The Bear and the Nightingale

Fantastic emotional color!

I had been meaning to read this book for some time, so I'm glad that I finally got around to it. The book was very whimsical and fantastical, but also dark and bleak at times. It has the feel of a fairy tale, but without the predictiveness and formularity. I really enjoyed the setting and the characters.

Very atmospheric wintery book with a fairy tale vibe. Especially loving the Slavic and russian mythology. The Narrator was very good with her Russian accent

I liked it a lot.

There were certain parts I would have done differently... for example, it would have been better if the household had taught Anna what the house spirits were and how to honor them... but then the book would not have been the same.

The Bear and the Nightingale gets off to a great start. Right away, Katherine Arden transports the reader to the frigid Russian landscape. The setting is breathtaking, to think back on any moment of this novel brings forth a recollection of seeing my own breath. That's how wonderfully the author draws the setting. And nowhere in these three hundred pages does she relent. This is a story that will have you reaching for an extra blanket.

Arden also excels in creating characters with as much color and character as the setting. Vasya, Pyotr, and Sasha are all endearing and intriguing in their own ways. Even the characters that could easily fall into stereotypes are given some depth, characters like Konstantin, the village priest, and Anna, the stepmother who is perceived as being insane. These are not the clichés you often find in the genre.

Arden builds upon the fairy tales and magical realism she establishes early in the story until it begins to steer the story. And this is where perhaps my own particular biases kept me from fully enjoying this story. I like a little magic in any story, but I only go so far with it. Fantasy is not, nor has ever been, my thing. When the plot began to be driven by more fantastic elements, I became a bit bored. Mythical creatures fighting in a forest—yawn—haven't I seen this all before?

Certainly, The Bear and the Nightingale brought to mind The Chronicles of Narnia series. While C.S. Lewis's series was intended for a younger audience and was based on a Christian perspective, Arden's novel is much more mature and is focused on mythic traditions and an affinity for nature. The beauty of Arden's framework and of her prose is unparalleled, however. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

The cover is what first drew me to this book, months ago when I added it to my GR wishlist. Soon after I heard it was inspired by Russian folklore, which only intrigued me further. Some reviews came in from GR and YT, which made me more and more interested. Finally, I was gifted a gorgeous edition for Christmas and decided to pick The Bear and the Nightingale up after at least a year.

This is a fantastical historical fiction novel set in 14th century Russia. I found the fairy tale-esque writing style to be captivating and really set the tone of the story well. The book follows Vasya, a young girl who can see spirits in the world around her. This greatly complicates her life as she grows older and becomes one of the only people in her village to believe. Branded a witch, Vasya has to step up and protect her family from dangers only she knows exist.

I was surprised by the length of this tale, as I was reading it as an ebook borrowed from the library and could not see the thickness of the novel in my hands. So much happens in this book, it's almost impossible to recount it all.

I found this book enchanting, and it gave me the same feelings as reading North Child by Edith Pattou. It would be fair to say that the worldbuilding and atmosphere are really what set this book apart from others. While Vasya as a character was admirable and inspires a lot of love from the reader, the cold and creepy atmosphere that creeps in throughout the book kept me absorbed in the pages as I read.

This is an entertaining story it seems like a mixture of Russian fairy tale and a horror story. The characters are strong and likable. The beginning was a little difficult to get into but the book results and an exciting and twisted plot.

I was unfortunately a little disappointed with this novel. I don't usually read much high fantasy or magical realism and I tried to read this as it is highly regarded and full of magical realism. I found the world building pretty strong and it made me want to try more magical realism in the future. However this story I felt became really dragged out. I didn't connect with many of the characters and I know that in terms of fantasy, world building takes precedent over character development but I didn't end up connecting with the main character and so the magical elements fell flat and I didn't feel the impending danger as emotionally as I should have done. Also I felt that there were too many magical things just thrown into the mix to move the plot forward like the walking dead, water sprites, a bear demon and a wind figure that is death and the terrible battle at the end just left me feeling meh instead of heartbroken as I was meant to feel. So overall a great idea and a good writer but a middle of the road reading experience for me.

