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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
The Bear and the Nightingale is a slow, quiet kind of story—one that unfolds gradually, asking you to trust where it’s leading. I can see why so many readers love this book, and while it wasn’t fully my style, I didn’t dislike it either.
I appreciated the heartfelt connnections between some of the characters as well as the conversations with different 'creatures'. Vasya’s journey as the wild child was intriguing, she wasn’t supposed to survive yet continually proved her strength. I also found the glimpse into Russian folklore and the world of spirits and old magic to be really interesting—it gave the book a unique and timeless quality.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
WARNING: unpopular opinion ahead
I don't really start reading books with super high expectations anymore because I've been disappointed too many times to count, but when you go to a book page and you literally see only 4 and 5 star reviews it's kinda hard not to expect at least a moderately enjoyable read. I mean, come on: a fairy tale set in a fantasy version of Russia? This had everything to become an amazing novel.
But man if this wasn't underwhelming.
I understand why so many people loved this. The Bear and The Nightingale is quite original and different from your usual fantasy YA, which is also why I can quite confidently say that I don't think I didn't enjoy it because I'm too old for this genre. No, the truth is that it was simply extremely slow and painfully tedious. The entire plot is basically condensed in the last three chapters, and the rest of the book is just an infinite description of meaningless tasks, usually related to horses. There's no action, no tension and, most of all, no characterization whatsoever.
I guess this was my major problem with this book: I couldn't relate to or care about any character or any event at all because everything just felt so... distant. The author wanted to recreate a fairy tale kind of writing and atmosphere, but I feel like she focused so much on this aspect that she completely forgot to give her characters... a personality? They all felt so bland and their interactions so artificial. Even Vasya, the protagonist, only gets some sort of characterization towards the end, otherwise her feelings are very generic and forgettable.
Also... what was that half-assed attempt at creating a romance at the end? WHY?? Where did it even come from?? Why should I feel anything about this when both of them are so one-dimensional??
I seriously wanted to at least like this book, I mean it, but there was nothing I really enjoyed about it. Not the tedious writing, not the flat characters, nor the uneventful plot. The only good (?) thing I can say about it is that in a week I will probably forget I even read it.
I don't really start reading books with super high expectations anymore because I've been disappointed too many times to count, but when you go to a book page and you literally see only 4 and 5 star reviews it's kinda hard not to expect at least a moderately enjoyable read. I mean, come on: a fairy tale set in a fantasy version of Russia? This had everything to become an amazing novel.
But man if this wasn't underwhelming.
I understand why so many people loved this. The Bear and The Nightingale is quite original and different from your usual fantasy YA, which is also why I can quite confidently say that I don't think I didn't enjoy it because I'm too old for this genre. No, the truth is that it was simply extremely slow and painfully tedious. The entire plot is basically condensed in the last three chapters, and the rest of the book is just an infinite description of meaningless tasks, usually related to horses. There's no action, no tension and, most of all, no characterization whatsoever.
I guess this was my major problem with this book: I couldn't relate to or care about any character or any event at all because everything just felt so... distant. The author wanted to recreate a fairy tale kind of writing and atmosphere, but I feel like she focused so much on this aspect that she completely forgot to give her characters... a personality? They all felt so bland and their interactions so artificial. Even Vasya, the protagonist, only gets some sort of characterization towards the end, otherwise her feelings are very generic and forgettable.
Also... what was that half-assed attempt at creating a romance at the end? WHY?? Where did it even come from?? Why should I feel anything about this when both of them are so one-dimensional??
I seriously wanted to at least like this book, I mean it, but there was nothing I really enjoyed about it. Not the tedious writing, not the flat characters, nor the uneventful plot. The only good (?) thing I can say about it is that in a week I will probably forget I even read it.
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think the attempts to weave in aspects of myth and fairy tale weren't always smooth, but overall it was an entertaining read. The stepmother seemed particularly fragmented as a character, being as evil or stupid or fragile as any given plot point required for no coherent reason. Beautiful imagery. Should have been at least 25% shorter.
Also the description of this book makes it seem like the stepmother ruins life in the village, but it's not. She doesn't help matters, but she's a victim, like the rest of the villagers, of a different stranger (and of their own desires for the world to be simpler than it is) who provides the gateway for evil to take root.
Also the description of this book makes it seem like the stepmother ruins life in the village, but it's not. She doesn't help matters, but she's a victim, like the rest of the villagers, of a different stranger (and of their own desires for the world to be simpler than it is) who provides the gateway for evil to take root.
slow-paced
Spoilers because I never remember the endings. I write recaps for myself.
I listen to audiobooks almost exclusively and this was hard to listen to. The Russian names took a bit to get used to but then near the end animals were thrown in the mix and I got very confused. The final battle was hard to understand and i think some villains had multiple names or there were multiple villains.
Vasilisa's mother does in child birth. Step mother is crazy because she sees demons. Vasilisa can also see these "demons" but realizes they are just house and nature spirits. She befriends all of them. Step mother brings in new priest who wants to rid village of demons. Disavowing old ways the villagers stop giving offerings to spirits. This causes the big bad bear to gain power and ..... Start big battle but vasilisa wins.
I listen to audiobooks almost exclusively and this was hard to listen to. The Russian names took a bit to get used to but then near the end animals were thrown in the mix and I got very confused. The final battle was hard to understand and i think some villains had multiple names or there were multiple villains.
Vasilisa's mother does in child birth. Step mother is crazy because she sees demons. Vasilisa can also see these "demons" but realizes they are just house and nature spirits. She befriends all of them. Step mother brings in new priest who wants to rid village of demons. Disavowing old ways the villagers stop giving offerings to spirits. This causes the big bad bear to gain power and ..... Start big battle but vasilisa wins.
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
I really only started this book because I was waiting for some of my holds on Libby to become available. It seemed interesting enough, but…oh my god. I was not expecting to love it this much - I read it all in one sitting.
I feel like this is an objectively good book, but one that not everyone is guaranteed to enjoy. For me, this was a direct cut into everything I love - strong female lead, elements of historical fiction, pagan mythology, interesting commentary on Christian ethos, and of course a frost-demon.
For me, this was like a really pleasant blend of Uprooted by Naomi Novak and the Emily Wilde books, so exactly on brand for a book I’d love.
And, damn, the writing was beautiful and evocative, and emotions were conveyed with such grace. I love when a book is GOOOOOOOOD. I’ll be thinking about this…for a long, long, long time. Possibly forever.
I feel like this is an objectively good book, but one that not everyone is guaranteed to enjoy. For me, this was a direct cut into everything I love - strong female lead, elements of historical fiction, pagan mythology, interesting commentary on Christian ethos, and of course a frost-demon.
For me, this was like a really pleasant blend of Uprooted by Naomi Novak and the Emily Wilde books, so exactly on brand for a book I’d love.
And, damn, the writing was beautiful and evocative, and emotions were conveyed with such grace. I love when a book is GOOOOOOOOD. I’ll be thinking about this…for a long, long, long time. Possibly forever.