The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden already has garnered high praise and (to date) solid 5 star reviews on Amazon, just as did its predecessor The Bear and the Nightingale. The books are set in early medieval Muscovy ruled by princes under Tatar overlords. The people are deeply religious, superstitious, uneducated, yet as Arden shows us, admirable.

I enjoyed reading about early medieval Rus/Muscovy in both novels as it is an era and locale we seldom see in fiction. The people must be fierce and hardy to survive the long cold winters, muddy springs and falls. As the author noted, Vasya knows nothing of luxury. To her being warm, having enough to eat, having dry socks are luxurious. Ideas of beautiful furniture, wall hangings that are as much decoration as aids to warmth, of good food all winter, these are as fantastical as snowdrops in January.

We are meant to admire and identify with main character Vasya, the girl who found the snowdrops in winter, but I didn’t find her likable.

Vasya has dilemmas:

She can see the small household spirits, the ones in the bathhouse, the oven, the stable that almost no one else can, which in a superstitious age marked her as horribly different, a witch.
Vasya is a girl in an era when a high-born girl either married or entered the convent. Vasya wants neither of these; she wants adventure, she wants to travel.
She refuses to compromise or to decide what to do.
Reading the first half of the novel was like wading through icy cold water. We know nothing good can come of Vasya’s determination, there is no good ending possible. Once Vasya meets Prince Dmitrii and she and her brother Sasha lie to him that she is a young man, she has even fewer options and none are palatable.

Prince Dmitrii grows in this sequel. He had a small role in The Bear and the Nighingale, portrayed as young, somewhat self-indulgent. In this sequel Dmitrii acts as a prince. He routs bandits, tries to protect his people from avaricious Tatars, abhors lies.

The relationship between frost demon Morosko and Vasya is frustrating to read. It’s obvious something is going on with Vasya’s sapphire and that Morosko feels more for Vasya than he admits or that he believes he should. Vasya too has strong feelings but is confused as to what those are exactly. She is intrigued by Morosko, is grateful to him, enjoys his company but finds him difficult and opaque and she does not love him.

I don’t care for teen fantasy novels where the 16 year old idiot girl captivates the 2000 year old vampire/godlet/demon/what-have-you because it’s just stupid. To Arden’s credit the Vasya/Morosko semi relationship is believable – it has a quid pro quo at its heart although Vasya doesn’t know it – but the relationship still suffers from the underlying problems that Vasya is young and naive and doesn’t know her own heart.

My overall problem with the book is that it is not enjoyable reading. Every page brings the characters closer to doom. We know there is no happy ending, that nothing will be resolved – because the underlying problem cannot be solved – and that makes it difficult to read. Every page brought Vasya into more tanglements, more lies, more risk.

Vasya can not control herself while in Moscow, cannot follow her sister’s and brother’s commands to be quiet, to stay in the background. She takes a bad situation and made it far worse for herself and those she claims to love, just because she cannot control her curiosity, her bravado. I liked her less and less as the novel progressed.

This novel will get many accolades and probably awards, but I do not like it. The writing is excellent; the setting is unusual and intriguing, but the unlikable heroine Vasya and miserable options she makes for herself make it heavy going. In fact, had this not been a NetGalley where I’m obliged to write a review, I would have put the book aside and not finished.

If you are familiar with The Two Towers, the second book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkein, you know that it too has a sense of doom, of bad choices and no good options, of happy endings seemingly out of reach. Yet Tolkein manages to create a sense of hope, with excellent characters and a plot that moves along enough to keep us happy, reading despite the overarching feeling of menace. Arden’s novel lacks those elements, leaving only the feeling of menace, of doom, of a foreboding future. Had I liked Vasya no doubt I’d like the novel, but as it stands, I do not.

