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bookycnidaria's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Blood, Misogyny, Torture, Animal death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War
aksmith92's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you, Katherine Arden, for writing a wintery and blustery book so I can sit in my warm house while it's cold and snowy outside and read my little heart out.
The setup: Vasya needs to go into hiding. The Girl in the Tower, the second book in the series, left off with those in Moscow in a rage after a fire nearly destroyed their home, and they believe a witch to be the culprit. Vasya is now left with one goal only: to care for her family. Her brother Sasha, her sister Olga, and Olga's daughter Marya are all in Moscow, piecing together what happened the night before with Vasya, the frost demon, and Kaschei.
However, those in Moscow want someone accountable for their suffering, and Vasya is an easy target. We follow Vasya as she faces many obstacles, including an angry mob, a vengeful demon, and a forgetful ally. She feels the weight of not only Moscow on her shoulders but all of Rus' and her beloved chyerti - the spirits she has called family her whole life. Can she bring together her people of Rus' - those who vehemently believe in the one God, and those of the spirit world, who seem to fade the more people forget about them and move on to another religion? Can she keep her family safe from the Tatars, those trying to take the rule of Rus'? The world seems to weigh heavy on Vasya's shoulders with these questions, and we watch her continuously battle for peace, not only for those in her country but for herself.
What I loved: Katherine Arden is a phenomenal writer to me - her work is unique, poetic, and her version of atmospheric. She takes 14th-century historical Rus' customs and somehow integrates them into her writing, both from a prose perspective and a literal historical take (one battle scene near the end is essentially a retelling of an actual battle in 1380 Rus' - read the author's note at the end, it's pretty lovely!). The intersection between fantasy and historical fiction continues to amaze me, and it is one of the most vital reasons why I can't help but feel this book is so fantastic.
As typical in this series, I loved Vasya and her strength, resilience, and grit. While the poor thing went through it in this book (even more so than the others), she was incredible. She was strong, powerful, and intelligent. Yet, she was imperfect and flawed. She had to continue making incredibly challenging decisions and understood that only some things would always work out. I think that is what I loved most about this book: Vasya learned from those around her, her environment, and herself to make better decisions in the future instead of just ~always knowing~ what to do, like other fantasy books I have read. I loved her character and what she tried to do for both the spirit world and Rus'.
I also thoroughly enjoyed many of the other characters - Sasha, Olga, Morozko (I'm glad we dove a little bit deeper into his character on this one, albeit I was still itching for more!), the Grand Prince Dmitrii, and I just loved Polunochnitsa (Lady Midnight) and the Bear. I had no intention of laughing during this book because it seemed so bleak and dark, but Polunochnitsa and the Bear truly helped provide (very minimal) comedic relief and were much more layered than I had anticipated (especially the Bear). My favorite secondary character was Ded Grib, the chyerti, a lil mushroom. Konstantin continued to be a unique, morally grey character that I also learned to enjoy, even if he was the worst. He was complicated, and you couldn't help but empathize with him.
Somehow, Arden did a brilliant job of making all characters nuanced and beautiful while juggling two plots without losing anything. I was so impressed by how much Arden could put into this under-400-page book because it packed such a punch, but it wasn't overwhelming. I just loved it. And somehow, like the first two, I read this under some snowy skies - something I didn't think would happen in early March, and I read this through Libby.
I'm a sucker for some political intrigue which was why I enjoyed the second book in this trilogy so much, but I liked this one even more because of the magical elements in it - less politics, more chyerti. I was impressed that Arden could do both so well.
Anything that could have made this a 6-star read? While I rated this a five because of Arden's beautiful ability to intertwine so many interesting plots and characters and the overall unique storytelling of Russia's history and Russian fairytales, this was imperfect, and others may have some criticism for it. For one, 90% of this book seemed to have no hope. Anything wrong that could happen seemed to have occurred, even if there were a few quick wins in the plot throughout the process. It was dreary. I swear that Vasya had eight broken ribs throughout this book and plenty of ample scars and concussions. It was hard to read because it just felt so BAD. Because of this constant dread, I felt the book read just a bit choppy, especially in the middle.
However, I had a blast with this and shed a few tears at the end. While sad, there was finally a dash of goodness and hope, and the ending was quite fitting. I look forward to reading more from Katherine Arden in the future!
The setup: Vasya needs to go into hiding. The Girl in the Tower, the second book in the series, left off with those in Moscow in a rage after a fire nearly destroyed their home, and they believe a witch to be the culprit. Vasya is now left with one goal only: to care for her family. Her brother Sasha, her sister Olga, and Olga's daughter Marya are all in Moscow, piecing together what happened the night before with Vasya, the frost demon, and Kaschei.
