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A review by sminismoni
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
4.0
A Russian Fairytale
A highly entertaining blend of folk tale and fantasy, a fairytale set in the icy wilderness of medieval Russia. Despite a slow, conventional start it begins to grip you and build in mystery and magic. One message is that the definition of evil is in the eye of the beholder. Witches, priests, enchanted stallions, sprites and hearth gods all make an appearance. Their motives are complex and contradictory; allegiance is often only determined by the best current chance of survival. The only downfall is the rather rushed ending, with a neat finish in which everyone seems to get what they want. But I suppose that is the nature of fairytales.....
A highly entertaining blend of folk tale and fantasy, a fairytale set in the icy wilderness of medieval Russia. Despite a slow, conventional start it begins to grip you and build in mystery and magic. One message is that the definition of evil is in the eye of the beholder. Witches, priests, enchanted stallions, sprites and hearth gods all make an appearance. Their motives are complex and contradictory; allegiance is often only determined by the best current chance of survival. The only downfall is the rather rushed ending, with a neat finish in which everyone seems to get what they want. But I suppose that is the nature of fairytales.....