The magical adventure begun in The Bear and the Nightingale continues as brave Vasya, now a young woman, is forced to choose between marriage or life in a convent and instead flees her home—but soon finds herself called upon to help defend the city of Moscow when it comes under siege.

Orphaned and cast out as a witch by her village, Vasya’s options are few: resign herself to life in a convent, or allow her older sister to make her a match with a Moscovite prince. Both doom her to life in a tower, cut off from the vast world she longs to explore. So instead she chooses adventure, disguising herself as a boy and riding her horse into the woods. When a battle with some bandits who have been terrorizing the countryside earns her the admiration of the Grand Prince of Moscow, she must carefully guard the secret of her gender to remain in his good graces—even as she realizes his kingdom is under threat from mysterious forces only she will be able to stop.



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When I read The Bear and the Nightingale, I fell absolutely in love with this Russian fairy tale and Ms. Arden's writing. I really didn't think that she would be able to top that first book. Boy was I very happily wrong.


I was immediately swept back in time to medieval Rus when Christianity was replacing earlier pagan beliefs. Vasya is a wild and free maiden who was never meant to fit into the narrow confines that women were shoved into. Instead she decides to ride away on her horse and find adventure. And does she ever.


Again Vasya's character really spoke to me. She refused to compromise and get married as proper young girls should. Instead she masquerades as a boy, saves some children and comes to the attention of the Grand Prince of Moscow. As long as her disguise held, she was happy but all good things come to an end. She is found out and to save her family, she agrees to marry. She has such a good heart and love is really her guiding light.


I very highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fairy tales. It is perfect for readers of all ages though there is violence as there is in any good tale. This book will grab you from very first page all the way through to the satisfying conclusion.


*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

Fair warning: this is the second book in the Winternight trilogy. There’s definitely going to be spoilers ahead for the first book in the series, The Bear and the Nightingale. If you want, you can read my review of that book here.

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Vasya has been driven from her village after the deaths of her father and stepmother. The options are slim for a young woman in medieval Russia — convent or marriage. Vasya, ever seeking to be her own master, decides to create a third option: to wander the vast expanses of Rus’ disguised as a boy, and explore the wide world now open to her. But the road and the places upon it are dangerous. Unnatural and vicious bandits are plundering remote towns in northern Rus’, and political intrigue and betrayal surround the residents of Moscow. Pulled into the events of the larger world, Vasya finds herself walking on a knife’s edge to help her family and her country, and to safeguard her precious freedom.

I simply adore this series. The Bear and the Nightingale was one of those delightful little surprises you come across occasionally. Expecting a typical historical fantasy, I found myself enveloped in a fairy tale story richly woven through with historical detail and living, breathing characters. The Girl in the Tower stays true to form. Arden’s careful attention to detail, and phenomenal gift for bringing fully-fleshed characters to her tales are undiminished in the second book.

Vasya has become a bit older and harder than last we saw her, but still retains her close ties with the many spirits who inhabit her world. Her choices and their consequences are rarely easy, and we get to see her grow and change as the plot moves along. Her relationship with Morozko, the winter demon is well done. No sappy love story here, but a subtler, bittersweet rapport that feels much more real.

If you enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale, then you’ll most likely love the continuation to the story. Fans of fantasy, fairy tales, and magic should definitely check out this phenomenal and original series.

An advance copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book carries on where The Bear and the Nightingale left off. Vasya may only be the tiniest bit older but now she is even braver and also a fair bit wilder.

Although there is still plenty of the same enchanting fairy tale and folk lore as in The Bear and the Nightingale, The Girl in the Tower is much more of an action adventure, with a little more romance. A lot of the questions from the first book are answered in this one but I feel there is plenty more story to be told in the last part of this fantastic trilogy. I'm really looking forward to the next book. Hopefully Vasya will get the chance to have a short rest and get her breath back before the final instalment.

4.5/5 Stars

One of my favorite books of this year was The Bear and the Nightingale so I was so excited to get my hands on an ARC of the second book. Everything I loved about the first book was in this one. The folklore and the adventure and the family dynamics were glorious! What I love about this trilogy is that not everything is black and white but grayscale and messy.

