This is the third book in a trilogy that began with "The Bear and the Nightingale," and continued with "The Girl in the Tower." The saga combines elements of a fairytale retelling, historical fiction, and fantasy. I would advise that this book not be read as a standalone, but rather as part of the trilogy.

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

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

In the first book, Vasya ran away from home to avoid an arranged marriage or a nunnery. Her life was saved by Morozko, the Winter-King, or as he is also known, the Frost-Demon.

In the second book, the relationship between Vasya and Morozko takes on new depth, as Morozko struggles with his feelings for Vasya. He knows that “you cannot love and be immortal,” or indeed, have feelings at all.

Morozko wants Vasya to return to her family where she will be safer than traveling on her own. She tells him:

“You may tell me to go home, but I may choose not to. Do you think that is all I want, in all my life - a royal dowry, and a man to force his children into me? No, I am going on. I will see the world beyond this forest, and I will not count the cost.”

Morozko gives Vasya a magical horse named Solovey, which means Nightingale, and with whom she can communicate. She leaves him and reunites with her sister Olga, married to the Prince of Serpukhov, and with her brother brother Sasha, who is now the monk Brother Aleksandr Persvet. Sasha is acting as a counselor to his cousin and good friend Dmitrii Ivanovich, Grand Prince of Moscow.

As the third book begins, Olga has recently lost a baby, and another of her children is at risk, since her little girl Marya, like Vasya, has inherited “sight,” which could get her labeled as a witch. Indeed, Vasya is being called out as a witch by the villagers, egged on by the “holy man” Konstantin Nikonovich, who leads a mob to the gates of the Olga’s palace demanding “the witch.” They intend to burn Vasya at the stake. To that end, they first killed her beloved horse Solovey so she could not escape on his back. Vasya manages to escape the flames however through magic, and Vavara, the house maid, tells her where she must flee for safety. Vasya then discovers that Morozko traded his freedom for Vasya’s life. Morozko released his twin brother, Medved - The Bear, from captivity, with the only proviso that he save Vasya.

The beings with whom Vasya communes are chyerti (the various spirits of Russian folklore which may include human-like beings, animals, or plants endowed with the ability to speak, emote, and influence human affairs) and as Vavara explains:

“The Bear is among the greatest of chyerti, a master of the unclean forces of the earth. . . . .His chief skill is knowing the minds of men and women, and bending them to his will. Above all he loves destruction and chaos, and will seek to sow it as he can.”

Inevitably, Medved aligns with Konstantin, who, Medved understands at once, is capable of unleashing the most chaos on the populace through religious-inspired fear and hatred.

Vasya gets away from the flames, but she doesn’t feel free yet. The Bear is loose, Morozko is now captive somewhere, Moscow is in danger from Medved and Konstantin, and she is concerned for her family, particularly Marya. Somehow, she must use the powers she has to make it all right.

This story ends just after the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380. At that [actual] battle, the Grand Prince Dmitrii Ivanovich lead a combined force from several different Russian principalities against a Tatar army. As the author explains in her Afterword, it was the first time the Russian people fought together to defeat a foreign adversary and thus “marks the spiritual birth of the nation of Russia.” She also notes that many aspects of the battle she portrayed are true, with the possible exception of the fairy elements. But, she adds:

“Who is to say, in the end, that the three guardians of Russia re not a witch, a frost-demon, and a chaos- spirit?”

<strong>Discussion:</strong> There is a great deal in this book about life in feudal Russia, especially with respect to the friction between religion and pagan traditions, and how the diminution of belief in fantastical beings will lead to their elimination from nature. There is also a lot about gender roles, and the stereotypes about women that are so destructive to their well-being.

In the previous two books, Vasya was much more self-centered and disagreeable. In this book she finally matures and makes sacrifices beyond those that serve her own interest. She not only is more mature and compassionate, but shows bravery and devotion to justice befitting a heroine.

Arden does an excellent job of adding nuance to the villains of this saga, sharing with us their hurts and longings as Vasya comes to understand why they acted the way they did.

We even get more romance and physical expression of it in this final book, and it is quite well done.

<strong>Evaluation:</strong> The prose evokes the tone of fairy tales, and the historical aspects dovetail nicely with the plot and add a nice flavor to the story. There is a helpful glossary in the back of the book for Russian terms. The saga is enlightening as well as entertaining, and has cross-over appeal for fans of historical fiction, fantasy, and romance.

