, now. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine / Del Rey for the e-arc. Highly recommend! 4.5 stars!

One of the most anticipated releases of January 2019 was The Witch of Winter as the conclusion to the Winternight trilogy. If you have been waiting a while. It was certainly worth the wait. While I didn’t end up loving this book as much as I did the second, it is still a very worthy ending to the story.

One of the things that Katherine Arden masters at is weaving the Russian folklore and fairytales to one compelling and dark story that digs into its characters. It digs deep. Everything stands and falls with our characters, mainly of course Vasya. But also the Winter King, Father Konstantin, Sasha and so on. No matter how little their own point of views were in the story, Arden knows how to deepen out characters with only a few sentences.

It creates a very introspective book where Arden invites you to take a closer look at how we treat woman and our expectations of them. Even in this day and age this still stands. We may not arrange marriages for the majority of the population but there are other ways where we still try and keep woman and other marginalized groups from acting out of what society expects of them.

The relationship between the siblings has been strained and that has been very realistic. But now especially Vasya and her brother come together and it feels great to see how Sasha can give up his misconceptions regarding Vasya’s abilitie. She is a woman. She is his sister. She is a leader. She is a fighter.

It is a powerful book and a powerful series. So why didn’t I rate this book 5 stars, but 4 instead? The thing is, I have a smidge with the plot. We get to what we perceive is the ending but then Arden throws us to the side. I always enjoy that but here I felt a little disjointed once we hop into that side of the story. I will also say that Lady Midnight needs to stop acting as if Vasya can bloody read her mind. If you want something to happen than SAY IT. Biggest pet peeve of this whole book.

The Winter of the Witch begins just moments after the events of The Girl in the Tower. There is really no way to write about the plot of this book without giving a lot away about its predecessors. As usual, the story moves at a breakneck pace and Katherine Arden manages to include an incredible amount within the covers of this book.

Throughout these three books, Vasya is a woman torn between realities: she lives within the walls of Moscow, but yearns for the Russian countryside; she is committed to protecting her family, but also compelled to return to the frost demon Morozko; and she is pulled between the religious traditions she grew up with and the knowledge that magic is real and she has a powerful gift for it. All the threads from the previous two books come together here and it is impressive to see that no character or plot point was haphazard. In the midst of this, Arden introduces new characters and new facets to the magic we thought we understood, and it works beautifully.

Vasya has always been a compelling character. She is talented and committed, but she is not immune. In Winter of the Witch, we see that there is a cost to bravery and there are consequences for you and those you love when you run into danger instead of fleeing from it. She is determined to forge her own path, but she quickly learns that her understanding of both human politics and the history of magic are limited. It's a fascinating to watch Vasya realize her potential and then learn when to act on her own and when to ask for help.

In this series, Katherine Arden has achieved something remarkable. Her characters are easy to love and readers will race through the pages to find out what happens next all the while lamenting that they are reaching the end of the story. Each of the books in this trilogy is teeming with Arden's love for magic and Russian folklore. I can see myself returning to Vasya's adventures each winter, happy to be reunited with these characters and the possibility that magic might be just beyond those trees in the dark, cold forest.

My reviews of The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower

The Winter of the Witch
Winternight Trilogy #3
By Katherine Arden
Del Ray January 2018
336 pages
Read via Netgalley

I had hoped to have my review of the last book in the Bear and the Nightingale trilogy on the day of release but it was not to be. The Winter of the Witch is a story to be savored not rushed through. Katherine Arden has combined history, fairy tale, country and family to create a spectacular fantasy. The final book was even better than I could imagine.

Wonderfully developed characters from a family that I had grown to love as if they were real people in a plot that is just as wonderfully developed. The fast, then slower, then speeding up to the final battle pacing of the story is not uneven as some might say but gives a realism to life for the third book. Any different or total action nonstop would give the book an unrealistic comic book feel. Instead it reads, as believable and true even though fiction. Amazing fiction, well-written, drawing the reader into Vasya struggles, hopes, goals and heartaches. Great victories, yes, but great loses too.