Vasya has left her village behind with her beloved Solovey and is continuing with her quest to figure out who she is. She knows that she isn’t meant to be just a lord’s wife or left in a convent. She fights against these ideas by dressing as a boy. Vasya is a hero and that heroism brings with it a lot of complications. The world she lives in isn’t ready for someone like her and she sticks out.

One of the things I loved about this book was Vasya's interactions with her siblings because her family plays a key role in this book. Her brother, Sasha, left as a teenager to become a monk but he has become more of a warrior than a religious man. He is involved in politics and with the Grand Prince. I will admit that I missed him! But as much as I loved her interactions with Sasha, Olga was my favorite. Olga has grown up a lot since the last book. While I wish we could have seen more of her with her children, I loved the scenes between her and Vasya. Things weren't easy but their interactions were filled with sisterly love. I loved seeing Vasya with her niece, who is just like her in personality and spirit. She had more people she could rely on in this book and it made things more tense but also so much better!

Morozko and Vasya’s relationship develops more in this book and it was intriguing to watch. They embodied the classic trope of an impossibly old and supernatural being falling in love with a young woman. There is a definite power imbalance between Morozko and Vasya and Arden doesn't shy away from it and the complications it brings. Even though they're each developing feelings for each other, those feelings are messy and complicated. And while we learn more about him and who he really is, we're not quite sure what his existence really means. I actually liked him a lot more in this book than the last. He felt more real and mortal. Things are changing and I can't help but ship it.

The Girl in the Tower totally lived up to the expectations I had for it! If you loved The Bear and the Nightingale, you're going to love this one! I can't wait to get my hands on the third book! I want to know how everything wraps up.

Katherine Arden's The Girl In The Tower is just as good, if not better, than the first book, The Bear and The Nightingale. Filled with more Russian Fairy tales, atmospheric literary prose, rich and strong characters, and the same enchanting setting of Medieval Russia, this book picks up right where the first one left off. It follows the story of Vasya, now a grown up woman she, instead of conforming to the role woman in her day usually play, of marriage or life in a convent, chooses instead a life of adventure. Leaving her home and traveling the vast Russian Wilderness while dressed as a boy, she soon is called upon defend the city of Moscow and finds the threat greater and more deadly than she imagined. While fighting this threat, only she can stop, she is also forced to protect her secret as she comes upon her brother and attracts the attention of the Grand Prince of Moscow.

Part of what drew me to this book is the fairy tales, yes, but also the historical setting of Medieval Russia. Katherine Arden does a masterful job of weaving fantasy elements with real life historical details only a great historian would discover. Blurring the line between history, fantasy, and reality this book and, more importantly this series, is contemporary historical fantasy at its best. It is a sketch not only of real life in Medieval Russia, but also displays the power of story and demonstrates the importance of fairy tales and the lessons they can teach us.

Let me start by saying this is a Netgalley review, I received it for free for an honest review.

4.5 Stars.

Considering I gave The Bear and the Nightingale 3 stars, I didn’t have much hope for this one. I felt the first book was a slow burn for me. It took me almost the whole book to appreciate it, but this book? Immediately I was hooked. I loved it.

This book picks up with Vasya fleeing and wanting to do what she has dreamed of doing. Travel, Vasya and Solovey seek help from the frost demon. We get glimpses of other characters, but I don’t want to speak too much about them. But we hear of fires destroying villages and girls missing. Our strong-willed hero is thrust on a new path of saving some of those missing. It is when she saves them that people from her past soon find their way back into her life and they all become involved in a lie that is bigger than any of them imagined. Again, I don’t want to speak too much as I don’t want to give too much away. But I will tell you this, this book is ten times better than the first.

This book takes us on an adventure and I truly felt I was there alongside Vasya and Solovey. Solovey was absolutely my favorite. He is just the perfect companion. I have an appreciation for Vasya because she is not your typical protagonist. She makes so many mistakes and I questioned every single one of them. Like why would she do those things. But you know what, that’s what I love about her. She learns, and she protects those she loves. The frost demon, oh god I love him so.

