Fantastic! I liked The Bear and the Nightingale, but this was so much more. The first novel set the scene I feel for this story. Vasya is an inspiring and endearing character, putting everyone else to shame with her courage and principles despite opposition and antagonism from all sides. I loved the world of Medieval Moscow and the blend of history and magic of Russian folk tales.
Recommended.

The bear and the nightingale was one of my favourite books of last year. This, the second in the trilogy, doesn’t disappoint in the slightest. It expands upon the story of the ever-resourceful Vasya and her trusty steed Solovey as they continue their journey towards Moscow. Wonderfully written with further references to Russian history and folklore. A brilliant and highly recommended series. It’s a real dilemma - I can’t wait for the conclusion, but I don’t want it to end. Five stars!

Thank you the Penguin Random House and Netgally for this e-arc.

This book was a whole lot more action packed than the first. It took a whole new step and explored areas that we'd only heard about or seen briefly in the previous book. This installment had a lot of character growth for Vasya, and explored the other half of her family that we didn't see much of in the first book (or only saw when they were young). It also done a good job of being progressive without giving characters from the 14th century 21st century ideals. It fought against gender roles in a subtle sort of way, and dealt with the "that's just the way it is" problem really well (that didn't leave the portrayal feeling unrealistic). This is a world that has a lot of injustice towards woman where they have very little freedom, and that was a struggle to read even if I felt the author dealt with it well.

I first thought this title was plain compared to the title of the first book, however, I thought it made even more sense than the first after I had finished reading. A lot of the book revolving around the symbol of the Tower.


Characters

Vasya is amazing. I don't know if I mentioned this when I reviewed the first book, but I rarely like the main character in a book, and most of the time find them to be bland- but there's something about Vasya, and the way Kathrine Arden writes her, that just jumps off the page. She isn't perfect, she makes mistakes, and struggles against a cruel world that would just be so easy to submit to.

I'm not much of a horse person, but horses are really important in this world, and the author transfers them into the story and gives each horse real character. Solovey is a favourite, of course, and I was really surprised that I ended up liking him so much.

I loved little Marya (as that her name? Olya's daughter anyway). She had a fire about her. I'd like to see Vasya as a real role model figure for her (even if it ended up getting her into trouble).

I loved that we saw more of Morozko in this book. He's a really interesting character, who is complex, and who I'm still not sure is good or bad- but most likely a mix of both (it comes with his title I guess).

The other characters didn't stand out as much, but none felt bland or purposeless.


Plot

This was an interesting read, and I was engaged the whole way through. There's something compelling about the writing style that keeps you reading.

This book felt like it could almost stand on it's own, the only threads that ran through from before were from the latter half of the first book. Most of the first book was setting up the characters and the world they were in before getting into the action at the end. It was nice to jump into this book with that foundation already set. It dealt more heavily with the magical elements that where introduced in book one with Solovey and Morozko, and they were areas I was happy showed up again, but it didn't quite intertwine with the story. While it had all felt like natural progression in the first book, some of the magical elements here were a bit awkward. Anything with the smaller spirits matched up with what I remembered from the first book, and though it made sense (most of the time) when Morozko showed, but- some of the time it felt a little bit too much like coincidence or too convenient. Even though I never wanted anything bad to happen to Vasya and her family, by the end it all felt too easy- nothing horrible leading to the last book. Even this book was a sort-of standalone. If someone had told me this was a duology I would've been satisfied with this ending.

There was another part of the plot I did really like. It was to do with a troupe that I'm surprised I've not stumbled across more often (even if I do hear about it a lot). I'm talking of the "woman disguised as a boy troupe". I personally thought this was done really well and really explored society complexities throughout the book.


Conclusion

This book, on the whole, was just as good as the first. It was faster paced, but had a few too-easy moments (or tricks that worked more than once so they wore out). Yet this book still surprised me, and kept me enthralled all the way to the end. I love the brand of magic in this series, and hope the author can keep this up if she's planning on continuing the series (which I know is meant to be a trilogy). This has a satisfying ending, and could work well on it's own and doesn't leave you hanging and gasping (though I plan to read the next installment whenever I can- though I know it'll be a while yet). A strong conclusion, with strong writing and characters.