Start from the beginning of the series; fantasy readers and non-fantasy readers will not be disappointed. While I am not one especially drawn to Russian history, I loved this trilogy. Not since I discovered the Lord of the Rings 40+ years ago, have I been so deeply moved by a series of books.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a beautiful ending to this series. Although divided into many parts (almost like a play), the Winter of the Witch can really described in two sections. The first section/plotline, picks up after the second book with Vasya's release of the Zhar Ptista. Konstantin is mad with revenge and will stop at nothing to see Vasya burn. His mission is aided by Morozco's twin, the Medved, a demon of chaos and war. Medved manipulates and enhances the fears of humans, throwing all of Moscovy into rebellion. Vasya escapes near death through the magical realm but must face her foes to save Rus and her family. Along the way our heroine Vasya is put through hell and back. Her sense of right and wrong are tried and she is almost pushed to the brink. We learn more about her heritage and we gain some closure with her feelings for Morozco. The second plotline, speaks to the Tatar invasion of Rus and Dimitrii Ivanovich's struggle to maintain control of our beloved Rus.

As we saw with the first two books, Arden continues to bring to life the lush magic of Rus. Drawing from history and Russian folklore, she adds vivid color to Vasya’s quest to save her family and her country. Our favorite characters, Morosko and Sasha, play a pivotal role in the finale. And the antihero, Konstantin, is redeemed in the end to my great satisfaction.

This is such a wonderfully complex tale. While the focus is on adventure, there is no clear villain in the end. Sure, we hate Konstantin but he is acting out because of his fear and greed. Emotions most humans deal with at some point in their lives. And the Medved.. well destruction can also be creation as we learn more about the twins powers. And as the author describes in her final words, parallel to the battle for sovereignty is the battle of religion. Paganism vs. Christianity. And Arden did a splendid job of capturing this struggle.

5 stars for The Witch of Winter. I read this book cover-to-cover and would recommend it to fans of Naomi Novik's Uprooted and Spinning Silver, and S. Jae Jones' Wintersong.

Also for those who like history, take a peak at the glossary in the back. Arden unpacks a lot of the Russian translations and her historical references.

This is how you end a trilogy! It is a fairy tale ending that is not sappy but bittersweet, in line with the tone of the previous volumes. I will miss Vasya, Morozko and all their companions, human and Chyerti alike. Ms. Arden makes them all so real, so complete and complex that they all just shine. The writing is flawless, at once poetic and approachable, with a steady rhythm that makes the book impossible to put down. The world-building is also fantastic, based somehow in reality (some of the characters are historical figures) it's not hard to believe that events happened as described here. There are extremely suspenseful battles (those scenes usually bore me, but Ms. Arden had me completely engrossed), love, hate, heartbreak and family ties. I've said it before but, if I didn't know better, I would have sworn that this was a masterpiece of Russian storytelling that had just been recovered from the vaults of the Kremlin. History buffs and lovers of cultural trivia will also be satisfied with all the details. This reader has fallen under Vasya's spell.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine!

I have long had a love hate relationship with conclusions to trilogies. Yes they answer questions to answers that we are begging for but they also signal the end of an adventure of sorts. An adventure that you have been on for several years and you don't want to end. Thus is the case for the winter of the witch. This book is filled with fantastic places and magic and mythology and does not disappoint. Not even for a moment.

The conclusion to the Winternight Trilogy is 100 times better than the sequel. The Vasya I loved in the first book is back along with the magical creatures of medieval Russia.

I do not normally read fantasy books but this series is an exception to the rule. I read the Bear and the Nightingale last summer and loved it, so picking up the next two in the series was a no brainer. This one is a fast action war of the worlds conclusion, answering many questions of lineage of the characters. We continue on with Vasya, Sasha, the Bear, and the Winter King. A lot of fighting, witchery and magic.
The writing is excellent with great character and magical character development, and a well thought out storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and highly recommend, big 5*****’s.
I was given an advanced copy from Random House Publishing through Net Galley for my honest review, I would give this one a high 5****’s. Excellent read.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley. Thank you! All quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the final publication.

BLURB: Vasya travels through a realm of Midnight, encounters creatures of nightmares, and makes deals with devils in order to save the realm of monsters and men.