2018, is too long to wait until the 3rd book. I don’t even want to wait, I just want it now because I need to know how everything ends. But I genuinely loved this book, the slow burn is totally worth it.

The people in Vasya's village believe she is a witch. As her neighbors become increasingly antagonistic, she is told to join a convent or get married. But Vasya chooses instead to leave everything she has known behind. Disguising herself as a boy, she rides off into the Russian countryside. She soon finds a battle to fight when she learns that bandits are terrorizing small towns. Her bravery earns her the admiration of the Grand Prince. She must continue her facade to keep the prince's trust, but her choices could put her brother, her sister, and the entire city of Moscow in peril.

I absolutely adored The Bear and the Nightingale, the first book in this trilogy. Sequels can be tricky, but The Girl in the Tower lives up to its predecessor. This story gives our beloved protagonist room to grow while also giving us insight into her brother Sasha and sister Olga. If the first book was primarily about Vasya, this one is about the whole family. It also moves the story from the quiet dangers of the forest to the perils of the city and court, where the person sitting next to you could be your friend or scheming to take your place.

Katherine Arden does a wonderful job of holding things in tension: Vasya glories in the opportunity and danger of the woods while appreciating the safety of a city, she can't resist spending time with the frost demon Morozko but won't give up her own agency, and she is a woman who makes unconventional choices, but those decisions have very realistic repercussions for a woman of the past. It's darker and the consequences are bigger, but the enchanting writing will still draw you in and refuse to let go.

The Winternight books are a beautiful blend of historical fiction and fantasy. If you haven't read them yet, you must pick them up and enjoy all of the magic that a good story with wonderful characters can provide.

The Girl in the Tower
The Winternight Trilogy #2
By Katherine Arden
Del Ray December 2017
352 pages
Read via Netgalley

Oh my goodness! She did it again. Katherin Arden is such a storyteller.

First and foremost, thank you to Del Rey/Random House for the Advanced Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. It took me longer than I expected to complete it, but I enjoyed every page of it.

In the second installment of this trilogy, we find Vasya engaging in adventures beyond what she may have expected when she left Lesnaya Zemlya at the end of The Bear and the Nightingale. Solovey, her faithful companion is invaluable as he is witty, considering he's a horse.

We certainly get to know more about the whereabouts of Sascha and Olya, and it may not be exactly what Vasya or us--the readers--may have imagined. Being the middle book in a trilogy, the story is full of action, and unanswered questions. Magic is still present but in unexpected ways. I was happy to see more Domovois (I simply love them) and chyerti. We'll have to wait another long year to find out what happens with these beloved characters and (please, please, please) Morozko. I would not recommend reading this book without reading the first book first. It will still make sense, but there would be too many unanswered questions.

Katherine Arden has brought back my childhood passion for fairy tales. Her setting in remote, ancient Rus' (Russia) feels like a historical fiction story even though she's made it clear it isn't. I was lost in the forests and killer winters of a land I've never met. Her descriptions are so vivid and clear, one is transported to the setting. I can imagine myself reading the trilogy around Christmas time for years to come. wrapped in my blanket with a hot cup of cocoa. Thank you for writing such a wonderful tale.

This is a powerful tale of the changing times between old gods and new, focused on a young woman, Vasya, who can see the old ways but is trapped within the modern world of Medieval Russia. The book starts with a compelling storytelling voice that unwinds the events in the lives of two secondary main characters, Olga and Sasha, in a mix of details and omniscient observations to delight and unnerve. Olga even offers a traditional Russian fairytale that resonates with the unfolding story of the Winter King and Vasya’s sort of patron.

Once Vasya’s part begins, the narrator largely vanishes in favor of a more immediate view through the perspective of each scene. However, it returns at times as a cinematic over voice offering a broader perspective not available to Vasya because of her sheltered upbringing. For example, you see this when she approaches a small town and believes it to be Moscow in all that city’s finery.