Expected Publication Date: January, 25th, 2018

Synopsis:

The magical adventure begun in The Bear and the Nightingalecontinues 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.

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Review:

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First up, I didn’t even realise that this was going to be a trilogy – so when this dropped into my inbox I was SO excited. I loved the first book and I’m incredibly glad to say that the second one didn’t disappoint. I would like the third instalment now please as this made me feel so many things.

‘The Girl in the Tower’ follows Vasya, the independent, brave and still slightly angsty girl that we met in the first book. I find her to be both charming and infuriating at times, but I really do appreciate that Arden has crafted such a real character who isn’t just good or bad and has some grey areas. There are decisions that Vasya makes that make you want to shake her but you’re still always rooting for her. I’m so attached to her character, and Arden crafts all her other characters with such care. I so love that all of the characters sit in grey areas and aren’t just good or bad, all of them make questionable decisions and no one is morally sound all of the time.

Arden brings us to a new setting for the majority of this book. The whimsical, and deadly countryside of Russia is exchanged for the streets and palaces of Moscow. I have to admit that I did miss the country setting but that isn’t to say that I didn’t love the new setting and the stories it provided. There are still parts of the book set in the outdoors and outside of the city however, so don’t fear the loss of this environment. The Moscow setting lends itself to political intrigue, however Arden doesn’t bog down the story with difficult politics and instead hints at a deeper political storyline while keeping the main story focussed away from the politics.

This is still a wonderful dark fairytale of a book, I loved every single second and I finished the book wanting the third one instantly. I fell in love with characters I never thought I would, and rooted for a relationship that broke my heart. This is gorgeous, and exciting and painful and everything you could want a book to be. I’m in love with it.

This is book two, I haven't read book one, but the story still worked for me.

Vasya has left home, her parents are dead, the villagers think she is a witch and will kill her if she returns. She doesn't want the life of a woman in Rus, life in a convent or a tower. Vasya wishes for life as a traveller, on the move, experiencing new places. That is not something a woman can do.

Vasya rides Solovey, a bay stallion, with whom she is able to communicate. Solovey helps to keep Vasya safe wherever he can. But even immortal horses have their limitations.

Her brother Sasha is a monk and he too is a traveller. Wandering about the countryside doing the bidding of his masters.

There are characters in the story whose aim is to do mischief an mayhem in order to enrich their own lives. These are the people who are set against Vasya, Sasha and their companions. Vasya must hide herself under the guise of a boy throughout it all, in order to protect herself.

Morozko 'Winter King' is there on the periphery watching out for Vasya where he can, but he cannot reach into the city and that is where Vasya is most at risk, and where disaster hits.

I found myself worrying about Vasya when I was away from the book, there were parts where she was in dire straits and couldn't help but wonder what would come next.

A well written tale of the old gods of medieval Russia. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I adore the world Katherine Arden has created here. The things I loved, loved, loved about the first part of this series are still all here:

- brilliant characters with believable interactions,
- sibling relationships that are complicated and true,
- an atmosphere so all-encompassing that it makes your forget your own surroundings,
- wonderfully immersive descriptions,
- a surprising and wonderful way to construct sentences that just sound like nobody else (in the best possible way) while still retaining that fairy-talesque rhythm that makes this series so readable,
- an understanding of the essence of fairy-tales that shows itself in the brilliant way the familiar tropes are both used and subverted, and
- the wonderful setting of Medieval Russia.
- And many more things.

From the very first chapter I was fully immersed in the story as we follow Vasya fleeing her home town after the events of the last book lest she be burned as a witch. Having only herself and her horse Solovey to rely on, this book has much higher stakes than the first one. Vasya pretends to be a boy and gets not only herself but her older siblings Sasha and Olga caught up in a web of lies.

