First I just want to specify that there will be no spoilers in my review, so read at will!

Thank you very much to NetGalley for facilitating, and to Ebury Publishing for sending me an advance copy of this book. And a huge thank you to Katherine Arden for writing this book.

Bit of back story first - just to set the scene for you so that you understand the full impact of this book.

Ebury publishing sent me an email a few months back asking if I'd like to read and review this book via NetGalley. I said "yes, of course" because a) it's a book, and b) it sounded right up my street. There is an NZ author who writes Irish Fairytales (for adults), who I adore so this story sounded so perfect for me. So I read a few pages, and then the above authors new book landed on my doormat (that I preordered and forgot all about). So away went Katherine Arden and I read the new book... which, by the way, was a big disappointment - So much so that I was reluctant to pick The Bear and the Nightingale up again because I was so exasperated by the book I'd chosen to read instead. So I put it off. Until a couple of days ago when I was packing my house up (we're moving house in 3 days) and I found my kindle in my bedside drawer and thought "oh, why not! Get it over and done with!" I paid for childcare today so I could pack the kitchen. I now have to find a decent excuse for my husband as to why the kitchen is not actually packed because I can't tell him I was so hooked on the book that I set it above the rising panic that we need to move house in 3 days. That is how engrossing this book is.

Oh my word was it up my street!! The characters were spot on & the writing style from start to finish was consistently fantastic. This is an author who knows how to twist the old magic and fairytales of the world into a story we can relate to today. I was grabbed and pulled into this terrifying world that I did not want to leave. I could not put my kindle down. Literally - that's why my house isn't packed.

I struggled a bit with the Russian names initially and I wasn't sure how well I'd get on with a book where I couldn't pronounce the names...but then I found my brain managed to find a way to compute them and it was plain sailing from there.

The most beautiful part of this book, I think is the concept. It is an adult fairytale, about fairytales, told in the style of the old fairytales. It describes a possible scenario showing what could have happened in the world had the old fairytales in fact been true - at the time when the old gods were set aside. A fairytale within a fairytale. Just beautiful. And dark, just as fairytales were supposed to be.

Congrats Katherine Arden, you are the fourth author to make it onto my "must pre-order" list, and you've actually been bumped to the top of that list. And thank you for restoring my faith in this genre!

P.S. Just FYI to people reading this in full knowledge that I was sent this for free - I also bought a hard copy of this book because I loved it so much.

I really really loved this one. It's an all in one: fairy tale, YA a bit of history thrown in, and it has a captivating story. It has a great Russian feel and kept me hooked throughout. This may be a debut, but the author did a really great job making the magic believable taking the reader back to a time in Russian history when Christianity was not yet a given. I don't give 5 stars easily, but these are well deserved. Recommended if you want to escape reality.

There is a real ethereal quality to this story. It is a fairytale which encompasses the Russian landscape, medieval religion, vampires and demons. The prose is great and the characters are interesting, if a little one dimensional. The wicked stepmother motif is here with an interesting twist, the kindly old woman is here with an interesting twist, the wild child is here with an interesting twist. You are swept away into a world that feels visceral and frightening while at the same time, it is beautiful and comforting. My main issue is with the pacing of the novel. We have an awful lot of set up with a climax that feels rushed and a little anti-climactic as a result. It is definitely worth reading, if only to learn some of the folklore of medieval Russia, but be aware that there are issues with the narrative structure.

Rating: 4.5stars
Something you guys don’t know about me, is that I always had a massive fixation with Russia. Russian culture, language, history, everything. I don’t know why but I always tended to love it. So when I saw this book I just had to get it! And I am freaking happy I did because I absolutely loved it!!!

This book is beautifully written and extremely well researched. The author is not Russian. However, she did live in Moscow and studied there. In her own words:

“I am not Russian, and my family is not Russian. I lived in Moscow and studied Russian between 2006 and 2007 and I was a Russian major at Middlebury college in Vermont. As part of my studies, I returned to Moscow in 2010. Russia has a history and a culture that I love, but not one that I was born to.”