The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden is the sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale and second book in the Winternight Trilogy. It picks up right after the first book ended with the aftermath of the final events. A band of bandits are terrorizes villages, burning them to the ground and taking young girls. Dmitrii, Grand Prince of Moscow sets out to investigate along with Sasha, the priest. At the same time, Vasya is starting to blaze her own trail, determined to make a life on the road as a Traveler. She is continually visited by Morozko, the frost demon. His help comes at a cost as the people will view her as a witch. When events puts her in the path and favor of Dmitrii, she must tread lightly to avoid being discovered as a girl as she is taken to Moscow. Little does she know that someone is plotting against her and each day she gets closer to discovery or escape. Will Vasya be discovered? Who is behind the plot against her?
I thoroughly enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale and I eagerly waited for the chance to read The Girl in the Tower. This book did not disappoint. From page one, it was a nonstop adventure, with a bit of romance mixed with the thrill of the mystery surrounding Vasya. My favorite quote from the book is spoken by Morozko. He tells Vasya “Every time you take one path, you must live with the memory of the other: of a life left unchosen. Decide as seems best, one course or the other; each way will have its bitter with its sweet.” It is a very poetic statement about the ‘what ifs’ in life. I also eagerly await book three. I highly recommend The Girl in the Tower. A rich adventure story that you cannot miss. If you haven’t checked out The Bear and the Nightingale yet, I highly recommend that you do, you will not regret immersing yourself in this beauty story.

The Girl in the Tower
will be available on December 5, 2017
in hardcover and eBook

The Bear and the Nightingale
is currently available
in hardcover, paperback and eBook

I definitely enjoyed this book more than the first one. The Girl in the Tower is definitely a tighter, more focused read, though I don't know if it's because we've been introduced to most of the characters before. There's a lot more action and adventure in this one, and Vasya continues to be a strong and intriguing character. Her horse Solovey was also kind of awesome, and I loved the newer Russian folklore characters.

My main problem was that it felt like the main threat/conspiracy didn't really get going until about 2/3rds of the way through the book. There was some build-up and introducing the characters involved in overthrowing the prince, but in terms of it being the focal point of the story I felt it happened a little later than expected and made the final fights feel a little rushed. I am looking forward to the third book to find out more about Vasya's grandmother though.

The Girl in the Tower (The Winternight Trilogy #2)
by Katherine Arden
The second in a rewarding and thrilling series. Katherine Arden has captured the flavor and technique of the Russian greats. Her book has the flavor of mythos of the medieval Russia. The scholarly book The Girl in the Tower takes up where the Bear and the Nightingale left off. Vasya is a headstrong girl, given the ability to see the actual figures of russian fairytales. She inherited the gift from her great grandmother, but it's not the only thing that she finds passed down in her family. Vasya challenges the ideas of the role of the individual, the freedom denied women in medieval russia, and the idea of religion. She has an adventurous spirit and a fiery eternal strength, which will be placed to the test against a sorcerer and the whole of the Russian church. Can she save Moscow? Can she rescue her family name? Save her niece? And find the secret buried in her family heritage?

The beautiful followup to The Bear and the Nightingale. Part fairy tale part Russian history and all powerful storytelling. I love the powerful Katya and the rich narrative is all encompassing. Although not 100% needed, I definitely would start with the first book first to get the full beauty if the characters.

More often than not the second book in a series lacks the "wow" factor that first book had, but this is not the case for "The Girl in the Tower". Arden has managed to manifest more magical writing and storytelling in her second novel. Her strong female lead and unique take on Russian Medieval fairytales. The Winternight Trilogy is a must for anyone who loved classic bedtime stories as a child.

Ah, The Tower. Such an enduring symbol in folklore and fantasy! It projects an aura of not only protectiveness and safety, but also frequently detains and keeps secret its cloistered, maybe even captive inhabitants. In The Girl in the Tower, the second book of an enthralling trilogy, the tower in question is the locale of a terem, in medieval Russia a conclave of highborn women and girls who have been secluded away from society, ostensibly for their own protection from the depravity of men and society in general. This terem is headed by Olga, a matronly princess and the older sister of the protagonist, Vasya, a fiercely independent young woman.

