Review: The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

The Winter of the Witch is the third book in the Winternight Trilogy by  Katherine Arden. It picks up where book two left off. Things are chaotic in Moscow and people are looking for someone to blame for all that has befallen them. The people focus on Vasya and blame her for their ills. She finds herself fighting for her life.

Vasya journeys on the Midnight Road where it is always midnight and it is more than a time, it is a destination. The chyerti, the Russian folkloric spirits, are drawn to her. Some want to help, some are less beneficial or downright dangerous. She crosses paths with Baba Yaga and learns something important about herself in the process. As the book goes on, the spirits both large (think Morozko) and smaller (ex. Ded Grib) become more and more important.

Dmitrii tries to send tribute to the Tatars. But it fails and the Tatars will march toward Moscow. Dmitrii finds himself in the position that he must raise an army to meet them. Vasya will play a key part here as well.

The best way to read this book is as a follow up to the first two. This is not a standalone. You would definitely lose something if you tried to read it by itself.

I enjoyed seeing Vasya continue to evolve as a character. Even Morozko doesn't remain the same as he was in the first book.

The book is excellently written. I liked the first book a lot. The second one I didn't enjoy quite as much, but still it was good. The third book? Excellent! It draws it all together and sews up the plot points in a satisfactory way. The afterword tells which points are actually historical and which are more fantasy.

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's well written. It ties things together and the characters grow and change. I continue to enjoy the way the old religion honoring the chyerti is paralleled to the new religion as it was historically. If you've read the first two books in this trilogy, you must read this one as well. If you haven't read any of them yet but are a fan of fantasy with a base in both history and folklore, then do read this trilogy. I look forward to seeing what else Katherine Arden has in store.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #245: The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

One girl can make a difference...

Moscow has burned nearly to the ground, leaving its people searching for answers - and someone to hold accountable. Vasya finds herself on her own, amid a rabid mob that calls for her death, blaming her witchery for their misfortune.

Then a vengeful demon returns, renewed and stronger than ever, determined to spread chaos in his wake and never be chained again. Enlisting the hateful priest Konstantin as his servant, turmoil plagues the Muscovites and the magical creatures alike, and all find their fates resting on the shoulders of Vasya.

With an uncertain destiny ahead of her, Vasya learns surprising truths of her past as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all...

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden is expected to be published January 8th, 2019 from Del Rey.

Why am I waiting on this one? I enjoyed the other 2 books in the trilogy. I like the setting - a blend of historical and fantasy Russia. And I like the way Katherine Arden blends the world of the old tales and her new ones. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Review: The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

Vasya is back in this follow up to The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. The Girl in the Tower is the second book in the Winternight trilogy.

The first part of the book is mostly about Sasha and Olga. They are Vasya’s siblings. At the close of part one, Sasha and Vasya have just met up for the first time in years.

The second part of the book is told mostly about Vasya and what is happening in her life after the close of The Bear and the Nightingale. Vasya feels that her life is in danger if she stayed in the small village she was raised in. She goes to Morozko, the frost demon, and asks for help. She wants some of the dowry he promised to her so that she can go out and find her place in the world. Adventures ensue.

The third part of the book is mostly about Vasya and Sasha and their cousin Dimitri. There is also a little about Olga. Vasya must keep up the charade that she is a boy. Not only does her life depend on it, but her sister’s and brother’s lives are deeply affected by this as well. There are more adventures and conflict. I don’t want to give away spoilers.

Vasya continues to have her bond to the supernatural throughout the book. She can see the spirits of the bathhouse and the hearth as well as others. This puts her at both an advantage and disadvantage. They can be helpful at times, but she can’t tell anyone that they are there or else she will be marked as crazy and perhaps a witch as well. Only her young niece can also see them and has been warned by her mother, Olga, not to mention this to other people.

The story is well written. This is a crucial time period for the spirits as many of them are disappearing or losing power as the Christian God gains followers. Medieval Russia is an interesting backdrop for the story. The pace of the story is good as well. There are ups and downs throughout, but by about 50% on my Kindle, the story is becoming very dangerous for Vasya and her siblings. The tension continues to mount for the rest of the book until the ending.

My favorite characters in the book are Vasya, her horse Solovey, and Morozko, the frost demon. It was hard sometimes watching Vasya’s missteps. But they were necessary for character building and plot advancement.

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It’s well written. The character of Vasya grows and develops as the book progresses. The adventures are interesting. And the book is well-paced. I can’t recommend this series enough. And, I can’t wait for the third book in the trilogy. The Girl in the Tower was published December 5, 2017 by Del Rey.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Teaser Tuesday: Second Teaser from Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

"Things are or they are not, Vasya," he interrupted. "If you want something, it means you do not have it, it means that you do not believe it is there, which means it will never be there. The fire is or it is not. That which you call magic is simply not allowing the world to be other than as you will it." (25% through on my Kindle)

It is such a good book I am actually taking the luxury of reading it a second time, thus, the second teaser. I haven't written my review yet, but I did give it a 5-star rating. It is a good follow up to The Bear and the Nightingale.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Dmitri returned coldly, "Are you afraid Kasyan Lutovich?"

Another man would have bristled; Kasyan looked thoughtful. By then the men were all pallid with cold, with swipes of color across nose and cheeks. The distinction between lord and monk and guardsmen had quite vanished. They all resembled irascible bears, huddled as they were in layers of felt and fur. Kasyan was the exception: composed and pale as he had been in the start, his eyes still quick and bright. (10% through on my Kindle)

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!