A review by jonwesleyhuff
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

4.0

I loved this book overall. I’m a fan of folktales, so I was inclined to like it anyway. But the story is so expertly told. I found it involving right from the start, with well-rendered characters that certainly took inspiration from folklore elements we’re familiar with but then added a modern character depth to them. I was very close to giving this 5 stars. If I could give 4.5 I would. The only thing that held me back was the end. Don’t get me wrong, overall it’s satisfying. But after so much careful buildup it seemed just a smidge too pat.