Vasya, whom we met in the first novel of this trilogy, The Bear and the Nightingale, has never wanted to come anywhere near such an institution. She was a fey spirit as a child in the earlier story, seeing and talking with the actual household and nature spirits populating her home and village, and she hasn't changed as a young woman in this story. She most desires to be free (what many other people call "wild") and wilfully lives accordingly. As a young child, because she believed in the actuality of these spirits and wasn't sufficiently deferential to the social customs, the people in her rural village branded her a witch. When her nasty stepmother vowed to tame her (and get rid of her) by putting her in a convent, Vasya ran away into the forest, in the middle of winter, to avoid both immanent stoning, the common punishment for witchcraft, as well as the loathsome future her stepmother was forcing upon her. Through the patronage of Morozko, AKA Frost, the spirit of winter, AKA the death god, Vasya survives, but soon asserts her independence and, pretending to be a boy, becomes a "traveller," a wanderer seeking experience of the world. This is where we pick up her story.

Of course, such assertiveness and "uppityness" in a woman in medieval Russia does not go unnoticed, by malevolent spirits as well as evil people. The old Russian fairy tale of Morozko, expanded in The Bear and the Nightingale, turns into an enthralling fantasy story in The Girl in the Tower, with Vasya growing into a brave and generous young woman (though trying hard to hide her identity.) Society's pressures to conform continue to operate and Vasya must not only face the rigors and dangers of life on the trail, she must also avoid scrutiny in the cities, including Moscow, she so wants to see.

This fantasy, while full of exciting and suspenseful events, also takes up some serious issues - the effect of belief over rationality; the force of religion, both benevolent and nefarious, over civil society; the nature of reality; and, most particularly in this second book of the trilogy, the censures and strictures placed on a woman by society, limiting her freedom and demeaning her spirit. A pivotal issue is the notion of fantasy, itself. Vasya does perceive and commune with the chyerti, the various spirits of Russian folklore - the guardian of the household, the guardian of the bathhouse, the Midnight Woman who causes children's nightmares, the black bird who speaks prophesy, Morozko, the frost demon death god, etc. For Vasya and select others, these spirits are real and their forces shape the narrative; for the rest of the populace, however, they are the stuff of folklore, they are fantasies. The Christian church in medieval Russia actively battles these spirits, preaching that such entities are fantasies not to be believed. The effect on the spirits is that they slowly fade away, for they require people's belief in order to exist.

While she has been aided by a benevolent Morozko, Vasya, as she grows into adulthood, comes to believe that that aid was not selflessly given, but was a ploy by Morozko to retain Vasya's belief and thus ensure his own continued existence. Vasya's changing relationship with Morozko is but one example of her maturation and fierce independence, but her perception that she was used, voiced to Morozko, causes an internal dilemma for him as well: how can a death god rationally seek immortality?

I am enthusiastic about this book. Upon reaching the conclusion, I wanted more, and I wanted it now! Thank goodness The Girl in the Tower is the second book of a trilogy. I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next installment.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl in the Tower is Book 2 in The Winternight Trilogy with The Bear and the Nightingale being the first book in the series written by the incredible Katherine Arden.

Vasya, no longer a child but a tall, graceful, wild woman, has fled her forest country home for fear of whispers of those in her village. Whispers turning bolder and more menacing, accusing her of being a witch. The death of her father still looms over her and questions she cannot answer for fear of being called mad, or worse, beg her to leave everything she knows in search of adventure and the wild.

Dressed as a boy, she mounts her steed, Solovey, given to her by Death himself, and heads out into the world to live the life of a Traveler. On the way, she learns that the evil that plagued her village has seeped its way into the far corners of the countryside, burning villages and taking girls at every chance. Vasya, along with the Grand Prince of Moscow and her own brother, Sasha, must try and rid the land of this evil. All the while, the secret of Vasya's gender, while known to her brother, is kept from everyone else, lest she is sent to a convent, married off, or worse - killed for her lies and immodesty.

This sequel surprised me in the best way. Usually, books in a series don't get much better than the very first installment, but Arden was able to surprise me with a much better book than it's predecessor. I wouldn't necessarily call these books "action-packed". That's not a bad thing at all. I was genuinely intrigued and constantly on edge, even without every scene including a sword fight or a brawl. Each line had a pull and a tense edge that kept me turning every single page out of mere necessity. I had to know what would happen. I desperately needed to see this thing through.

I worried for Vasya as much as I admired her. I cursed her along with her family and her elders when she made rash judgments, just as I whooped and cheered for her pushing away the bonds of a role that she never asked for. Yet again, the setting in this novel is another game entirely. The cold world Arden sets is as much a character as Vasya, her brother Sasha, or even Morozko, the frost-demon and Winter King.