The narrative voice is not the only structural oddity as the timeline starts with Olga and Sasha in the present, then jumps back to when Vasya’s journey began after the end of The Bear and the Nightingale. However, the choices made for the tale work by drawing the reader into a rather straightforward story then layering on complications and a larger cast of influential characters until it lives up to its Russian setting.

The narrative becoming more like what is expected of modern novels with Vasya is funny, though, because Vasya is everything but traditional or expected. Still, the distinction of the personal perspective when the reader is used to a more distant one makes her feel very real despite how she rides a magic horse and consorts with frost demons.

This is appropriate because Vasya is very real. She never looks at her circumstances and considers them setting her apart from her sisters and brothers. The rules and constrictions placed on a young woman of her status sit uneasy on her shoulders, and she’s willing to do anything to shed them, but at the same time, she rarely considers the cost, not in a self-absorbed way but because she cannot imagine what is true for most people as being mandated.

Vasya is the hero of the story, but also sometimes the villain or trickster. She can’t fit in even if she wants to because the twisted priest Konstantin from the first book is still spilling his poison, though he’s the least of those set against her. At the same time, her efforts, whether for others or herself, have very real, sometimes fatal, consequences. Vasya bears these burdens heavily.

Her story is no simple farmer boy turned savior as in the fairytales, though she bears some resemblance to that role, which both makes the book stronger and her path harder. She tries to make the right choices, but what is right for her can be dangerous as well and has costs she cannot foresee. Vasya acts out of emotion and in the moment, but her ties to the immortal and powerful Winter King, along with her ability to see the fae, draws her into an ancient fight that threatens to take all of Rus down. As in the first book, she does not wake this bear, but she’s driven to force it back into its den anyway.

Vasya has a good heart and a powerful love for her family and those in need. This makes her vulnerable, especially since she has a legacy she knows only in story, with the significance stripped away so nothing is left to guide her to the real meaning. Her abilities, along with her unseemly behavior, make many choose to condemn her.

While Vasya offers much to love, there is also Sasha, the warrior monk and her brother, who has given himself to the new world. Like Vasya, he is trying to protect those unable to shelter themselves, and to do so within the rules of his world. But, he has some wise mentors who can see the flaws in this new world and who open his eyes to the possibility that sometimes what is declared wrong might just be the only good choice.

Olga, Vasya’s older sister, has gone farther even than Sasha in embracing her role as a princess of the Russian court. She finds ways to make it palatable because she has no choice. Even so, she bears within her a powerful love that can overcome even the strictest of propriety.

I cannot fail to mention the Winter King in more detail. A frost demon responsible for collecting the dead, he struggles to survive in a changing world. His choice of Vasya as his connection to the mortal life is both a victory and the worst choice of all. Instead of offering peace, she carves her own path and triggers an unsustainable passion.

There’s a grand villain or two offered up as well, and with good enough seeding that I developed suspicions, which later came to be true, but I was not able to guess at the whole and so didn’t find the story predictable. This includes the final villain, who turns out to be both less than I suspected and so much more than he appeared, with a complex story of his own.

These are only a few of the characters I met on this journey, and these glimpses should show them to be deep and complicated. Arrogance, passion, need, and trust all play a hand in this drama to good effect. I lived in the tale with them, feeling their pain as well as their joy. The story brought me to tears at least twice. This is prophecy done right where even knowing the future means nothing, and a strong will can overturn the grandest of schemes if determined enough, but no victory comes without cost.

P.S. I received this novel from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden is a captivating story that transports the reader to a place and time full of magic, power, political intrigue and so much more. Through the author's lyrical and lush prose, this fairy tale comes to life culminating in a story that I feel is even better than her first book, The Bear and The Nightingale.

I can't wait to read the third book in this series being released next year, The Winter of the Witch. I highly recommend The Girl in the Tower and this whole series!

