Not since discovering Terry Brooks over 30 years ago has a fantasy author wowed me so. There is definitely a new voice in town. Katherine Arden has written an alluring, captivating tale with The Bear and the Nightingale. While I am not familiar with Russian folktales this spellbinding, magical and totally fascinating fairytale brought them roaring to vivid life. “All we have to fear is fear itself,” is thrillingly played out in the pages of The Bear and the Nightingale. I can’t wait to see what this author brings to us next.

No spoilers given because the reader deserves to read this amazing book like I did, event by event unfolding amazingly before you.

The Bear and the Nightingale brings the best out in storytelling, capturing the traditional essence of mixing a touch of myth, magic, and truth into an undeniably lush and captivating tale.
Russian folklore and fairy tale mingle in a highly atmospheric setting. One where Winter's landscape is so vivid you can feel the crunch of freshly fallen snow and hear the hearth’s flames crackle as the story unfolds. 
The Bear and the Nightingale is a languorous read, it takes its time unraveling, doling out yummy bits and pieces from various perspectives until a grander picture is revealed.
It begins simple enough, with a fairy tale told on a cold Winter's night. It is the story of the Winter King Morozko, also known as Frost. 
The beauty of this simple yet powerful tale is how Katherine Arden uses it as the stepping stone for The Bear and the Nightingale’s story. 
Vasilisa’s story, our heroine, begins with her birth and subsequent death of her mother. Unruly and untamed, Vasilisa grows up doted upon and well loved. Yet, at the back of her father's mind lingers the thought of taking a wife again in hopes of giving his daughter a mother figure to help tame her into a proper lady.
Thus, begins Vasilisa’s journey, a story of kindness and cruelty. Of magic and myth. A spirited heroine who battles enemies both seen and unseen. Set in a gorgeously rendered Wintery landscape, Katherine Arden fills the pages with danger and enchantment, and as Winter holds fast, Vasilisa will be challenged to save those she loves. Betrayal and help from unexpected characters make for an enticing read.
The Bear and the Nightingale is Katherine Arden’s debut novel but reads as if she has been penning these tales on paper for much longer. 
If you are an enthusiast of fairy tales, Russian history, and its folklore, then The Bear and the Nightingale is a must read! 
Katherine Arden is a new favorite author of mine and on my auto buying list. Her writing is 5-star quality, the kind you want hardbacks in proudly displaying on your shelves.

3.5 stars
Fairytales, an escape to another world bearing a dose of reality, a little suspension of disbelief, may be good for the soul once in a while and Russian fairy tales are very much a part of this story . But so is a view of medieval Russia, know as Rus in the 14th century. A time when arranged marriages of the royalty cannot be refused. I really enjoyed the setting, the time and place, the beautiful descriptions of the snow and how I could just about feel the cold. Vasilisa, a memorable character, for sure, was born soon before her mother dies. Martina wished to have a daughter with her own mother's special gifts. Gifted or cursed, Vasilisa/Vasya converses with the spirits and demons she sees . I absolutely love the Russian custom of endearing nicknames, we see throughout just as in the Russian classics.

I don't read much fantasy so at times this felt a bit much for me with demons and spirits abounding. While there are many things to enjoy about the novel, especially the lovely lyrical writing, it was the fantasy that proved a bit too much for me . I seem to be an outlier here with a 3.5 star review and the high ratings overall and from several of my Goodreads friends. You should read those reviews. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the fantastical and magical a bit more than I did here.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine - Del Rey through NetGalley

Gorgeous and lyrical. Arden reimagines the Russian fairy tale of Vasilisa the Beautiful but melds it with traditional stories of the fey folk. Instead of a doll, Vasilisa has brownies, and nymphs, and dryads, and others. I loved this melding of different folk tales, and it added depth to Vasya's story, that she have the sight and able to see the magical creatures, and that this is placed into context of the Christianity causing the old ways to die.

As is true of Russian literature, this is not a light book. There is an air of oppressive darkness throughout, which is in line with the harsh winters and the danger of death through cold or starvation -- even before the addition of a mythical Bear-demon who creates undead vampire wraiths.

I read this book slowly, though it is not very long. The plot is not quick and I did not want to rush it. Arden takes the time to set the stage and it is a slow build -- so slow, in fact, that when the book's denouement arrived, it was over too quickly. I wanted more; I wanted to spend more time with these characters and to see what happens next to Vasya.

This is Arden's debut book and I'm very impressed. I look forward to seeing what else she writes.

I am incredibly happy to be starting a new year of reviews with this book because it was a fantastic book to be reading as this last year came to an end. After finishing it I went back and reread the initial description that inspired me to put it on my preview request list—having forgotten everything about that description in the months between submitting my request and reading the book. I had to laugh because usually, those descriptions feel strategically written with an eye towards marketing—which, of course, they are—but in this case I found completely accurate. Katherine Arden’s upcoming The Bear and the Nightingale reminded me of Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane and is also “recommended” for fans of Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus (which I just got a personal copy of for Christmas so I can read and enjoy it all over again).

It is some years after Pyotr Vladimirovich’s beloved wife Marina died following the birth of their youngest daughter, Vasilisa (called Vasya), but he finally admits that the time has come for him to remarry—mostly so there is another woman around to help with Vasya who appears to take her nurse’s fairy tales a little too literally. Journeying with his two oldest sons to Moscow, Pyotr returns with a devout new wife and a gift for Vasya from an odd stranger. Vasya can do nothing right in the eyes of her new stepmother but it isn’t until a new priest arrives in the village (determined to bring the fear of God to the northern people and save their souls) that more devastating effects threaten the village as the people begin neglecting the protective household spirits of old.

Though there are a lot of Russian fairy tale elements used in the novel, it isn’t necessary to be familiar with them before reading because such fairy tale stories, creatures, and themes are pretty universal and relatable. Similarly, the clash between older (and often rural) traditions with more institutional religious orders is a familiar one that is deftly handled in this novel. It can be easy, when dealing with such established characters/creatures/traditions for them to either fall flat in a new (novelized) form; thankfully, that is far from the case here. The lore never overshadows the original characters; it initially serves as a backdrop as the story unfolds before its important role becomes clearer and begins taking a more prominent role until it finally interacts with the original characters themselves on equal footing.

The way the novel is written and presented works beautifully. The frequent changes in narrative perspective (all third person) give the characters and story great depth and texture. While the reader is clearly meant to root for Vasya, those who oppose her (with perhaps one exception) are not heartless villains; they each have their own hardships to contend with, their own obstacles. The story may boast many fairy tale creatures, themes, and patterns, but it is far from childish. The stakes are intense and don’t shy from the dark or difficult; the ending (which I found immensely satisfying) is not the clean, happy ending that many modern readers are likely to associate with fairy tales.

There are a few characters whose early prominence seems to be misleading given that they’re almost entirely dropped from the story by the middle of the novel. Vasya’s older brother Alexei seems to be overly emphasized given how far into the background he fades. At the same time, these characters don’t detract from the rest of the story; they just function more as not-entirely-successful red herrings.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden will be available for purchase January 10, 2017.