Cover Image: The Bear and the Nightingale

The Bear and the Nightingale

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Member Reviews

THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE is a captivating, edgy tale of growing up and finding one's self and beliefs. It has been recommended for fans of Uprooted (by Naomi Novik), but I thought fans of Wintesong (by S. Jae-Jones) would also enjoy this as well. There's the same coming-of-age heroine and a supernatural "hero", though Wintersong is a tad darker and more intense. More than a romance though, both of these stories chronicle the heroines' journey into self-actualization. Needless to say, I enjoyed both books thoroughly and wouldn't hesitate to recommend either one.

I was held enthralled by the possibility of a romance between Vasya and Morozko, the frost-demon. It's a mere possibility here; nothing truly happens, except what Vasya could do for Morozko. In her youth and courage, she possessed a magic that spirits/demons/gods need to "survive"--belief. At a time when Christianity entered her country and there's the push-pull between the old gods and believing in the one God among the people, that Vasya could see these spirits/demons (she possessed second sight) is the basis of that belief. Actually, the people have found a certain harmony in the worship of both kinds of gods; it's just that in the book, they're being pushed to remove the old gods thoroughly, which led to the main conflict in the story. If you're like me and you don't much like books with religious themes, don't worry, there's not much of sermons and such (only when the priest Konstantin is on the scene, which is not a lot); there are, however, the cute domovoi, the prophesying bannik and other household spirits, as well as the white mare and her rider, the intriguing frost-demon, Morozko the winter-king.

The worldbuilding is superb and immerses me thoroughly in the story, and I didn't even mind the slow build up (we are after all treated to snippets from Vasya's birth to her growing up years) because the author has lots of interesting things to show us during that time. That the story is told from multiple points of view only made it more intriguing and gave it a depth that wouldn't have been possible if told only from Vasya's point of view.

THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE is the first in the intriguing Winternight Trilogy. Can't wait to read more of Vasya's adventures and, dare I say, more of the mysterious Morozko!

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Atmospheric, meticulously researched, and utterly lush, THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE is a pastoral fairytale akin to UPROOTED or DEATHLESS,. With a compelling heroine and and interesting look at the clash between Christian religion and old world superstition in the bitter cold Russian north, Arden weaves a masterful book pulling from Russian folktales to create a story all her own.

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The cover, gorgeous. The writing, exquisite. The characters, fleshed out and felt real. The storyline, made sense. So why only three stars?

Because I'm tired of Christianity/Christians being the bad guys. It's a rather central plot point of the book, so it can't be ignored. If that doesn't bother you, then you will most likely love this book, because the author has amazing writing chops. Everything worked for me except that. Which is a shame, because the place felt real, the characters were interesting and I wanted to learn more. If I were a character in this book, I would most likely be Anna. Which saddens me, because who wants to be the bad guy, even if it's due to a huge misunderstanding?

So 3, written well, but not quite the right book for me, stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Del Rey for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

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Loved this book and have recommended it to several people at the store.

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I really enjoyed this magical dark fairy tale, THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE, which takes place in the time before Russia was Russia, also known as Rus. Rus is a dark place with limited food, but lots of icy cold that is home to creatures of the night including demons, vampires, and elves.

I want to thank the publisher, author and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

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Magical and effervescent, this book enthralled me from the first page to the last. Highly recommended.

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What a stunning novel. Atmospheric and enthralling, I couldn't put this down. Though it is a little slow to start, it reads much like listening to a tale while sitting around a fire. It's reminiscent of many tales of old. Those fairy tales that you grow up with that turn children into believers and dreamers. Beautiful. Highly recommended.

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Lovely, atmospheric, evocative fairy tale. I enjoyed every word.

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I could not get into this book I was lost on the first chapter so this was DNf for me

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I don't normally talk about a cover, but let's face it ... this cover art is beautiful. What it suggests is a lyrical fairy tale, and that's precisely what we get with the story inside.

Author Katherine Arden (whose very name conjures up fairy tale princesses) has written a Russian fairy tale, drawing on her own interest and education in Russian literature and language. But the story doesn't require the reader to know Russian or even the history of Russian literature. The story requires only that you be willing to sit back and be willing to be mesmerized by the poetry of the writing and the descriptions of the countryside.