I've never been one for a romance novel, and The Winternight Trilogy definitely wouldn't fit into that category at all, but there is a romance that I felt really put a jolt in my heart. It made me care so much more than I imagined I would. And truly, if there ever was a love story in this book, it's the love story between the cold land of Rus' and the people that live within it. The domovoi and the people it tries to look after, even when they can do little but fade in the wake of new god and icons.

It's almost hard to imagine that these two books are Arden's first novels. They read so wonderfully and every word drips myth and legend. Every page speaks of the old world and sets you so firmly within it that you can feel the rattle of your bones in the frigid country. I cannot wait to see what the third and final book has in store. Although, I am fairly certain that Arden will break my heart, but leave me glad for the tale, nonetheless.

This was a wonderful book to pick up. The magical and fantastical elements amongst the every day life of the characters was really well balanced. I believe that's Russia a long time ago. It felt natural and clean. It was interesting and well paced to where I was not bored with this story. I would definitely read more by Katherine Arden.

This is the second book in a trilogy that began with “The Bear and the Nightingale,” and which combines elements of a fairytale retelling, historical fiction, and fantasy. I read the first book a year ago, and had a hard time, when I began this one, remembering what was going on. The author provides some background sporadically, but basically I would advise this not be read as a standalone.

The story is set in the mid-1300’s in Russia, or Rus’, as it was called then. The country had been Christian for five hundred years, but the populace, hedging their bets, still honored the gods of Russian folklore, paying tribute to the spirits of the household and the land by leaving regular offerings to them.

Vasilisa Petrovna, called Vasya, can see these spirits, as well as other beings, and she can hear voices no one else can. She is the granddaughter of a woman rumored to be the swan-maiden of fairy tales, and who also had these “gifts of sight.”

Vasya is free-spirited and fearless. She not only inherited her grandmother’s sight but her father’s kindness. She talks to the horses, takes care of the household spirits, and becomes beloved by all of them. But in the first book, she ran away from her family to avoid an arranged marriage. In the process of trying to find her, both her father and stepmother were killed. Her own life was saved by Morozko, the Winter-King, or as he is also known, the Frost-Demon.

In this book, the relationship between Vasya and Morozko takes on new depth, as Morozko struggles with his feelings for Vasya. He knows that “you cannot love and be immortal,” so he literally faces a situation of “damned if you do, damned if you don’t.” In a nice use of metaphor, Morozko explains to his companion mare: “…every time I go near her, the bond tightens. What immortal ever knew what it was like to number his days? Yet I can feel the hours passing when she is near.”

Morozko wants Vasya to return to her family where she will be safer than traveling on her own. She tells him: “You may tell me to go home, but I may choose not to. Do you think that is all I want, in all my life - a royal dowry, and a man to force his children into me?” “No, I am going on. I will see the world beyond this forest, and I will not count the cost.”

Morozko asks her at least to promise to wear the sapphire her father gave her always, no matter the circumstances. She does not know the significance of the jewel, other than the emotional attachment to it she feels because it came from her father. Morozko tells her it will offer her protection.

In other chapters, we follow what is happening with Vasya’s brother Sasha, now known as the monk Brother Aleksandr Persvet, or Aleksandr Lightbringer. He is acting as a counsel to his cousin and good friend Dmitrii Ivanovich, Grand Prince of Moscow. As this book begins, mysterious bandits have been burning villages and taking young girls as captives, leaving no trace of who they are or where they are headed. The two are about to take armed forces to go see what is happening when they are approached by Kasyan Lutovich, a previously unknown-to-them boyar who also complains about the bandits, and asks for assistance in fighting them. Thus they all set out together.

After days of no success, the group takes refuge at Trinity Lavra, Sasha and Dmitrii’s old monastery, which is some 40 miles northeast of Moscow. To Sasha’s shock, Vasya shows up there, disguised as the boy Vasilii Petrovich, and bringing with her three little girls she rescued from the bandits. She is riding the magnificent and not-quite-human horse Solovey she got from Morozko. Sasha is forced, for Vasya’s own safety, to introduce her as his brother, all the while rueing the need to deceive Dmitrii. He takes Vasya to their sister Olga, hoping she can salvage the situation. Olga, heavily pregnant, is exasperated that she has been dragged into the deception, putting her and her family at risk. They are all the more in danger because, as Vasya discovers, one of Olga’s daughters, Marya, has also inherited sight. This could get her labeled, as Vasya was, as a witch.