This is the first book in a yet unnamed trilogy. The book is about a Russian fairy tale of Morozko, with historical fiction focused on the 14th century (it was considered a hard time for Russia, when it was partially under the rule of the Mongols). It contains politics, religion, family and folklore and those all together made this book unpredictable and unforgettable.

The first part of the book is more soft than the rest of it. After that, it started to get darker and sometimes scary. It was an extremely tense and unpredictable read. I couldn’t stop reading it. It was like I truly was in that dark twisted fairy tale. It’s not fast paced but it has a lot of things happening that will mesmerize you and make you love this world.

The characters are incredibly amazing and there are a bunch of them. They all somehow have an important role sooner or later. Some you will fall in love with and some you will hate with all your strength. The book is ruthless with actions and words and it makes you feel angry, hopeful, cold and fascinated.

You will love Vasya’s boldness and strength and you will love her power, that is both a gift and a curse in this world.

I absolutely loved the plot and just wished to have a bit more of Morozko and Vasya in it. I loved her adventures and her connection with these old gods. And just because everyone was against it, that didn’t make her change or hide. She continued to believe, and even people that talked bad to her she tried to help.

After reading this one I definitely need to get a fiscal copy of it and somehow be able to wait for the next two books! And according to the author, Morozko will have an even bigger part in the next books. Hopefully with Vasya by his side!

Also, in the end of the book, there’s a glossary (pretty cool right?) that I think, it should be read either before the book or during when you have any questions about the Russian words.

This is a beautiful and magical book that I would HIGHLY recommend to everyone. And especially if you love Russian culture like me.

A beautiful, intriguing story about a young girl living on the edge of the Russian wilderness. The winters are long and harsh, but Vasilisa and her siblings get by listening to old fairy tales about demons and spirits. But after her mother dies and her fathers brings back a new wife from Moscow, Vasilisa starts to realise the importance of the old traditions honouring the spirits of the house, and that fairy tales are based on truth. As the villagers begin to let go of the old ways, danger creeps closer and Vasilisa must defy the ones she loves to protect them all from a terrible evil.

Despite reading multiple reviews before starting this book, it took me by surprise. It reads exactly like a fairy tale, but is deeply detailed and imaginative. The story is truly beautiful. There is no wild, grand adventure, but rather a slow burn of constant magic and mystery of Russian folklore, and Vasilisa's relationship with the spirits that protect her village. I don't know how authentic the Russian or the folklore is, but it certainly felt authentic. The writing is perfect. The style flows and is unbelievably easy to read considering the number of unfamiliar words and names. I was well and truly sucked in.

Every character is comprehendible, even the ones who do bad things. Pyotr is driven by love of his family and that can be seen in every decision, even the ones I didn't agree with. Father Konstantin is devoted to God and genuinely believes he is doing God's bidding, though even he can admit that he is driven by temptation and greed. Anna is the only character that I truly disliked, but she lived her entire life in fear and it drove her insane. I liked that these characters were all fully developed, with understandable reasons behind their madness and hate.

The Bear and the Nightingale is dark and engaging, and truly impressive as a debut novel.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I know we're still in January but this is definitely going to be one of my favourite books of the year. I mean, it's gonna be pretty hard for any other fairytale-inspired book (or any book, really) to top this.

The Bear and the Nightingale is inspired by a host of Russian fairytales and stars Vasya (I hope I'm spelling her name right because everyone seems to have 12345 different nicknames). Vasya is special not just because her mother died after giving birth to her, but because the enchantment that was in her grandmother and mother seems to be passed down to her. She can see the magical creatures living around the house/estate and they, in turn, teach her.

Unfortunately, Vasya's idyllic childhood ends after her father brings back her stepmother, Anna. Anna is actually her mother's niece (so her cousin?!), but since her father is the Grand Prince of Rus', her father couldn't exactly say no to the marriage.

