Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽'s Reviews > The Winter of the Witch
The Winter of the Witch (The Winternight Trilogy, #3)
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Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽'s review
bookshelves: east-europe-russia, fantasy, netgalley, favorites
Dec 20, 2017
bookshelves: east-europe-russia, fantasy, netgalley, favorites
ALL THE STARS AND MORE.
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Russian firebird
Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
Medieval Russia comes to life in Katherine Arden’s WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY, which began in Lesnaya Zemlya, a small village in northern Rus’ in The Bear and the Nightingale and continued in The Girl in the Tower. Vasilisa (Vasya) is a young woman with the rare ability to see and speak with the natural spirits or chyerti of the hearth, stables, and lands and waters of Rus’. Vasya has gained the attention and respect of the winter-king Morozko, god of death, who has helped her along the way as she fought and bound the demonic Bear, traveled from Lesnaya Zemlya to Moscow, and undertook a dangerous masquerade as a boy while fighting to protect Moscow and her family from both an evil sorcerer and the Mongol invaders.
The Winter of the Witch begins in the aftermath of a huge fire that burned much of Moscow. The distraught people of Moscow are whipped into a rage by Vasya’s nemesis, the priest Konstantin, who blames Vasya for the fire (with some justice). Vasya is captured by a mob and nearly burned to death as a witch. Though she escapes, a tragic loss leaves her reeling, and now a terrible price has been paid on her behalf. The Bear is on the loose again, pulling Konstantin into his plans for war and chaos, and Morozko has disappeared into some hidden prison. The vast Tatar armies, the Golden Horde, are still on the move against Moscow, and Vasya has perilous journeys to make through magical midnight lands as she tries to save her country and the humans and spirits that she loves. Vasya has gained in personal strength and magical power from her beginnings in the village of Lesnaya Zemlya, but she still makes some serious mistakes along the way.
In the WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY, Arden has proved herself particularly adept at weaving together folklore and actual history. The Winter of the Witch focuses on the events leading up to the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, but puts a fantastical spin on it. As the country lurches toward war, Vasya is guided into the midnight realm of Polunochnitsa, or Lady Midnight, where she meets not only one of her ancestors ― a famous Russian folklore character in her own right ― but the mythical firebird, Pozhar (whose other form is a golden mare), and a delightfully opinionated mushroom spirit that Vasya called Ded Grib (Grandfather Mushroom). Pozhar and Ded Grib represent the high and the lowly among the chyerti, whom Vasya is trying to protect along with the humans who inhabit Russia. Even Medved, the fearsome Bear who played such a terrifying role in The Bear and the Nightingale, becomes more understandable and sympathetic, or at least much more entertaining as a character. It’s a nice reminder that even villains have some positive characteristics.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for review. Thank you so much!!
Initial update: Five stars! SO, so good!! Amazing wrap-up to this fantasy trilogy set in medieval Russia. I love how this weaves Russian folklore into actual history, and deals with larger themes, like love of country.
Plus it made me cry.
If you haven't read this trilogy yet, I highly recommend it!
Initial post: YES! I finally got the ARC of this last book in this trilogy (which began with The Bear and the Nightingale)!! Now can I keep my hands off it for a couple of weeks while I read a few other books in my urgent TBR pile? We'll see ...
Content notes: a fair amount of gritty violence and a non-explicit sex scene.
![description](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1547169787i/26899871.jpg)
Russian firebird
Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
Medieval Russia comes to life in Katherine Arden’s WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY, which began in Lesnaya Zemlya, a small village in northern Rus’ in The Bear and the Nightingale and continued in The Girl in the Tower. Vasilisa (Vasya) is a young woman with the rare ability to see and speak with the natural spirits or chyerti of the hearth, stables, and lands and waters of Rus’. Vasya has gained the attention and respect of the winter-king Morozko, god of death, who has helped her along the way as she fought and bound the demonic Bear, traveled from Lesnaya Zemlya to Moscow, and undertook a dangerous masquerade as a boy while fighting to protect Moscow and her family from both an evil sorcerer and the Mongol invaders.
The Winter of the Witch begins in the aftermath of a huge fire that burned much of Moscow. The distraught people of Moscow are whipped into a rage by Vasya’s nemesis, the priest Konstantin, who blames Vasya for the fire (with some justice). Vasya is captured by a mob and nearly burned to death as a witch. Though she escapes, a tragic loss leaves her reeling, and now a terrible price has been paid on her behalf. The Bear is on the loose again, pulling Konstantin into his plans for war and chaos, and Morozko has disappeared into some hidden prison. The vast Tatar armies, the Golden Horde, are still on the move against Moscow, and Vasya has perilous journeys to make through magical midnight lands as she tries to save her country and the humans and spirits that she loves. Vasya has gained in personal strength and magical power from her beginnings in the village of Lesnaya Zemlya, but she still makes some serious mistakes along the way.
In the WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY, Arden has proved herself particularly adept at weaving together folklore and actual history. The Winter of the Witch focuses on the events leading up to the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, but puts a fantastical spin on it. As the country lurches toward war, Vasya is guided into the midnight realm of Polunochnitsa, or Lady Midnight, where she meets not only one of her ancestors ― a famous Russian folklore character in her own right ― but the mythical firebird, Pozhar (whose other form is a golden mare), and a delightfully opinionated mushroom spirit that Vasya called Ded Grib (Grandfather Mushroom). Pozhar and Ded Grib represent the high and the lowly among the chyerti, whom Vasya is trying to protect along with the humans who inhabit Russia. Even Medved, the fearsome Bear who played such a terrifying role in The Bear and the Nightingale, becomes more understandable and sympathetic, or at least much more entertaining as a character. It’s a nice reminder that even villains have some positive characteristics.