Tension escalates as they discover who Kasyan really is, and the extent to which they all face death and the city of Moscow possible destruction. They are all the more at risk because Vasya gave back the protective sapphire to Morozko. Up to the very end of the book, there is no guarantee of who will live and who will die.

Discussion: There is a great deal in this book about life in feudal Russia, especially with respect to the friction between religion and pagan traditions. There is also a lot about gender roles, and the resentment of females (at least those not co-opted by socialization) to getting assigned to roles of less moment and interest than those of males.

Morozko, the Russian winter demon who was seen as sometimes a force of good and sometimes of evil, is turning into more and more of a sympathetic character; in many ways, he is the best character of this second book. The only mystery is what draws him so much to Vasya, who, like many teen heroines, is bratty, stubborn, and disagreeable even though she is spirited, brave, and more devoted to justice for the people than its rulers.

Evaluation: The prose definitely evokes the tone of fairy tales, and the historical aspects dovetail nicely with the plot and add a nice flavor to the story. There is a helpful glossary in the back of the book for Russian terms. I liked this second book better than the first.

Recommended for fans of fairy tales and historical fantasies.

Katherine Arden’s debut novel, The Bear and the Nightingale, was as charming and magical a debut novel as you could hope to find in 2016. Drawing comparisons to Neil Gaiman, Naomi Novik, and Robin Hobb, Arden’s debut became a bestseller, but more importantly, it marked the introduction of an incredible new voice, one that repackaged Russian fairy tales for a modern audience.

In the sequel, The Girl in the Tower, Arden’s lyrical prose and rich setting remain as charming as ever, as Vasya encounters new challenges and even higher stakes. Having fled her village at the conclusion of The Bear and the Nightingale under suspicion of being a witch, Vasya finds herself at a crossroads. Knowing that marriage or life in a convent could never suit her need for adventure, Vasya takes to the road, disguising herself as a boy and riding her magical horse Solovey into the woods.

But Vasya finds even more adventure than she bargained for when she comes across a village that has been raided by bandits, men who have been terrorizing the countryside, burning, killing, and even stealing young girls. Determined to save the kidnapped children, Vasya soon finds herself alongside the Grand Prince of Moscow, her brother Sasha, and her sister Olga as they each play their role in defending the kingdom from a mysterious new threat.

The re-introduction of Sasha and Olga adds an important flavor to the book, as we see where their lives have taken them since they departed the small village where they grew up. It is particularly interesting to see the way the siblings behave, and the similarities they possess with Vasya, particularly in the way Olga runs her household and the monk Sasha struggles to settle down, opting instead for the adventure of being a counselor and friend to the Grand Prince of Moscow. In fact, after the prologue, the early pages of the book focus exclusively on Sasha and Olga, creating a cleverly written moment when Vasya makes her sudden appearance, a moment that proved just as surprising to me as it was to the characters.

Vasya continues to be an easily relatable character, and you can see the many ways in which she has grown more decisive and confident since we first met her as a girl in The Bear and the Nightingale. But while Vasya remains relatable, she certainly is a flawed character who makes impulsive or poor decisions with easily foreseen consequences. In some ways, this proves a strength for the book, as Arden refuses to flinch from the heavy consequences Vasya’s choices can have for herself and her loved ones. In other ways, however, as Vasya’s mistakes led to predictable outcomes, it made the plot somewhat less exciting.

The worldbuilding continues to be a great strength for the series, as Arden takes Vasya out of her tiny village and into Moscow, where the grand prince plays a dangerous political game. For the sake of the story, and to maintain the fairy tale influence of the series, Arden can’t dive into the complicated politics of the prince, the Mongolians, the church, and many others that colored this period in Russian history, but she hints at it, making the reader aware of the wider world of complexities lurking just behind the surface of what Vasya sees.