When I read The Girl in the Tower last year, it quickly became one of my favorite books ever, which was a total surprised since The Bear and the Nightingale was enjoyable, but not mind-blowing. The Winter of the Witch was not only a satisfying conclusion to the series, but an absolutely stunning and magical story all on its own.

As with the second, The Winter of the Witch picks up right where the last book left off, making it easy to transition back into the story. Vasya continues to be one of the best written female protagonists I’ve ever read – and one of my very favorite heroines in literature. Her character growth throughout the series is amazing, and her bravery, strength, and compassion are admirable traits that only speak to some her well-roundedness. In addition to Vasya, there were so many other characters whom I loved reading about: Sasha, Olga, Marya (although there wasn’t as much of her in this one), Dmitrii, Ded Grib, and Pozhar to name a few. And of course, there’s Morozko, our morose winter-king. My adoration for that brooding frost-demon only grew in this novel, and I couldn’t get enough of his scenes, especially the angst with Vasya. Chapter 17 very nearly put me in an early grave, you guys.

I’ve said this before, but the atmospheric setting in these books is one of the best I’ve ever written. Katherine Arden is such a talented author: her lush writing, vivid descriptions, and carefully crated historical and fairytale elements create such a magical story. And the wintry setting made this a perfect read for winter time.

There is so much to love about The Winter of the Witch, and I will never stop recommending this series to people. From the writing to the characters to the storytelling, The Winternight trilogy is an enchanting, whimsical story perfect for those who love a blend of fantasy and folklore.

[I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

Quotes:

"Have you never thought to believe that heaven and hell are both nearer you than you like to believe."

"There are no monsters in the world, and no saints. Only infinite shades woven into the same tapestry, light and dark. One man's monster is another man's beloved."

"Men make themselves afraid . . . Imagining is worse than anything they actually see. All it takes is whispers in the dark."

I loved the first books in the series, and couldn't wait to get my hands on the third one in Arden's Winternight Trilogy. I was elated when I finally got approved for the ARC -- thanks, NetGalley! As the third and final book in the trilogy, The Winter of the Witch picks up where the story leaves off in The Girl in the Tower. I enjoyed it greatly, and gave it 4/5 stars. I think, though, that the first book was my favorite.

However, this book still had all the elements I enjoyed in the first two: strong female characters, magic, romance, strong family ties, Russian history and folklore, and atmospheric setting descriptions. Arden develops the characters further in The Winter of the Witch, giving more insight into their motives, desires, and abilities. I was emotionally invested in their plight, and teared up a few times. *No spoilers, promise!* I liked that this book explores the magical world where the women in Vasya's family came from, and a bunch of the fantastical creatures that live in it.

I was a little disappointed that the book didn't explore more of the characters and their futures. Arden definitely leaves room for further stories to be written, but as this is the third book in a trilogy, I think this will be the last one. All in all, this was a fun book. Not as stellar as the first one, but still a solid four stars.

This series follows Vasya, a strong-willed young woman living in medieval Russia (during the period when Russian princes were paying tribute to the Golden Horde), who can see and talk to chyerti, the demons and spirits of Russian folklore. This ability and her free-spirited personality sets her at odds with her family and the church, and pulls her into an age-old conflict involving the god of death himself. By the time The Winter of the Witch begins, Vasya has gone through massive character growth and has become a powerful figure in her own right, and must figure out how to use her powers and cunning to save all of Russia from the forces that threaten it.

Friends, I've been in love with this series from the beginning. It captures the atmosphere and wonder of fairy tales, with their supernatural creatures, strange quests and riddles, and plucky, clever heroes. The political and religious conflict involving fictionalized versions of real historical figures provides another layer of complexity and helps ground the tale. It's a vibrantly imagined world.

The characters are fascinatingly flawed, and I've enjoyed seeing them grow throughout the series. Moreover, I've enjoyed how Arden has handled Vasya's relationship with Morozko. All along, there's been a bit of a Beauty and the Beast vibe to it, but Arden specifically avoids the problematic aspects of that classic relationship trope and gives Vasya agency and introspection. In The Winter of the Witch, it's a relationship between equals and Vasya makes her decisions with a clear head.

In this novel, all the plots of the previous novels come to a head. It's more action-packed than the previous books in the series. I had a hard time putting down The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, but this one was almost impossible to set aside. (A real problem, when I read this during my busy season of work!)

All in all, this is a richly layered and beautifully written tale. It's a magnificent ending to a phenomenal series, and I highly recommend it.