Where Vasya sees magic, Anna sees demons.

Soon after, a haughty priest named Konstantin is assigned to their village, and everything goes downhill.

What I loved about this book: EVERYTHING.

First up, world building. I'm not familiar with Russia, but I seriously felt drawn into the world (and the world of the magical creatures too). There's an author's note in front that indicates that she's done a lot of research for this, so I'm guessing that those familiar with Russian culture and history would like this too.

Second, the characters. Apart from Vasya, there are also her siblings (Sasha, the brother that became a warrior monk stands out) and Dunya, their nurse. All were very well-written and I would happily read books about them.

The villains too, were much better than I had expected. Anna is the 'evil stepmother', and certainly played the part well, but I never expected to sympathise with her that much. She was a victim of her gift and character and could have had a peaceful life if not for chance. Konstantin, too, started off as a proud but devout man. His gradual obsession with Vasya and him being duped by the main 'villain' of the book was well-written and I kept hoping he could be redeemed till he was past the point. Other notable characters: the frost king, the horses, and the various magical creatures. I loved them all (especially the horses!).

Finally, the plot. The book is split into three parts: her childhood, the threat and the battle. Not gonna give any spoilers, but I thought it was very well-paced and couldn't put the book down.

If you're into fairytales, you have to read this book. It's magical and amazing and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

Let me begin with the fact that I think Russian mythology is great. I regret only that my own people’s mythology could not be preserved in such splendid detail. I grew up with the beginnings of the understanding of Russian folklore at least a little (it’s a neighbouring country) and I found out bits and pieces through other great (non-Russian) fantasy books like Deathless or American Gods. The Bear And The Nightingale only reinforces this feeling! Slavic mythology is great, and I DO want to read more about it.

I also can not believe this was a first book. It’s just so good!

So onto the review. What did I expect from this book? I couldn’t hold back from thinking it would be something like Deathless – a girl, spirited away into the crazy world of beasts and magic, expected to defend herself and clear her own path. But of course, going into the book, I consciously realized that comparing it with another I really liked is by no means a great way to look at a new story. However, I found out it’s absolutely different from Deathless – and that’s great.

We observe Vasya, a Russian girl in the middle ages, growing up. She is not a typical girl, and to be honest, she should have been happier to be born a boy – especially in those days. This is the part of the plot that comes in when the story deals with women’s position in the middle ages – either at the hearth raising babies, or at the coven, hidden away. There was simply no other way to be, and so we learn the cruelty of such a limited existence. Especially if you’re different – like Vasya – a little roguish, a little tomboyish, and.. a little magical.

Vasya has to grow up without a mother. Of course, her father brings her a stepmother – what fairytale does not have one? While she is also ever so slightly magical, these two women are contrasted in how they deal with it. Vasya accepting her gift happily, and Anna only panicking, screaming and running away to hide from what she thinks is her curse.

And so Vasya is shunned by the village, by her stepmother, and pitied by her family. The new strict priest doesn’t help either. Unfortunately, he brings such unrest into the village that people stop observing respectful rites for the old spirits. And slowly, their world tumbles into darkness. I don’t think the author wanted to criticize Christianity so much here – I think she merely wanted to show that if you take people’s belief in the very basis of their existence away, nothing good will come of it. Also, in this critique of the violence of Christianity over other faiths in the middle ages, the author contrasted real faith with broken, fearful faith really well. We see an example of a priest with a very broken spirit and very dark views, but we are also presented with other priestly characters in the story, which are bright and respectful. The author will not tell us what to believe. She will let us choose our own opinion.

