I love the idea behind this book. As I explained in some of my reading updates, I used to be fascinated with Russian culture, and as I am generally interested in folklore anyway, I thought this book would be perfect. However, it was quite disappointing and I'm still trying to decide whether to give it 2 stars or 3 stars. Bear with me (get it?)

There are a lot of things about the novel that irritated me. For one thing, it's a real slow burner - 90% of it consists of building tension, whereas the resolution happens in a couple of chapters, leaving the reader feeling slightly cheated. Furthermore, the overuse of obscure Russian language made it really difficult to follow, especially as I have an ebook version so couldn't refer back to the glossary - I kept forgetting which creature was which and who was related to who, and it ended up being a real mess. Plus, the main plot of the book isn't explained until 85% of the way through, by which point you're just feeling confused and want the point to be made already.

You can tell that so much passion went into this novel, but it just felt too heavy for the word count to do it justice. Things needed to be explained earlier on, the folklore needed to be introduced at a better pace, and the characters needed to do something aside from a) running around the forest chasing each other, and b) dishonouring the family.

Things I am yet to understand:
- Nightingale. The character is cool but pointless - why are they referred to in the title?
- Her mother. Okay, so she was special because she had the second sight...great, but why is everyone so fussed about it when no one gives a damn that Anna has the same power?
- The monk brother. A lot of emphasis was given to him initially and then POOF! Gone.
- A gazillion other things I can't be bothered to mention. The short story is that the idea was great, the execution was slow, and I'm not sure that I will remember this book in 2 months time.

I was attracted to this book initially by its cover and am so glad that I was. It is solidly rooted in the fairy tale tradition of Russia. It was obviously well researched but wore this mantle lightly. It was very evocative of medieval Rus. Vasya has a "faerie" heritage and inherits a magical necklace given by a mysterious pale-eyed stranger ( I thought of Joan Aiken's A Necklace of Raindrops or Alan Garner's The Weirdstone of Brisingamen with its Norse roots)

There are some readers who still love the fairy tale tradition with contemporary authors using this tradition in a fresh way and Arden is one of them. Neil Gaiman, Eowyn Ivey's The Snow Child and Ludmilla Petrushevskaya's There Once Lived a Woman spring to mind.

The character of Father Konstantin- reminded me of Rasputin and I wondered if there was a whiff of anti - church feeling in that it is his arrival and the neglect of the household spirits (chyerty) which triggers a dangerous time for the village ( shades of Phillip Pullman?)

I particularly enjoyed Part 3 which reminded me of George Macdonald's The Princess and the Goblin with its fine and beautiful house.

Vasya is brave, impulsive but not conventionally beautiful. Her Father is both conventional in ordering his daughter to get married/enter a Nunnery but unconventional in being a caring Boyar (local Lord) Her brother Alyosha is brave but also sensitive and
I was attracted to this book initially by its cover and am so glad that I was. It is solidly rooted in the fairy tale tradition of Russia. It was obviously well researched but wore this mantle lightly. It was very evocative of medieval Rus. Vasya has a "faerie" heritage and inherits a magical necklace given by a mysterious pale-eyed stranger ( I thought of Joan Aiken's A Necklace of Raindrops or Alan Garner's The Weirdstone of Brisingamen with its Norse roots)

There are some readers who still love the fairy tale tradition with contemporary authors using this tradition in a fresh way and Arden is one of them. Neil Gaiman, Eowyn Ivey's The Snow Child and Ludmilla Petrushevskaya's There Once Lived a Woman spring to mind.

The character of Father Konstantin- reminded me of Rasputin and I wondered if there was a whiff of anti - church feeling in that it is his arrival and the neglect of the household spirits (chyerty) which triggers a dangerous time for the village ( shades of Phillip Pullman?)

I particularly enjoyed Part 3 which reminded me of George Macdonald's The Princess and the Goblin with its fine and beautiful house.

Vasya is brave, impulsive but not conventionally beautiful. Her Father is both conventional in ordering his daughter to get married/enter a Nunnery but unconventional in being a caring Boyar (local Lord) Her brother Alyosha is brave but also sensitive and Her brother Alyosha is brave but also sensitive and funny. That it what I mean by nuanced characters.