Vasilisa lives in the Russian countryside. It's a harsh living, where it is winter most of the year, but Vasilisa is accustomed to the life and very satisfied. When her mother dies, her father travels to Moscow and brings back a new wife. This step-mother is a religious women and she forbids the family to worship in their pagan ways. But the way of life in the Russian wilderness is uniquely tied to the land and spirits who inhabit the land and those spirits won't be dismissed without a fight. Vasilisa, who has the unique ability to peer into the spirit world is caught in the crossroads between the old, familiar way of life and the new regime.

Arden gives the reader an allegorical tale of the conflict of Christianity and paganism wrapped in a veil of fairy tale. it is an entrancing tale, but I will admit that I wanted the story to develop a bit faster than it did. The action of the tale really doesn't start until two-thirds of the way into the book. It is all set-up before that, and then the action begins quite suddenly and a little more blending of the two would have made for a smoother story.

I enjoyed my reading of this book and if I were to have a copy of the next book in the (planned) trilogy I would read it as well. But ... at the same time, I'm not in a rush to get the next book. I am not so totally enthralled that I can't wait and if I don't read the next installment, I likely won't miss it.

Looking for a good book? The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden is a lyrical fairy tale set in the romantic past in the Russian countryside and is engrossing in the language but not quite as much so in the story itself. It is recommended.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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Lovely read! Fantasy well written, with characters that are easy to like!

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I really enjoyed this book set in medieval Russian villages and forests. I don't read a lot of fantasy and prefer books of the genre that are based in reality and believable, and this story hit the mark for me. The only reason I'm giving it four rather than five stars is some of the elements weren't explained, for example (using single words to avoid any potential spoilers) the necklace and the nightingale, and the ending seemed a bit rushed and characters' actions were somewhat unclear. However, I understand that there are two more books in the works, so perhaps things will make more sense in retrospect. Overall, I thought Arden did a good job of including Russian/Slavic mythology and little nods to history and culture throughout the book.

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I love Russian fairytales and Vasilisa is one of my favorites! I really love to find fairytales reworked into something new and this one is beautiful! This story won;t disappoint fairytale lovers!

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A new take on an old tale... Scratch that. A new take on a lot of old tales. Cold winters are a fertile ground for stories to be told around the fire. And even as the people in Pyotr's village practice Christianity they still take heed of the old stories. It is into this life that young Vasha is born; her birth the dying wish of her enigmatic mother. She grows up on the stories and has no need to believe in them because she can see the truth on her own. Vasha is a wild girl, beloved by her family but never quite understood.

Especially by her father's new wife, Anna. Every story needs its central point of conflict and the stepmother is an old classic. But what if the stepmother isn't evil but scared? Seeing daemons that no one else can see has left Anna shaken; only the villages small church gives comfort. A young priest sees Anna's fear and with it sees his own path to greatness. Sermons gain brimstone and fire and the old ways come under attack. Villagers who once left bread crumbs for creatures of the old stories become more fearful of the vengeful god Konstintine preaches. And fear only grows as the already tough winter starts to bite harder. As the village starts to look with suspicion at the strange girl in their midst Vasha will find herself face to face with two brothers known only in the old stories.

This is a seemingly simple story with a lot of depth. At times it seems to be Vasha vs the world but despite her 'strangeness' she is never short of allies. Nor is it purely a Christianity vs Pagan story as clearly both have power in Arden's version of Russia. It is also not a traditional 'retelling' as it mashes multiple folk tales into a defined historical context. What it is is a strong, original telling of a special girl and her journey between two competing worlds.

There is a lot to love here. Fans of Juliet Marillier should be happy with this debut and not just because of the folk tale influence. In fact when it comes to the prose and imagery The Bear and the Nightingale is probably a step above. This is probably also a good book for fans of Gaiman's as it deals with a battle between old and new beliefs in a much tighter and smaller focused way. The story is very polished and smartly leaves behind several years in chunks when appropriate. Most importantly the author weaves in the folk tale aspects but makes Vasha's Russia her own. For this The Bear and the Nightingale is worth a strong recommendation.