So what is this book about? It’s about so many things, so many layers of society and how it works, so many problems in it as well. It’s also about magic and bravery, although I did not mention it in this review. Yes, there’s load of magic and spirits, there’s the evil Bear who symbolizes the evil and greed of the world, and there’s Frost/Death, who is the good guy, as much as demons can be. There’s loads of horses too, and they.. sort of talk. In the end there are even brutal old-Russian style bloodsuckers, which is pretty cool! But for me, that is not what the book is about – those are just the props, so I didn’t talk about them a lot. For those in doubt – it’s a proper fantasy book. And you’ll probably love it! There’s just one thing – don’t expect too much action – this is one of those books where the scene is being set for at least half of the book, steadily darkening the setting. And only when you almost reach the end, you experience the action. It’s also definitely adult fiction, it’s serious and not quirky, no banter or other things common in YA, if you were expecting those. It’s not anything nor the sort. But it is very satisfying, the characters are relatable and the fantasy interwoven into reality so seamlessly you will start looking out for imps in your own back yard.

This was an interesting book based around Russian folklore. This was a completely unknown subject for me, it is great that you can learn something when enjoying a story. makes it even more interesting. Great characters and the descriptive writing made them come to life and be very believable. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

This is very different from my usual genre but I am so glad I gave it a go. I loved it, such a magical book and beautifully written.

The book is set in Russia in medieval times, full of fairytales, myths and legends. A joy to read and I devoured it in just over a day.

I can't wait to read more from this author and hope there is more to follow.

5 stars without a doubt.

Vasya is the daughter of a rich lord allied through marriage to the princes of Moscow, but, although expected to spend her days by the fire perfecting her domestic skills such as sewing or cooking, she'd rather be outside, roaming the forests that surround their home, or spending her time in the stables with the horses. She's also possessed of an unusual gift, inherited from her 'witchwoman' grandmother - the ability to see and talk to the small gods and spirits of hearth, stable, rivers and woods. Some of these are mischievous, leading travellers astray or snatching the young and unwary, but others are helpful, performing chores for their human hosts and guarding against the darker forces that lurk in the forest. But this is a time when the older ways, and belief in these gods, are dying, being replaced by Christianity which would ideally rid the world of such 'demons', and while the smaller domestic spirits are in decline, leaving homesteads unprotected, something evil is growing in strength.


The Bear and the Nightingale is a fabulous, atmospheric blend of history, folk tale, and fantasy, with a real feel for the snowy depths of a Northern Russian winter. It's set in the 12th century, in the area that will become Russia, but which for now is ruled by Rus' princes paying tribute to the Khan of the Golden Horde. It's a time and place of which most readers (like me) will have little knowledge, and the author brings it wonderfully to life. Even for a wealthy family such as Vasya's much of life revolves around farming (at harvest-time everyone has to join in, including her father and the village's priest) and preparing for the long winter; in fact I think winter is as much a character in the book as the humans or spirits. I loved the authors's depiction of a family huddled round their enormous oven, listening to folk tales, sleeping beside and even on top of it, desperately trying to keep warm as temperatures plummet, and, in sharp contrast to that domesticity, the wilds of the forests stretching seemingly for ever in all directions.
The story starts fairly quietly, with emphasis on Vasya's childhood and family, then in the second half the fantasy element becomes stronger, leading to a showdown between the forces of good and evil which threatens the way of life of Vasya and her family.

I picked this book up through Netgalley after seeing the publisher/publicist talk about it on Twitter.I was intrigued by the title, and chose it from the 'blurb' which appealed to me, so I hadn't seen the cover till I came to write this review - somehow to me it isn't a cover which shouts out 'read me', but if you feel the same way, ignore that feeling and read it anyway!

What a beautiful book this is. I'm not usually a great fan of traditional tales or anything involving myths and magic but this tale is enchanting. I was hooked from the first, beautifully written page, pulled into the cold hard winters of Russia and the glimpses of strange creatures with magical powers. It still makes the historical fiction grade to my reckoning but has compelling magic and mystery woven into it. The characters are simply but finely drawn and Vasya, an impish girl who is quickly growing up with strange powers, is delightful. A joy to read, perfect for a winter night.