It’s an interesting balancing act in a book that is, by necessity, slightly darker than its predecessor. There certainly is more action and danger, as Vasya finds herself in several battle scenes, but there also is greater emphasis placed on Vasya’s limited life choices. Vasya chooses to become a “traveler,” as she puts it, but it quickly becomes apparent that if she didn’t have the frost-demon Morozko watching over her, her adventuring would have come to a quick and likely tragic end. For women of this time period, Vasya’s choice would have been impossible.

Speaking of Morozko, Vasya’s relationship with the Winter King plays a significant role in the story. This portion of the plot didn’t especially do anything for me, but those who enjoy supernatural romance in their fantasy almost certainly will be delighted by the way Arden continues to develop their relationship.

For those who enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale, The Girl in the Tower will not disappoint. Those who haven’t read first book in the series would be best off starting from the beginning – The Girl in the Tower makes several references to events, characters, and locations from the first book, and it may prove difficult to understand Vasya’s magic without the foundation the first book provides. Fantasy-Faction’s review of The Bear and the Nightingale is available here.

I loved this novel just as much as the first in the trilogy. Russia is the perfect backdrop to these stories with is natural physical wonderment that makes one believe in the unbelievable. I must admit that I dragging my reading out as long as I could because I didn’t want to leave this magical world.

The Girl in the Tower, second in a proposed trilogy, is even better than The Bear and the Nightingale, totally flipping the weak second book in a trilogy phenomenon. The Russian fairy tale elements meld perfectly with the historical details of life in medieval Russia, but even better Vasya becomes a more real character. When Vasya realizes her fate as a young woman is confined to marriage or to the convent, she chooses a life of adventure out in the wider world, dressing as a boy to give her more freedom to explore. With the aid of her trusted horse, she rescues girls kidnapped by bandits and joins her warrior monk brother Sasha and his men on the way to Moscow where she is reunited with her sister Olga. But Vasya’s disguise may not protect her from the danger of being discovered to be female and the ensuing scandal. As for the frost demon Morozko, his presence was not nearly large enough in this novel which I hope will be rectified in the last book in the trilogy. Fans of strong female characters and fairy tales mixed with the reality of historical fiction will love Arden's new novel.

Oh this is turning out to be a good month for me! First of all, I always enjoy Banned Books Week. I love looking into some of the weird decisions behind censoring books. Then, I got approved for two books that I have been dying to read! The Girl in the Tower was the first one and I am so happy Netgalley sent it to me!! Thank you publishers!

I really loved the first book in the series, The Bear and the Nightingale. The book is a wonderful story that reads like a Russian folktale. It is icy, bleak and utterly fantastic. At the time I didn’t realize that it was part of a trilogy, so I was so pleased to find out about this new book in the series. It starts off right where the first book leaves off…

The story focuses again on Vasya, a young woman who has affinity with the old pagan gods of Rus. She can see and speak with the household gods, sprites of water and woods, and has been building a strangely intimate relationship with Morozco, the god of winter and death. However, in this newly Christian community that singles her out for suspicion and distrust. If the villagers only knew how close she is getting to Morozko, that would be the end of her.

Vasya herself is a wonderful character. She is fiercely independent but not fearless. At times confused and impetuous, she makes some grave mistakes. I love her even more for that. She is also a very consistent character. It is easy to see how the headstrong little girl from book one developed into this bold young woman in book two.

Being a woman in this time and place was exceedingly dangerous. Ms. Arden demonstrates for the reader how virtually impossible life in Rus would be for someone as independent as Vasya. A young girl grows up with only the prospect of marriage in her future. Marriage is it’s own kind of prison. Women are sequestered in their dwellings, not allowed freedom of movement or expression. The only alternative to marriage is to live in the convent, just more of the same. Being born a woman came with a life sentence, imprisonment with hard labor.

One thing Vasya is sure of, that will not be her eventuality. I do not know how she will be able to avoid her fate, but she is resourceful and courageous. I can’t wait to see what happens next, I am dying for the next book and this one isn’t even out yet! I recommend it to everyone who loves fantasy, folk tales, and excellent writing.

Song for this book: Fear by Sarah McLachlan

"Do you think that anyone, in all this world of yours, cares what you want? Even princes don't have what they want and neither do maidens."