I was not quite as enamored as I was with the first book (although to be fair, that book was one of the best things I have read in years…). Most of that comes down to simple genre preferences. This second book is a lot more fast-paced while the first one created a wonderfully slow narrative with clever twists on familiar fairy tales; this book reads more like a conventional YA-Fantasy (albeit a brilliantly written and very beautiful one). My biggest problem was the “pretending to be someone else”-trope. This is one of my least favourite tropes and stresses me out to no end. The dread this built made this a very different read for me.

But beyond this tiny little issue, I was wildly pleased with this book; I adore what Katherine Arden has created here and I find her vision and her voice beyond exciting. I am happy to have been there from the beginning and I cannot imagine not reading each and every single thing she will ever write.

First sentence: “A girl rode a bay horse through a forest late at night.”

I really liked this installment of the Winternight Trilogy. Vasya is definitely not a perfect character but that's what makes her so interesting. She makes mistakes and doesn't always listen to the advice she is given but she means well and her courage is without measure. I love the relationship she has with the cherti and her complicated relationships with her siblings. I also really liked seeing her as an almost mentor to her young neice, that was very interesting. The twists of the plot I found to be original and interesting and the last third of the book really kept me on the edge of my seat.

Magical. Dark. Beautiful. Fans of The Bear and the Nightingale should love this sequel at least as much as its predecessor.

The Girl in the Tower contains everything I loved about the first book, but I feel like Vasya has really grown as a character. She's still as spirited as always, but older and wiser, and I love it when characters naturally and gradually change and develop as a story progresses.

Here, the plot picks up shortly after the events of The Bear and the Nightingale. When accusations of witchcraft leave Vasya with an impossible choice between life in a convent or marriage, she chooses option three: disguising herself as a boy and taking off across the wild and rugged landscape of medieval Russia. Vasya's journey leads her to her sister Olga, her brother Sasha, a monk, and her cousin Dmitrii, the Grand Prince of Moscow. She soon gets caught up in lies and deception, and even bigger unrest surrounding the Moscovian rulers.

How fabulous.

Arden just blends history and the fantastical so well. Supernatural elements exist alongside the politics and invaders, and the author incorporates both so naturally that it's easy to be convinced that 14th-Century Russia was a land haunted by spirits. Details of everyday life add to the novel's realism, such as the hygiene (or, I should say, lack of) and the dangers lurking in the woods.

As with the first book, The Girl in the Tower gains strength from its atmosphere and strong sense of place. A very vivid picture is painted of this snowy and dangerous landscape, and I was able to plant myself straight inside Vasya's world. Add to this the stifling constraints placed on women of the time, and you have a very emotionally engaging experience.

I am being careful not to say too much, but this book is definitely worth the read if you enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale. It is just as gloriously atmospheric and, for me at least, more urgent and fast-paced.

Also, Morozko has my heart. Yeah, that's the frost demon. I'm not even sorry.

A wonderful fantasy, set in a dark Russian winter and full of folklore and magic!

Picking up where the first book left off, Vasilia has left her home in search of adventure. Of course, she quickly gets into trouble and she finds herself saving three young girls from bandits. Because girls aren't allowed to travel the wilderness and rescue anyone Vasilia then has to pose as a boy to avoid ruining her reputation and getting herself sent off to a convent. She finds that she likes the freedom being a boy brings

Wilful, smart, brave and sometimes foolish, I was 100% rooting for Vasilia to find a space for herself in a world where women are confined to towers or convents. It made me angry to read at times, the way the women were treated as possesions, like a horse or a cow. If they were married they could leave their towers, called terems in the book, only to go to church or visit other women in their towers. I loved the way Vasilia smashed straight through everyone's expectations of how the women should act, and how she refused to regin in her personality.

Vasilia's horse Solovey is as much of a character as she is. He's her best friend and biggest supporter and steals every scene he is in.

