This whole trilogy is the perfect mix of woman power, fairy tale and magic. We get to watch Vasya recover from the tragedy of the second book, gather her troops and battle the big boss. This installation is just as beautifully written and executed as the other two.

Pros:
I love her world building. I want to live there.
The characters are just as dynamic as the other two books.
There is some actual history and who doesn't love learning in a more fun and mesmerizing way.
This story is impossible to put down and one of those that you never want to leave.

Cons:
It's finished?

And so Vasya becomes a woman and a witch, a savior and a destroyer, a man and a spirit, alive and yet not. And her story is ended and yet not ended for her story is the story of Russia and its beginning and her story is the story of women the world over who cannot be held in a cage but must be free to be who they are.

It is the story of heartbreak and fear and the wisdom that comes from them. The Winter of the Witch starts with a shock to the system and really, it just doesn't let up. I was left utterly devastated very quickly into the book and then uplifted to dizzying heights as well. Arden's seamless blend of real events and her fictional world is intense and beautiful and her expert weaving makes everything come alive.

I especially loved how young Vasya gains wisdom through her troubles and how the cheryty teach her lessons she would have spent years learning. I loved Morozko, even more if it were possible than in the other books. I love his warm heart, his sacrifices, his own wisdom, and yes, his love. I appreciated the story of the Firebird and Solovey and the magic horses so much more here than the bits I got of it in The Girl in the Tower. I even loved Medved in this book, in part, I think, because I understood the necessary duality of the brothers.

I struggled with the effective disappearance of Marya in this book, especially since she was The Girl in the Tower and so integral to the story before. While she is there, it is barely touched on and her fate is never fully realized.

But this book is fantasy in the end, and because of that, things have a way of working out just that tiny bit too perfectly. While there is a thorn yes, even the thorn feels "right". I particularly liked Arden's discussion in her author's note about the history she incorporated into the books, especially the story of the battle. It added a great to understanding the books and where her head was in all of this.

As for the language, it still lacks the lush tone of The Bear and the Nightingale but that was ok, because it also had a very different feel to it. While The Bear and the Nightingale read like pure fairy tale/fantasy, The Winter of the Witch read much more like realism. This makes sense since the supernatural world was grafted onto Russian history and that history dominates this book. The pacing never felt "off" to me. While I was emotionally put through the wringer, I always felt that there was more just around the corner, and I was always right.

In the end, duality seemed to be the theme of this book. The ties that bind between Medved and Morozko. The supernatural and the natural. Christianity and the Cheryty. Man and woman and love. Family and country. Day and night. Death and life. Acceptance and fight. And at a river, a country is born from the combined struggles of men and supernatural creatures both who wish to survive in a world without fear.

Superbly written, emotionally gripping, painful and beautiful. Can we turn this into a movie trilogy?

"The Winter of the Witch" is the third and final book in Katherine Arden’s "Winternight Trilogy." What started with "The Bear and the Nightingale"—and yes, readers need to read that book and the second book, "The Girl in the Tower," in order to know what is going on in the third book—ends with this beautiful end to a beautiful trilogy. This historical fiction fantasy starts where the second book ended, with Moscow recovering from both a fire and the actions of a wicked magician. Once again, Vasilisa Petrovna’s actions have caught up with her, and she barely escapes with her life. Then, she must come up with a plan to unite ALL of Russia—humans and chyerti—to fight against the invading Tatars, and to find balance between two belief systems.

Christianity is now the dominant religion in Russia with the amount of people who keep the older traditions decreasing, the Tatars continue their campaign to take over Russia, ancient feuds continue to play on, and Vasya is a step closer to coming into her own and accepting her destiny. Arden presents the conflicts and then shows how all of her characters deal with them within the story. Since the narrative is given from multiple viewpoints without the other characters knowing what is happening to other characters, readers know that each narrative is reliable and realistic. The resolution does not give the characters enough knowledge of what happened to the other characters as well, and that provides a believable ending.

