We don't get much set in Soviet Russia for middle graders, much less involving gulags, so this was already a unique book. And Orton does a solid job of integrating folk tales into the mix. It allows us to explore the bleak, grimy reality without it becoming too intense. It also makes the book fairly strange. Compelling.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of “Nevertell” by Katharine Orton. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Middle Grade polar fantasy felt a bit like jumping between two different books: one fantasy and one historical. It didn’t feel like the two blended together well. The setting was initially very bleak and the story seemed to start abruptly. I would have liked to have known more about their characters before they’re immediately thrown into danger.

The big bad chasing the children had a surprise twist to her backstory that felt like it came out of nowhere. I would have liked to see more clues leading up to the reveal. The big bad was also rather unredeemable compared to their actions throughout the book so the backstory didn’t erase or absolve what they’d done.

With the work camps element of the story it felt like this was a larger world issue that wasn’t dealt with in the book. What about all the people at the other camps? The ending was rather unsatisfying for me.

Overall I wish the historical and fantasy elements blended better together in this story.

3/5 stars

This book wasn't what I expected, but I found it to be entertaining and fitting of such a gorgeous cover!

Nevertell is about a girl named Lina, who was born in a Soviet prison/work camp. After escaping with her friend Bogden, she tries to find her grandmother in Moscow. The journey is filled with magic, ghosts, and a witch. The story overall was pretty predictable, the evil witch's motivations flipped like a light switch, with little to no transition. The story felt longer than necessary.

Three Different Books

The first third of this book follows our heroine Lina as she survives and then escapes from a Stalin-era labor camp in Siberia. This section is as dreary and grim as potato peels, with only the slightest hint that anything magical or fantastic is about to happen.

The second third tells of Lina's escape into the Siberian forest and then her capture by a Snow Queen, Baba Yaga character. This is gripping and fun in a mythical, folk tale, fabulous adventure sort of way.

The final third of the book takes us back to the labor camp, ties up lots of plot loose ends, and gets very Earth magic, Earth motherish, Chosen One, though not necessarily in a bad way.

Scenes are well set and the characters are strong, although the villains are inconsistent and sort of randomly and inexplicably villainous. The switches in the story make for some dramatic shifts in tone, and even writing style. The Soviet era background was a nice change of pace for such a story, but it seems to me that the drab opening will probably require a fair degree of patience on the part of a young reader looking for a magical, shadow wolf, snow queen sort of adventure.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

I found NEVERTELL to be a really imaginative story and really liked the way it sat between fantasy and history. The history is rather broad– the story takes place during a time when Stalin ruled Russia and imprisoned anyone who spoke against him or talked of magic and fairy tales. The story centers more on magical elements and the difference between using magic to help versus harm.

Lina’s character is determined and kind. She never gives up, and she resolves to save everyone she cares about, even if it looks impossible. I loved that Bogdan makes the journey with her. I thought their friendship made the story much warmer and sweeter.

Natalya’s story broke my heart. I get why that happened, but it just really ached to think of what happened to her and the life she left behind. I loved the alliance between her and Lina, though.

All in all, I thought NEVERTELL was a really good story, though a dark one with some very gray characters. I think perhaps readers who enjoyed NIGHTINGALE’S NEST by Nikki Lofton will enjoy this story.

3.5 stars.

This is a good middle grade adventure story with nice historical elements and a good set of messages. The writing is comfortable and the story is fast paced, with a lot of action sequences and harrowing moments.

The characters were a mixed bag, with Lina, Bogdan, and Katya being well-developed for their particular roles. The Sorceress (Svetlana) and The Commandant (Zima) were problematic for me.

Lina was a wonderful protagonist and showed bravery, thought, and perseverance in difficult situations, lending her to be a good example for young readers. Her relationship with Katya is well-written and I loved the mother-daughter bond that was developed, regardless of how briefly they were used together in the plot. I could have done with more Bogdan in the plot. I felt he was underused and I would have like to have seen more of his friendship with Lina. This component seemed to be more of a tell vs. show element in the novel, which was a little disappointing.

Both Svetlana and Zima seemed to uncomfortably straddle the line of good and evil. They were inconsistent characters and their actions and choices did not always feel believable. Svetlana in particular seemed overly mercurial and I couldn't align myself with the arc of her character development.

World building was also a bit lacking for my tastes. Though this is a middle grade novel and these pieces are often less involved in that level of work, I would have liked to see more exploration. The development of Svetlana's world was a little lacking and the explanation of the mist world was very brief. These topics seemed to be peppered in to the plot in a rather awkward way and I would have liked to see them be a bit more seamless.