Where do I even begin with this book? I spent last night clinging to the last pages because I didn't want it to end and when I did I had a real ache - a severe book hangover. That is what I love about Katherine Arden, not only did she deliver a grand debut novel, but this sequel was just as good if not better than her debut.

I finished this book with my heart in my hand and a wonderful ache for more of this world.

In this installment Vasya is on a mission to explore the world, she doesn't want to be bound simply because she is a female in these harsh times so she sets out dressed as a boy in fine clothing and along the way, trouble finds her - as it always does. Soon, she is tasked with the mission to save the Grand Prince and those dear to the family, but can she keep her identity as a girl a secret? Or will it tumble out and endanger those she loves?

Honestly, there was not a bad line in the book. I marked so many passages down because I couldn't decide which to choose.

"I carve things of wood because things made by effort are more real than things made by wishing."

Morozko, the frost demon, and Winter-King is back, his presence is stronger in the book, his story more extensive but still enough to keep a reader wanting more. I fell in love with him in the prior book and for those who are wondering -- if you loved him then you will love him more now. He is such a strong character but has vulnerabilities even as an immortal.

Vasya has grown by leaps and bounds and she even continues to do so, sometimes her headstrong behavior can come across as irritating because she wants to do it all and prove herself - which allows her character to develop and grow so it adds real depth to her.

It shows how strong womankind was in these times, silenced they might have been and tossed aside to be shoved in towers or rooms, they were still strong individuals.

"Only boys and fools think men are first in courage. We do not bear children."

Let's not forget beyond character growth and development, Arden created this world that as a reader, I could nearly taste the air and feel the elements as I was plunged into the world. Vivid and riveting, I was captivated by the first page. It is something Brian Froud & Jim Henson would have had a field day with. The eeriness, the dark fantasy that is presented in stunning prose. I absolutely cherish Arden's storytelling capabilities.

I highly recommend this. Indulge in beautiful storytelling. I sincerely wish I could give more than 5 stars.

The Bear and the Nightingale was one of my favorite books from the beginning of this year and I was a little afraid that the sequel wouldn't live up to wonder and magic of the first, but it does. Instead of the deep backwoods village of the first, we spend most of this book in Moscow and we get more of Vasya's siblings, especially in Part One. I spent a lot of the book wanting to shake some sense into Vasya, but it was always because I loved the book and the character, not because I was angry about it. I cannot recommend this trilogy enough.

I really enjoyed this story set in Russia and dealing with Winter and finding one's place in life. Great story. I really enjoyed seeing Winter thawing because he was in love with her.

4 ½ stars

The first book was a dark fantasy that felt very much like a re-imagining of a fairy tale. This book however felt like an adventure story, still full of magic and mystery and Russian folklore but a lot more fast paced than the first book.

The beautiful writing was just as strong and Vasya has become more than just a girl that stands up against society’s expectations of a woman, she is busy finding herself and succeeding.
But deception, even with the best of intentions is still deception. There are hard lessons along the way and she faces them mostly alone.
I liked that the story also showed the bigger picture of medieval Muscovy, showing the political landscape as well as elaborating on Vasya’s older siblings, Olga and Sasha.

A sequel sometimes takes a bit of time to find its own rhythm, not entirely keeping up with the momentum created in the first book but this one does not suffer this fate at all!

I think anyone who loved The Bear and The Nightingale will not be disappointed with this one and I can’t wait for the next book in this amazing series.

Both luminous and gritty, this sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale follows Vasilia as she takes the lessons she learned in her home village to Moscow. The Middle Ages were as liminal there, as everywhere. The old gods were being displaced by Christianity, which had succumbed to politics, and its constant companion, greed, but they still could protect - or harm - if properly approached with respect, small gifts, and kindness. Disguised as a boy, Vasya battles mysterious forces and earthly corruption that would destroy the city and consign her to a convent or forced marriage.

The reader should read The Bear and the Nightingale first, to acquaint herself with the culture of this series. She won't be disappointed.

It occurs to me that this book also belongs in the company of Neil Gaiman's American Gods, since the theme of old v. new gods is similar, although played out differently.