I read this at a time when I needed an exciting, well written story . I always find fairy tales and myths satisfying at some deeper "primeval" level . I am very likely to re-read this wonder- full book and look forward to more from this author.

3.5 stars

Vasya is a wild, young girl who lives in a village in the Russian wilderness. Her nurse tells stories of magical creatures that only Vasya seems to see.
The future of the village is threatened when a holy man arrives and dark magical forces stir.
Can Vasya save her family and the villagers?

The Bear and the Nightingale is definitely a heartfelt and unique read.
Not knowing any Russian fairy tales, I found the creatures and stories intriguing.
I really liked wild Vasya and enjoyed reading about her relationships with her family members.
The plot was interesting and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped.
The writing style was easy to follow and I'm definitely intrigued as to what the next book will be about.

Overall this was an interesting, unique read.

I loved this book. When I read the description I knew it was going to be my cup of tea, but it really did deliver.
It is a brilliant fantasy book, of what would describe as the fairy tale fantasy genre. With a lovely story, beautiful, richly and romantically painted. I loved the Russian back drop, particularly as this is a fairy tale scene that I am less familiar with.
All the classic elements are there for a fairytale, the youngest daughter with unusual gifts, a dead mother, new step mother and an absent father. As the heroine battles to save herself and the rest of the village from an ancient evil in the woods, as she faces opposition from lots of sides, during the bleak, coldness of the winter, which turns out to be both a danger and a comfort.

I would definately recommend reading this, particularly for fans of Juliette Marillier.
I received this book from Netgalley to honestly review.

A novel that places greater emphasis on folklore than fantasy, this book transports you to the icy wilderness of a remote Russian village and introduces you to a menagerie of different spirits that you won’t have met anywhere else. It is cleverly constructed to combine a childhood fairytale with Vasya’s reality, with everything culminating in a fantasy battle between good and evil. This novel is delightfully different and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a one-off read or with an interest in traditional folklore.

*Full review available on the blog*

In essence this is a folk-tale, a Russian fairytale. It combines the darkness of old tales told in front of fires and the magic of ancient myths. It is a book I would buy to read to a child and also to gift to an older reader.

Vasya was born from and into magic. She is and comes, as her mother and grandmother before her, from a long line of magical beings. At a glance Vasya just seems to be a tomboy with a love of the great outdoors.

At a closer look you find a child with more than just an affinity for nature. She can see the guardians, the demons, the creatures lurking in the shadows, and she can also see the powerful beings who control life or death.

She becomes the object of fascination for two warring brothers, each one of them powerful enough to cause fear, hunger and death in a huge scale. She doesn’t understand that until it is almost too late.

Vasja finds it easier to connect to the invisible beings than the living ones around her. Her talents or gifts make her a target for the fearful accusations of those who do not understand or accept the old ways.

I think readers will find themselves captivated by the feel and voice of this story. The feeling of an old Russian master with the flair of a nouveau writer. I really enjoyed it.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of TBATN.

I loved this traditional tale, it's beautifully told - familiar enough for you to know what kind of story you are in, allowing you to become totally immersed. A perfect read for a chilly winter night! Have already sold to a couple of customers

4 1/2 stars now on sale in the U.K. A little later than the USA
I would have flown through this book if it wasn't for things like work , walking the dogs , cooking ,sleeping
Etc etc a wonderful Russian fable that wouldn't be something I would usually pick up but it was chosen as our local Bookclub read and I'm sooooo glad it was! It's not like anything iv read before and amazingly it is a debut author ! What talent ! You may not be in to fantasy or adult fairy tales but I guarantee you will race through this as simply a damn fine read . The only reason I didn't give it 5stars was the ending was a little weak and a little rushed , but the rest is wonderful ! Highly recommended

‘Nothing changes, Vasya. Things are, or they are not. Magic is forgetting that something ever was other than as you willed it.’

Every now and again a book finds its way into my hands that I never planned on reading and then it turns out to be a cracking read. This is exactly what happened with me when I picked up Katherine Arden’s fantastic debut The Bear And The Nightingale.