If "The Bear and the Nightingale" was the first book that introduced us to Katherine Arden, then "The Winter of the Witch" is the book that cements her as one of the best speculative fiction authors in this era of publication. Katherine Arden takes folklore and reshapes it into a new story to be read and enjoyed the same way Neil Gaiman, Nnedi Okorafor and Naomi Novik have done within their books. Folklore is part of a culture, and Arden incorporated the importance of a country unifying, not just for its survival, but also for its way of life through their culture. The author did a beautiful job expressing this within her writing.

I am proud to say that I’ve read Katherine Arden’s books since the publication of her first novel, and I’ve enjoyed them all! Now, while this review is about the last book in the trilogy, I still have to mention all of the books in the trilogy. There are many trilogies in the speculative fiction genre; and, when it comes to the trilogies I’ve read from that genre, the "Winternight Trilogy" leaves me with the same level of satisfaction as "His Dark Materials" (by Philip Pullman) and "The Broken Earth" (by N.K. Jemisin) trilogies. Anyone who knows about how I feel about those trilogies, know that’s a big deal! Reading Vasya’s journey from childhood to adolescence to adulthood was an absolute joy and I’m glad Katherine Arden shared her story with us. I recommend this novel, and the series, to all readers of the speculative fiction genre. None of you will be disappointed.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

The Bear and the Nightingale - 3 stars
The Girl in the Tower - 4 stars
The Winter of the Witch - 5 stars

I think this may be the only series that I have given progressively better ratings to the books as the series went on. When I first read The Bear and the Nightingale two years ago I was kind of disappointed. I didn't love it as much as I thought I would (fairy tale-inspired stories/retellings is one of my favorite sub-genres). I didn't pick up The Girl in the Tower until about two months ago because I wasn't dying to know what would happen to the characters. I ended up devouring book two in just a few days. Now I felt that desperate need to know "What's gonna happen next?!" that I look for in the series I read. I was ecstatic when I got approved for an ARC of The Winter of the Witch, and it definitely did not disappoint.

The pacing was great, the characters were complex and interesting, and the settings were described so well that they felt like their own characters. Vasya is one of my new favorite literary heroines. She's strong and caring and bold, yet there were moments when I didn't really like her or the choices she was making, which ultimately made me love her even more because these moments made her so much more human.

I feel like I got a good lesson in history and fairy tales, two of my favorite things, while reading these books. It's clear that Arden has done her research on Russian history and folklore and these elements greatly enhanced the reading experience. I think that the personifications of the classic fairy tale characters that Arden included in her story were a perfect blend of nostalgia and modern upgrades.

I'm also a sucker for a good love story, but I can't recall any recent books that had me rooting for a couple more than I did for Vasya and Morozko. I ship them hard. Their relationship had this perfect blend of sweet and sexy, right and wrong, wonderful and completely imperfect. Also, the relationship between Vasya and Solovey (her horse) legitimately made me burst out in tears at one point.

I think I might have to go back and start this series over as I'm thinking I may have been in the wrong mindset when I read The Bear and the Nightingale. I loved this story and these characters so much and I found myself really sad when the series was over.

Having read and reviewed the first two book of this trilogy, I was well-primed to enjoy the events unfolding in this story set deep in the myths of Russia. It was a time where old beliefs fade from people’s minds while new ones are taking root.

Vasya Petrona is caught between the two beliefs. She has special powers of perception; able to see and hear the demons who guard each dwelling, protect the ovens of their homes, dwell in the forest, the waterways, and even demons who take the dead. This world is in an uproar. The smaller demons are becoming weaker, also losing their powers. They want to fight back. People have turned their backs on them. They were the ones to protect homes and dwellings. While they were believed in, people were able to see them and provided for them as well. They grew strong. But no more.

The Winter King, the demon of death, has grown an attachment to Vasya. He protects her when those would call her witch. His twin, the Bear, works against him, using hate and lust of a ‘man of God’ to destroy Vasya. The Bear wants to destroy Morozko and take over the world. He insights hatred and war among men, gaining more power as he does.

Vasya is in the middle of this battle. Will she be overtaken by Morozko or the Bear? Is she clever enough and powerful enough to stop the down-spiraling demise of the mythical world? She knows that to have Russia a country of peace the worlds must work together.