However, those in Moscow want someone accountable for their suffering, and Vasya is an easy target. We follow Vasya as she faces many obstacles, including an angry mob, a vengeful demon, and a forgetful ally. She feels the weight of not only Moscow on her shoulders but all of Rus' and her beloved chyerti - the spirits she has called family her whole life. Can she bring together her people of Rus' - those who vehemently believe in the one God, and those of the spirit world, who seem to fade the more people forget about them and move on to another religion? Can she keep her family safe from the Tatars, those trying to take the rule of Rus'? The world seems to weigh heavy on Vasya's shoulders with these questions, and we watch her continuously battle for peace, not only for those in her country but for herself.
What I loved: Katherine Arden is a phenomenal writer to me - her work is unique, poetic, and her version of atmospheric. She takes 14th-century historical Rus' customs and somehow integrates them into her writing, both from a prose perspective and a literal historical take (one battle scene near the end is essentially a retelling of an actual battle in 1380 Rus' - read the author's note at the end, it's pretty lovely!). The intersection between fantasy and historical fiction continues to amaze me, and it is one of the most vital reasons why I can't help but feel this book is so fantastic.
As typical in this series, I loved Vasya and her strength, resilience, and grit. While the poor thing went through it in this book (even more so than the others), she was incredible. She was strong, powerful, and intelligent. Yet, she was imperfect and flawed. She had to continue making incredibly challenging decisions and understood that only some things would always work out. I think that is what I loved most about this book: Vasya learned from those around her, her environment, and herself to make better decisions in the future instead of just ~always knowing~ what to do, like other fantasy books I have read. I loved her character and what she tried to do for both the spirit world and Rus'.
I also thoroughly enjoyed many of the other characters - Sasha, Olga, Morozko (I'm glad we dove a little bit deeper into his character on this one, albeit I was still itching for more!), the Grand Prince Dmitrii, and I just loved Polunochnitsa (Lady Midnight) and the Bear. I had no intention of laughing during this book because it seemed so bleak and dark, but Polunochnitsa and the Bear truly helped provide (very minimal) comedic relief and were much more layered than I had anticipated (especially the Bear). My favorite secondary character was Ded Grib, the chyerti, a lil mushroom. Konstantin continued to be a unique, morally grey character that I also learned to enjoy, even if he was the worst. He was complicated, and you couldn't help but empathize with him.
Somehow, Arden did a brilliant job of making all characters nuanced and beautiful while juggling two plots without losing anything. I was so impressed by how much Arden could put into this under-400-page book because it packed such a punch, but it wasn't overwhelming. I just loved it. And somehow, like the first two, I read this under some snowy skies - something I didn't think would happen in early March, and I read this through Libby.
I'm a sucker for some political intrigue which was why I enjoyed the second book in this trilogy so much, but I liked this one even more because of the magical elements in it - less politics, more chyerti. I was impressed that Arden could do both so well.
Anything that could have made this a 6-star read? While I rated this a five because of Arden's beautiful ability to intertwine so many interesting plots and characters and the overall unique storytelling of Russia's history and Russian fairytales, this was imperfect, and others may have some criticism for it. For one, 90% of this book seemed to have no hope. Anything wrong that could happen seemed to have occurred, even if there were a few quick wins in the plot throughout the process. It was dreary. I swear that Vasya had eight broken ribs throughout this book and plenty of ample scars and concussions. It was hard to read because it just felt so BAD. Because of this constant dread, I felt the book read just a bit choppy, especially in the middle.
However, I had a blast with this and shed a few tears at the end. While sad, there was finally a dash of goodness and hope, and the ending was quite fitting. I look forward to reading more from Katherine Arden in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Murder, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, War, Sexual assault, Torture, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Death, Animal death, Blood, Religious bigotry, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Rape, and Sexual content
Minor: Vomit, Child death, and Death of parent
Child death/death of parent = mentioning previous books, not on page. Rape is not detailed or even implied, but there are threats of it. Sexual assault and harassment is on page but not heavily descriptive or long.mary_stormageddon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This was so close to being a 5 star read for me. If it hadn't slowed down a bit about 2/3rds through, it would have been. This is the best book in the series, and I will be recommending it to any and everyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Death, Murder, War, Vomit, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexual content
beesknees's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This final installment of the Winternight trilogy brings all of Vasya’s journey and lessons together. This finale is pretty fast paced, compared to its predecessors. Arden intelligently weaves real pieces of Russian history into this story, while always honoring the magic and romance that has been present since book one. I cried at a specific scene near the end, and then cried again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and War
Moderate: Blood, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
emtees's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was an amazing end to this trilogy. Definitely my favorite of the three books.