The best way I can describe this book is to say it's like an epic Russian fairytale. It's hard for me to give this book a rating and be happy with it though. On the one hand, it was awesome and it had lots of adventure and magic in it but on the other hand, I found it quite hard to read at times. This wasn't a book I could sit down and devour and that's not necessarily a bad thing but I did find that reading it was a bit of work. But at the end of the day, I enjoyed it and it was a good book.

I love fairytales, myths and legends and I love adaptations of those too- if you can find a good adaptation that is and this was a good adaptation. Even though I know nothing of the origins of this particular story, I felt like Katherine Arden did a good job. I feel conflicted because although I loved the sound of all the Russian names (they're so beautiful!), it was hard for me to differentiate the main characters at the beginning, the smaller characters throughout the novel and it was hard to distinguish all of the magical creatures at times and that wasn't the book's fault, it was mine. I always have this problem if the names are not familiar to me or if there's a tonne of characters to remember. Although it was hard to differentiate the characters because of their names, Arden did a really good job at making the characters different. Sometimes when reading a book it's hard to tell characters apart because they all blend in together but all of Arden's characters were three-dimensional and very different. I loved the characters and I especially loved the Vladimirovich family. They faced a lot of hardships but they were still close even when they weren't necessarily near each other. I loved Vasilia as a character. Everyone was always telling her what she should and shouldn't do but she just did what she wanted and she did what she considered to be right. It would have been easier for her to just submit to what society wanted but she never gave in. Even though times have changed nowadays (for example women don't only have two choices for their life- wife or nun), society still puts pressure on people to follow the norm and it's hard to step outside of that but you should always stay true to yourself and tell society where to shove it. I just think Vasilia is a great character for younger girls especially so they see you don't always have to do what society deems appropriate, be true to yourself and make your own destiny.

I liked the story. It was very interesting at the start and very good at the end but it kind of dropped off a bit in the middle. I guess it was building up for the end but I found it a teeny bit too slow. The pacing was also quite steady, there wasn't anything too fast paced but I enjoyed it. The writing was very flowery and I enjoyed it but not as much as I enjoy simpler writing styles. It's not you Katherine, it's me! But I can't deny she is a good writer, her words paint a very detailed and elaborate picture of the scenery, the characters and the story.

I think this book will be massive and it rightly should be. I would 100% recommend it and I would definitely read more by Katherine Arden.

*I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"She is braver and wilder than any of my sons. But what good is that in a woman?"

"But though she sat a long time, the tears would not come. There was only a hollow place inside her, and a great silence."

This book has many hallmarks of a traditional fairy tale – out-of-place maiden, wicked stepmother, good and evil spirits wrestling for lives, heroic mysterious stranger … and is based around many Russian/Slavik folklore stories. The story takes place in the wild forested countryside of Russia, where there seems to be perpetual winter. Even though the story covers many years and supposedly seasons, the feeling is always of unending cold.
It is a tale about the battle for souls between the new world of Christianity, and the old world of house (domovoi) and stable (vazila) sprites, water (rusalka) and tree (leshy) nymphs, the Frost King (Morozko) and the Bear. It contrasts the fear of eternal damnation and unquestioning belief espoused by the Church, and the giving of thanks for continued life and protection of the old gods. In many old mythologies life comes at a cost – a sacrifice in exchange for good crops, fortune, freedom from starvation, ill health etc. Here it is the crumbs of bread and sips of milk left for the domovoi and vazila in return for a protected hearth and stable, human friendship for the rusalka and leshy. The village people all used to understand this give-and-take as an essential part of their existence, even though they could not see the supernatural beings surrounding them. But with the arrival of the devout new wife, Anna, and the crusading priest, Konstantin, religious fear takes over and the donations stop. Terrified Anna can see the sprites, believing them to be evil demons, from whom only Christ can save her. Konstantin believes he is on a mission from God to stamp out the heretical superstitions of the villagers. Only young Vasya knows that ignoring the old ways will bring death and destruction to all, and she continues to feed the sprites, while the villagers condemn her more and more vocally as a witch.
The story is also about one’s place in society. As an aristocratic young maiden, Vasya is destined to marry and bear many sons, or to be locked up in a convent, neither of which appeals to her. She should avert her gaze, and be submissive in her dealings with men. However, Vasya is wild, loves the cold outdoors, riding spirited horses, and looks all men straight in the eye. Clear signs of her witchy ways, which Konstantin vows to subdue.
Soon battle lines are drawn and danger reaches right into the households. The undead vampiric upyry and the evil Bear are on the move, and an ultimate sacrifice is required.
The tale is entrancing and bewitching, swinging along at an ever-increasing pace until the inevitable ending is reached. The story is an old-style fairy tale – Grimm rather than Hans Christian Anderson or Perrault – serving up warnings about ill-judged actions rather than a happily-ever-after scenario.
Shiver in the unrelenting cold, and enjoy!