The dialog among the demons and Vasya is very well done. It shows clearly the stress of the events and the power behind each demon. It sets the tone of the story, along with author Arden’s description of the setting. I find myself in Russia, in the Midnight Forest where there is never day. All the events create a perfect fantasy of battles, evil, and love – the kind that endures. You will be surprised by the events and completely happy with the ending. This tale is memorable.

Uniquely written with a style suited to the time, author Arden shows us the underbelly of the demon. I took away a theme, intentioned or not. In every good person, there is evil, and in every bad person, there is good.
I recommend this series to dreamers of the unknown.

In the Winternight trilogy, Katherine Arden melds folkloric elements and medieval Russian history to create a rich world that is often brutal but also captivating.

To fully appreciate this novel, reading the previous books in the series is an absolute requirement. A brief summary doesn’t do them justice, but . . . Vasya’s adventures began in her small Russian village, where she was caught up in a battle between two chyerti, the spirits of Russian folklore. She aided Lord Morozko, the spirit of winter and death, in defeating his brother, Medved, a creature fed by fear and suffering. Accused of being a witch, Vasya disguised herself as a boy and ran away to Moscow, where she became entangled in the court of the grand prince. With Morozko’s aid, she defeated a mad sorcerer threatening the prince, but even Morozko couldn’t help Vasya overcome all her human adversaries.

What can I say about the plot without giving too much away? The opening of the novel is harrowing and sad and ends with Vasya fleeing Moscow to again escape accusations of witchcraft. She wanders into a magical land where she gathers help from the chyerti to free the city from the grip of demonic magic. Vasya’s eventual return to Moscow leads to conflicts with both magical and human foes but also sets the stage for unexpected alliances. The book culminates with Vasya bringing her chyerti allies to participate in the battle between the Tatars and Russians at Kulikovo, an actual event that some people consider the beginning of the nation of Russia.

Russia is not a common setting for fantasy novels, and I think that unfamiliarity reinforces the folktale feel of the story. The author incorporates a wide variety of beings from Russian folklore, from a mushroom spirit to greatest of all witches, Baba Yaga. The chyerti can be helpful or cruel, and the suffering they cause also contributes to the sense of the book being based on folklore. Sometimes folk tales can be dark, and happy endings are not always assured. Even Morozko, who loves Vasya as much as a spirit can love a mortal, can’t avoid his nature as the lord of death, and that plays its role in the plot for both good and ill.

It’s the actual human conflicts underlying the action that add dimension to the book, though. There’s the struggle for power between the Russians and the Tatars, of course. More interesting to me is the clash between Christianity and paganism that grounds the more fantastical elements of the storyline in actual Russian history. Perhaps most central to the story, though, is Vasya’s fight to chart her own path in a patriarchal culture that lacks any options for a wellborn woman beyond marrying or becoming a nun.

Vasya does eventually triumph, but the victory isn’t without cost, and the book’s ending is bittersweet. The romance between Vasya and Morozko does come to a satisfying conclusion, though.

I highly recommend the entire series. In my opinion, every one of the books is a 5-star read. I’m looking forward to whatever Arden writes next!

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

The Winter of the Witch is full to the brim with magical realms and dark powers to fascinate and fear. This stunning final novel of the Winternight Trilogy sees Vasya growing into her truest form, as a savior of Russia, unafraid of the men who tried to stunt her, allied with the forces she was once reluctant to fully accept. Arden embraces the world of magic, taking us deeper into the secrets of Vasya’s past than we’ve ever been before. Prepare for a journey that brings the magic of fairy tales to life and shows us what happens when old and new combine forces for the greater good.

It's hard to write about this book without recalling the journey that Vasya, (Vasilisa), has taken. She's youthful, somewhat wild and whimsical in the first book, The Bear and the Nightingale. The Girl in The Tower shows a stark, daring, deceitful, and growing young woman. This book, The Winter of The Witch, finds her maturing into a culmination of folklore and reality and always insightful.

Danger and Power go hand-in-hand in this early Moscow. She is witch, country girl, sister of a princess of the realm, cousin of the Prince ruler of Rus, and enemy of the all powerful silver tongued priest. Born with the unusual ability to see demons, (supernaturals), Vasya has a complicated dance.