In The Girl in the Tower, Vasilisa Petrovna saved Moscow and its Grand Prince, Dmitrii Ivanovich, from the Tartar invasion and the scheming of the sorcerer Kasyan Lutovich. But in the process, she was revealed to be a witch and she almost got the city burned to the ground. Thanks to her recklessness and mistakes, her old enemy, the mad priest Konstantin, is able to rouse the people of Moscow against her, and to escape being burned to death, Vasya is forced to flee to the lands of Midnight, a sort of world-between-worlds. There, she finds out the truth about her family’s mysterious heritage and learns that, by rejecting the offers of both Morozko the Winter King and his brother, Medved the Bear, she has set herself up as a third power in their eternal war. Whoever she sides with will have a huge advantage, but some of the chyerti, the Russian folk spirts, believe that Vasya should forge her own third path, not just for herself but for them. Meanwhile, back in Moscow, Vasya’s disgraced brother, the warrior monk Sasha, is fighting to protect the Rus from the growing Tartar threat. It is a war that will eventually require the help of all Russians: Christian and pagan, human and chyerti.
This book went in all kinds of directions that I wasn’t expecting. It had all the strengths of the previous books in the series - interesting magic, good use of Russian folklore and history, a main character who is complicated and makes lots of mistakes but is easy to root for, unconventional romance alongside a lot of important non-romantic relationships - but it took the series up a step with the twists and the themes it was exploring. I was a little confused when I got halfway through and it seemed the main plotline had been resolved, but instead, Arden introduced new threats and a lot more moral ambiguity. Vasya’s destiny was not what she thought it was; instead it was something a lot messier and more painful, but also better for both her and her people, Russian and chyerti. Her relationship with Morozko in this book was really strong and interesting; I took a while to care about them in the earlier books in the series but this time I was definitely rooting for them. And I continue to really love her sibling bonds with Sasha and Olga. The book also introduced a couple new characters; my favorite was Ded Grib, the mushroom chyerti, who may be small and of limited skill but is really proud of being Vasya’s first follower.
This book was the most emotional of the three. There were some painful deaths (Sasha! Solovey, even though he came back! And I cannot believe the book actually made me feel for Konstantin ), a lot of emotional challenges for Vasya, and strong character growth. Vasya’s story has always been about trying to find her way between the obligations she feels towards her family and country and her desire for a life free of the restrictions imposed by both. In this book she finds her way to a compromise that works for her, but not without cost. It sounds weird to say about a fictional character, but I was proud of her.
The book ends with an author’s note that explains the aspects of Russian history that Arden used in the series, which enhanced my appreciation for the series.For example, that Sasha and Chelubey were based on real people who did die in single combat against each other, explaining why Sasha had to break my heart by dying in this book. And I had no idea that the compromise between Christian and pagan religion that Vasya works out in the story wasn't just a fanciful idea, but the actual way religion worked in Russia for most of it's history. That's neat.
There were a few minor things in the book didn't work for me, mainly in the revelations about Vasya's family, which were paced oddly and didn't end up seeming as important as they were set up to be. But overall I loved this series and especially this very satisfying conclusion.
In The Girl in the Tower, Vasilisa Petrovna saved Moscow and its Grand Prince, Dmitrii Ivanovich, from the Tartar invasion and the scheming of the sorcerer Kasyan Lutovich. But in the process, she was revealed to be a witch and she almost got the city burned to the ground. Thanks to her recklessness and mistakes, her old enemy, the mad priest Konstantin, is able to rouse the people of Moscow against her, and to escape being burned to death, Vasya is forced to flee to the lands of Midnight, a sort of world-between-worlds. There, she finds out the truth about her family’s mysterious heritage and learns that, by rejecting the offers of both Morozko the Winter King and his brother, Medved the Bear, she has set herself up as a third power in their eternal war. Whoever she sides with will have a huge advantage, but some of the chyerti, the Russian folk spirts, believe that Vasya should forge her own third path, not just for herself but for them. Meanwhile, back in Moscow, Vasya’s disgraced brother, the warrior monk Sasha, is fighting to protect the Rus from the growing Tartar threat. It is a war that will eventually require the help of all Russians: Christian and pagan, human and chyerti.
This book went in all kinds of directions that I wasn’t expecting. It had all the strengths of the previous books in the series - interesting magic, good use of Russian folklore and history, a main character who is complicated and makes lots of mistakes but is easy to root for, unconventional romance alongside a lot of important non-romantic relationships - but it took the series up a step with the twists and the themes it was exploring. I was a little confused when I got halfway through and it seemed the main plotline had been resolved, but instead, Arden introduced new threats and a lot more moral ambiguity. Vasya’s destiny was not what she thought it was; instead it was something a lot messier and more painful, but also better for both her and her people, Russian and chyerti. Her relationship with Morozko in this book was really strong and interesting; I took a while to care about them in the earlier books in the series but this time I was definitely rooting for them. And I continue to really love her sibling bonds with Sasha and Olga. The book also introduced a couple new characters; my favorite was Ded Grib, the mushroom chyerti, who may be small and of limited skill but is really proud of being Vasya’s first follower.