This lovely series has finally come to a close (so sad!) After loving The Girl in the Tower, my expectations skyrocketed for this final installment. There were several aspects that I loved, but there were some aspects that I didn't like and feel a need to discuss. My reaction to this entire series, despite its entrancing qualities, has been a roller-coaster. {book: The Bear and the Nightingale] was sort of a miss for me, but The Girl In The Tower swept me away. {book:The Winter of the Witch] sits somewhere in-between.

Note: It is difficult to review the final book in a series without there being some spoilers. If you haven’t read The Bear and the Nightingale or {book: The Girl in the Tower] yet, proceed at your own risk!

With that being said, The Winter of the Witch brims with Slavic lore. I can't say that I've read a book (besides Juliette Mariller's works) with such a variety of creatures, and so thoughtfully placed within the story. I think one would need to be a historian of some sort to fit all of the pieces together. It is without the shadow of a doubt that this entire series is well written. Every time I read a book from this series, I felt as though I stepped into a window and was entirely absorbed into the setting. I could see the desolation and destruction between the rivaling sides, hear the whispers of otherworldly creatures, and feel the wintry chill settling underneath my skin. Despite this fact, there were also points and feelings that were misplaced throughout this read.
Things that I liked:
They are the most marvelous things in all the world, the horses of this land.

Ok, so this is by far not the most important point, but I’m going to start this list off with: HORSES!

Okay, more than that, the lore! I love so very much that so many important characters are horses. I didn’t realize until later in this series that horses in Slavic lore are their own kind of “mythical” creature, often being able to talk and have magical powers. Considering that the Nightingale, the Fire Bird, the raven, along with other symbolic birds take on the form of horses, I thought it made these characters all the more interesting.

Two other characters I found to be very interesting was how the two brothers’, Morozko and Medved, stories interacted. I had a difficult time grasping the Bear’s character in The Bear and the Nightingale. I felt that his maliciousness was confusing and not fully explained. Well, his story makes much more sense after reading this final installment. Not only that, I felt as though his character was finally viewable as a whole, instead of in bits and pieces. (As I stated in my review for The Bear and the Nightingale, I think I was the problem, and not necessarily the book.) As I stated above, this book has so much folklore. It was really interesting reading it, and learning about new folklore that has been around for a very long time. The way that lore intertwined with historical events is simply stunning.

Things that I didn't like:

Morally, I can't agree that I'm happy with the way Vasya's character ended up. Yes, I am well aware that this is fantasy. I totally understand that. But to be honest, I’m rating this book higher than I morally should because I know that it is, in fact, fantasy. However, when it mentions several times over that Vasya's soul is damned, I can't sit back and say, "Ahh, it's fantasy." I have issues with this fact. Also, this book, this entire series, makes an effort to point out “Christianity” (loosely termed as there are many denominations with little specification given as to the exact beliefs the priests/monks represented) vs. paganism. If religion had been left completely out of it, I wouldn’t find it as necessary to mention.

Sergei lifted his hand and made the sign of the cross. “In the name of the Father,” he said.
Astonishingly, the dead things froze. Even the Bear stilled at the sound of that voice. Somewhere in the dark, a bell began to ring.
A touch of fear showed even in the winter-king’s eyes.
The lightning flashed again, illuminating Konstantin’s face, which had gone slack with horrified wonder. Vasya thought, He believed there was nothing more in this world than devils and his own will.
Sergei’s praying was quiet, measured. But his cut through the hammering rain, and every word echoed clearly around the dooryard.
The dead still didn’t move.
“Be at peace,” finished Sergei. “Do not trouble the living world again.”
And, impossibly, all the dead crumpled to earth. Morozko breathed out a single, shattered breath. The powers of the younger world had spoken.

There have been a lot of bad things done in history in the name of religion, in the name of Christianity. This is one point that I think this series captures well. HOWEVER, I think it also gives the religion exemplified a bad name because of Konstantin’s actions and decisions. While there are other priests present, (Sasha, Vasya’s sister) aho are good, their actions are completely shadowed by the bad Konstantin does. Once Konstantin travels down this destructive path, it gives the notion that religion is fake and/or the religious are corrupt and hypocrites. (I mean, isn’t this the “go to” blame game that people like to use against people who identify as Christians nowdays?) Honestly, I felt like this book, while retaining some of its original intentions, became more of a tool for propaganda.

