The Winter of the Witch

I'm not sure how this came up on my list of books to read (or audio for listening). I never read any other books by this author. But I listened to the entire (extremely too long) story.
At the beginning, I realized it is not a genre I would typically read. But I kept listening. Then, after a while I thought the story was near the end and realized I wasn't even a third of the way through. The entire book was way too long. There was so much that didn't need to be written. I don't like stories that continue to emphasis a scene, or situation. This type of story that I skip pages while reading, or fast forward while listening. For this one, I had the audio playing in the background while I was working in my yard. My adult son came by to ask me some questions and I left it continue playing. I didn't miss anything for almost 15 minutes. I feel it would have been better to make it shorter. I might have given it a third star. But only worth two as is.

Ya no se ni que decir sobre esta obra, todo el libro fue precioso. Pienso lo mismo de los anteriores, definitivamente es un libro que podria releer y me recuerda mucho a un Cuento Oscuro y un cuento helado de Naomi Novik.
Una trama tan compleja, y cómo le dio un fin, todo fue perfecto. Esta reseña no es suficiente para todas las emociones que tengo guardadas, el ambiente, la trama, el desenlace, los personajes. Te logras encariñar incluso de el villano, que lo odie en el primero y segundo pero en el 3ro eso fue menguando.

i love it when the last book is the best book in the series like yes hoe that was SO WORTH IT

3.5

After reading the last book of this trilogy, I can definitely say: “this is one of my favourite trilogies”! It was really good. I already told you about mythology and how good it was written. Now, I need to add that this book has an incredible fairy-tale atmosphere. It took me 2 books to understand why I was enjoying it so much. Now I know! The descriptions, the action, the politics and most important the characters. It all blent perfectly together, and the masterpiece was created.

3 stars

Ugly crying over Solovey, Sasha, and especially Vasya who grew tremendously as a character throughout the series.

Great finish. I could see Sasha dying since the last book but I thought maybe the author would also try Vasya and the twins would agree to bring her back. Really glad they brought back her best friend.
My only wish was for a bit longer and into her future with her niece. And, well, knowing her heritage with her great grandma, I would hope for a bit of life out of the death god. I guess my own imagination will do just fine.
I had a good time and may return to this series. Not quite sold on ownership.

Oh! Oh! OH!

I didn't expect that.


I'm very glad and happy about all the decisions made in this book, that more than well repair the stupid decisions made in the previous ones. Yet, there were plenty of horrible decisions in this one, that made me hate characters both right and left :-D Excellent! Well done, Katherine!

I love the way she uses the Slavic and Rus legends and fairy tales to weave the world for Winternight.

I, as a Pagan, feel vindicated and very pleased about the Pagan POV in this book.

Perfection. What a beautiful trilogy with beautiful narration. Highly recommend this book and audiobook.

4,75, for the pacing was weird at times.
that was EERIE, in the most wonderful way. Love and respect for people and folklore put in writng those books can be compared only to Deathless, which I love breathlessly.
instant favourite, I will be back not once and not twice.

Aaah, neen, het is gedaan :'(

“I have plucked snowdrops at Midwinter, died at my own choosing, and wept for a nightingale. Now I am beyond prophecy.”

Een absoluut PERFECT einde van de trilogie. Zo zo zo zo zo schoon.

The Winternight trilogy packs a very hearty punch as you reach the climax of the story. I obviously won't go into spoilers for this review but if you have been reading the earlier books wondering if the slow pace and story building will pay off, I would say they definitely do.

The first book gives a rich, layered understanding of the world and Vasya's place in it. It is filled with the most magic of the series. And in the second book we discover more about Vasya's place in her family. The third book brings those two halves of Vasya's life slamming together.

As a whole, I really enjoyed the Winternight trilogy. Generally, I'm not an easily made fan of series or fantasy, so the fact that this one made such an impression on me shows how great I thought it was. As a complete series, this trilogy currently holds the honors of being the most enjoyable thing I've discovered in the Fantasy section.

This third volume disappointed me, however. Whatever made those first two books in the series so spectacular for me was missing here. There's still the exquisite writing and the fabulous world building. The characters are the same, intriguing and flawed in the best of ways. And yet, the pacing felt off: we spent for-ev-er in Midnight, the final battle was over in a few breaths. Most of the dialogue took place with creatures from the Spirit World, and they just aren't as dynamic as humans. There's a lack of introspection that distanced me. And I really, really disliked the conclusion (in regards to the "resurrection"). I don't know, it just seemed to me that the scaffolding of a really great story was here, but there was a need to quickly sum up the conclusion of this trilogy and move on.

Thinking back on my fondest memories of this trilogy, nothing comes to mind from The Winter of the Witch. I still think wonderfully of the series as a whole, and that does affect my opinion of this one, but had I started with The Winter of the Witch, I doubt I would've read another.

A great end to the trilogy! It definitely redeemed the somewhat lackluster second book. The plot was well-paced and brought everything together nicely.

A nice conclusion to the series.