Let me start by saying Katherine Arden is a really nice person who even comes into town a day early for conventions because local bookstores tweet at her to come visit. Really cool person who has clearly done a ton of research into Russian mythology and folklore. Definitely my favorite part of the book is the coexistence of household spirits and Christianity. I think a lot of stories end up firmly on one side or the other, but Arden's story (while clearly supportive of the chyerti) firmly favors the idea that both can be true.

Anna is the most interesting character in my opinion. The difference in being born with the Sight and told “these are normal things” and “these are demons” is portrayed with skill and makes her a fascinating if tragic character. Honestly, I'd reread this story from her perspective.

While it was a slow starter (I see Arden setting up Russian politics for the second book, but it was hard to get through to actually hear Vasya's beginning), I think this is one of those books aimed at a YA audience that successfully translates for older readers. Not sure when I'll get to the sequel, but it was a fun read reminiscent of Tamara Pierce with a Russian twist.

A beautiful, dark tale

This a fantasy story that will last through the ages. Recommended for fans of fairy tales, Russian folklore, strong heroines, and strong family dymanics.

I really like the conflict between the old and new beliefs, but can someone explain to me how the Russian name thing works? That always screws with my reading of Russian novels.

Well, if that wasn't the perfect YA book than I don't know what could aspire to such title. Of course, it is just my personal opinion, but I'm a little bit in awe.

It is not a long book, but the story is stretched over 14 years. Can you imagine that? Not your usual YA novel. And I can only sing praises on how good it has been accomplished. The plot is rich with the details, but it is also fast-paced and gripping.

What's more, we get so many characters here. Some of them good. Some not so much. But all good written nonetheless. I really loved that we've got a point of view changed a few times in a chapter, it never let me get bored. But what I liked the most - all of them were reasonable. There wasn't hatred just for the hatred - they all had their reasons.

As for the main character, I'm just want to stand and applaud. Can you imagine the book, where a girl is truly not concerned what she looks like? Well, you don't need to imagine it anymore. Here is the book about such a girl. And even more. She is brave, but she is not stupidly brave. She has a brain and even knows how to use it. But you know what is even more surprising? She knows where it is better to stop talking.

One more good thing about this book - there wasn't a love triangle. To tell the truth, the romance is practically non-existent here, except for a tiny hint at it closer to the end of the book. However, I liked it that way as there were enough troubles without additional complications.

One more important thing in this book is the setting. The writer did a really great job of capturing the Russian folklore. Trust me, that's a truly great feat for a foreigner as I've grown up with the stories of Morozko and other peculiarities of Slavic tales.

By the way, there is no cliffhanger at the end of the first book (or almost not a cliffhanger), so it is more or less complete story. However, I have no idea if the second book ends in the same way. Therefore, I will not start the next installment in the trilogy right now. I prefer to wait until the last book will come out.

Full review on my blog: https://vicsense.wordpress.com/2018/01/17/the-bear-and-the-nightingale-winternight-1/

Vasya, short for Vasilisa, borrows her name from the famous fairy tale “Vasilisa the Beautiful” but, has a very different adventure than her namesake. Unlike the original, Vasya isn't a gorgeous maiden who finds herself in Baba Yaga's hut. This Vasya is a little girl, shunned by her village and stepmother for being a ‘witch', a ‘devil's child'. Vasya inherited her grandmother's gift and can see the spirits of the old world. Being the only one in her village who cares about the creatures, she uses all of her strength to maintain them, even though the priest does everything in his power to control and ‘tame' her. Vasya learns from the spirits how to swim like a fish, talk to horses and run like the wind. Her inhuman abilities scare the villagers even more, especially because she is a girl, and girls shouldn't be able to ride horses like a war lord does.

Vasya is a modern woman, stuck in medieval Russia. She doesn't want to marry, she doesn't want to go to a convent, and she certainly doesn't obey the men in her life. She is strong and independent, traits not often found in that era. When Vasya forms an alliance of sorts with the Frost King, Morozko, it is one of balance and respect. He doesn't force her to obey him, and she doesn't try to control him.