He spoke of Russia. Not of Muscovy, or Tver, or Vladimir, the principalities of the sons of Kiev, but of Russia itself, of its skies and its soil, its people and its pride.The tensions between Christianity and the old pagan ways, humans vs. chyerti, are ultimately resolved in a way that I hadn’t expected, but that I found profoundly moving, and Arden’s writing style is entrancing. The Winter of the Witch is not just the coming-of-age story of a girl with magical powers, or a romance, though it has both of those elements; it deals with larger themes, like love of country, individual worth, self-sacrifice, and cooperation with those who are different. The WINTERNIGHT TRILOGY was a wonderful series from beginning to end, and I give it my highest recommendation.
She listened in rapt silence, eyes vast and filled like cups with shadow. “That is what we are fighting for,” said Sasha. “Not for Moscow, or even Dmitrii; not for the sake of any of her squabbling princes. But for the land that bore us, man and devil alike.”
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for review. Thank you so much!!
Initial update: Five stars! SO, so good!! Amazing wrap-up to this fantasy trilogy set in medieval Russia. I love how this weaves Russian folklore into actual history, and deals with larger themes, like love of country.
Plus it made me cry.
If you haven't read this trilogy yet, I highly recommend it!
Initial post: YES! I finally got the ARC of this last book in this trilogy (which began with The Bear and the Nightingale)!! Now can I keep my hands off it for a couple of weeks while I read a few other books in my urgent TBR pile? We'll see ...
Content notes: a fair amount of gritty violence and a non-explicit sex scene.
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Reading Progress
December 20, 2017
– Shelved
December 20, 2017
– Shelved as:
to-read
January 4, 2018
–
Started Reading
November 12, 2018
– Shelved as:
east-europe-russia
November 12, 2018
– Shelved as:
fantasy
November 12, 2018
– Shelved as:
netgalley
January 5, 2019
–
46.0%
"“But I am not going to abandon my family. Will you come with me?”
“I have said you are not alone, Vasya, and I meant it,” he said. But he sounded unhappy.
She managed the ghost of a smile. “You are not alone either. By all means, let us continue repeating it until one of us believes it.”"
“I have said you are not alone, Vasya, and I meant it,” he said. But he sounded unhappy.
She managed the ghost of a smile. “You are not alone either. By all means, let us continue repeating it until one of us believes it.”"
January 6, 2019
–
75.0%
"“Thank you,” said Vasya. “Will you carry me farther?”
That depends, said the horse. Are we going to do anything interesting?
... She said grimly, “More interesting than you might wish.” Once more, she wondered if she were being fatally rash. But then she thought of Midnight. What had she meant when she said, We hoped you were different.
Vasya thought she knew."
That depends, said the horse. Are we going to do anything interesting?
... She said grimly, “More interesting than you might wish.” Once more, she wondered if she were being fatally rash. But then she thought of Midnight. What had she meant when she said, We hoped you were different.
Vasya thought she knew."
January 6, 2019
–
Finished Reading
January 10, 2019
– Shelved as:
favorites
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Carole
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rated it 5 stars
Nov 12, 2018 09:29AM
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![Andi](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1624143695p1/1339848.jpg)
Hope you have fun reading this one!
![Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1648407601p1/8734459.jpg)
![Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1648407601p1/8734459.jpg)
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (well, I did just read it!) :D
- Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett (not sure it's actually a feel-good read, but it's an excellent fantasy)
- The Murderbot Diaries series, starting with All Systems Red, by Martha Wells
- The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (reread of an old favorite)
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
- Summer in Orcus by T. Kingfisher
- Nine Coaches Waiting, Madam Will You Talk? or This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart (old-fashioned romantic suspense novels)
- The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
- The Coincidence Makers by Yoav Blum
![Trish](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1588663568p1/3461034.jpg)
![Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1648407601p1/8734459.jpg)
Yes, it was GOOD crying. :)
![Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1648407601p1/8734459.jpg)
![Karishma](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1558864856p1/76474593.jpg)
- A Christmas Carol by..."
Eee thank you for all the great suggestions,
Also, fantastic review. This series was so very good 😍
![Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1648407601p1/8734459.jpg)
Thank you so much!
![Jennifer](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1482893253p1/1188456.jpg)
![Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1648407601p1/8734459.jpg)
It was that part (view spoiler) , right? That killed me! And his funny comments made me even more choked up. I was a MESS.
![Jennifer](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1482893253p1/1188456.jpg)
Yes indeed. THAT scene.
![Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1648407601p1/8734459.jpg)
This is more adult than YA, IMO. But older teens would probably enjoy it. :)
![Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1648407601p1/8734459.jpg)
Lol, you're welcome! Have you read the first two books yet?
![Shan](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1438285525p1/159421.jpg)
![Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1648407601p1/8734459.jpg)
Thanks so much, Shan! I loved this series too and it's on my "definitely reread again someday" list. :)
![Tamara Tepavac](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1615984076p1/127166231.jpg)