Based on Russian history and folklore, this is a beautifully written and atmospheric story that I liked a lot. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite wow me as much as I had hoped it would but it’s definitely one I’d recommend as it could be the beginning of a very interesting series.

When I first finished this book I really couldn’t make up my mind about it and even now a few days later I’m still not sure. As a lover of fairytales, magic and tales of things that go bump in the night and lurk in the woods it should have been the perfect read for me. However, while I liked it a lot I found it to be missing that special something that would take it from good to great.

It is a beautifully written story. The author does a magnificent job of transporting you to a magical and wild land in medieval Russia. The writing is so evocative you almost feel like you are there, huddling around the fire, travelling across the cold and snowy wilderness or visiting the market and palaces of Moscow.

The characters are also very well created and believable and there is a unique and captivating story in there but for me it was missing the emotion I needed to really connect to it. When I was reading on the way home from work after a long day I found my attention wandering and had to re read certain pages more than once before I took it in.

This lack of emotion and connection to any of the characters was due, I believe, to the constantly switching point of view from one character to another. It moves from father to mother to nanny to Grand Prince to priest and on and on. I found this particularly bad in the first half of the book where I actually started to wonder who the main character was, if there was one and where it was all going. I also struggled a little with the different names used for the same character. I understand that this is accurate for the time and place and that the author had tried to make it easy for the English reader but I still found myself getting confused at times with so many different characters and so many names.

As a result of the switching focus and insight into each of the different characters the story felt quite slow in the beginning. It did give a real sense of time and place which was fascinating in some ways but I did feel like a lot of it could have been covered much faster without so many characters. I probably would have cut a whole part where the father visits Moscow as it didn’t really add much and I was close to giving up.

Thankfully however the story does turn around. There is a lot more focus on Vasilisa and the strange events that start to occur in the village where she lives. Vasilisa is a very likeable character. An outcast in the village due to some very unique abilities, she’s brave, a little wild and not cut out for the options available to her at that time (marriage or a convent). I loved almost every chapter she was in, I just wish the author had stuck with her and the events around her throughout.

The pacing of the story was a little bit off for me, too slow in the beginning and too fast at the end but it is a good story. It is the first in a trilogy so I think there is some real potential. I will definitely be giving the next book in the series a try.

I think whether you love this book or not will come down to why you read. If you’re looking for a beautifully written and vivid world with a slow building story and a mix of Russian history and folklore I think you’ll love this book. Unfortunately for me, while I could appreciate it, I didn’t love it.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. As always all views are my own.

Review to be posted live on 16th January, 13:00pm London time.

