skitch41's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Blood
christiepb's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
As someone who knows next to nothing about Russian folklore I absolutely loved this book; I have seen other reviews from more knowledgeable people who didn’t like the artistic license taken (which I get). However I think it’s a sign of a good story when I am sad that it ended and wish there was a second instalment!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, War, and Violence
cookiecat73's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, War, Xenophobia, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Classism, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Animal cruelty, Grief, Sexism, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, Vomit, Self harm, Sexual content, Animal death, and Child abuse
tamara_joy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Genocide
Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Miscarriage, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Grief, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Violence
antimony's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
reminder to my future self that if a book mentions someone vying for power in the summary i will not enjoy myself while reading it. even if it has baba yaga. i don't like reading about nobility i don't like fantasy politics i don't like strategizing and battles and war. and the romance was nonsense it felt like ya-levels of fake and shoehorned. sorry!
the feminism also felt like very ya. like yaga oftentimes felt like when people try to write feminism into their historical fiction but give the character a very modern view of things instead of a view that would fit into the times while still wanting a better life for women. AND she spends so long talking about how she doesn't want to get married, she doesn't need a man, marriage is just a way for her to be trapped, and then falls in instalove with a guy she has no chemistry with and gets pregnant and gets married and has a kid and is obsessed with this man for no reason. and no one has any personality!!!! :(
additionally . how in the world was this so slow for covering a timeline of twenty years :/ so maybe it was boring on its own not just because of the war.
ALSO what olesya salnikova gilmore wanted to do with subverting baba yaga stories that were told by christians to make her into an evil witch instead of a nice healer with pagan roots was like. nice idea i guess. but to be perfectly honest. i love evil baba yaga that eats kids and has skulls on her house etc. and there was not nearly enough time spent with her house i love her house :( and this did not feel like it was about baba yaga at ALL!
the feminism also felt like very ya. like yaga oftentimes felt like when people try to write feminism into their historical fiction but give the character a very modern view of things instead of a view that would fit into the times while still wanting a better life for women. AND she spends so long talking about how she doesn't want to get married, she doesn't need a man, marriage is just a way for her to be trapped, and then falls in instalove with a guy she has no chemistry with and gets pregnant and gets married and has a kid and is obsessed with this man for no reason. and no one has any personality!!!! :(
additionally . how in the world was this so slow for covering a timeline of twenty years :/ so maybe it was boring on its own not just because of the war.
ALSO what olesya salnikova gilmore wanted to do with subverting baba yaga stories that were told by christians to make her into an evil witch instead of a nice healer with pagan roots was like. nice idea i guess. but to be perfectly honest. i love evil baba yaga that eats kids and has skulls on her house etc. and there was not nearly enough time spent with her house i love her house :( and this did not feel like it was about baba yaga at ALL!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
pvbobrien's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Religious bigotry, Blood, Pregnancy, War, and Grief
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Misogyny
rhi_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, War, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny, Animal death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Torture, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
eegekay's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, War, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Child death, Blood, and Murder
taranim's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the UK publisher, who gave me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
—
”When my owl landed on my shoulder, I knew heartbreak wasn’t far behind.”
The Witch and the Tsar is a fantasy-infused historical fiction, and a feminist take on the Baba Yaga myth. It follows Yaga, an immortal half-goddess who lives in seclusion from mortals, having been shunned by them for being a ‘witch’. She is pulled out of her seclusion by her dear friend Tsarista Anastasia, who Yaga suspects is being poisoned at court. Soon Yaga learns that there is more to these suspicious poisonings than meets the eye, and that she may be key to stopping them - and saving the future of Russia. Set before, during and after the reign of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, The Witch and the Tsar is as brutal as it is magical. I’d recommend reading the trigger warnings before you pick it up.
I did like reading this book, but I get the feeling that I did because I am not as familiar with the original tale of Baba Yaga. I have only heard the name in passing, knowing only that she was an evil witch figure from Russian and Slavic folklore. I will say the author touches on the folklore both in the narrative and in the following author’s note. I appreciate what she was trying to do. I also understand why people would not like what she was trying to do. Personally, it was okay for me because I decided early on that this character was only loosely inspired by Baba Yaga and ran with it. I also thought it was a clever idea to portray the crone image as a lie spread about Yaga by those following the Christian Orthodox Church, portraying that tension between pagan and Christian traditions.
That said, it would have been great to see, instead of creating a new version, what the author could have done in humanising the terrifying witch that has become so infamous in folklore. It probably would have been a more interesting book, especially since Yaga in this book is not the strongest lead. She does read, as other reviewers have pointed out, more like the stereotypical YA heroine than a centuries old immortal being.
The pacing of this also threw me off. The book spans multiple decades, skipping years at length when Yaga goes into hiding or she lives peacefully between battles. You would have multiple chapters detailing the events of a week, and then in one chapter you would move forward eight years in time. I won’t say that it didn’t work in forwarding the narrative effectively, but it was jarring. It also meant that I did not connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. I liked a lot of them, especially Marya and Vasily, but beyond that I felt no strong connection to them. Similarly, I did not feel that the villains were scary themselves, though their acts were horrific.
