A review by lrpfalz
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
5.0
The Bear and the Nightingale is a compelling novel set deep in the heart of medieval Russia, where superstitions take on corporeal form and where everything is really not as it seems...
I really loved this book. Not only does it portray the mythology and history (mixed in with fantasy, of course) of Russia, which I have certainly never experienced before, but Arden's prose is poetic, earthy, and true. I literally read this book in a day and a half, because I just couldn't put it down. It's a great book to read in the middle of winter, too, because a lot of it is set in the dead of winter, which has its own eerie, mystical qualities.
The feminist in me was cheering as the main character, Vasya, chose to forge her own path and let no one limit her by the standards of women in the medieval era. She has a gift, the Sight, so she can see things, like the domovoi, a house spirit who lives in the hearth and protects the house from supernatural invaders. Because of that, people begin to see her as a witch and she is pursued by two very different supernatural creatures, the Winter King, and his brother, the Bear.
If you want a read that is slightly scary, beautifully written, and will give you a greater understanding of a different sort of mythology than the ones we're used to, then this book will surely be one of your new favorites, too. Also, if you love horses as much as I do, you'll enjoy this book even more!
I really loved this book. Not only does it portray the mythology and history (mixed in with fantasy, of course) of Russia, which I have certainly never experienced before, but Arden's prose is poetic, earthy, and true. I literally read this book in a day and a half, because I just couldn't put it down. It's a great book to read in the middle of winter, too, because a lot of it is set in the dead of winter, which has its own eerie, mystical qualities.
The feminist in me was cheering as the main character, Vasya, chose to forge her own path and let no one limit her by the standards of women in the medieval era. She has a gift, the Sight, so she can see things, like the domovoi, a house spirit who lives in the hearth and protects the house from supernatural invaders. Because of that, people begin to see her as a witch and she is pursued by two very different supernatural creatures, the Winter King, and his brother, the Bear.
If you want a read that is slightly scary, beautifully written, and will give you a greater understanding of a different sort of mythology than the ones we're used to, then this book will surely be one of your new favorites, too. Also, if you love horses as much as I do, you'll enjoy this book even more!