Regardless of its faults, this is still a good middle grade read and should read well for its intended audiences. I enjoyed my read, found it to be very quick, and liked the messages it explored. The setting was used very well in the development of the plot and the Lina was an ideal protagonist for this particular story.

Nevertell, by Katharine Orton, is an engaging if somewhat limited Middle Grade book set in the wild north of Stalinist Russia and focused on a young girl trying to escape a brutal work camp and make her way south to Moscow and the grandmother she’s been told would be able to take her in.

Twelve-year-old Lina was born in the camp (her father is rumored to be the cruel commandant Zima) that her grandfather, mother, and uncle had been brought to years earlier. Only she and her mother Katya have survived, and when a trio of prisoners come up with a desperate escape plan, Katya provides the distraction that allows them, along with Lina’s best friend Bogdan to get beyond the fence and into the frozen Siberian woodland. The weather is deadly enough, but the forest is also home to a powerful sorceress known as the “Manhunter.” And Lina and Bogdan’s fellow prisoners may not be any safer.

Lina is an easy character to root for: determined, brave, compassionate, able to show empathy even for those one might think don’t deserve it. The other characters vary in their portrayal, with many of them coming off a bit flat or not fully realized. Bogdan is nice enough in that encouraging friend/moral support kind of way, but there’s little to him and the same holds true for a young girl they meet on their journey. The villains — some of the prisoners and Zima — are given hints of further depth, but those are mostly via throwaway lines, leaving them mostly two-dimensional. The one exception is an older prisoner who is granted some more emotional depth than the others, and I wish we’d seen more of him. As for the sorceress, she has some built-in complexity that reveals her to be more than a simple villain, but three issues arise with this. One is that one of those complexities is pretty transparent early on, though it only becomes a narrative revelation late in the book. To be fair, given the target audience, it’s more than a little likely that the preferred audience won’t see it as quite so obvious. Another issue is her responses feel a bit randomly generated as she veers wildly in tone and action. A bigger problem, and here I don’t want to go into too much detail to avoid spoilers, is that the worst thing she can be accused of isn’t exactly written off, but it is somewhat easily dismissed. I would have liked to have seen a bit more struggle with that.

Plotting is pretty quickly paced, and there are some well-done moments of suspense and/or action. Unfortunately, the big confrontation is a bit anti-climactic and I’d say is resolved a little too easily. While I liked the backdrop of Stalin’s purges, it’s somewhat roughly or lightly connected to events. It’s a young audience, yes, but I think Orton could have delved a bit more into the ideology and the events. The setting is nicely detailed, with Orton’s best work coming in her descriptions of the cold and snow and ice. The setting also provides for two of the more lyrically and emotional moments in the book, one involving the freezing of one’s breath and another involving two characters separated by ice, though that’s all I’ll say about either so as not to spoil their impact.

Nevertell is Orton’s debut novel, and it does show in its characterization and plotting to an extent. But she also provides some absolutely lovely images, some nicely lyrical language, and lots of potential in her warm if a bit thin portrayal of relationships that cross gender, age, and blood ties. Nevertell is a solid enough MG story that younger reader especially will probably enjoy if not love, but it also rises above that “solid” description enough times to bode well for Orton’s next effort.

I enjoyed this book but it was not very memorable for me. I liked the aspects of family and friendship, but the characters and atmosphere were not what I had hoped them to be. The ending of the book definitely picked up pace but I found the beginning and middle oddly paced. Overall, not bad, but not a new favorite.

Nevertell
By: Katharine Orton
Candlewick Press
Walker Books US
Middle Grade
Publish Date 14 April 2020
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I am so pleased that I have been given the chance to review this book. This is a very cute middle grade book and highly recommend that you give it a read. I gave it 4 stars. This book is 378 pages long and keeps you turning the pages. I was able to figure out one part of the story but it didn't distract from the story. This story is based in Siberia.
The story is about a young girl who escapes from a labor camp to find her Grandma and try to get help to release her mother. Her best friend ends up following her. They both go on have some interesting adventures and try stay away from the local witch who haunts the areas. I love the adventures and the people who they come across and their relationship. You also learn about the time of Stalin and why they were in the labor camp.
I hope you read this book and enjoy the adventures and challenges they go through.

Frosty, magical, and drenched in danger.