<i> The Winter of the Witch</i> is the final book in the Winternight Trilogy, and it picks up right after the devastation of the second book. In this book, Vasya is older than the little girl readers first met in <i>The Bear and the Nightengale</i>, and the situation she faces is much more devastating. To remind us of this, the book gets dark very fast. While the first two stories heavily featured the romance angle, this book focuses on Vasya on her own and having to literally face her own demons.

It took me a while to write this review because even though I finished the book a few weeks ago, I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. It was good to see Vasya come a bit more into her own as a character, and I'm a sucker for anything related to Russian folklore. However, the book dragged a bit in the middle and there are almost too many plot lines in this one (do we really need to know who Vasya's paternal ancestors are? Does anyone actually care about her sister's husband).

Ultimately, <i> The Winter of the Witch</i> is a satisfying ending for fans of the trilogy, but it's not as dynamic as the first two.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of the novel.

The Winter of the Witch is Katherine Arden's third book in the Winternight Trilogy.

I was quite taken by the 14th c Rus' setting, the Russian fairy-tale-inspired characters, and the female heroine journey. Arden studied Russian in Moscow, so reading the books the reader is immersed in Russian history and traditional culture.

The series, in essence, is about a young girl growing up, discovering her abilities and place in the world, at odds with societal expectations. Historical Russia becomes a fairy-tale kingdom where both men and devils must fight to survive.

The Bear and the Nightingale
In 14th c Russia, Vasya, who can talk to horses and hear the household spirits, dares to claim the right to make her own fate. Against her family's desires and the demands of society and church, she resists the life laid out for her. Even the pagan gods, whose power is slowly fading, try to harness her for their good but she will not be chattel to anyone. She fights the evil spirits that threaten her family, protected by the Winter King Morozko. When the spirit of Death in the form of a monstrous bear attacks their community, Vasya is blamed and labeled a witch by the priest Konstantin. Her choices limited to marry, enter a convent, or be killed as a witch, Vasya dresses as a boy and goes out into the world with a horse from Morozko, the unworldly stead Solovey, or Nightingale.

The Girl in the Tower
In the cruel winter, dressed as a boy, Vasya flees her home where she was driven out as a witch. After battling a Tartar army she finds refuge in a city where she is reunited with her brother Sasha, the valiant monk-warrior and childhood friend of the ruling prince. Her exploits impress the prince and she leads his band to track down the Tartar marauders. Vasya accompanies the retinue to Moscow and is reunited with her sister. Also in Moscow is the tormented Konstintine, the priest whose misguided faith drove him to persecute Vasya in her hometown. The story includes a twisted plot of false identities, a heritage of women who can communicate with the spirit world, and a riveting epic battle.

The Winter of the Witch
This installment brings the epic story to an exciting climax as the Rus kingdoms are threatened by the Mongol Golden Horde, and the chyerti fight for survival as they are forgotten as Christianity spreads.

Vasya learns she is descended from a line of witches and pledges to help the chyerti coexist with humanity. Central to the continuing story is Vasya's monk-warrior brother Sasha, their sister Olga and her daughter, the nascent witch Marya, the Rus' Prince, and the misguided Christian priest, Konstantin, whose lust for power overrides his faith.

Vasya's demon mentor Morozko The Winter King, a god of death, and his brother Medved, the Bear, god of chaos, have been enemies. To protect her Rus' kinfolk, Vasya's task is to bridge their gap and make them ally with humans.

In the Author's Note, Arden states that from the start she planned to end the trilogy at the 1380 Battle of Kulikovo on the Don River between the Grand Prince Dmitrii Ivanovich and the Tatar temnik Mamai. There was a historical warrior-monk who battled a Tartar warrior as in the novel, and the Grand Prince did trade places with a boyar so he could fight incognito.

I sped through The Winter of the Witch, a compelling read. There are two epic battles. As I noted in earlier reviews, the myth of the female hero continues as Vasya receives help and magical helpers. I noted repetition in the story, stock images or phrases, in the style of Epic poetry.

The series would appeal to readers who like strong female characters battling for freedom and those with an interest in fairy tales, Russian folklore, and fantasy.

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

How do I love The Winter of the Witch? Let me count the ways. God, just read it. Marvel at the language and magic, the depth of characterization, the merging of history and folklore. I giggled, yes. And I certainly cried, but mostly I was satisfied because it was the perfect end, unexpected and splendid. Highly recommended.