What drew me to this story was Arden’s knowledge of Russian folklore and her promise to weave this into her own story. I love books like this. Late last year I read a similar book also set in Russia, Katherine Rundell’s The Wolf Wilder, and this gave me a taste for more. The deep woods of Russia with their darkness and snow seem to be the perfect setting for stories that thrill and excite.

The Bear And The Nightingale reads like the stories and fairy tales that Arden based it upon. It is storytelling in its purest form, intended to entertain and interest the reader at all times. It is not necessarily wordy nor does it bombard the reader with plot points and characters. This is what I absolutely adored about this read. Sometimes when reading a good book, the language and quotes can get in the way of a good story. They become an attraction in themselves. Here, Arden has written a story full of imagination and flow that fully holds your attention and keeps you on edge throughout.

The presence of a strong female character surviving in a world of men is also refreshing. Vasilisa Petrova has to be one of the most intriguing characters that I have come across in a long time. Blessed with the powers of a special sight, she can see the old gods or domovoi who protect her and her people. This allows her to understand things about the natural world that her family cannot. Best of all though, Vasya is wild and defiant. She is brave and foolhardy to the point of reckless. She is loved and loathed in equal amounts by her frustrated family. Such characters always make for fascinating reading.

Another major plus point of this novel is that it takes on many forms as it develops. It begins with strong elements of magic realism and really keeps the reader guessing about what exactly is real and what is not. Arden paints a vivid picture with her beautiful yet simple prose. The passing of the seasons and her descriptions of the weather create the perfectly mystical setting for her story.

Arden allows her characters the time and space to grow up without being fussy or overbearing. She does this while introducing new and important characters in a very natural manner. This enables her characters to find their place in her story. A less talented author would have gone for a multiple narrative style and this would have totally changed the tone of this fantastic work altogether. I particularly enjoyed the addition of the young priest Konstantin who really changes the direction of the story.

This change in direction creates a clash between the old beliefs and the new and an ancient evil is given the opportunity to awaken. The novel takes a dark turn at this point and becomes a different read. Like the original Grimm fairy tales that haunted many a fireside two hundred years ago, this story is not all sunshine and snowdrops. The end result in this instance is a truly breathtaking finale that finishes the novel with the perfect crescendo.

With plenty of room left for a proposed sequel, I will definitely keep an eye out for the second instalment. I wouldn’t be surprised if this story became this generations Chronicles of Narnia. A remarkable debut novel.

Would I recommend this book to a friend?

For the main character alone, I would recommend this book to the young reader. The story is ideal for fans of Narnia, His Dark Materials and, dare I say it, Game of Thrones. Unlike Game of Thrones though, this story is aimed at a much younger audience but retains the same levels of excitement and danger.

The Bear and the Nightingale is set in Russia and is based on Russian myths and fairytales. I love fairytale’s and modern retellings of them, and this one is dark and chilling, and just beautifully written.

I liked how it starts quite slowly when Vasilisa is born. Vasilisa’s family live in a big house deep in the Russian countryside, their winters are cold and long and getting caught outside at night means death. The author spends a lot of time creating a world of long dark winters, honey cakes, woods and wildness and the magical characters that live in them. It’s easy to lose yourself in the atmosphere that’s created, I could feel the cold along with the characters!

Vasilia is wonderful, wild and raised to be independent, she has magic and power of her own that becomes more apparent as she gets older. The story gets more magical and a lot darker as Vasilia has to fight to save her family and her village from the Bear.

Very readable, and I absolutely recommend it. I didn’t want to put it down, and I stayed up far too late to finish the last few chapters.

A stunning, beautiful, magical book that kept me gripped from the outset. I am so excited to see that there is a follow-up!

Wow! Yep, it's one of those reads! Have to be honest that it did take me a while to settle into as it follows a number of characters and things did get a little confusing for me - easily done! - but one I was under its' spell there was no letting me go and it was an absolute delight of a read. How stories should be told!

The main character that we follow in 14th century Russia, Vasya, is a wonderful character full of spirit, independance and extremely feisty. She detests being told what to do and the idea of being married of, as was common practice, is just something she can't abide. She disappears into the forest at regular intervals and also has the ability of her grandmother which is that she sees spirits and can talk to animals. The bond she builds up with horses is particularly charming and see senses what others cannot see.