It's much faster paced than the first book, all the build up and the world buiding is done and this gets straight into the action! It still has the atmosphere of cold, darkness and a long, long winter. The fairytales and folklore are still here too, the houshold spirits don't play as big a part but the winter king is a much bigger player this time around! I must admit I have a soft spot for Morzoko.

I was drawn straight into the story, I couldn't put it down and finished it in less than a day. I can't wait to see what Vasilia does next!

An absolutely engrossing and mesmerising tale which draws on Russian folklore and fairytales and expands them into an enticing story. The plot was a bit predictable at times but the characters were all extremely interesting and well-written and their development was one of my favourite parts of this novel. As an avid folklore fan, I was very excited to delve into the world of medieval Rus' and journey along with Vasya, her siblings, Morozko and their adversaries in this magical tale, which, despite its dark undertones is as charming to read as any of the fairytale elements it contains. I truly cannot think of a better read for those cold wintry days than this one.

I very much enjoyed this book. Initially I didn’t realise that it was the second part of a trilogy (the first being “The Bear and the Nightingale”, a copy of which is on my to read pile). After a while I found that I was reading the story for itself and not worrying about the parts that didn’t make complete sense. Once I looked up some of the Russian fairy tales that Arden references I didn’t find this spoiled my enjoyment.

The characters, even the minor ones leap off the page. Apart from the heroine Vasya, I loved the horse Solovey, who reminded me of the horse in “Tangled”, and Sasha, the warrior monk. Morozko was something else, and I look forward to seeing how he fits into the third part of the trilogy.

Aside from this, what really made the book was the setting and the detailed world-building. Vasya’s story, of a girl who doesn’t want to fit into the prescribed channels laid down for her, is one of the perennial themes in fantasy fiction, but the mental picture of this cold, brutal alien culture will stay with me. I will now read “The Bear and the Nightingale” and look forward to the third part of the trilogy

For readers who enjoy a foreign, less familiar period of history (medieval Russia), and those who enjoyed Naomi Novik’s “Uprooted.”

Katherine Arden returns to the world of THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE with a sequel that is every bit as satisfying and lovely. THE GIRL IN THE TOWER is a book that's best left savored. Like the first, it feels like an instant new classic - from the immersive world-building to its strength of characters. These are stories that will stick with you long after you finish reading.

5 stars - absolutely stunning.

After so enjoying The Bear and the Nightingale, I wondered how Arden could possibly do justice to a sequel. I needn’t have worried - The Girl in the Tower is even more rich and delectable.

This time the story is not just Vasya’s, our heroine from TBATN, but her brother Sasha’s and her sister Olga’s. There is more magic, more legend, more prophecy. More action, more of Vasya’s reckless bravery, more excitement. It is an absolutely stunning piece of writing, where the pace only slows to enhance an uncertain and suspenseful atmosphere.

It is difficult to describe the novel without giving too much away, but perhaps one of my favourite themes was acceptance of difference (Vasya’s difference, specifically). It didn’t always come easily, but the protection and love of Vasya’s family is written beautifully.

I cannot wait for the next instalment. I am sure it will be incredible.

*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

It's so rare that you find a sequel that is as good as the first book in the series - but this is even better than the Bear and the Nightingale. Absolutely fantastic, I loved every minute of reading this. Vasya is my hero!

Having read the first book in this trilogy I was interested to read this one. I enjoyed it even more than the first one and am sad that I'll have to wait for the final book. A great story with a fantastic heroine. Definitely worthy of 5 stars!

I am a HUGE fan of this author. Her first book, The Bear and the Nightingale is one of my favourite books of all time. This follow up book is just as engrossing and enchanting as the first one. I was hooked from the very first page and loved following Vasya's adventures. As the book progressed, I found myself increasingly anxious about what would happen to Vasya- it was real 'edge of the seat' stuff! I can't wait for the print edition to come out so that I can buy a copy to have pride of place on my bookshelf.