The Winter of the Witch is the third and (sadly) final book in an amazing series by Katherine Arden. Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this beautifully written book.
This book picks up where the last book ended and the charismatic priest Konstantin Nikonovich has convinced the mobs that the fires that broke out all over the city was God's punishment for the prince harboring a witch, Vasya, and that she must be burned to death as punishment. Through a crazy chain of events Vasya escapes and is set on the magical Midnight Road where she discovers more about her family, her past and what her future might be.
This book was great beginning to end. It was fast paced, stayed intriguing and was very hard to put down. I was first enchanted by the first book and the Russian folklore that was woven throughout and this book did not disappoint. I will definitely continue recommending this series. Loved it!

What a conclusion to an amazing series! This was incredibly well written. The writing was vivid and I felt like I was right there in the middle of the action. I was pulled in right away and I was completely engrossed in this story until the final page. I loved the romance the most, it's very swoonworthy! I hope Katherine Arden writes more books in the future!

The Winter of The Witch, by Katherine Arden, encompasses everything I love about fantasy novels: imaginative world-building, strong characters, storytelling that uses elements of folktales, and plenty of action sequences to keep those pages turning.

What I Liked:

World-Building:

A good story begins with a rich universe. The Winter of The Witch continues to build on the world the author created in the first two books of the series. On top of the setting of medieval Russia, there many fantastical spirits such as Ded Grib (a mushroom spirit), Lady Midday (a spirit who wanders hayfields causing heatstroke), and Pozhar (a firebird).

One of the most creative aspects of this universe is when Vasya travels on The Midnight Road. This is a never-ending land of all the midnights the world has ever known, spanning locations, climates, and time itself. I loved this!!!

Themes:

One of the central themes of this series is the conflict between old and new religions. As the Christian church is rising in power, people are discouraged from offering tributes to the Chyerti (various spirits found in Russian folklore). This is causing the Chyerti to fade. But the Chyerti play a vital role in protecting those who believe in them.

Vasya believes in both Christianity and the Chyerti. Her task is to find a way to create acceptance between the two belief systems.

Fully Formed Characters:

Vasya, the main character, is a strong female who bristles against the tight constraints that women are subjected to in her society. As the series begins, Vasya's choices are to be married off to make babies, or to join a nunnery. Neither hold any appeal.

Vasya also has the "Sight". She can see Chyerti and makes regular offerings to them. In exchange, she gains protection and learns of dangers to her and her family ahead of time.

I love Vasya because she is so NOT perfect. As she is drawn into an ancient conflict between The Bear (the king of Chaos) and Morozko (the king of death), she doesn't always make the right choices. She also starts to understand that as she uses magic, the power she wields will drive her insane. Can she do what is needed to save Russia and protect her family?

There are no cartoonishly evil or saintly people in this novel.
As the book progressed, I found myself having empathy for characters such as Father Konstantin (who I originally loathed), and even The Bear. Both characters do truly dispicable things, yet the author gets inside their heads to show the reader how they became who they are. To paraphrase Vasya, "I've done good things, and evil things. But I am neither." That is what makes these characters so complex.


Russian History & Folklore:

I was delighted to read at the end of the book that many of the plot points in The Winter of the Witch are drawn from actual historical events! Russian folklore is also woven into the story to include characters such as Baba Yaga, and Lady Midnight. I loved that the author shows the rich cultural traditions of Russia.

Tension:

This book is definitely a page-turner! Just when you think Vasya is out of danger, another problem pops up (she just can't get a break!). Vasya is either running for her life, fighting her way out of a corner, or fighting her urge to go mad with magical power. There is also tension of the sexual kind as Vasya tries to resist her feelings for The Winter King...

What I Was Mixed About:

Lack Of A Recap:

This is a pet peeve of mine. When I read a series, I like it when there is a small recap of who the people are with a quick synopsis of what has happened earlier. I often had to work hard at the beginning of this book to remember who everyone was. That said, I would highly recommend re-reading the first two books (The Bear and the Nightingale, and The Girl in the Tower), in order to be able to fully enjoy this book.

I'm so grateful to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this early!
(I also already pre-ordered it because this series is so magically wonderful.

My heart is so full after finishing this.
This story is more than magic, and folklore, and love and the great battle's of men.
It's about a young woman, who takes her life into her own hands, in a time where women are shut in and overlooked and lack power and authority. And decides that no one else can tell her what to do with her very life. Her existence. She takes the power back and equalizes.
And becomes so much more than she ever knew she could be.
She is a force.