Due to her 'empathy' she is known as the witch girl amongst the villagers and is a constant cause for concern for her father who wants a nice quiet 'normal' daughter that he can marry off instead of having to worry about her and listen to the other villagers talk about her.

This is part fairytale, part historical fiction that is lyrically beautiful. The setting and surroundings are brought to life along with the struggles that each family are suffering in dealing with issues and there are also strong links to the church and witchcraft.

An absolute delight of a read and I'm extremely pleased to hear there'll be more in the series!!

a lively and original novel discussing a plethora of topics.

Disclaimer! I recieved an ARC copy of this through NetGalley. That has in no way influenced my review.

Pyotr Vladimirovich is a boyar, the lord of northerly and remote Lesnaya Zemlya in medieval Russia. A part of the world where the winters are long and harsh and isolate the populace, it's no wonder that the cold, dark nights are spent telling fairy stories, like those of Morozko or Lord Karachun, the Frost demon himself - who sometimes rewards those who are brave and pure of heart with treasures beyond their wildest dreams, while he punishes the greedy and claims their lives. Pyotr has three sons and a daughter, when his beloved wife, Marina, believed by some to be a witch's daughter, announces that she is having another child, a second daughter, who will inherit her grandmother's gifts. Both Pyotr and Dunya, Marina's old nurse (and now that of her children) are worried and don't think Marina is strong enough to carry another child to term, but she does, and dies shortly after.

Vasilisa Petrovna, commonly known as Vasya, grows up to be an unruly and impetuous child. When she is six, she gets lost in the woods she normally knows as well as the back of her hand, and under an unfamiliar oak tree, she finds a sinister, one-eyed man sleeping. She wakes him by accident, and discovers that half his face is badly scarred. The man tries to get her to come to him, but just as she is about to step closer to him, she is interrupted by the arrival of younger man on a beautiful white horse. He has piercing blue eyes and wears a long fur cloak. He puts the older man, Medved, to sleep with a word and tries to talk to Vasya, but she is scared and runs away and is eventually found by search parties in the woods. As she grows older, she more or less forgets about the whole incident.

The episode makes it clear to Pyotr and his family that Vasya needs a new mother and that Dunya and Olga (Vasya's older sister) are not enough to raise her into a properly well-behaved young lady. Pyotr needs to marry again and travels with his two oldest sons to Moscow to find a new wife, and hopefully a prospective bridegroom for Olga, as well. The current grand prince there is Ivan, Marina's half-brother, so Pyotr has hopes of a decent match both for himself and his daughter. While he is there, his middle son, Sasha, meets a holy man and states his desire to join a monastery, not exactly something the northern lord looks favourably upon.

They are also approached by a handsome, dark-haired stranger while in the marketplace. A cranky, hungover Kolya (the eldest brother) challenges the man, but is easily bested by the deadly man, who nevertheless promises to spare the young hot-head's life, if Pyotr will only bring a gift back for his youngest daughter. The stranger gives him a beautiful blue jewel on a delicate chain, making Pyotr swear that Vasya will keep it close always, as it will protect her. If he doesn't give her the necklace, the stranger promises to come for Kolya, taking his life.

While in Moscow, Grand Prince Ivan promises Pyotr a very favourable marriage between his nephew and Olga, and also offers his eldest daughter from his first marriage to Pyotr as a young bride. Pyotr is wondering what in the world is wrong with the woman, to make her father want her exiled in the northern wastes, but can't really refuse such a handsome offer. As it turns out, Anna Ivanovna is a recluse, who believes herself to be mad. She sees demons everywhere, except in church, and therefore wants to join a convent. She's not at all happy when her father announces that she is to wed a much older boyar and move to the north.

When Pyotr returns, he gives the strange necklace to Dunya the nurse, for safe-keeping. She doesn't think a wild young girl like Vasya should wear something so fine, but is haunted by vivid dreams after she hides it away. A dark stranger visits her and threatens both her and the family. Dunya promises that she will give the girl the necklace when she gets older, and the stranger eventually agrees, leaving the old woman's dreams in peace.