Vasya was a wonderful heroine and I was rooting for her throughout. The setting of the book was magical and I felt as though I was in medieval Russia as well.

Overall, “The Bear and the Nightingale” is a perfect read for anyone who enjoys fairy tales and old world magic.

A modern day fairy tale. Not really my cup of tea. One top tip, turn to the back of the book to find the glossary as I didn't find this until after I had finished reading the book. It would have helped me make more sense of the terminology whilst reading.

So I finally got around to reading this one - people have been raving about it all year long. And honestly - I don't see what the fuss is about. It's good, sure. But it's not Girls Made of Snow and Glass, or The Crown's Game, or Uprooted. It's not The Golem and the Jinni. I enjoyed it, but I think the hype is a little undeserved. I am, however, always a sucker for Russian-themed fairytales. (Probably why I liked The Crown's Game and The Crown's Fate so much.) And I am looking forward to the sequel, The Girl in the Tower, which just came out. (I have a hold requested on it from my library.) The third book in the Winternight Trilogy appears to be The Winter of the Witch, and is scheduled to be published in August.

The Bear and the Nightingale is set in Rus - a Russia-like country, but with magic, of course. Vasilisa/Vasya is a granddaughter of a witch, and has some abilities herself. Mostly just the ability to see things that other can't, and to talk to them. Through the course of the book, she avoids an arranged marriage, saves a priest, fights a priest, and tries like hell to save her village from the demons of winter. I loved her tenacity, and her love for the old spirits. The description of The Winter King and his home was absolutely enchanting. Overall a good book, but a bit overhyped.

You can find all my reviews at Goddess in the Stacks.

What a fantastic winter read! I loved the fairytale quality of it, the exotic feel of Medieval Russia and characters I quickly fell in love with, especially our headstrong female protagonist. I loved also how big a roll family played and that they were so tight as a family and that it didn't follow the typical tropes of fairytale, while also still managing to give it that feel. It isn't an action packed story, more of a steady, slow burn to the climax, but that isn't a bad thing in my opinion. It was never boring, due in large part because the writing is so beautiful and manages to convey the feel and atmosphere in such a profound way. I enjoyed just reading descriptions about the weather! The exploration of the spirit folk of Russia and religion was tastefully done I thought, even if it more heavily leaned on the pagan beliefs than the Christian ones, it showcased well the tumultuous time between the two really well. The magic is not overt, but laced into the story in a wonderful way that somehow makes it seem very natural. Overall I really enjoyed it, highly recommend it if you enjoy fairytale fantasy and I am looking forward to book two next!

Loved the prose and the way the author played with the Rus' folklore/fairytale.

‘'Fairy tales are sweet on winter nights, nothing more.''

Russian fairy tales are unlike any others, in my opinion.They are not simple, ‘'happily-ever-after'' myths, but wonderfully detailed glimpses in the daily lives of people born in times gone-by and tales that hide themes that are relevant to our era. They contain female heroines that surpass inexplicable odds and many have ambiguous closures. There is a sadness that permeates the Russian fairy tale tradition and a fierceness, a strangely modern idea of feminism. All these features are included in Katherine Arden's beautiful first installment of the Winternight Trilogy.

This book has been sitting in my TBR for practically forever, and when the second part came to me as an ARC, I thought it was finally time to begin my journey to Lesnaya Zemlya. In a Russian village, during the late medieval times, a child is born but the mother dies. Vasya has inherited the extraordinary, otherworldly gift of her mother, along with her kind heart, her free spirit of adventure and tolerance. Vasya can see what noone else is worthy to see, but her gift puts her in danger when her father decides to wed another woman. Her name is Anna, a fundamentalist as any has ever seen in any genre in Literature, and another woman who has the ability to see ‘'demons''. Terrified of the traces of the pagan culture in her husband's territory, she calls for a priest to come and cast away the demons. Konstantin arrives and everything in Vasya's life changes.