That ending still has me all choked up.
Katherine Arden you hit this out of the park, it's truly incredible work!

If you have a soft spot for characters who truly own themselves, fairytales and love that isn't simple or easy. Please consider picking up this series! It's honestly one of my favorites.
It's so well written and beautiful.

I quickly devoured the first two books of The Winternight Trilogy, and I was greatly looking forward to The Winter of the Witch. I'm really glad to say that it did not disappoint! Truly, I devoured this book, even when I was supposed to be working on grad school assignments - I couldn't put it down! Katherine Arden has such a way with world building and characters, that everything jumps out at the reader and you're truly transported. Simply put, and aptly so, this was a magical read. It's a bit of a long read, but it didn't feel like it and the story flowed smoothly. I'm not one to find military escapades interesting, but the blend of history and magical pulled me in and I was on the edge of my seat through most of the story, even the bits on military planning and battle executions. I adore the addition of Ded Grib, he was very fun and a good call to the whimsy of fairytales even in the heaviness of war. I do wish, however, there was a bit more with Polunochnistsa and Vasya and the development of their partnership. The reader gets to see this long road that Vasya takes with Morozko, her journey with Medved, and even an adventure with Ded Grib. I really, really liked Polunochnitsa and I found myself rooting for Vasya and her to strike up a friendship, so I wish that had been developed a bit more but I also understand that there's a time and a place for everything. Overall, I wanted for nothing during this read. I'm pleased to say that the whole trilogy can sit upon my favorites shelf, and I'm sad that it's over!

What a conclusion to this amazing series! This book was intense and amazing, as I knew it would be after reading the previous books.

This was incredibly well written. The writing was vivid and I felt like I was right there in the middle of the action. I was pulled in right away and I was completely engrossed in this story until the final page.

I enjoyed this book, and this series, immensely and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy or folk-lure stories.

*I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.*

The more one knows, the sooner one grows old.

There are no monsters in the world, and no saints. Only infinite shades woven into the same tapestry, light and dark.


The big reveal, the ending of all book trilogies. Does it live up? Did I get my Morozko X Vasya fix?

yes. roll credits.

Did I think the series was going to end the way it did? no, no I didn't. Does it feel like the end of a great movie series?

Yes. Btw this series would make a great movie/ series on Netflix.

Okay here's the real review:

The Winter of the Witch is a book of highs and lows. Vasya picks up where she left off in The Girl in the Tower and throws you into action and a new threat. Unlike the previous two books (which, for the most part have stationary settings) The Winter of the Witch throws you all over Rus' and even into the more magical realms, ending up on the final battle field in Kulikoso.

Like before Vasya has my heart, truly my favorite character in the entire series. She is the most willful, impetuous, reckless, follows-beat-of-own-drum kinda girl and I've loved watching her grow from the little girl in Lesnaya Zemlya to the woman who took on Kasyan in Moscow. Just about any thing she was told or warned against she did the opposite. She embraced herself when she needed too and did it without making the reader feel like it was "girl power" it was just simply Vasya being Vasya.

So this book pulls out all the stops, as a reader who loved, maybe too much the previous book I knew this was the end of the journey and my hopes where at 11. The story itself is clearly well executed, I still couldn't help but feel like it went through highs and lows. There were points with non-stop, nail biting action, that would counter with low points where it felt like the story had little to no progression at all. This happens throughout the book, especially before battle scenes.

Another bit that I noticed throughout the book is all the abrupt stops. It seems like this happens with shall we say "villain characters" the most. They are well built up and then bam! gone. It feels like the length of the build up and the (usually) rather easy defeats just don't satisfy the reader. But maybe that's just me. I tried to reflect this in the opening of my review by being very abrupt with my answers.

Over all, I liked The Winter and the Witch. It has everything I asked for at the end of The Girl in the Tower actually more so. I'm sad it's over, I will miss the series because as a whole I think it ranks as one of the best I've ever read. It left me wanting more to read, and I know that I'll re-read the series someday (all at once hopefully) and have that feeling of mystery that I felt when I read the initial Winter Maiden story that got me so excited in The Bear and the Nightingale.

Katherine Arden has crafted a beautifully written, exciting, suspenseful, and worthy conclusion to her Winternight Trilogy, begun so wonderfully with "The Bear and the Nightingale". Each of these books take the reader on a ride with the now young woman Vasya who walks through the world populated by creatures of Russian mythology, and the humans of early Russia. She is one of the few who is truly both of each of these worlds and of neither. In "The Winter of the Witch" Vasya strives to her breaking point to save each world by uniting them against a common enemy-- the only way to save them both.