I wanted to point out that a person, if they identify with a religion or not, have the choice to follow its teachings or to make their own decisions. Whether those choices are morally correct or not, it is their choice. This is why religion gets a bad name, because people who have the ability to sin are its representatives. They try and strive to follow the rules laid out to them, but will never be perfect because it's not possible.

The “relationship between Morozko and Vasya is downright odd. While they obviously like one another, Vasya certainly likes him more--but I don’t understand why she likes him. Morozko is a demon who doesn’t have human emotions...or emotions that are not really comparable to humans? Due to this, there is an odd tension between the two. At a several points, they are caught bickering with one another, and it just feels awkward unmerited. I kept thinking, why do you like one another, again? For a short while, I even fancied the idea that Vasya would end up with Oleg instead of Morozko. Their issues with one another is never really discussed or finalized at the end of the book. They bicker, and…that’s that.

Which leads right into the next point: Vasya's feministic characteristics. First things first: I don’t like the mentality that women don’t need men, or men are idiots, or men are not capable of leading, or…[fill in the blank]. I don’t agree with feminism and how it is identified today. A LOT of these notions shine their unhealthy light through Vasya and Morozko’s relationship.

Overall, I thought this was an interesting read in regards to the lore. I didn’t always agree with how characters were portrayed, and felt that there was some misrepresentation going on. This was a difficult review for me to write, as the more I wrote, the more I recognized that I had issues with. I get what the author was trying to do here, in bringing the world of chyerti and world of Christianity together. She even stated it in her Author's Note:

"And perhaps, beneath the battle recorded by history, there was fought another, between holy men and chyerti, over how they were to coexist in this land of theirs. Who knows? But the concept of dvoeveriye, dual faith, persisted in Russia up until the Revolution. Orthodoxy coexisted with paganism in peace. Who is to say that wasn't the work of a girl with strange gifts and green eyes? Who is to say, in the end, that the three guardians of Russia are not a witch, a frost-demon, and a chaos-spirit?"

Again, I know this is a fantasy, and I'm not trying to discredit that. However, for people reading this book, it may give them a negative view on certain aspects that weren't represented as they should be.

Vulgarity: Some.
Sexual content: (view spoiler)
Violence: Quite a bit.

My Rating: ★★★½

Several years ago I picked up the book The Bear and the Nightingale by Katharine Arden which I greatly enjoyed and wished there was a sequel. It turns out the book was the first in the Winternight Trilogy. So, I read The Girl in the Tower when it was published and just finished The Winter of the Witch.
I had greatly enjoyed the previous books and was really looking forward to the concluding volume of this series and the adventures of Vasya. Immediately, I noticed The Winter of the Witch is much darker in tone than the previous ones. As the title suggests, this volume really focuses on the main character's identity as a witch and the chyerti (translated devils or spirits). The juxtaposition of this darker magic or pagan influence and the strong role of the orthodox church feels odd at times, but given the time period of the book is fairly accurate. This combination also creates a story that does not fall entirely into the fantasy genre or the historical genre, but is a pleasing mix.

Finishing the book, I found it was an overall satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Readers truly do follow the main character's development over the course of the entire series. As such, I almost want to go back and re-read the entire series in succession in order to follow the arc of the character development and story line better. I'm certain re-reading would also allow readers to catch details that help to fill in the larger story as well which would cause some of the "a-ha's" in the final book to make more sense. As such, I recommend that readers read the entire series. S Reading a single volume, and particularly to read the concluding volume by itself, would not be a satisfying experience as it is definitely not a stand-alone novel. I do look forward to reading future books by author Katherine Arden.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book The Winter of the Witch via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

What is it about?

Book 3 takes place immediately after the events in book 2. The people of Moscow, under Father Konstantin’s influence, are not pleased with Vasya’s interference and seek to punish her for being a witch. But that’s just the beginning! War is coming to Moscow…

Was it good?

I went into this book without reading the blurb and was surprised by the misadventures Vasya found herself part of. I had imagined this book would be quite different, but I was NOT disappointed by the story that was told. You should know, however, that most of this book seems to take place in the Summer so the title is a bit of a misnomer.

The book was beautiful and I felt immediately pulled back into Vasya’s world. Her actions and reasons were really believable, if misguided, and she really learned more about herself, her powers, her allies and her enemies.