Last year, The Bear and the Nightingale got me out from the reading slump. The Girl in the Tower made me gasp from the fast pace of the book. and what I can say about The Winter of the Witch? It is a book about breaking and rebuilding not only yourself but the world around you too. And I completely loved it.

What so good about this book:
- character growth;
- fantastic setting;
-constant never-stopping action.

I truly wanted to write a good review, like I did for two previous books. But you know, no matter how many good things I want to say about this book, you better just read it. It will certainly be worth your time and I really hope you will love it as much as I did.

The first book in this series is the first book in over five years that I've picked up and read from start to finish in one sitting. This book was all I every could have hoped for and more in terms of a wrap up. It's been so long since I've found myself so emotionally invested. Not only did I cry but I gasped aloud multiple times which isn't something I do often. This was such a perfect blend of folklore, fantasy, and history. I'm so excited to read the entire series over again

‘'Yesterday she saved your life, slew a wicked magician, set fire to Moscow and then saved it all in a single night. Do you think she will consent to disappear, for the price of a dowry- for any price? Do you know my sister?''

It is seldom that the third book of a trilogy ends up being the finest. However, this is exactly what happened with The Winter of the Witch. The final installment of a saga created with absolute beauty and dark grace by Katherine Arden is one to remember and cherish, in a trilogy that defied all genres and labels, making its way to be a classic. I firmly believe that The Winternight Trilogy will keep company to generations of readers who will fall in love with the wealth of the Russian culture, the myths, the legends, the traditions.

‘'But she saw the devils, despite the dark. There were silhouetted atop roofs and walls: domoviye and dvorovije and banniki, the faint house-spirits of Moscow. They were there, but what could they do but watch? Chyerti are formed by the currants of human life; they ride them, but they do not interfere.''

Three things are the ones that make the trilogy perfect: a supreme heroine, the exquisite descriptions of the Russian landscape and the theme of the never-ending battle between the old world and the new, the pagan beliefs and the Christian religion. All these elements are done to perfection in the 3rd book. As Vasya fights for survival, justice and balance, she undertakes a long journey to a harsh, mystical haunting realm. Arden's writing is extraordinarily beautiful as we are wondering in the land of Midnight or the scorching Moscow summer. The scenery changes and changes and along with it Vasya is transformed. The glorious city, the realms of magic, everything is a part of a greater world and everything is a link in a chain that must not break because a dangerous foe is approaching, a horde that doesn't care for the old and the new, desiring to establish its own dynasty.

Arden gives us princesses and princes, knights and priests. Wise women, artists, animals touched by magic. Demons and spirits of nature. The entire Russian folklore lives in the pages of the book and it never looked more beautiful, more mystical, more threatening. Marya Morevna, the Baba Yaga, the Firebird and the chyerti, the domovoi and the upyr in a particularly powerful, shocking chapter. Polunochnitsa and her dark domain, the Midday demon, the horses of legends, the women graced (or cursed) with the Sight. These are the pawns of the fight between the living and what they can't see, the world they can't believe in. The division that feeds their need to destroy what they fear because they are unable to understand.

‘'I am a witch'', said Vasya. Blood was running down her hand now, spoiling her grip. ‘'I have plucked snowdrops at Midwinter, died at my own choosing, and wept for a nightingale. Now I am beyond prophecy.'' She caught his knife on the crosspiece of hers, hilt to hilt. ‘'I have crossed three times nine realms to find you, my lord. And I find you at play, forgetful.''

I cannot begin to tell you how much I adore the relationship between Vasya and Morozov and here their dynamic is more electrifying than ever. Is it strange and dark and possibly twisted? Well, it may be and this is exactly what makes me love them so much. They are my favourite literary couple, after Heathcliff and Catherine, and yes, I know I am weird. Vasya continues to remain one of my favourite female protagonists, not only because of her bravery and determination but mostly because Arden chose to make her as real as she could given the premise of the story. She doesn't refrain from fear and insecurity and despair or even one or two questionable decisions and this is how you create a believable, relatable main character in a fantasy setting. Strange as it may sound, though, the character I was always anxious to meet in a chapter was Konstantin. He is desperate and lost and all sorts of confused and you cannot help but be hypnotized by his presence. His chemistry with Vasya is explosive.

So, I am sad to leave the Winternight universe. A trilogy created through haunting sceneries, an exceptional cast of characters, impeccable dialogue and endless respect to the immortal heritage of the Russian tradition, Katherine Arden, thank you for three marvelous journeys.

‘'Men fear what they do not understand'', murmured the Bear. ‘'They hurt you. They beat you, spat on you, put you in the fire. Men will suck all the wilderness out of the world, until there is no place for a witch0girl to hide. They will burn you and your kind.''

Many thanks to Penguin Random House UK and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

In the final installment of the Winternight trilogy, Vasya finds herself feared and hated in the aftermath of the fire that ravaged Moscow when she set the firebird free. What the enraged mob doesn't know is that Vasya also saved the city that night. Narrowly escaping death, Vasya escapes Moscow and embarks on a journey to save her family and her people from the invading Tatars while also protecting the chyerti, the spirits and magical creatures only she and a few others can see.