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Ms. Arden, Del Rey Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

You can read the full review with images here on my blog: http://avalinahsbooks.space/the-girl-in-the-tower-katherine-arden/

When I read The Bear and the Nightingale, I definitely liked it (you can find the review here), but I knew that the series was not opening up its full potential. But I decided to stick with it, because I was sure it would bloom by the second book. And it did! I loved The Girl in the Tower. So here are…

5 Reasons To Read The Girl In The Tower
It's about...

The Girl in the Tower carries on where The Bear and The Nightingale left off. Vasya, a rebellious girl, needs to flee her homeland, because after the events of the first book, she is regarded as a witch, feared and loathed, and she is worried for her own life. She can think of no other place to flee to than to Morozko, the frost god. However… Things get even darker than in the first book, but also? Much more adventurous! As Vasya now becomes the traveling adventurer maiden she was cut out to be.

Reason #1.
Vasya Is A Great Model Of Female Power
Vasya is such an amazing woman! Sure, she’s a tomboy, she’s rash and doesn’t quite think things through, but also? She’s brave, she’s daring, and through her character and her experiences, we get to see the obstacles women had to face before our times. I have always known that life for women was tough, back in the day. We all know that. But do we ever think just how tough? How limited the self expression and the life, when you’re trapped in a tower, and that’s normal? When you can’t ever say what you want to say, or even feel what you want to feel? Not speaking of the boredom and dullness of such a life. Vasya was a great contrast. She fought, she ran, she rescued. She burned and destroyed. Vasya is the true strong female heroine and I love her for that.

Reason #2.

The Slow-Burn Romance
To be honest? I was very curious what would become of the romance in this story. This is not the kind of book, nor is Katherine the kind of writer, I feel, who would subject you to flowery love stories. I wouldn’t have expected ANY romance in this series at all – apart from the fact that the story was set up from the first book and it was sort of leading up somewhere. And I was so curious about where it would lead! I have to say, I am extremely satisfied with the outcome. I’m not a romance fan, so this was just perfect for me. Subtle and reasonable. I will not say more, for fear of spoilers!

Reason #3.

The Pace And The Suspense
This book has done what the first one hasn’t – namely, it has suspense! If The Bear and the Nightingalewas slow at times, you could only say this book was rolling, and always on edge. At one point, I had to stop reading, because I just didn’t want to find out what was next – it was too much. Had to put the book down for a day or two!

Reason #4.

This Book Is More Adult
You can clearly feel that Vasya is no child anymore in this book. If things were a little soft around the edge in The Bear and the Nightingale, they are not so in The Girl in the Tower. The book is much more adult, both in the tone, and the darkness it tells about. I’m normally very sensitive to darkness in books, but this was just right. The ideas it helps express just absolutely worked with it.

Reason #5.

Being A Strong Woman Can Be So Many Different Things
You’d think that if Vasya, a strong and fighting woman, is in the spotlight here, this book says that the strength is only in fighting? WRONG! I was pleasantly surprised to see extremely strong and capable female characters who were symbolizing the other side of femininity – the soft, submissive side, namely – Vasya’s sister Olga. She is no rebel, she does what she’s told, she submits to her life and bears her cross with her head held high. But it’s no weakness! Olga displays incredible strength in the face of adversity, and she only bears that kind of life because that’s the way she can protect everyone she loves, keep her responsibilities. I couldn’t claim that either one of these women – Vasya or Olga – is portrayed as the right one! That’s the whole brilliance – both are right ways to live. Your strength lies in who you are, and there are many ways to be strong. Because of this, the book feels like a song to the many kinds of femininity there can be.

However...

I know I loved this book and it was very easy for me to follow. However, I’ve grown up close to Russia and I’ve been exposed to Russian fairytales and mythologies from an early age. I’ve heard from some Westerners that some of the mythologies are hard to follow and maybe not explained enough – if I hadn’t know the fairytale about Koshchei the Deathless, I might have had trouble following too. So if you don’t have any background, just read the glossary at the back first.

I thank Del Rey and Katherine Arden for giving me a copy of the book in exchange to my honest opinion.

Didn't know this was a book 2 out of the series, so I got to read that one first sorry! So I can't review this book for you guys- which makes me sad because it sounded good!