I really enjoyed this book and I loved this series as a whole and highly recommend it to anyone with interests in historical fantasy, folk tales, fairytales, witches, and magic.

This story wraps around you like warm comfort but keeps you up at night with the promise of adventure and what -ifs. This has the type of magic that makes you fall in love with star studded mid nights and dares you be brave in the face of the impossible. It's rich and enchanting. It's bewitching and if you couldn't tell, I LOVED IT. The Winter of the Witch weaves magic and realism into a memorizing tapestry of pure wonder that will hold you hostage until the bittersweet end.

The passion and the whirlwind of emotions bleed right off the pages. The chaos of it all will fire you up from the inside out with love, with excitement, with irresistible curiosity but also with grief and wildness and desperation. I laughed, I cried and I devoured this in one sitting I loved Vasya, Morozoko is EVERYTHING and the surprises in store will put you on your toes. No joke.

This book left me emotionally wrung out and with a savage book hangover. But I loved every minute and every page and was sad to see it come to an end. This was an amazing story that I know will stay with me for years and years to come. Fingers crossed there will soon be more from this talented author. Maybe even a spin off? There are definitely possibilities!

Vasya is a heroine to end all heroines. #GirlPower #StrongWoman #Epic Vasya will not let you down. Morozoko and Bear, Midnight and so many others come back for one epic showdown that you don't want to miss. All I can say is find a cozy spot and settle in. It going to be one hell of a ride and trust me, you'll find this one hard to put down. I'm off to re-read the whole trilogy once again :)

The Winter of the Witch concludes Katherine Arden's debut Winternight Trilogy. The narrative thrusts the reader back into the action, picking up immediately where The Girl in the Tower left off, with Moscow in flames, and a crowd riled up by Father Konstantin, hellbent on burning our protagonist at the stake for being a witch and the one responsible for burning Moscow--both of which, ofc, are true. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, the book follows Vasya desperate flight from Moscow into her grandmothers country, Midnight, where she will learn more about magic, the unseen world, and her own heritage than she has before.

As with the previous books I love Arden's deft had at weaving together elements of fantasy and fairytale alongside a strong historical foundations. While the characters have become her own creations, they exist in a narrative framework solidly bolstered with historical detail. I think this series is still an excellent crossover between the two genres for readers looking either to get into historical fiction or fantasy fiction.

That being said, there is a LOT crammed into a relatively short space of time in this book and I feel as though the focused is torn between two plotlines, one which starts and ends halfway through the book and another that picks up at that halfway point and abruptly carries us through to a quick ending. Honestly, I wonder if this book shouldn't have been split into 2 novels, one to explore Plot A in midnight and to deal with Father Konstantin and the Bear, and a fourth novel to deal with the Tarters' march on Moscow. As it is, everything just felt rushed. Either that, or this book probably should have been another 200 pgs to give the character space to learn everything she's meant to learn while also giving the historical events time to unfold. The author herself mentions that the timeline has been condensed for the sake of the novel. And i'm afraid it shows.

On top of all this, there's a pivotal emotional plot thread we've been following since the first book that is consummated here in the third but because there's so little time and so much ground to cover, it's given very little time for the reader to revel in something happening that they've been waiting for. it happens and then it's basically brushed under the rug by a plot galloping along at breakneck speed.

I think Arden has a lot of potential as a writer, and I will surely check out future books from her. I think Winter of the Witch is simply the victim of being rushed. Alas.

I received an ARC of this story via netgalley, all opinions are my own.

The Winternight Trilogy is one of my favorite series of the last few years, and Vasya is a fantastic heroine: kind, brave, flawed, unapologetically herself. The Winter of the Witch was a good conclusion to the story; it's action-packed and full of strange magic (the land of Midnight is fascinating).

However, the pacing of this third book felt off from the first two. The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower felt more methodical, building slowly and through great detail and character development to a climactic finale. The Winter of the Witch felt like non-stop strife, confusion and battles, with little room for the lovely details that made the first two books come to life. This rushed pace left some loose ends, too: <spoiler>How did the chyerti feel about Vasya controlling Medved and Polunochnitsa? How did the chyerti overall feel about fighting the battle, and were any of them killed? Can the other Rus' see the chyerti now? Will Morozko be able to visit Vasya at the lake, even when it's not winter? What about Marya?</spoiler>

That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Winter of the Witch!