I enjoyed this entire trilogy, and The Winter of the Witch was a satisfying conclusion. At times I was frustrated with Vasya, but that ended up serving as a reminder that she is only a teenager who has had a huge burden put on her at a young age. There was one new element to her character that was introduced in this book that seemed to come somewhat out of nowhere and was a bit underdeveloped, but it did not detract from the overall story. As with the other books there was a lot of good character development, even for the more peripheral people. I highly recommend this series for those who like fairy tales and fantasy novels.

“I called every power of this land to war, winter-king. It had to be done. We cannot fight amongst ourselves.”The Winter of the Witch is the absolute perfect ending to this trilogy. It shattered my heart, stitched it back together, then stomped on it. Just in case I had any hope of it ever healing properly.The previous books in this trilogy are just as beautiful and just as compelling, as we first meet Vasya in The Bear and the Nightingale and see her growing into herself in The Girl in the Tower. In this final installment Vasya is still young and still growing, but she has come into herself as a woman and refuses (as she always has, in her way) to bend to societal expectations.I was bawling within fifteen minutes of starting this book. And then I cried even harder at the end. I was wrung out, unspeakably sad, and yet there was an undercurrent of contentment and joy and hope that has made me recommend this beautiful trilogy to every. single. person. who would listen!CharactersVasya, of course. I would go to war with and for this girl. She hasn't had an easy life but she refuses to be cowed and she embraces who and what she is, even if she doesn't always understand it.In her hands was the strength that had broken the bars of her cage in Moscow...”I may die tomorrow. Or live to sour old age. But you are only a wraith in a lake, and you will not command me.“She has heart, and she loves so fiercely and completely, it completely breaks my soul. Unlike in the previous books, Vasya also explores her sexuality in this one – and while I sort of saw her love interest coming, I couldn't see HOW exactly it would work out...and then it did, and it was fabulous. Vasya will not take being anything less than an equal, and I absolutely LOVED how her path in life was not something she was willing to give up (nor did she) for anyone, regardless of her feelings for them. So often, even strong female heroines fall in love and give up their plans/dreams for their partner. Not that this is always bad...but it's so often that it's almost expected, and it's definitely still an expectation in our society. It was SO refreshing to see how things settled out for Vasya.I really fell in love with Vasya's brother, Sasha, in this one too. He was always a sympathetic character, but his devotion to being a monk sort of turned me off. He really came into his own in this book too, and it became obvious his devotion is really more to people and country than any god. He also stops treating Vasya like a child, and their relationship just blossomed into what I've always dreamed a brother/sister bond to be.Vasya put a hand on her brother's arm. “Then, if you come with me tonight -” Her grip tightened; their eyes met. “I warn you, the road leads through darkness.”Sasha said, “Then we will go through darkness, sister.”Then of course, there are the bad guys...Medved, the Frost-King's brother, as always up to treachery and warmongering, and the priest Konstantin with his hatred of Vasya and all she represents, coupled with an unrelenting thirst for power. The evil radiates off the page...and yet it is not all so cut and dry. Just as life is not all black and white, no matter how much we may wish it.PlotA threat from outside will tear Russia apart, but the boyars seem incapable of anything but internal bickering. Moscow burns, and the people blame Vasya. The only way to unite Russia seems to be the road through midnight...The plot, while it definitely moves the story along and provides the catalyst for the various characters' actions, is really secondary to the character and relationship development. It proceeds at a rather breakneck pace (unlike in The Girl in the Tower, where it seemed to meander at times), hurtling us all along towards the final bloody conclusion.WorldbuildingWhile I can't say I would want to live in Katherine Arden's medieval Russia, it is certainly beautiful and captivating – while also be cold and cruel, especially to women. She weaves in folktales and pagan traditions with the new Church, and who is to say it wasn't, actually, just like that?I am planning to re-read this trilogy every year. I bought the US and the UK editions of all three books. They resonate in my heart and soul. If you ever listen to any recommendations I make, PLEASE GO READ THESE BOOKS. Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+________________Just got an ARC of this and I am OVER THE FREAKING MOON!!

The Winter of the Witch is the conclusion to the Winternight trilogy that began with The Bear and The Nightingale (enjoyable, but a little overhyped) and continued in The Girl in the Tower (fantastic). And ooooohhh what a conclusion it is! Vasya truly comes into her own in this book, dealing with the Russian fae with a confidence and conviction she didn't quite have before. The war between the twin brother spirits - the Bear and the Winter King - comes to a head, with Vasya in the middle. While that war is heating up, so is the war between the Tatars and the Russians, with its climax in a version of the real-world Battle of Kulikovo.

The whole of Vasya's family history is finally revealed, which has surprises of its own. Previously unknown family members appear, and Vasya is no longer as alone in her powers as she thought she was.

It can be very hard to review books in a series - especially concluding books - without spoiling things, so I'll just say this was an epic conclusion to the trilogy and was just as enchanting as the other books. I cried at more than one point in this book, because Vasya's heartbreak is so poignant. Gorgeous book. Beautiful use of Russian mythology. This entire trilogy is just brilliant.

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