NEVERTELL plunges readers into a breathless world populated with both Soviet prison camps and ice palaces, shadow wolves and sorceresses. It all starts when Lina escapes into the Siberian wilderness after spending her whole life in captivity, but accidentally entangles herself with a magical being who MIGHT be more connected to her family than Lina knows. Katharine Orton's writing sparkles like ice, and the illustrations only add to the sense of atmosphere.

However, I finished this book feeling like something was missing. Even though NEVERTELL had all the ingredients for a perfect story, it wasn't ... memorable, I suppose. Perhaps part of it was that I couldn't reconcile the real & magical elements, because the Soviet gulags felt no more real than the presence of shadow wolves. When dealing with horrific, true-to-life events, I think we have to be extremely careful with accurate representation--and in NEVERTELL, the prison felt like a convenient plot point to support Lina's more magical adventures. Approximately 18 million people died in these prison camps under terrible, terrible conditions, yet Orton presents them almost like harsh schools, meant to stamp out believers of fairy tales. I almost wish this book had taken place in an entirely fantastical world, even if it was based on Soviet Siberia. PRISONER OF ICE AND SNOW is an excellent MG that deals with a children's prison in a Russian-inspired world, and although they are quite different stories, I think the lack of historical weight allowed me to appreciate that story more. This isn't to say that magic and history can't work together---I'm just not sure if this specific temporal setting was right for NEVERTELL.

None of the characters felt fully real to me, either. I'm writing this review a week after finishing, and I can barely remember who was who. Lina felt like a standard heroine-shaped hole in the story, and other characters seemed to be echoes of characters I'd already encountered in different stories. I can't quite place my finger on what kept Lina flat on the page, but she did lack a certain spark.

All this being said, my opinions are extremely subjective! There's still much to love in Orton's story---the description is beautiful, the writing is tight, and the atmosphere is unforgettable. I read this novel during a particularly hectic time in my personal life, and that can sometimes stamp out the magic in an otherwise brilliant novel. It might be the type of book that lends itself to group/school reads so the historical context can be better understood, and I did enjoy theme of fairy tales threaded throughout. 3/5.

‘Don’t trust your eyes…’

Oh my. That cover...!

Welcome to the freezing, harsh landscape of Siberia. Here we find a forced labour camp filled with prisoners arrested in the purges of the ‘Great Leader’, Joseph Stalin, and home to 12 year old Lina and her mother, Katya.

There are thousands in the camp – whole families - many arrested on minor charges. The vast majority are required to work in the mine. Lina however, who was born in the camp and has known no other way of life, has inherited her grandfather’s talent for gardening and as such, is allowed to work in the greenhouse under the strict gaze of Commandant Zima. Zima is preparing for the Officer’s Banquet in a week’s time and is hoping that the vegetables Lina grows will win him prestige amongst the officers. The word around the camp is that Zima is Lina’s father, which is why he gives her preferential treatment. Lina isn’t so sure...

At the very beginning of the book, we learn about an escape plan involving Lina, her mother, Vadim – a 16 year old prisoner who ‘already has the tattoos of the criminal underworld’, Alexei – described as ‘Vadim’s muscle – twice (his) age and double his size’ and old Gleb. An unlikely group to be working together but all selected for the individual skills they can bring to the attempt. At the last minute, Lina’s best friend – Bogdan Buyan – the only other person of her age in the camp – tags along. His parents are political prisoners in another camp. His father is a map maker and Bogdan brings along draft maps of Leningrad and Moscow; as such, he is allowed to stay.

Katya is known throughout the camp as playing ‘a ruthless game of poker’ and she sets up a game with the officers to serve as a distraction on the night of the escape. Before she leaves, Katya gives Lina a beaded necklace of her grandfather’s and tells Lina to make her way to her grandmother in Moscow – she was away when her husband, Katya and her son were arrested and is therefore still free. We learn that she has great power…

It isn’t long before they run into problems on the outside and Lina and Bogdan end up on their own. This is only the start of their problems as they are captured again – this time by the Sorceress, Svetlana, also known as ‘Man Hunter’ and her invisible wolves – humans who have been captured and wolfbound to serve her forever. How will they escape this time…?

’NEVER TELL CHILDREN ABOUT THINGS THEY CANNOT SEE…’

I devoured this book. I loved it from the beginning, but when the magical elements were introduced I couldn’t put it down. Children (and adults) will love accompanying Lina and Bogdan on their adventure!