A forceful and distinctive voice!

I cant help but see this series as if looking into a fantastical snowglobe, that upon closer inspection takes you into the very heart of a Russian winter forest. Stepping inside opens you up to a magical, yet fearsome otherworld tale that inhabits your dreams and nightmares complete with a feisty heroine and a daemon king. Creatures out of folklore, some benign, others not so! A struggle for supremacy reigns on various levels all intrucibly linked.
There is so much to think on at the conclusion of this series. The Winter of the Witch draws all together to a grand finale.
The chyert called Medved, the Bear has slipped his bindings. An uneasy truce is in the offing, Lady Midnight pays a call and the world as Vasya knows it turns.
Three thoughts leap into awareness for me:
The illuminating creativity of Arden whose woven fact and fiction into a magical world that sparkles with life and fills the reader with dread and wonder.
The struggle between pagan and Christian and how Arden has forged the two understandings and belief systems together that raises many other questions.
The very humaness of the story: one we can exclaim at, rage at, feel compassion with and cry for.
Arden's author's note adds to this conversation, ending with:
"Who is to say, in the end, that the three guardians of Russia are not a witch, a frost-demon, and a chaos-spirit?
I find it fitting."
Whimsically, so do I! A fitting note for a magnificent fantasy saga that captivates. Bravo!

A NetGalley ARC

A satisfying conclusion to a journey both familiar and new to a western reader. The beginning of this volume is excessively violent, in my opinion, and clashes somewhat with the entire rest of the trilogy. Otherwise, the characters, action, legendary, magic, and prose are everything a modern fantasy reader could need.

Medieval Russia comes to life in Katherine Arden’s WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY, which began in Lesnaya Zemlya, a small village in northern Rus’ in The Bear and the Nightingale and continued in The Girl in the Tower. Vasilisa (Vasya) is a young woman with the rare ability to see and speak with the natural spirits or chyerti of the hearth, stables, and lands and waters of Rus’. Vasya has gained the attention and respect of the winter-king Morozko, god of death, who has helped her along the way as she fought and bound the demonic Bear, traveled from Lesnaya Zemlya to Moscow, and undertook a dangerous masquerade as a boy while fighting to protect Moscow and her family from both an evil sorcerer and the Mongol invaders.

The Winter of the Witch begins in the aftermath of a huge fire that burned much of Moscow. The distraught people of Moscow are whipped into a rage by Vasya’s nemesis, the priest Konstantin, who blames Vasya for the fire (with some justice). Vasya is captured by a mob and nearly burned to death as a witch. Though she escapes, a tragic loss leaves her reeling, and now a terrible price has been paid on her behalf. The Bear is on the loose again, pulling Konstantin into his plans for war and chaos, and Morozko has disappeared into some hidden prison. The vast Tatar armies, the Golden Horde, are still on the move against Moscow, and Vasya has perilous journeys to make through magical midnight lands as she tries to save her country and the humans and spirits that she loves. Vasya has gained in personal strength and magical power from her beginnings in the village of Lesnaya Zemlya, but she still makes some serious mistakes along the way.

In the WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY, Arden has proved herself particularly adept at weaving together folklore and actual history. The Winter of the Witch focuses on the events leading up to the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, but puts a fantastical spin on it. As the country lurches toward war, Vasya is guided into the midnight realm of Polunochnitsa, or Lady Midnight, where she meets not only one of her ancestors ― a famous Russian folklore character in her own right ― but the mythical firebird, Pozhar (whose other form is a golden mare), and a delightfully opinionated mushroom spirit that Vasya called Ded Grib (Grandfather Mushroom). Pozhar and Ded Grib represent the high and the lowly among the chyerti, whom Vasya is trying to protect along with the humans who inhabit Russia. Even Medved, the fearsome Bear who played such a terrifying role in The Bear and the Nightingale, becomes more understandable and sympathetic, or at least much more entertaining as a character. It’s a nice reminder that even villains have some positive characteristics.

He spoke of Russia. Not of Muscovy, or Tver, or Vladimir, the principalities of the sons of Kiev, but of Russia itself, of its skies and its soil, its people and its pride.