The Girl in the Tower is the sequel to Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale. This is my favorite type of fantasy, with a lush setting and lyrical writing that is reminiscent of fairy tales. It's the perfect follow up to the first book in the series, with everything readers loved about the first but deeper, with the story becoming more involved. The story is multi-faceted and layered, and is a splendid and accomplished second book of the series. Readers will be thinking about it long after they finish. There will be a third book in the series to look forward to.

I loved this book. Absolutely loved it. I really liked the first book in the series, The Bear and The Nightingale, so I was looking forward to reading this second installment. I enjoyed this book even more than the first. I was completely swept away by the story and wanted to savor every word. I honestly didn't want the story to end. This is the kind of book that made me fall in love with reading and I know that I will reading this story again in the future.

Vasya is such a wonderful character. She doesn't quite fit in with what would be expected of a proper lady. She actually spends most of this book posing as a boy. She doesn't want the life that would be expected of her as a lady. She wants to see the world and do some good. She does what is right even when those actions put her at risk.

Vasya strikes out on her own along with her trusted horse, Solovey. Solovey is quite the traveling companion and is really a strong character throughout the story. She finds villages that have been burned with many dead and their daughters taken by bandits. She sets out to find the girls of a village after some advice from one of the local spirits. One thing leads to another and she ends up seeking refuge in the same location as her brother and the Grand Prince.

It was great to see Vasya's brother, Sasha, and her sister, Olga, both have important roles in this story. Vasya's actions will not only have an impact on her own life but could also influence how people see her family members. Another character that I really enjoyed in this book was Morozko, the frost demon. He is drawn to Vasya and his feelings for her are complicated.

This book pulled me in almost immediately and never let go. There was so much excitement in the overall story. There are battles and violent scenes offset by moments of tenderness and caring. The descriptions really brought the story to life. The writing was absolutely wonderful.

I would highly recommend this book to others. This is the second book of a trilogy that really needs to be read in order because the events of the first book are often discussed. I found this book to be a simply wonderful fairy tale of a story. I can't wait to see what happens next in the trilogy!

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Del Ray directly and through NetGalley.

I absolutely adored this book! Proper review to come.

*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Be still my heart. I devoured The Bear and the Nightingale, it was one of my favorite books of last year (I snagged a copy at BookCon Chicago, 2016). I can't begin to explain how excited I was to hear it was going to be a trilogy, and when I was offered an ARC not too long after. This sequel was perfect, no second-book syndrome here.
The story begins many years after the first and we’re able to see how the characters have developed and their lives changed since the first book. Olga is a mother now, running her own castle while her husband is away. Sasha has become a warrior priest and is close with the Grand Prince of Moscow. Vasya, still as free-spirited and strong-willed as ever, has grown into a woman ready for an adventure outside of her home village with Solovey, her noble horse.
Vasya's relationship with Morozko has deepened since the last book, which I absolutely adore, and follows her through her adventure. I love that it was perfectly paced and wasn’t the central focus of the book. The way they are together is just perfect for the romance lover in me.
The side characters are well developed and I actually care to see how they help shape the next story in this series, especially since we’re introduced to more spirits during Vasya’s travels. Also because so much of the story going on depends on their actions after the way this book ended!
I’m not very familiar with Russian fairy tales, but this retelling is one I thoroughly enjoyed and am left waiting for more.

Katherine Arden follows up her debut novel with the second book in her Winternight Trilogy, a fantasy series that mingles Russian mythology with medieval Russian history. The series centers around Vasilisa Petrovna, descended from witches and from lords, as she attempts to protect the Russian people from demonic forces, even as the pagan world she inhabits is fading as Christianity rises.

If you have not read the first book, you definitely need to start there. This is very much a sequel and the events of the first book lead directly into this one. But where The Bear & The Nightingale was saturated with a fairy tale quality, set deep in the woods where household spirits and mythical forest creatures are still very much a part of daily life, The Girl in the Tower starts to get real.