But it is not a perfect book. A strong character study it is not. Perhaps the most disappointing thing is Vasha's path is mostly laid out for her despite her fight against a predetermined path being her major drive in the book. With a few exceptions other characters fit an archetype (beloved tutor, firebrand preacher) rather than act as full characters. Anna showed a bit more depth than evil stepmother as she fights her own daemons (pun maybe intended) but often it was hard to remember she is more than her spiteful side. Of course this may be a losing battle as the characters are literally competing with the entities of Frost and Death and fairy tales for page space but it makes connecting with characters rather tough.

Overall a strong debut. With a unique voice and beautiful setting this may be a book with some staying power. More importantly Katherine Arden has set herself up as an author to keep an eye on.

4 Stars

Copy for review provided by publisher.

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Date Posted: July 17, 2017.
Blog: The Life & Times of a Book Addict.

REVIEW:

I loved how the book began with the story of Morozko (The Lord of Winter) being told to the children in their home. I felt like it set the tone for the rest of the book.

Six years after the death of her mother, Vasilisa’s (Vasya) father brings home a new wife (Anna). Anna is very devout and strict. Her personality clashes greatly with Vasya, who is a bit of a rebel. At least for her time period. She doesn’t like to follow a lot of rules/orders. She gives food and talks to the spirits/creatures that live in the forest and in her home. Much to the dismay of her stepmother.

All of that comes to an end when Father Konstantin, a priest comes to their village. He forbids the worshiping of the spirits. Soon after that, the crops aren’t coming in as plentiful, the food sources start dwindling. But Father Konstantin just urges everyone to pray harder and be strong in their faith.

Vasya knows it is because the spirits/creatures are being neglected. And she even attempts to secretly appease them by herself. But it is not enough. And pretty soon an evil creature threatens to awaken and harm everyone.

Vasya knows it is because the spirits/creatures are being neglected. And she even attempts to secretly appease them by herself. But it is not enough. And pretty soon an evil creature threatens to awaken and harm everyone.

The Bear and the Nightingale is a wonderfully imaginative and atmospheric tale that I enjoyed from start to finish. Gorgeous cover? Check. Historical Fiction? Check. Story involving a strong heroine and inspired by Russian folklore? Double check.

There is so much I could say about this book. I feel like my review doesn’t really do it justice. So I am going to tell you to check it out for yourself. The book started off a little slow, but it had a really interesting start and I fell in love with the writing style. The descriptions were vivid, the characters were complex and interesting. Each character added another layer to the story. I loved Vasya. She was a very strong character. It was interesting to see that in an “old tale” there was a “modern” girl. So far ahead of her time I thought. I was even more excited to discover that I would get to find out more about her when book 2 releases, The Girl in the Tower on December 5, 2017!

RATING: 5 out of 5

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This book starts out as historical fiction set in medieval Russia with a touch of magic realism, keeps getting more fantastical, and by the end is pretty much a straight up fairy tale. Hard to rate, as the last third or so was pretty great, but for me the rest of the book up to then was, while interesting and different, just incredibly slow. Going to average it out to 3.5 stars.

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I didn't realize this was not a standalone, but I'm glad it isn't--mostly because things were not exactly wrapping up towards the end. I love Vasilisa for her strength and her "otherness". She is someone who embraces the strange instead of being terrified of it like her stepmother. The storytelling was delightfully lyrical. I can't wait to see how the rivalry that has boiled over and Vasilisa's adventures develop!

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While The Bear and the Nightingale takes readers on a slow journey, each detail and description helps the story come to life as we follow the growth and adventure of Vasilisa Petrovna, or Vasya. Raised in the woods of Russia, called Lesnaya Zemlya, Vasya lives with her four other siblings, widowed father, and nursemaid, Dunya, who starts the book off telling a story. Stories and fairy tales play a large role in the book, as Vasya discovers how intermingled her world is with these seemingly inconsequential stories and how much of an impact they will have on her family and village. The Bear and the Nightingale is very character-focused on Vasya, her impudence and wildness, and the lengths she would take to save the people she love, even as they doubt her.