The Bear and the Nightingale is an enthralling, slow-moving Russian fairytale about a lethal and deadly winter demon (Jack Frost) and a young woman of power battling a demon bear of the forest. It’s a tale as old as time; good v evil, though the deadly winter demon, Morozko, is far from good (he’s darn scary and badass). The story is richly steeped in religious tones, as magical spirits of old and legend start to fade as the worship of Christianity grows in Vasya’s village, aided by the dangerous fervour and manipulations of Father Konstantin.

As I mentioned above, The Bear and Nightingale is slow. The battle has been foreshadowed from when Vasya was a babe, so it’s not until well into the second half of the book that Vasya comes of age and becomes truly aware of her destiny. Vasya is strong-willed and independent. She is the baby of the family, and seems to do everything wrong. She is reminded constantly from how others react to her behaviour how different she is from the rest of her family and village. She’s also casually beaten by her father for her wilful transgressions, which I have no doubt was a norm back in the medieval days.

She’s determined to have and live her own life, which is very much against what her father wants, and they constantly have a battle of the wills between the two of them. Her village helps shape and creates the way forward in which the demon Bear, Medved, comes into existence by Father Konstantin, who is sent to the village with Vasya’s new step-mother.

Vasya is constantly under the beady and lustful eye of Father Konstantin, and she is emotionally and physically abused by her-stepmother. Her father has lost his way since the death of Vasya’s mother, but Vasya has her Grandmother and her brother Sasha, who I can’t wait to read more about in the following books. So while the driving force is the oncoming battle between Frost and his evil brother Bear, it’s also a story of a family that’s gone through death and separations in an age of famine and poverty.

I would say those who read Uprooted will enjoy this dark fairytale, though the two stories are vastly different in tone, with religion playing a centre role in The Bear and the Nightingale. Christianity isn’t shown in the best of light in this story, as it’s used as part of the antagonist with Bear. As more people worship Christianity, the old spirits start to fade away, and the more Bear grows until he is finally awakened. But it is counterbalanced by Vasya’s older brother, who becomes a monk. This book shows how religion can be centered on love and kindness, but it’s also manipulated and used for hate.

There’s no romantic elements per say, but towards the end as Morozko and Vasya unite, there is a hint of something. While I wished there was a romance, I was happy there was at least a little something. Once I found out this is the first book of a series, the ending makes a lot more sense, as Vasya’s power and her ancestry is hinted at but never revealed. For most of the book I couldn’t figure out why a Nightingale was in the title and when it was revealed in the end it felt a little-too-late, though the surprise has left me wanting more. Sorry. Spoilers.

All in all this was a very enjoyable book and though at times I wished the story picked up speed much sooner and there was more fantasy, Vasya and Morozko and her family, especially Sasha, glued me to the pages until very late in the early morning and I cannot wait until the next book.

I give The Bear and the Nightingale a B+

This book is outside my usual genres but I loved it. It is an adult folk/fairy story based on the Russian fables and it is extremely well told and well written. The characters have some complicated names, and some Russian words are used but there is a key. It is also lovely to read a book with a strong female lead. Vasya is the only one in her village initially able to see and interact with the magic spirits that she has seen everywhere since she was small. A fascinating, well written story, which is well worth reading, especially on a snowy winter's evening.

I liked this book and I REALLY wanted to love it. The writing was superb and the story was hard to put down. The issue I had was that the story didn't really go anywhere. If you're going to spend 2/3rds of the book giving a back story then the last third better be awesome, and it just wasn't, it fell a little flat for me and ended very abruptly with many loose ends (maybe a second book picks this up again, I don't know). Disappointment aside it was still an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from the author.

The story made me travel back in time and feel 5 years old again! You know, the age when you’ve slowly started reading on your own but still love it when adults read you out loud your favourite fairy tales? Exactly how I felt! Because all the creatures mentioned in the book: russalka, domovoi, lechiy - I used to believe in them and hear stories full of familiar creatures.

tI absolutely loved the usage of Russian words throughout the story. Some words are just difficult to translate and even if you do well, they might still lose their original taste and meaning. I wonder though, if these words confused any of you (non-russian) so you had to constantly check the glossary at the back of the book?