Arden once again writes with skill of the emergence of a more modern Russia which is turning to Christianity and political evolution, and away from traditional beliefs. Her characters struggle for freedom, struggle against ignorance, and struggle to define their world. Perhaps her greatest achievement in this is her capturing, so vividly, the complexity of characters that could so easily have been (and were expected to be) one dimensional.

I was so excited to get the third and final book in Arden’s “Winternight Trilogy” through NetGalley. Who knew that I’d be this obsessed with tales of Russian Folklore and Witches?

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The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

SO MUCH HAPPENS IN THIS BOOK! In 384 pages, there is a little bit of everything:

Witch burnings, devil sightings, horses that can fly, secret midnights, WAR, and of course, Zombies. Zombies you ask? Well, let’s just say the devil has a way of calling an army of the dead in the fight for Russia.

And most of that takes place in first three parts of the book. *Phew*

I will say, there is one part in the beginning of the book that broke my heart so thouroughly. It’s redemeed by the end, but man, I was gutted.

At the end of the second book, Vasya is found to be masquerading as a boy to help Moscow and Russia. She is roundly condemed, and her old nemisis rears his ugly head after making a deal with the devil. Through deals and escapes, the devil/bear has reappaered and is determined to rid the world of people who dont believe in his kind of spirits. Vasya goes through the darkest midnights to recover and find her heritage. It’s here how she learns to fight for her beliefs and fight for her family.

The winter king looms large, and she must depend on his help even more. This book culminates in a war (in which the second most heartbreaking thing of the book happens) and we learn that man must trust the spirit world in order to survive. It was a beautiful conlcusion to this series.

Even with all the stuff happening in this book, I still wanted to learn more about Vasya’s young niece stuck in the captial with the same powers as her Aunt. Does she travel to the cottage by the lake to learn her craft, or is she destined to go through the same trials and tribulations of her Aunt? I would love to know more!

This series has been amazing, and I can’t wait to read what Arden has next up her sleeve.

(For reference, here is the link where I talk about the first book in the series: https://wordpress.com/post/nicolesbookcorner.wordpress.com/427)

https://nicolesbookcorner.wordpress.com

A great ending to the series. I love Arden's knack for weaving history with fiction. The characters are well developed and her description of the landscape were amazing. My only issue was the ending. I felt that it left the reader hanging. Overall, well written and engaging.

Without rival this is the greatest historical fantasy series I have ever read. I'm left heartbroken that its over but feeling so privileged to have been able to enjoy it. I am in awe of Katherine Arden's talent both as an author and a historian. She's seemlessly blended medieval Russian history with the dark, beautiful magic of its folklore and arrived at a truly perfect union of fact and fantasy.

Vasya is one of the all time great female fantasy heroines, honestly she's one of the all time great's period. Wise and fierce and full of passionate love for her family and her dark winter prince I have followed her breathlessly through three amazing books and would happily follow her through a hundred more.

I so long to live in a world like Vasya's where old beliefs and new ones can share the hearts of men and differences are celebrated rather than seen as signs of evil.

I sincerely don't recall ever enjoying a fantasy trilogy as much as I adored this one. Thank you so much Ms. Arden. I'll be on tenterhooks waiting for your next story.

This book was absolutely amazing! I love the Bear and the Nightingale trilogy and this book is the strongest of the three. Throughout the trilogy you get to see Vasya grow from a frightened, confused child who doesn't understand her powers and where she fits into the world, into a confident young woman who starts understanding her place and learning how to harness her powers. I really loved how her relationships with the Bear and the Winter King evolved in this book. This book was everything I wanted for the last book of this amazing trilogy.

An awesome conclusion to the trilogy, it fulfilled all the promises of the first two and Vasya really claimed her own power. I like this much better than the second as that one had SO MUCH misogyny (for good reason, it was a huge part of the story, but it is still hard to read) and this one had a lot more female power. I liked how threads were pulled together of the forces that aligned and the family histories revealed. The "romance", if it can be called that, was treated really well, a part of the story but never overwhelming it. I would be very interested to read another series with Marya as the main character and Vasya as a cameo.

I thought this trilogy was excellent overall and would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys Russian folklore/sort of magical realism fantasy and/or epic quest type lit with strong female characters and elaborate world building set in actual history and myth.