In the city, Vasya is out of her element. The household spirits are faded to the point that they are barely there. And she is forced to live a lie that could mean death if she's found out. At home, she spent her days in the forest and fought demons. In Moscow, she spends her days pretending to be a boy and trying to navigate the unfamiliar politics of princes and lords. But in the end, Moscow is threatened by more than their mortal enemies, the Tatars and Mongols. There is a darker power that has its sights on Moscow and only Vasya's talents can save the city.

Somehow, I found this story of Vasya contending with the real world far more stressful to read than her battle with the demon of the first book. But it also made me more invested as a reader. I needed to see how Vasya would resolve her situation, and towards the end, fascinating hints are dropped about Vasya's ancestry. Looking forward, it seems we still have a lot to learn about where Vasya really comes from and where she's ultimately going. I'm hoping that in the third book, we'll finally see Buyan, the mysterious disappearing island where Vasya longs to go.

The Girl in the Tower
The Winternight Trilogy #2
By Katherine Arden

This is the delightful sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale. Picking up where the previous book ended with Vasya returning to the hidden forest home of Morozko. But this is not the beginning of this part of the story.

Remote peasant villages are being destroyed - burned to the ground, peasants killed, and select girls spirited away. But all traces of these marauders vanish almost as soon as they leave as if they had never been. Vasya's brother Sasha with the Grand Prince of Moscow Dmitrii Ivanovich upon receiving a plea for help in hunting this threat head out into the wildness. But nothing of these bandits can be discovered until a lone horse bearing a most unusual and unexpected rider.

Fleeing her home following the death of her father and her sole protection Vasya has determined to see the world that lies beyond what she has always known. Morozko warns against such a dangerous undertaking but Vasya being Vasya pays little heed to his efforts to turn her to home. The world is full of wonders that she never imagined and unexpected dangers. When her path crosses that of her brother Vasya presents herself as the brother that Sasha left behind eight years previous.

Soon Vasya is on the road to Moscow at the side of Sasha and Dmitrii. But disguising herself as a young man comes with its own dangers and more than her life is at risk if she cannot keep her secret. But keeping in the shadows and not drawing attention to her very person is not something Vasya excels at. But Moscow needs Vasya and her gift of sight. For a threat has come to the kingdom and no one seems able to see its true source.

If Vasya's true identity is revealed all could be lost and Moscow could fall into the hands of an ancient foe.

In a world in which women were expected to marry or enter the convent, Vasya is an oddity. She refuses to be something other than what she wants to be but her defiance could cost her everything. This is a medieval Russian fairytale that is filled with a hidden spirit world that is losing ground in the minds of the people. But Vasya's life has been filled with the listening of these tales and unlike most she believes.

The Girl in the Tower is for those who have a fondness for tales of folklore and impossible love. Set in Russia before the days of the Czar this story has a feel about it that captivates the reader as Vasya learns who she is at her heart. Morozko is a character that one can't get a true feel for but he is of two personalities - the being Vasya knows and the being of lore.

If you have not yet read The Bear and the Nightingale it is a must to read this book first. Without this background, one will not fully grasp the story or the characters and how they fit together in this setting. With winter soon to be upon us what better way to appreciate a warm cup of cider and a cozy blanket than to enter the world of the winter-king.

I was provided an advanced review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a review positive or otherwise. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden is the second novel in the Winternight Trilogy. The first book in the series, The Bear and the Nightingale, earned a rare five rocket rating from us because it’s that good. Well, Ms. Arden has done it again: The Girl in the Tower continues the elegant storytelling and magnificent worldbuilding of the first book and earns another five rocket rating for the second installment in the Winternight Trilogy. In the interests of full disclosure, we received a copy of The Girl in the Tower from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The reader is drawn back into the story right where the first book ended. Vasya has left her home for fear of what might happen to her with her father gone and because her wild streak demands she set out to see more of the world than just her small corner of it. Though she sets out to see far distant corners, she doesn’t make it any further than the region surrounding Moscow when mysterious riders take an unexpected interest in her. With bandits burning villages indiscriminately and Vasya’s brother, Sasha, soon at hand, Vasya finds herself embroiled in Moscow’s plots and machinations, and the designs she’d had for her life fall by the wayside.

