This book was like a magic infused sonnet to revolutionaries everywhere. It takes us back to one of the darkest and hardest places for a Russian who likes freedom, and shows how revolutions can be built out of pebbles or cannonballs; In a day and age where our world has once again reached such huge levels of inequality, where free speech is under threat, and people are feeling targeted by their own governments, this story stands as a reminder that (and this is paraphrased) "we need to light as many small fires as we can before the dark consumes us instead of just trying to set it all aflame." Katya, Dima, and Natasha are all different people who are suffering because of who their parents are and all struggle to break away from how they were raised. As we watch them fall and fail again and again, we see that sometimes revolutionaries are forced to choose between their lives and their ideals, that we need to learn how to balance survival and resistance. So for anyone who enjoys magic, who loves the underdogs, or is feeling overwhelmed with everything that has gone wrong recently, take a break and listen to the stars.

For me, The Whisper of Stars was the perfect blend of fantasy and historical fiction. Set in 1920s Russia, we follow three characters imprisoned on Solovetsky Island: Katya, the anarchist, Dima, the aristocrat, and Natasha, the enigma. They each had a distinct voice, with their personalities woven throughout exquisite prose.
The claustrophobia of the prison only intensifies the message at this book's core - the strength of community in the face of political adversity. This is something our protagonist, Katya, has had instilled in her from birth as daughter of anarchist figurehead Svetlana Efremova, yet struggles with intensely due to her own trauma surrounding her mother's death. Svetlana cryptically haunts the narrative as Katya follows clues and ciphers left to her, burdened with the duty of fulfilling the mission of someone with whom her relationship was so strained.
I particularly loved Dima Danilov, as he was the voice of rebellion through art, and the power of gentle kindness. He is charming, creative, and his skomorokh magic was endearing - I think because he treated it as something that connected him to his ancestors. rather than a tool he relied on, like Katya and Natasha do with their spellcasting.
The supporting characters such as Tsisana and Andrei, were strong, and I even found myself enjoying the 'villains' of the story, despite my hatred of them - a sign of great writing. Whilst some were outright sadistic, others were complex, and their motives both understandable and condemnable.
Life on Solovetsky island is brutal and abrasive, not just in the treatment of the prisoners, but in the frozen landscape surrounding them. In a world where survival feels impossible, it is even more heartwarming to witness the blossoming of relationships - both platonic and romantic - as these connections breathe life into the barren environment. The romance was a subplot, and therefore didn't overwhelm the crucial focus on politics, however that is not to say that it was lacking. The passion was tender, vulnerable, and utterly satisfying, and whilst I feel slightly bereft at the ending of this book, I can recognise the purpose of it's ambiguity; these events are so much bigger than the characters we grow to adore, and since they themselves place so much value on folklore, it is fitting for their tale to end as such - being narrated to us as readers.

Thank you to Netgalley, Orion Publishing Group, and Cristin Williams for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.