I loved Arden's ability to mesh Pagan Russian folklore and the rising of the Russian Orthodoxy. I have limited knowledge of this process, but I feel that her story was genuine.

Epic storytelling is overused but quite appropriate in this case. Connecting two worlds, unique characters, journeys of self and literal ones are key in my opinion to create a tremendous tale.

I am impressed with Arden's ability to press villains to at the very least a "frenemy" status. Arden's novels are likened to a tapestry woven into the cloth are various textures and threads. Woven into this book are creatures who are simple, loyal, crafty, and at once complicated and chaotic. Light and dark demons are Vasya's to gather. With demons, gods, priests, princes, spirits there are no clear lines here, good is bad and bad does good.

The descriptions are realistic and all encompassing. Vasya's trek is long, cold, and dark. I don't know if I've ever read a non-vampiric story that has taken place in the dark as much as this one. The few respites of sun are almost palpable, and I love that. It tells me that I am totally engrossed in the book. I generally like to get to the dramatic conclusion of a book, but the sinuous course was one of the things that I loved best.

I feel that I could visit this world again. There are travels yet explored.

What black devilry is this?" Happily the Bear said, "The worst kind."

And this my friends is how a freaking trilogy is done! You can't help but root for Vasya and her strong willed need to maintain the good in the world, to be strong enough not to bend to another's will but figure out a way to ensure everyone has a place in an ever changing world. What isn't to love about a historical fiction, folkloric treasure?

This was the best way to kick off a new year of reading. Even though I am sad to see it end.

“You shouldn’t have told them that I was a girl. Then they might have believed that I was dangerous.”

There’s so much stress involved in the end of a series - who’ll end up together, who’ll we lose, what will be destroyed? To my immense satisfaction, Arden ended the Winternight trilogy as well as I could have imagined. This series was stunning from start to finish, from gorgeous covers to final pages and the story within.

I was impressed from the very beginning with the sheer scholarship involved in the plot of this series – as many have noted, it’s really an adult novel disguised as YA via Vasya’s age. The grittier side of medieval life was not sugarcoated – the everyday struggle that is mortality and the specter of death that haunted all, starvation, abuse, war, the reality of women’s lives – everything was vividly painted for readers. And the FOLKLORE, guys. The Russian pantheon was something I was utterly unfamiliar with when I began these books, even as a self-supposed mythology enthusiast. Everything from household deities to creatures of legend were woven into the story effortlessly – there are things in the water, things eyeing the battlefields greedily, even a little mushroom creature called Ded Grib wandering around whom I enjoyed picturing as a Kodama from Princess Mononoke, for any Ghibli fans out there. And I cannot even begin, again, to appreciate Arden’s dedication to the use of proper Russian names – her accuracy with surnames, nicknames, and so forth. You can tell she studied this stuff, and her afterwords at the end to explain it all made my nerdy linguist side sing with glee.

In this final installment, we see Vasya struggling with so much – a strong sense of PTSD after the expected treatment of a ‘witch’ in medieval times, her duty to her family as opposed to the unseen world, and even her feelings for Morozko, the Winter-king (I’ve never been this into a primordial being sort of character, by the way. Oh, my shipper heart. Ahem..). So given these circumstances, Vasya is lent a nice sense of realism, even as a magical bad-ass chunk of girl power. There’s also the looming presence of marauding Tatars in this third book, who will take all of Russia given half the chance, and who far outnumber our hero’s forces. So, a normal day’s work for Vasilisa Petrovna.

Despite the blood, gore, heartache, sadly-realistic circumstances of most female characters, and “WHAT?!” moments, the story was nicely balanced with humorous lines, and others that made me just grin, such as the quote I opened with, courtesy of Vasya facing down a masochistic male warlord. Also, does anyone else love the “enemy of my enemy is – maybe – my friend?” alliances formed when several otherwise-opposing forces need to unite to save the day, as I do? Those provide some excellent conversational fodder.

A solid five stars to the thoroughly-enjoyable conclusion of one of the most unique books I’ve read in a long time. And now, I am off to the bookstore to grab some sort of encyclopedic volume on Russian folklore and fairy tales – consider my appetite whetted.