This book reminds me so much of one of my other favourite books of this year, And I Darken which also deals with the idea of how a woman in another time who didn’t want to conform to tradition might have to deal with that. There are a lot of similarities between Vlada and Vasya and I’m proud to have them both in my fantasy list of phenomenal friends who are girls. Although that group is getting a little crowded that just means bulk ordering the jackets will be cheaper!

But I digress.

My point is that, if I liked Vasya in The Bear and the Nightingale, my obsession has only grown through book two. She’s feistier, she has more freedom now and she just runs with it. I love the way that so much of Vasya’s liberation comes from cutting ties (by choice or otherwise) with the people she loves. It makes for some beautifully bittersweet moments that had me almost in tears (almost).

There are also still a lot of fairytale and classic story elements throughout this work. The idea of being disguised as a boy in the court, of courting ethereal beings to gain information, evil step-characters. It’s all grounded in some of the most powerful storytelling devices which makes it all so much more engaging when it subverts your expectation.

If you haven’t read The Bear and the Nightingale yet then you probably do need to read that first to understand most of what’s happening here. But if you have already read it and you’re wondering if the sequel is worth the gander then trust me, it is just as evocative, as beautiful, as intense and as inspiring (if not more) than book number one. I may have to buy a physical copy for myself because I am so obsessed and I want them to sit next to each other on my shelf.

My rating: 5/5 stars

Pub date for The Girl in the Tower is the 25th of January!

By the way, I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This dark, haunting and beautifully-written fairy tale novel had me reading at every spare moment. I cannot remember the last time I became so thoroughly immersed in a story and fell so deeply in love with the characters. I found it extremely powerful and moving and I cannot wait for the last book in the trilogy! Katherine Arden sure knows how to combine history with folktale elements.

In this book, we are not just following Vasya. We get a glimpse of her sister's married life, secluded in a tower with other women, waiting for news and for new children's arrival. Her brother Sasha, whom we met at the beginning of the first book, The bear and the nightingale now has a warrior's reputation and is living and fighting alongside Grand prince of Rus. Vasya comes to Moscow and after many adventures of her own, creates tumultuous time for her siblings. She also challenges women's place in the society, making her brother and her sister to choose sides while trying to protect both her and the values they keep.

And again, I was just completely taken with Vasya. She is not merely a heroine, she makes mistakes, sometimes horrendous ones that will challenge everyone's love for her, but I found it easy to forgive her. Many fairy tales feature characters completing impossible tasks to win love or acceptance and I am used to their success in the end, but this is exactly the reason why I loved this book so much - nothing comes easy and everything comes with a price.

Sorcerers, magic, court intrigue, deception, death and betrayal all combine to create a magical mesmerizing read.

A wicked Fairytale with teeth!

Usually, books in a series don’t get much better than the first book, but to my surprise I think this is a much better book than the first one.

If you didn’t read the first one, you can pick this one up and still understand what is happening. However, I strongly recommend reading this first book, The Bear and the Nightingale.

This book picks up from where the first one left off. Following Vasya, her family and Morozko the king of Winter – Death himself!

Unable to except her place in life, to either marry or become a nun, and amongst fear of whispers of those in her village denouncing Vasya a witch, she decides to take control of her own life and destiny.
Dressed as a boy, she takes her horse, Solovey, given to her by Death, and heads out into the world to live the life of a Traveler.
Along the way, she learns that the evil that plagued her village has spread to other parts of the countryside, bandits are roaming the villages burning them down and kidnapping the young women.
With a dazzling display of courage Vasya manages to rescue a group of children from the clutches of the evil bandits and her actions soon catch the eye of the Grand Prince of Moscow.

The court of the Grand Prince of Moscow is also plagued by power struggles and rumours of unrest so the Prince and his trusted companion set out to defeat the raiders and try to bring peace back to the land. It is on their journey that they come across a young man known throughout Moscow as Vasilii the Brave and his magnificent horse.
Only Sasha, a priest with a warrior’s training, recognises this ‘boy’ as his younger sister, thought to be dead or a witch by her village. But when Vasya proves herself in battle, riding with remarkable skill and inexplicable power, Sasha realises he must keep her secret as she may be the only way to save the city from threats both human and fantastical…
Reaching Moscow, Vasya is reunited with her brother Sasha and her sister Olga. There she also meets her cousin Dmitrii, The Grand Prince of Moscow.