This book was the most emotional of the three. There were some painful deaths (
The book ends with an author’s note that explains the aspects of Russian history that Arden used in the series, which enhanced my appreciation for the series.
There were a few minor things in the book didn't work for me, mainly in the revelations about Vasya's family, which were paced oddly and didn't end up seeming as important as they were set up to be. But overall I loved this series and especially this very satisfying conclusion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death
lisa_m's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was the perfect conclusion to the trilogy! It truly got better and better. I really liked the first book, loved the second and this one was just amazing.
I don't think I understand every theme that was explored in this book so I won't even try to analyse it. I just read this book for pleasure so I didn't make notes or anything. I can say that there is definitely loads of things to analyse and think about though.
I loved the way the myths were mixed with real events and people. It just feels like an alternative universe.
This series is officially one of my all time favourites. The writing is amazing, as is the storytelling. The characters range from good, to horrible, to amazing, to very morally ambiguous. The exploration of good & bad and if there even is such a thing in the first place was done so well. This book had a twist I truly did not expect. After the 3rd big chapter I thought everything was over (because in every other fantasy book, that is how the story ends), everything that came after was just so unexpected and amazing. I can't say more without saying too much and spoiling the book so I won't. This is truly a series you should know as little as possible about before reading.
Also I was surprised by how fresh this book felt. I have read so many fantasy books by now and I can enjoy a book while still realising how tropy and cliquee it is. This book felt like something new and exciting though.
I can only highly recommend this book! Especially if you are interested in russian folklore :)
I don't think I understand every theme that was explored in this book so I won't even try to analyse it. I just read this book for pleasure so I didn't make notes or anything. I can say that there is definitely loads of things to analyse and think about though.
I loved the way the myths were mixed with real events and people. It just feels like an alternative universe.
This series is officially one of my all time favourites. The writing is amazing, as is the storytelling. The characters range from good, to horrible, to amazing, to very morally ambiguous. The exploration of good & bad and if there even is such a thing in the first place was done so well. This book had a twist I truly did not expect. After the 3rd big chapter I thought everything was over (because in every other fantasy book, that is how the story ends), everything that came after was just so unexpected and amazing. I can't say more without saying too much and spoiling the book so I won't. This is truly a series you should know as little as possible about before reading.
Also I was surprised by how fresh this book felt. I have read so many fantasy books by now and I can enjoy a book while still realising how tropy and cliquee it is. This book felt like something new and exciting though.
I can only highly recommend this book! Especially if you are interested in russian folklore :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Slavery, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Murder, War, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Body shaming, Death, Torture, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Violence, Kidnapping, and Sexism
elisabeth_g_mark's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This became my favourite trilogy of the last year. Every character is alive, has depth, evolves and has a role to play. The setting is vibrant, you feel the cold, the darkness and the summer heat.
The love story is a side plot, because for our MC her own growth, searching for her own way, is more important than a man. But it's still important to her, home and in the end, she needs it all - her love, her friends and allies, her enemies and faith in herself.
I'll miss this world and will reread it next winter. Katherine Arden became quickly a favourite author with this 5-star trilogy.
The love story is a side plot, because for our MC her own growth, searching for her own way, is more important than a man. But it's still important to her, home and in the end, she needs it all - her love, her friends and allies, her enemies and faith in herself.
I'll miss this world and will reread it next winter. Katherine Arden became quickly a favourite author with this 5-star trilogy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Grief, Violence, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Suicide and Torture
Minor: Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
ktkeps's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and War
ae_young's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Animal death, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
saintyeehaw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was probably the last thing I expected from the events of the first book. Truthfully, I had wanted Vasya to run away from it all and travel the world like she planned to. I admit I was disappointed by the second book's decision to turn inward toward her siblings. I think that disappointment probably puts a bias on my mediocre experience with this last installment. This third story is a good one and I did enjoy my time reading it, but it suffers a little from treating Vasya as untouchable and some questionable ethics.
We are pretty much outright told that no man can resist Vasya's wild/unique charm; while that's something seen in the behavior of other men in the previous books, making it some kind of general rule that gets her out of more than one life threatening situation feels pretty cheap. I also don't feel great, or even good at all, about a 17 year old feeling forced by a dire situation to have sex with an ancient winter god. I was already iffy about their relationship but this book pushed it from questionable to straight up ick for me. Not loving that the only queer relationship in the entire series is between the two villains either. Finally, if we're going to undo some of Vasya's greatest development into adulthood by bringing Solovey back, at least give us more time with him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, War, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Murder