She listened in rapt silence, eyes vast and filled like cups with shadow. “That is what we are fighting for,” said Sasha. “Not for Moscow, or even Dmitrii; not for the sake of any of her squabbling princes. But for the land that bore us, man and devil alike.”

The tensions between Christianity and the old pagan ways, humans vs. chyerti, are ultimately resolved in a way that I hadn’t expected, but that I found profoundly moving, and Arden’s writing style is entrancing. The Winter of the Witch is not just the coming-of-age story of a girl with magical powers, or a romance, though it has both of those elements; it deals with larger themes, like love of country, individual worth, self-sacrifice, and cooperation with those who are different. The WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY was a wonderful series from beginning to end, and I give it my highest recommendation.

The worst thing about The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden  is that it means the series is over. I could read another trilogy about Vasya and Morozko even though this book clearly wraps up the conflicts that began in the Bear and the Nightingale.  Now, before I wind up spoiling something, I’ll get on with my review.

The strongest features of The Winter of the Witch are definitely the characters and world building.

I love how Vasya resists the gender roles of her time, how she grows into herself and figures out who she really is. Her persistence, pain, wildness, courage, and dedication are tangible things. I loved struggling and succeeding and navigating a myriad of complicated relationships through her point of view. Morozko was my second favorite character, perhaps made more intriguing by the fact that readers really did not get to see much from his point of view. The others were okay, but every time the narrative shifted to them, I just wanted to get back to Vasya.

I did find myself annoyed at the way the book shifted point of view. This varies from reader to reader, but I prefer to read from one point of view for a whole chapter and get annoyed when scene breaks indicate a switch in point of view. On more than one occasion, I found myself rereading to remind myself which character’s eyes the world was being filtered through.

The world building was fantastic. I was smelling, tasting, touching, seeing, and hearing right along with the characters. And it wasn’t boring or overwhelming. Every detail Arden chose to focus on was relevant and added to the tone or mood of the scene. I loved that the magic system and creatures were based off of actual myths, and that some of the characters were named after people who actually existed and fought in a battle the one in the book was based off of.

One downside of historically accurate fiction is that it is often loaded with sexism and misogyny the contemporary world is struggling to shake. Throughout this trilogy, were there was no shortage of sexist men treating woman like inferior beings or objects. However, I was happy  that there were less of those in this book and that Vasya had earned the respect of men who previously looked down on her.

As much as I enjoy escaping to worlds without sexism, to worlds where gender isn’t a rigid binary thing people are judged by, I do believe there is plenty of room for those books to co-exist with novels like this that don’t censor the shitty parts of history. Historical fantasy has it’s value too. It makes me appreciate how far society has come.I’ll certainly miss Vasya, Morozko, and their complex, slow burn romance, but I’ll look forward to reading whatever Arden writes next.

This arc was provided to me for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

It feels like I have been waiting forever to find out how Vasya’s story ends and I gotta say it did not disappoint. Katherine Arden knows exactly how to tell a beautiful enriching story. There were scenes that literally stole my breath away and let's be honest, broke my heart. Within the first few chapters, I found myself crying because Katherine Arden is that good!

The Winter of the Witch picks up right where we left off, with Moscow in trouble and on the brink of war. With a few whispers, Vasya is blamed and must run, all while trying to save her homeland and the people she loves. Caught between two worlds, Vasya must make drastic choices that could alter her heart and home forever.

Where does one start when they loved everything about this book? I think I have made it pretty obvious in my other reviews for this trilogy just how much I love and appreciate Vasya. She is a beautiful protagonist to this story. Her choices are still questionable but I love how confident in each choice she was. She has grown into such a strong loyal character over the course of these books. Morozko, the beautiful Night King is by far one of the best aspects of this book. His character development is beautiful and amazing. Their slow-burn romance was one of the best I have ever read. Pozhar and Solovey, my precious babies, I will forever love how whimsical and stubborn you both were.

I am extremely sad this series is over, but it had such a satisfying ending. I hate saying goodbye to characters and stories, but I have a feeling this is one I will keep coming back to. This world is too precious to never return to. And I recommend this trilogy to everyone. Absolutely everyone, especially if you love slow burns, folklore, and a badass protagonist.