The story was not a light hearted fairy tale I must say! There were darker things, evil creatures lurking around, in dark corners, under the stove, or maybe even under your bed. (are you scared yet? because I sure was at some points of the book! SPOOKY)

Will there be a sequel?? Because I was left with so many question marks in my head! There were so many things that weren't completely explained. All I know is I AM IN A DESPERATE NEED FOR MORE!

When I first heard about this book I was utterly enchanted by the premise of it. It was actually sold to me because someone at the publishers said it reminded them of The Tale of Two Brothers from The Deathly Hallows. Do I agree with that analysis? I can’t completely remember it but it does seem apt, as do the comparisons in the summary. It does have elements from Uprooted and The Night Circus but only in the sense that it has magical writing which will enchant you. It’s a book I’ve been thinking on and it’s utterly magical and enchanting and it even has a bit of history in it too!

This is a fantasy book which is grounded in the real world and history and it’s all based on Slavic mythology. There is a disclaimer at the beginning about Arden playing a bit fast and loose with translations (there isn’t continuity with how her translations are done) and she has taken a bit of artistic license with Russian history (she admits that Prince Vladimir Andreevich was actually a few years younger than Dmitrii Ivanovich but she switched and made him older instead) but this is mostly due to it being a poorly documented period in history so she was able to make these liberties. The fact she put this disclaimer at the beginning of the book (at least in the version I read) was great because I like to know not to expect everything at face value.

Really, this book can most closely be compared to Daughter of the Forest for me as it is set in the past in a period of history people may not know well and it draws on the areas own mythology to create the world. The way Vasya grew up wild with a large collection of brothers and how she was so closely connected with nature just instantly reminded me of that book. For many that would be a drawback, I mean that is the pinnacle of well-done fantasy, but for me, this was a good thing. For a new book to remind me so much of a classic was excellent because it never felt like it was copying it, instead, it was a coincidence. It was simply as well written and researched as that and you could feel that in the writing.

And the fantasy elements of this book were amazing. I know nothing of Slavic mythology but I recognised things like Baba Yaga but the actual folk tales in the book were new to me. As were things like banniks, domovoi and leshy. This characters of folktales were brought to life and introduced to me in such an interesting way. I was hooked with how they were described and explained and I loved how it seemed genuine. I won’t spoil how they are featured in the book but I did love the originality of it.

Look, this book wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for me. I had some serious doubts when I first began reading. This book is one I was actually reading for far longer than my Goodreads dates shows. I began reading during a book slump (bad plan, I know) hoping to end the slump. Instead, the slow pacing at the beginning of this actually made me doubt myself. Add in the fact that the POV switches a lot throughout the book which led to me feeling a little disconnected from the characters to start off and I thought I was in with a recipe for disaster. I struggled and it was about two weeks before I got into the story. It wasn’t until I was 20% in on Sunday that I was hooked and then I sped through it Sunday night just having to finish.

Once you’re hooked you’re a goner, but getting that point was hard. The story was slow, I couldn’t see the fantasy elements I had been promised and I seriously didn’t get why I should care about any of these characters. I mean, at all. To say me and this book began badly is an understatement. I got there, though. And when I did it was love.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about this and I have to say, even with the slow start and the fact I was confused and distant from the characters for a good long time I’ve still got to say it was amazing. Like, really good. The fact this book chose to spend a long time setting the scene and doing some world building isn’t a bad thing, especially as it was a culture and a history I knew little about so I needed the explanation. I adored Vasya and her rebellious nature and the fact good and evil were so closely intertwined and all came down to small decisions by characters which affected their path. I liked the introduction to new mythology and history and I liked the whole rural Russian world we were introduced to. I would happily buy this for friends and family and I wouldn’t feel bad recommending because I know what to warn folks about but know also that if they can make it through the slow start they will be rewarded with a really good book.