Page count: 384
Age group: 9-12+

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Candlewick Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 stars. I really enjoyed this book! The characters, the plot line, the pacing, and the resolutions were all well written. I liked Lina’s character and how she seemed like a realistic young girl who had faced some dark things. Through her whole journey, she thinks about her mother and her grandmother as ways to help her keep going. The magic that was introduced fit well into the story. This book is aimed towards middle grade readers, and the main character is 12. I would caution young readers to be aware that this is a story about a young girl who is growing up in a forced labour camp, and as such some of the themes in the book are quite dark.

I received an advance galley of this book via NetGalley.

A prison camp in Soviet Russia is the starting setting for this fantastical middle grade book from Katharine Orton. Lina is a young girl born and raised in that terrible camp. Life is bleak, but she finds joy in working with greenhouse plants--that strangely seem encouraged by her touch--and the company of her dear friend Bogey. Lina's mother pushes her to go along with several prisoners as they make a bold escape into the wilderness--and Bogey tags along. As if the bitter cold wasn't enough of an enemy, the escapees find themselves fleeing ghostly wolves.... and soon encounter an ethereal woman colder than Siberia.

Oddly enough, the element that stretched my belief the most wasn't the growing role of magic in the book, but a girl Lina'a age escaping with grown men with criminal pasts without there ever being a hint of possible assault. Beyond that, though, the book was fantastic, a quick, breezy read with a focus on friendship, cleverness, and finding your own personal strength. The book presents information about the Soviet era and the horrors of the camps in a way that is dark, honest, and completely appropriate for kids.

Not to tastes, personally. It was cheesy at points and the world building never quite clicked for me. There are a great deal of Russian fairy tale-inspired books available right now, most of which I found much better than this one.

A gorgeous, icy adventure that mixes historical fiction with Russian fairytales! I loved the ice magic, I adored Lina and Bogdan, and I was hungry the whole time. Also, I loved how the story balanced hard topics -- like facism and Russian concentration camps -- with hope and love. The family + friend bonds were priceless, and overall it was a beautiful book!

ARC Copy...what I love besides the Russian folklore traditions and magic, is that, it is being contrasted with the oppressive propaganda and ideology of the Stalinist era itself. I found it interesting, that thoughts of the supernatural/fairytale, whether it is folklore, religious, etc (categories which the wise characters of the quick to point out are actually different from each other) are discouraged and oppressed (believing in the beyond would cause people to question the authorities) yet there is a "false fairy-tale" going on, found in the faults of Stalin ideology and propaganda. The Commandant is a walking example of a Stalinist.

As for the magical aspects...I did like it felt rooted in Russian folklore. The witch seems to share some aspects of the Snow Queen (a witch of the cold) and Baba Yaga (an ancient Russian witch tied with nature and forests). Like Baba Yaga she is kind of complex in character and morals. The magical system being split into warm + cold and how they interplay with each other is interesting to see.

This was such a fun middle grade! It had all the elements for a fun and gripping story. I can’t wait to read more by Katharine Orrin. Highly recommend!

This book was unlike many I have read. It took some time to figure out what was happening but the author took the time to build the world and flesh out the characters. I felt the pain that the prisoners felt, the extreme cold that was everywhere. The big twist was done well, I had an inkling of what would happen but could not put a finger on it. When it was revealed I was surprised but in a relieved at the same time.

This is this author’s debut book but I will be watching for more in the future!

Candlewick/Walker Book has done it again. Katherine Orton's Nevertell is a lovely book and one I'd highly recommend for its lush prose and superb historical setting.

Twelve-year-old Lina was born in a Soviet prison camp and the cruelty and coldness of it is all she's ever known. After she escapes with a trio of fellow prisoners and her best friend, Bogdan, her plan is simple: get to Moscow to find her grandmother, and return to the camp to rescue her mother, Katya. But that plan is put at risk when she runs into a powerful sorceress and her army of shadow wolves. Now Lina, who discovers she may have magical powers too, and Bogdan will need all of their strength if they are to survive not only the Siberian cold and the long journey ahead, but the clutches of this seemingly evil witch as well.

I can't think of anything that detracted from this book. It's simply wonderful. The historical setting is spot on and there is just the right amount of magic to still make this feel grounded in our world. And Orton's world building is a bit magical itself: you are fully immersed in the cold Siberian forest as Lina and Bogdan make their escape.

This is as perfectly paced as any middle grade (or any age category, for that matter) I've read, and I loved the subtle addition of Russian fairy tales. This adventure will be perfect for so many readers.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing this copy for review.