Anna Ivanovna is completely miserable in the north, seeing even more demons than before. She doesn't realise that the creatures she sees as demonic are the same ones her stepdaughter Vasilisa considers her secret friends. They are the various nature spirits who protect the house, yard, stables, fields and homes in the village. Some of the ones of the streams and forests are more malevolent than others, but all care for young Vasya and she makes sure they are given appropriate gifts of food and drink to be kept happy.

When the old priest dies and the young, handsome and very ambitious Father Konstantin arrives from Moscow, Anna finally believes she has found a proper ally. Together the zealous and hysterical woman and the charismatic priest persuade the villagers to abandon their old superstitious practises. No more offerings to the various nature spirits are allowed, only church services and devotion. Only Vasya, who speaks to them (but has learned to hide it from everyone, especially her stepmother) sees the negative effects. She tries valiantly to sneak the spirits offering in secret, but they are clearly weakening.

Anna is a bitter, unhappy woman and cannot fail to notice what a striking and confident young woman her stepdaughter is becoming. Maybe not beautiful, but arresting nonetheless, and she sees how fascinated Konstantin the priest is with her, even though he's supposed to be a man of God. Anna convinces Pyotr that the girl needs to be either married off or sent to a convent, before Vasya's wild ways shame the family.

Dunya refuses to give her young charge the necklace, even as she grows older, worried about the origin of the amulet. She rightly suspects that the dark stranger is none other than Morozko, the Frost demon himself and that the talisman will bring Vasya under his influence. Only when she is dying does she persuade Vasya to take the necklace, but is it already too late?

Has the frantic and jealous Anna's efforts, along with the priest's, weakened the various defences of the village and forest too much? Has the abandonment of the old ways allowed dark forces to take control in the area? Crops are failing, the winters are longer and the summers far too warm. There are wild beasts roaming the woods and uncontrollable forest fires threaten. Can Vasya save her home and her family before the dead rise and destruction reigns?

If my plot summary is a bit TL, DR just trust me that this is a slow-burning, but very worthwhile exploration of Russian folklore, a fantasy set in 13th Century Russia (before the country was even called that). While Vasilisa is the true protagonist, for the first third or so, she barely even exists, as the book takes its time to tell the story of how her parents met, how her family live before she is born, and how her father grieves her mother's passing, having insisted on giving birth to this apparently gifted child. While Vasya is a brave, loyal and independent heroine, this is a world where women are completely subservient to men and she can't exactly be a blazing feminist icon in a time where women either got married and had children (until they died in childbirth, probably) or joined a convent, shutting themselves away to pray for their extended family, governed by religion.

Growing up motherless and unruly, Vasya is generally given much more freedom than most women, and though she chafes under the discipline from her new stepmother, she's still allowed to roam freely in the woods, like the free spirit she is. It's only when her father invites a young man from a neighbouring village as a suitable match for her that he sees how different his daughter is from other proper, demure young ladies. She shocks everyone with how outspoken she is, and once she humiliates the potential groom by being a far superior rider than him, there really is no other option for Vasya than a convent. Telling her family that nope, she can't join a holy sisterhood, because she has to save the village from evil, isn't really going to work. Luckily, Vasya has the help of her youngest brother Alyosha, who tries to help her as best he can.

While the book felt excruciatingly slow at first and I wasn't entirely sure if it deserved all the rave reviews I've seen for it online, once Vasya grows a bit older and takes centre stage, the story becomes a lot more engrossing. Because we get to see her back in Moscow, before she is unwillingly married off to the older Pyotr, Anna really isn't your traditional evil fairytale stepmother. She's clearly a woman who had completely different hopes and dreams and whose religious upbringing makes her stand in complete opposition to everything her stepdaughter believes and has learned to trust growing up.

The contrast between the old faith, the belief in various spirits of the home and hearth and the new, as comprised in Christianity, is interesting. Neither Anna, nor Konstantin are bad people, as such, but their wishes and beliefs allow an older, more ancient evil to creep back into the area, taking advantage of their zealotry to weaken the natural defences that was there.