Morozko is back, as are many other beings taken from Russian folklore. As before, only Vasya can communicate with them. They are an integral part of the story, but not nearly as much as in the first book. There is a deeper mystery in this book, however, one which I won’t go into to any degree for fear of giving something away. I will say only that it has something to do with the title of the book.

Vasya remains a strong and brave character, but one who is extremely vulnerable if only because of the constraints put upon all women of that time period. She does achieve a certain amount of freedom beyond the norm, but only when she is on her own (or subsisting with Morozko’s help). The moment she steps back into society, she quickly finds herself shackled. Any other woman would accept such imprisonment, yet because of her resolve and willingness to sacrifice herself, Vasya breaks free of such constraints and ultimately achieves things that no other person can.

I think it’s important to close with a look at what the author is doing to make this such a great series so far. There’s the setting: Russia, set in a time period that has the flavor of the middle ages. There’s the mythology and folklore, which, despite the influence of Christianity, brings with it a great amount of superstition. Also, there’s the characters, which defy stereotypes in many respects. Last, there’s the writing, which is consistently good and always moving the story forward. Getting any one of these right is not that hard. But getting them all right? It’s not common.

The Girl in the Tower is another fantastic read from a true up and coming author. If you haven’t started reading these books, you need to start now. It’s rare a series this good comes along, so don’t miss it.

The Girl in the Tower by Katharine Arden is book two in the Winternight Trilogy. It continues the dark fantasy, Russian fairy-tale type story and the tale of Vasya. Ms. Arden's writing is deep, complex and comprehensive. This is not your typical sword and sorcery fantasy novel, though there are aspects of magic and sword fighting. The descriptive and narrative process we are provided gives us a very detailed internal view of Vasya and enables the reader to really connect with her decision making process. Vasya continues to grow as a character as her adventures push her limits pull her deeper into a society whose life she has been apart from. At the begining I was a bit confused but as I read more and as Vasya navigates the world and its dynamics you fall deeper under her spell.

Overall I enjoyed The Girl in the Tower by Katharine Arden and recommend it. I liked how in character and theme the story was and how as the character grows, you grow with her as a reader.

(I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book I received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

Hey guys! Long time no see. Today I have a review for The Girl in the Tower, the sequel to one of my favorite books I read in 2017, The Bear and the Nightingale (you can read my review here!).

The Girl in the Tower starts shortly after The Bear and the Nightingale, though the focus is very much on Vasya as a young woman and what she wants out of life rather than the story behind her gifts of seeing spirits, which is a large part of the first book. Here we really get to see her take charge of her destiny after the traumatic events of her past.

One of the most interesting things about this book is how different Vasya is from the first, and how much she changes even in this story. She is more sure of her abilities and isn't afraid to use them to protect her siblings and those she loves (even when sometimes those people may not it). Vasya spends much of this book disguised as a boy and the freedom and confidence it gives her makes an interesting commentary about the social constructs of the time, especially since what makes Vasya rebel and run away in the first place is the idea of the convent or marriage.

If I'm being honest, I personally liked the setting and environment in the first book a little better than in this book. The eeriness of the forest and the bitter cold and Vasya's home was a more unique setting than Moscow, at least for me. That being said, the vastly different setting makes for a really fresh story with so many new details. The cast expands with great secondary characters, all orbiting Vasya as she navigates the new world of court life and her place within it, as a woman, a sister, and a witch. I thought that sometimes the plot lagged a little but Vasya is a strong enough character to quickly pull me through. I was also put on an emotional rollercoaster with Vasya and Morozco *swoon*. In the end I really liked the way their relationship grew but I can not wait until the last book to see what's going to happen.

The dangers being slightly more human in nature, though no less threatening. Seeing how Vasya takes them all head on, despite the doubts and limitations placed on her by society, is exciting and inspiring. I highly recommend this series if you liked The Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo. The writing is dark and lyrical, the world more like a vibrant Russian fairy tale. Much like a Russian winter, Vasya's story is unpredictable and dangerous but also beautiful and magical.