When I say this book is slow, I mean that readers really have to be patient because throughout the book, the pace remains a sedate stroll. The mysteries surrounding the woods is very slowly revealed as Vasya explores and grows through time. The story starts before her birth and follows until she reaches young adulthood, developing into a not-pretty but certainly magnetic individual who is as charming as she is drawn to the wilderness – a wood sprite rather than a girl. Vasya enjoys foraging in the woods, making friends with creatures that no one else can see such as the rusalka, who feasts on the fear of men and domovoi, who protects their house. Her father, Pyotr, hopes to dispel her “wild ways” by marrying another woman. This stepmother from the city, Anna, can also see the creatures but instead of embracing them and understanding them like Vasya, she fears them. With the arrival of a devout preacher who believes that it is his life mission to teach the fear of god to the villagers who leave offerings to these fairy tale myths, Vasya’s village is turned upside-down with paralysis, fear, and wariness.

“‘Fairy tales are sweet on winter nights, nothing more.’”

I really enjoyed the incorporation of fairy-tales into the story, with both new and familiar characters. One thing I would have liked is a clearer revelation of some of these stories. So you hear of characters such as the firebird, or the nightingale, or the sea-king, but it’s not exactly fully explained. However, I didn’t really mind that and thought that the lack of explanation suited the flow of the story. The only fairy-tale readers really hone in on is the frostking, who has a large role in the conflict going on. While Vasya struggles to protect her family and village from the Bear that threatens to consume them, she also discovers more revelations about the creatures she’s seen all her life, and how she can perhaps save them.

“‘Blood is one thing. The sight is another. But courage – that is rarest of all, Vasilisa Petrovna.’”

The small tidbits of family, history, and imagery surrounding the setting the book was really quite lovely. The author paints a very immersive world as we closely follow the timeline of Russian history, while they were thinking of rebelling against the Khans. Vasya’s family was so endearing to see, from the sweet Olga to the talented and exceptional Sasha (both of whom are her siblings). While her father loves her, he also fears for her future. In The Bear and the Nightingale, Vasya is a character who seizes control of her future, instead of the destiny laid out for her by history. In a time where a woman’s future was to either marry or join a convent – both gilded cages for someone seeking freedom – Vasya escapes from those roles to find a way to save the village. I really enjoyed her fierce, independent spirit and her directness. The interactions of the story is actually written with a direct and blunt feel, making sure that no dialogue is gone to waste. However slow the pace is, I can’t deny that the author does a good job in making sure every word goes to use – whether it’s in developing the plot, creating emotional turmoil in and between characters, or in describing the vivid images of the world.

All the characters in this book struggle with things, whether it’s the lust or fear of Father Konstantin, immense close-mindedness of Anna, or limited options for a girl like Vasya. I enjoyed looking briefly into their minds through the third person writing, and each were very multi-dimensional, even when doing the wrong things. There is not quite a romance that happens, but this aspect is perhaps… hinted at? That’s the best way I can describe it, as like I said, the character interactions are very blunt and they kind of have better things to do than jump around feelings. It’s not something that forms through the book, though, so don’t head into it ready for a romance (I mean, I didn’t, but I figure it was worth mentioning). Vasya’s emotional and physical journey and development was enough to keep me entranced with the story.

With magical elements and characters such as Baba Yaga like in Uprooted by Naomi Novik and an adventure across the Russian woods like Hunted by Meagan Spooner, The Bear and the Nightingale is another fairy tale-like story that will immerse readers in its story. I’m actually really satisfied with how the book ended, although I do know that there is a sequel coming out (with an equally lovely cover!). I really hope that the sequel lives up to this one, because this beautiful story came as a surprise and ended pretty nicely. I did notice that the author left a bit of things untied, so I’m sure she’ll be honing in on those details in the next book. Overall, The Bear and the Nightingale features an independent heroine who’s note afraid to fight for her loved ones, and blends in an interesting exploration of history, religion, and folklore into this Russian-inspired fantasy that is as captivating as it is dark.

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