Wow, this book. If you are a fan of this series, it’s one you just have to jump into; don’t read reviews. Experience every word. Every mesmerizing thought of this masterful author. I’m going to keep my review brief to protect all the fun. In fact, I think this is truly a mini review.

Moscow is in ruins, and Vasya is blamed for everything by the people around her. They believe her gifts have caused all that has gone wrong. Vasya learns more about who she is and what she can do as she explores her special powers.

Medieval Russia in this fantastical world continues to be depicted with its bitter cold. Winter of the Witch is a bold fairytale, and it is lush to the senses. This book has more of a warring focus, and my interest lagged a little during those bits, but the expected magical creatures are present to carry to the fulfilling ending for this amazing trilogy.

Kudos to the author for a job exceptionally well-done, and I cannot wait to see what else Katherine Arden has in store for us. Total book love.

Thanks to the publishers for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

The Winter of the Witch is the third and final installment in the Bear and the Nightengale Trilogy. Fortunately for me, I waited until I received the ARC to binge read all three books, as I would never have patiently waited for the last installment otherwise.

Winter of the Witch concludes the story of Vasilisa Petrovna, a woman whose power is part of the lore of Russian mythology and who finds herself entangled in a war between man and man and also between man and myth. Times are changing and the ancient magic of Russia is dying as people begin to put their faith in religion rather than myth. However, while most of these fairy tale entities experience waning powers, the bear is loose and finds his powers strengthened as war and chaos assert themselves in the gaps left where magic once lived. Magic, sorcery, fear, love, family and sacrifice come together in a story that is as filled with mystery and despair as it is with hope and restoration. Arden has created a rich imaginary world alongside the historical events she uses as a backdrop for her trilogy. The result is breathtakingly satisfying.

The Bear and the Nightengale trilogy is one of those rare stories where each book is as satisfying as the last. The narrative is tightly written and creatively explosive. I lost more than a few hours of sleep over these books, but especially Winter of the Witch because I simply couldn't stop turning the pages.

Thank you to Net Galley for a free copy in return for an unbiased review.

Katherine Arden’s books just keep improving with each one. Her third book in the Winternight Trilogy was every bit as exciting as I was hoping for. Arden’s books remind me so much of why I loved fairy tales as a child.

In the third book, Vasya, the main character, finds herself in a precarious position at the beginning of the story. Right away some devastating events occur and Vasya must escape to a safer place.

Along the way, she learns more about her heritage and her powers as a witch. Vasya develops into a peacemaker of sorts, to bring about the best outcomes for everyone. She finds her true path and she also finds romance throughout her difficult journey.

I especially loved the role of the horses in the story and how valued they were to Vasya.
The ending was wonderful and just the sort of fairy tale ending I was anticipating.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for allowing me to read and advance copy and give my honest review.

Oh. My. God. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC.
The last book in a trilogy is always so difficult to please me, in general. I tend to be very critical of this. There are so many ends to tie up, so many questions to answer, so many conflicts to resolve, etc etc. This trilogy became close to my heart as soon as I read TBATN and I was very afraid to be left unsatisfied, but I was completely and thoroughly and teary-eyed and laughing at the pages and leaping in surprise, and I haven't been this engaged in a book in ages.
I don't think I've ever read a book that tied a series to a close as well as this did.
It was an absolute delight to read, with twists and turns and shocks and at one point I thought I had come to the climax, near the end, and yet, there was still 1/3 of a book left! I was amazed. This book brought everything together, in more ways than one. It answered the questions of Vasya's heritage, or her future as a "witch" in the Christian world, her relationship with Morozko and the chyerti as a whole, her place with her family and her country, the conflict between the new religions and the chyerti, and Vasya's own magic. And just enough tantalizing possibilities left out that I would sell my firstborn to Arden for short stories and novellas of Vasya's adventures post-TWOTW.
Also, Vasya and Morozko were a slowburn pair that tore at my heartstrings, and again: the events of their relationship in this book made all the pain and suffering worth it.

I loved the first two books in the Winternight Trilogy, but this third book left me feeling pretty underwhelmed. There's lots of action, yet I didn't feel a sense of urgency or emotional connection. It's a shame when the last book in a series doesn't really deliver. The story was fine, but just never grabbed me.