The essence of the tale is the battle between the pagan tradition and Christianity. Still, ‘''battle'' isn't the right word, since this division is completely constructed by a small number of people who wish to serve their own false convictions. Before Anna came to the community, the people had found the perfect balance between the teachings of Christ and the old Russian deities and traditions. Until priests started talking of demons, fire, and eternal damnation. It's always been a point of great discourse (and discord) in Literature and in History. In any case, Vasya, Dunya and most of the women are respectful followers of both religions. Anna cannot understand it, locked as she is in her own hallucinations and she descends into a darkness where fear and demons reign. The problem is that she takes everyone else with her.

Arden has composed a tale out of many familiar characteristics of Russian fairy tales. The well-known legend of Lord Winter and the beautiful Maiden lies at the heart of it, while we meet the Baba Yaga, the domovoi (the peaceful spirits that protect the hearth of the Russian household), the vazila, the enchanting Rusalka...The supernatural characters become the heart of the story, because the human characters, well...they're not very interesting. Anna would make a fine couple with the Devil she so hates (although I'd pity the poor man...), Vasya's father is a doormat and Dunya is kind and comforting, but not that original. The one who had my unwavering attention was Konstantin, the young priest. An ambiguous character, fully conflicted, dark and perplexing as he is perplexed. He desperately wants to believe and serve but in what? In whom? His interactions with Vasilisa were brilliant and very intriguing. Besides Vasya and Konstantin, there is another major haunting character, but you'll have to read it to discover it....

So, does the novel worth the hype? In my opinion, yes. Absolutely and definitely. The atmosphere and the transition of the traditional story are exceptionally constructed. Do I think it would be even better if it was written by a Russian writer? Allow me to say that yes, I believe it would. You see, there is a distinctive, haunting veil of sadness, threat and death in the Russian tradition and, while these elements are present in Arden's work, they weren't as tense and concise as I'd like them to be. At times, the writing became a bit too YA, a genre that I do not appreciate much. This is strictly my personal opinion, formed out of many years of familiarity with Russian Literature and Culture. However, I definitely enjoyed ‘'The Bear and the Nightingale'' and I hope that ‘'The Girl In The Tower'' will be equally satisfying.

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/

I didn't read the blurb before diving in, and for that I am most grateful; it is a gross misrepresentation of what is an enjoyable Eastern European fairytale stretched out and given life. This novel is what Naomi Novik's Uprooted should have been, what I wanted it to be: a fairy tale made real, one that feels real and nuanced and adult and has layers.

And a good dose of religion, because you all know I love a religion-based fantasy. Highly recommend.

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This is a book you will want to read in front of a crackling fire and under a soft blanket.

I had a very difficult time reading this book. It is written very well and definitely reads like a fairy tale, but I was so bored and then... confused. I will say most of the action happens in the last 20-30% of the book. Before that feels like build up and character development – Which, yes books do build up to the climax, but the book felt like it was building up.

For all that I was bored, I cannot deny that this was written well with magic woven between the words. I definitely think other people will enjoy the history, the different fairy tales, and will be pulled into this book. All of this makes me frustrated because I could feel the pull to be dragged in and I was curious about the tale, but it just did not work on me.

As a side note, I have no idea who the Nightingale in the tile is referring to.... brother or horse... or I missed something.

Anyhow, I totally recommend this book to people who like fairy tale retellings, don't require much action, and are interested in Russian folklore. This book is worth the read.

The best audiobook I've ever listened too (Yes, imo it was even better than Harry Potter).

Also the best book I've read so far this year. I have borrowed a physical copy and will be re-reading that next.

Update: 5/15/17 - just finished my first re-read of this book. Loved it just as much as I did the first time around. Fantastic book!

2020: I still adore this book. I almost wish that HBO would adapt the trilogy into a big, expensive series, but I think I prefer the version in my head.

2017: If Gaiman and Dostoyevsky got together and wrote a Russian novel with folk and fairy tale elements, this could be their diabolical creation. I can't believe this is her first book. Looking forward to many others from this author.

3.5

mehhhh

Absolutely LOVED this! Can't wait for the sequels and anything else Katherine Arden decides to write.