The priest who was determined to burn Vasya as a witch is also in Moscow. As soon as he discover’s the witch is in Moscow, he continue’s his desire to see her burned as a witch and he will tell everyone and anyone that Vasya consorts with demons.

The tension mounts as her siblings try to keep her true identity hidden and it falls to Vasya, along with the Grand Prince of Moscow and her own brother, Sasha, to try to rid the land of the forces of evil that are threatening to overtake all of Moscow.

I love Vasya’s character and the fairy tale mixed with realism and we get to learn more of Vasilisa’s siblings and their lives as well as her Vasys’s fate after the events of The Bear and the Nightingale.

There’s a lot more action and adventure in this book, the plot moves at a faster pace than in the first book as this story takes place over weeks rather than years.

I can’t wait to see what happens in the last book, which is where I see the problem with reading advanced copies – an even bigger wait between books!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for my advance copy to review.

Highly recommended 5 star read!

This book will be released on 5th December ’17

I love it. This is one of my favorite series. This is one of my favorite books. I just love everything about them.

This time, we are following Vasya after she runs away from home. She wants to travel and see the world, just like the free spirit she is. But Vasya was never known for thinking too much before acting, plus there’s a lot of things she doesn’t know yet and she is about to get in a lot of trouble!

She is extremely curious and that takes her to difficult and hard situations, from where she needs to be rescued by, obviously MOROZKO!

She manages to reach Moscow, which I was really excited to read about, and see Olga and Sasha! They are not the same as they were as kids and it was interesting to know them as adults. Their beliefs, how they live their life, … they all chose really different paths and this book is all about their paths meeting.

We also meet Olga’s children, especially Marya and she is the sweetest thing ever! I loved how much she was like Vasya!

This book is a lot more action-packed, there’s traveling, war, a lot of blood and bodies, etc. There’s not as much intrigue mainly because we are seeing Moscow through Vasya’s eyes, but there’s a bit and that was fascinating.

This book has a lot more Morozko as promised, but I was totally surprised by how everything was approached! I loved seeing Morozko again and his interaction with Vasya.

I’m always fascinated by these characters, and although they sometimes really annoy the crap out of me it’s mainly because they are so realistic! There’s a big difference from the first book, when they were kids, to this one with them already as adults. It’s so well developed and easy to follow their line of thought even if you don’t agree with them which a lot of times I didn’t.

I’m 100% team Vasya but sometimes that girl should really think a bit more and not be so… brisk, I guess. But Vasya will be Vasya and I love how she is. She is a really surprising and strong character. She always goes for what she wants and never really ponders if that might be the right decision. She is brave. She loves her family and would do anything for them, although sometimes she doesn’t really understand how things work. She is a totally different type of bad-ass and she is also quite stubborn, and that’s one of the things I love most to see, especially with Morozko.

Morozko is perfection and I can’t get enough of him. I love how he cares so much for her. How he really tries to always make her life easier, even if his life is in danger. He really has a soft side, which I can’t wait to see more about. I was a bit worried about him in this book tho and I need him in the next one! After that end, I don’t know what to think!

I really loved how much of Olga and Sasha we had and to see their reactions. They have a bigger understanding about Moscow than Vasya so they are more careful and tense with everything going on. But they still tried to protect her in her own way. Their family relationship is not a cute one or a perfect one. It’s realistic for the time and fascinating to see.

The plot was surprising in many ways. Although I did see the main plot twist coming since the beginning… But all around it was so exciting and gripping! And some parts really left me open-mouthed! And the writing is just amazing. I really love the writing style and how gripping and fascinating the whole story is.

I think the first book might have been more complex. It was quite different, but it was amazing and I really can’t wait for the next installment, especially after that end… Highly recommended!