The internet tells me that this is the first of three books featuring the plucky Vasya, and probably some of her siblings too. I especially enjoyed the last third of this book and the romantic possibilities that are alluded to. Always a huge fan of fairy tales, I am very much looking forward to reading more about Vasilisa and the dark stranger who had placed her under his protection. So if you like a good dark fairy tale, this is well worth checking out. Just be patient and stick with it through the first third. It is worth it in the end.

Judging a book by its cover: This book has two different covers, and I absolutely love one of them, while find myself baffled by the other (which I also don't like at all). I've chosen to comment on the one I do like, with a motif I think fits perfectly for the second half of the book, with the dark forest, night skies, winter woods, spooky mist and the lonely, but warm-looking cottage in the woods, with a lone female silhouette walking towards the warmth and the light. The image fits perfectly with the action of the last quarter of the book and has a suitable fairy-tale feel.

The Bear and the Nightingale begins with an old lady sat by an oven, telling a fairy tale to four children. And that's what this book is, a fairy tale set in old Russia and the sort of book that begs to be read curled up by the fire with the wind howling outside. The four children are the offspring of Pyotr Vladimirovich, boyar of lands in the wilderness of the country. He is married to Marina, daughter of Ivan I and his mysterious wife said to be able to tame animals, dream the future, and summon rain. Pyotr and Marina's fifth child, Vasilisa (Vasya) is born during the screaming winds of November and her mother dies shortly afterwards. She grows to be, 'an ugly little girl:skinny as a reed-stem with long-fingered hands and enormous feet'.' but with 'eyes the colour of the forest during a summer thunderstorm,'. She is a wild, headstrong girl at a time when young women were supposed to become obedient wives or join the convent. Vasya, though sees house and forest spirits and learns to talk with horses. Life changes irrevocably for Vasya with the arrival of her stepmother and an impossibly handsome and ambitious young priest. Although Russia has converted to Christianity the old beliefs still persist and families leave offerings for their domovoi (house spirit) but Father Konstantin convinces them they are demons and stokes the fear of the villagers causing them to renounce their old ways and mistrust those who don't. As crops fail, death comes more often to a village that already struggles with its long, harsh winters. Evil is at large, Vasya knows it but what can she do when people believe she is a witch?
There is so much to love about The Bear and the Nightingale, old Russia with its realities of a life shaped by the seasons in a harsh environment is evocatively brought to life. Katherine Arden has a magical way with words,
'But the wind remained. Harder and harder it blew, wordless, flinging clouds across the moon, and the wind smelled blessedly of snow.'
Vasya's family may live in a time and place very different from our own but their relationship to each other is still somehow deeply familiar. They tease, fight, love and worry and just their ordinary domestic lives, their unrelenting struggle to survive another year is a completely immersive story even before the fantasy element is added. It is the fantasy though that lies at the heart of this book, from the spirits Vasya communicates with - the domovoi, vodianoy, vazila and rusalka - to Morozko, the frost-demon, to something or someone even more terrifying, The Bear and The Nightingale is a rich folkloric fairy tale that wove its magic around me. I just wish then that the final part of the book didn't feel quite so rushed. I had been gently drawn in by the story, the pace of the first two thirds of the book feel quite slow and the darkness that threatens Vasya and her community is more hinted at than expressed. As the truth is revealed I was initially enthralled but then it just felt as if it petered out. Storylines were unfinished and the ending itself while intriguing didn't feel right. If a sequel is planned then it all makes much more sense but as a standalone book I felt that although not everything needs to be said, some of what was missed out meant for a less satisfying conclusion than ideally I'd have liked. However, despite these reservations and minor disappointment I did really enjoy the book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy and fancies a change from elves and dragons.
Many thanks to the publishers for my copy, received through Netgalley in return for my review.

This is one of those books that reminds me why I love reading -- it got all under my skin and hooked its nails into my emotions and I loved every second of it. Before I was even half way through I knew it had earned a spot on my favourites shelf.

Basically...I adored it.

The world was a mix of old Russia and intricate folklore woven together beautifully and the writing was lovely. And the characters... I loved them, especially Vasya -- she was an excellent character, I loved that she was complex and strong but her strength was in her compassion and fearlessness and the lengths she'd go to to protect the people she cares about rather than physical strength. And I loved the way the relationships developed and that family was such a big role in the story.