I eagerly awaited the third installment of the Winternight Trilogy, and it did not disappoint!
Vasya’s abilities are growing stronger in this book, along with her understanding of where she comes from. She finds herself in new, mysterious lands where she comes in contact with members of her long forgotten family.
I really enjoyed the complexity each character in the book. If you’re looking for cut and dry, black and white, good and evil characters in a story, you might want to look elsewhere. All of the characters reveal hidden facets of their character that are contradictory to the proverbial “good guys” and “bad guys.” Their internal struggles are real and relatable. I’m not going to lie, it’s kind of scary when you find yourself warming up to a character who you know is evil and has done horrible things, but maybe that’s exactly Arden’s intent. Vasya walks a thin line of morality in this book and she struggles with all of the emotional attachments pulling her in a million directions; her family, her loyalty to the chyerti, her faith, her love for Morozko, her love for her country, her insecurities, her ambitions... I could go on and on. She realizes there has to be a balance, but at what cost?
I highly recommend this book. I would also suggest that you set aside plenty of time to read it because you will not want to put it down once you’ve started reading.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Buckle up, baby, because author Katherine Arden roars to the conclusion of the Winternight Trilogy in The Winter of the Witch. Ms. Arden takes a no-holds-barred approach in a book that is in a state of constant climax. In spite of this relentless action, somehow the author is able to fill out the shadow areas in the story, answer questions, and grow Vasya into a woman in her own right. Vasya is oddly both strong and vulnerable as the heroine. Vasya's siblings, Olga and Sasha, also get some welcome page time in this novel. Some unanticipated twists--which hang together amazingly well--coupled with some unconventional alliances, keep this tale fresh and unscripted.

This is truly one of the more satisfying trilogies in recent memory and a fantasy-lover's dream. Highly recommended!

What gorgeous cover art, befitting the wild and vibrant conclusion to Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy. This third part takes us onward to the famous Battle of Kulikovo in 1380 between the Rus and the Tatars, the first time the people of Rus came together under the guidance of the grand prince of Moscow to defeat a foreign adversary--marking perhaps the spiritual birth at least of the nation of Russia. But in this folk-tale retelling, it is also a battle between the new religion of Christianity and old paganism with its belief in the powers of chyerti, various spirits and demons of folklore.

Arden has concocted a fairy-tale like story to flesh out these historical details in her trilogy featuring courageous young Vasilisa Petrovna, a wild, witch-like girl who is just coming to an understanding of her own powers. But "magic makes men mad. They forget what is real because too much is possible." Will she end up a madwoman like her great-grandmother Baba Yaga? Or will she be strong enough to be the uniting force between both pagan and Christian beliefs, bringing stability to her country and people?

I am actually hoping there will be more to this series--I have enjoyed it that much and don't wish for it to end!

I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review. Many thanks! My first read of 2019 and my first 5-star rating!

Let me start by saying that "The Bear and the Nightingale" is one of my favorite books and I have recommended it to many people. I also really enjoyed reading "The Girl in the Tower" although not quite as much as the first book in the trilogy. Sadly, "The Winter of the Witch" did not work for me. I felt like the characters had shifted and they weren't who I remembered them being. The plot, specifically tying everything to the historical battle at the end, felt forced to me and a departure from where the first two books were leading. I still appreciated Katherine Arden's writing and will definitely read anything she writes in the future.

A fitting and satisfying end to an exceptional trilogy.

The first book in the series felt beautiful and atmospheric with a touch of the powerful. The second book felt incredibly powerful, with a touch of beauty and atmosphere. The third and final installment felt like an even balance of those elements.

I wasn't quite as swept up by this book as I was by the first two, though that's not to say it wasn't a solid read and a good conclusion to the trilogy.

I wonder, will the story continue in a new series featuring Vasya's gifted niece? I'm not sure there is enough there, historically speaking, but I'd give anything Arden writes a try, particularly if it is set in this universe.

And on the above note, a nod to Arden for blending this gorgeously magical environment with the true history of 14th century Russia. That's not easy to pull off, and Arden did it masterfully.