I did like the writing style in terms of language and description. The author’s descriptions of the landscapes and scenes that Yaga witnesses are vivid and at times quite graphic. It was easy to get lost in her writing to this end, which I loved. I also liked when the author included Russian in the text, as it made me as a reader feel a little closer to the world that she had created. Something about a second language being included in a text in this way really appeals to me as a reader.
I also liked the more magical elements of this book for what they were. I knew nothing of the magical rituals described in the text or the Russian and Slavic gods, so I enjoyed learning more about them in the story and the glossary at the back. It was cool to see how the author incorporated these elements into the text. I wish in hindsight that we had gotten more of this. This is why I enjoyed the interlude scenes, as short as they were. They provided insight into the gods and the more magical aspects of the story, and they were fun to read.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, but maybe to someone who doesn’t know much about Russian folklore or Baba Yaga as she exists in the myths. It’s a fun read but I think the portrayal of Yaga in this book would not appeal those looking for the evil hag of folkloric tradition.
—
”When my owl landed on my shoulder, I knew heartbreak wasn’t far behind.”
The Witch and the Tsar is a fantasy-infused historical fiction, and a feminist take on the Baba Yaga myth. It follows Yaga, an immortal half-goddess who lives in seclusion from mortals, having been shunned by them for being a ‘witch’. She is pulled out of her seclusion by her dear friend Tsarista Anastasia, who Yaga suspects is being poisoned at court. Soon Yaga learns that there is more to these suspicious poisonings than meets the eye, and that she may be key to stopping them - and saving the future of Russia. Set before, during and after the reign of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, The Witch and the Tsar is as brutal as it is magical. I’d recommend reading the trigger warnings before you pick it up.
I did like reading this book, but I get the feeling that I did because I am not as familiar with the original tale of Baba Yaga. I have only heard the name in passing, knowing only that she was an evil witch figure from Russian and Slavic folklore. I will say the author touches on the folklore both in the narrative and in the following author’s note. I appreciate what she was trying to do. I also understand why people would not like what she was trying to do. Personally, it was okay for me because I decided early on that this character was only loosely inspired by Baba Yaga and ran with it. I also thought it was a clever idea to portray the crone image as a lie spread about Yaga by those following the Christian Orthodox Church, portraying that tension between pagan and Christian traditions.
That said, it would have been great to see, instead of creating a new version, what the author could have done in humanising the terrifying witch that has become so infamous in folklore. It probably would have been a more interesting book, especially since Yaga in this book is not the strongest lead. She does read, as other reviewers have pointed out, more like the stereotypical YA heroine than a centuries old immortal being.
The pacing of this also threw me off. The book spans multiple decades, skipping years at length when Yaga goes into hiding or she lives peacefully between battles. You would have multiple chapters detailing the events of a week, and then in one chapter you would move forward eight years in time. I won’t say that it didn’t work in forwarding the narrative effectively, but it was jarring. It also meant that I did not connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. I liked a lot of them, especially Marya and Vasily, but beyond that I felt no strong connection to them. Similarly, I did not feel that the villains were scary themselves, though their acts were horrific.
I did like the writing style in terms of language and description. The author’s descriptions of the landscapes and scenes that Yaga witnesses are vivid and at times quite graphic. It was easy to get lost in her writing to this end, which I loved. I also liked when the author included Russian in the text, as it made me as a reader feel a little closer to the world that she had created. Something about a second language being included in a text in this way really appeals to me as a reader.
I also liked the more magical elements of this book for what they were. I knew nothing of the magical rituals described in the text or the Russian and Slavic gods, so I enjoyed learning more about them in the story and the glossary at the back. It was cool to see how the author incorporated these elements into the text. I wish in hindsight that we had gotten more of this. This is why I enjoyed the interlude scenes, as short as they were. They provided insight into the gods and the more magical aspects of the story, and they were fun to read.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, but maybe to someone who doesn’t know much about Russian folklore or Baba Yaga as she exists in the myths. It’s a fun read but I think the portrayal of Yaga in this book would not appeal those looking for the evil hag of folkloric tradition.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment and Grief
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
A powerfully poignant and compelling debut that delves into the rich tapestry of Russian Folklore and presents a fascinatingly refreshing (and feminist) exploration into the oft-vilified witch of legend, Baba Yaga. Presenting us with a wise and courageous woman willing to defy the gods (and Ivan the Terrible) in order to save her people from tyranny.
As a half goddess in possession of magic, Yaga is used to being alone, especially when her previous encounters with mortals led to nothing but betrayal and heartbreak. Now she lives in the safety of her hut in the woods, where only those in need of her healing magic can seek her out—even if they do spread falsehoods about her wielding dark magic and wicked intent.
However, when an old friend Anastasia (now the wife of the Tsar) shows up with symptoms of a strange illness and begging for help, Yaga descends back into the world of mortals once more. For the kindhearted Tsaritsa’s life seems linked to the very fate of Russia itself—and Yaga is determined to do anything to protect it.