I loved all of it pretty much. The only thing I didn't love was that there was spousal rape and assault mentioned kind of casually in the story and not really acknowledged as wrong...which is fitting with the time period and it isn't written graphically, but I thought I'd mention that here in case that was a deal breaker for someone or something that would bother them if they weren't expecting it.

I don't have much else to say about the book really...I just really, really loved it and it left me pining for the sequels. I'd rate it 5 stars out of 5.

I loved this book. The story, the characters, the premise and the execution. I even managed to keep up with all of the character names and I am notoriously bad at that.

The Bear and The Nightingale takes on Russian folk lore and fairytales and weaves an interesting and fascinating story with them. From my understanding the folk lore and the associated characters actually come from real Russian folk lore, making it even better in my opinion.

The characters were deep and fascinating, I loved our main character Vasya, who begins the story as a young girl and evolves into an adult as the story passes. Her speech never reflected her growing up in my opinion, she stayed young in her speech but yet that never took away from the story, it helped explain the reactions of the other characters around her. Each character seemed to have two names – their full name and their nickname – so occasionally I would get confused as to who the character was, but the characterisation was good enough that I quickly figured it out.

I loved the medieval Russia setting, it felt like these creatures and demons could actually exist there and at no point was the world ever broken or jilted. I would have loved more world building but only because I loved it so much.

I also appreciated the religious element, it wasn’t preaching anything and it allowed both religion to co-exist without ever saying that one wasn’t real or that only one could be worshipped at one time.

All in all I adored this book. I would recommend it to everyone! Great world building, great character and a great read.

Firstly, how stunning is this cover and secondly the main themes in this book are magic, fairytales, family and Russian folktales - yes, yes, yes! The book follows Vasya, her family and the community her father lords over as well as the magical 'old' gods throughout the wonderfully atmospheric and beautiful Russian forrest setting.

I love the writing style, it was quick to get through and I loved the story as a whole as well as the characters of Vasya, Dunya, Alyosha, the gods and the magical folktale characters but there is one thing I didn't like about this books, well two, the first is the christian themes and the second is the character names which for a non-russian are difficult anyway but every character seems to have at least two names, something three so it can be a little tricky sometimes to know who is who. However, I adored Vasya as she is such a strong, magical and endearing character (the story as a whole, even though it is quite bleak, is endearing).

The ending was a little bittersweet and I wish it was a little difficult but overall it was such an enjoyable, magical and endearing story about adversity, family, old religions and gods and to an extent, breaking the stereotype of women. I'd definitely recommend this book!

I absolutely loved this book. It would an incredible achievement if it was by an established fiction author, but the fact that it's a début novel is astonishing.
Amazingly evocative descriptions with beautifully written characters and the added fascination of Russian folklore.
It made me want to dig deeper into the mythologies behind the novel.
I couldn't wait to see what happened whilst conversely didn't want it to end.
Highly recommended. I'm looking forward to her future work.

Lyrical, Fantastical, and Awe inspiring, The Bear and the Nightingale is up there with Naomi Novik's Uprooted, and has me still thinking about it.
A beautiful historical tale of family, fairytales, and the dangers of mass-hysteria, Katherine Arden has created a story with tones of Joanne Harris' Chocolat and Russian fairytales that have been passed down through generations. We follow Vasya's story, a young girl who grows up without her mother, and is in a world that is hovering between modern religion and practice, and the rituals, beliefs and superstitions of old; Spirits are to be given offerings in exchange for their protection, the signs of nature listened to and heeded, slowly being feared and shunned in favour of a christian way of life.
Vasya has a gift to speak with the spirits and demons that surround her village, but with this gift, as paranoia grows in the village, and her stepmother's hatred for her grows more and more, Vasya is in danger of forces both real and supernatural as she tries to keep those she loves safe.
A magical tale that will take you to the freezing winters of a small Russian village, and will creep into your heart like the tiniest of icicles, making you shudder and gasp as you follow Vasya's fantastical story.

5+ Stars!

*Review copy was kindly provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*