But, in travelling to Moscow Yaga realises the city’s on the brink of chaos and destruction. Tsar Ivan (the soon to be dubbed Ivan the Terrible) grows more volatile and violent by the day, as Yaga believes the tsaritsa’s illness is linked to poisoning. What Yaga can’t know is that Ivan is being manipulated by beings far older than Yaga could’ve imagined, and they’re plan rests solely on the tsar’s increasingly violent tendencies.
This was such an immersive read, and much like Madeline Miller and Jennifer Saint have done with their feminist reimaginings of maligned and oft-ignored women in Greek mythology, Olesya Salnikova Gilmore has presented us with a bright, courageous and compelling woman whose story I didn’t want to put down!
I loved how very different this portrayal of Yaga was compared to the malicious, child eating witch of legend and really enjoyed the vulnerability and emotional complexity that is woven in her character. I also loved her sharp wit and how easily she manages to take control of a situation—especially when she manages to intimidate and send even the most hardened of soldiers scurrying. But, it was Yaga’s softer side that really endeared her to me, and made her feel all the more real (and human) to me.
In fact, most of the characters we encounter alongside Yaga are multifaceted, flawed and full of an incredible depth that I really enjoyed. Even Koshey the Deathless (the villain of many a folktale himself) was embued with an endearing dose of humanity and tragedy that had me sympathising with him a little by the end.
The world building was also impressively detailed and perfectly blends history and mythology to create a rich and sweepingly immersive experience that truly captures the essence of life in 16th C Russia.
The folkloric fantasy elements were especially well done and, when paired with real historical events and places, really brought the vast culture and traditions of Russia, it’s history and the vast folkloric heritage of the region to life.
I especially liked to duality of light and dark that plays a vital role in the narrative (good and evil, life and death, light and dark) and is symbolic for the complex and dual nature of being human.
Overall, a delicately woven and gorgeously enchanting debut that historical fiction lovers, fans of fierce and loveable warrior witches or Madeline Miller and Elizabeth Arden are bound to enjoy.
Though, I do warn that given the rather brutal themes and events (which involve war, violence and death-some of which is based on actual events) I do advise checking out the TWs before picking this up.
Also, a huge thank you to Random Things Tours and Harper Voyager UK for this absolutely gorgeous finished copy.
As a half goddess in possession of magic, Yaga is used to being alone, especially when her previous encounters with mortals led to nothing but betrayal and heartbreak. Now she lives in the safety of her hut in the woods, where only those in need of her healing magic can seek her out—even if they do spread falsehoods about her wielding dark magic and wicked intent.
However, when an old friend Anastasia (now the wife of the Tsar) shows up with symptoms of a strange illness and begging for help, Yaga descends back into the world of mortals once more. For the kindhearted Tsaritsa’s life seems linked to the very fate of Russia itself—and Yaga is determined to do anything to protect it.
But, in travelling to Moscow Yaga realises the city’s on the brink of chaos and destruction. Tsar Ivan (the soon to be dubbed Ivan the Terrible) grows more volatile and violent by the day, as Yaga believes the tsaritsa’s illness is linked to poisoning. What Yaga can’t know is that Ivan is being manipulated by beings far older than Yaga could’ve imagined, and they’re plan rests solely on the tsar’s increasingly violent tendencies.
This was such an immersive read, and much like Madeline Miller and Jennifer Saint have done with their feminist reimaginings of maligned and oft-ignored women in Greek mythology, Olesya Salnikova Gilmore has presented us with a bright, courageous and compelling woman whose story I didn’t want to put down!
I loved how very different this portrayal of Yaga was compared to the malicious, child eating witch of legend and really enjoyed the vulnerability and emotional complexity that is woven in her character. I also loved her sharp wit and how easily she manages to take control of a situation—especially when she manages to intimidate and send even the most hardened of soldiers scurrying. But, it was Yaga’s softer side that really endeared her to me, and made her feel all the more real (and human) to me.
In fact, most of the characters we encounter alongside Yaga are multifaceted, flawed and full of an incredible depth that I really enjoyed. Even Koshey the Deathless (the villain of many a folktale himself) was embued with an endearing dose of humanity and tragedy that had me sympathising with him a little by the end.
The world building was also impressively detailed and perfectly blends history and mythology to create a rich and sweepingly immersive experience that truly captures the essence of life in 16th C Russia.
The folkloric fantasy elements were especially well done and, when paired with real historical events and places, really brought the vast culture and traditions of Russia, it’s history and the vast folkloric heritage of the region to life.
I especially liked to duality of light and dark that plays a vital role in the narrative (good and evil, life and death, light and dark) and is symbolic for the complex and dual nature of being human.
Overall, a delicately woven and gorgeously enchanting debut that historical fiction lovers, fans of fierce and loveable warrior witches or Madeline Miller and Elizabeth Arden are bound to enjoy.
Though, I do warn that given the rather brutal themes and events (which involve war, violence and death-some of which is based on actual events) I do advise checking out the TWs before picking this up.
Also, a huge thank you to Random Things Tours and Harper Voyager UK for this absolutely gorgeous finished copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and War
Moderate: Murder, Religious bigotry, and Grief
Minor: Animal death and Death of parent