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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
*3.5 stars
This admittedly isn't quite up my street, in the way it is told - quite a long-winded, meandering plot telling the story of its protagonist from birth to present day. But by the end I was hooked in to the main story and fully had Vasya's back, and do now really want to continue with the series!
This admittedly isn't quite up my street, in the way it is told - quite a long-winded, meandering plot telling the story of its protagonist from birth to present day. But by the end I was hooked in to the main story and fully had Vasya's back, and do now really want to continue with the series!
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
It is very rare for me that when I get close to the end of a book that I start finding other things to do rather than actually finish the book as I am enjoying it so much! And, for the first time in a long while, this is what I found myself doing as I got close to finishing "The Bear and the Nightingale".
The story, set in the 14th century in Northern Russia, is about the impact of the spread of Christianity on the old beliefs and old spirits and gods. The main character, a teenage girl, can see and interact with the old spirits, to the fear and distress of many people. As the story progresses, the powers and roles of the old spirits become both clearer and also more threatening. To say much more would spoil the story!
The novel is just beautifully written. Seemingly effortless, lyrical prose and believable characters that are both finely drawn as required and just described in broad terms when that is appropriate. The environment is a key character, and I shiver as I think about the Russian winter and the lot of most people during that time, all brought to life by the author. The story is well paced, and the conclusion is both satisfying and leaves room for further novels in the milieu.
I, for one, am very much looking forward to further works by the author and I am so pleased that I have read the book.
The story, set in the 14th century in Northern Russia, is about the impact of the spread of Christianity on the old beliefs and old spirits and gods. The main character, a teenage girl, can see and interact with the old spirits, to the fear and distress of many people. As the story progresses, the powers and roles of the old spirits become both clearer and also more threatening. To say much more would spoil the story!
The novel is just beautifully written. Seemingly effortless, lyrical prose and believable characters that are both finely drawn as required and just described in broad terms when that is appropriate. The environment is a key character, and I shiver as I think about the Russian winter and the lot of most people during that time, all brought to life by the author. The story is well paced, and the conclusion is both satisfying and leaves room for further novels in the milieu.
I, for one, am very much looking forward to further works by the author and I am so pleased that I have read the book.
dark
mysterious
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:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
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
I really enjoyed this novel... until the end.
Vasya (sp?) is a really interesting, yet wholly relatable character who rebels against society’s expectations of her. I enjoyed the folklore but it felt incomplete somehow. Like the beginning gave a good glimpse into the world but I needed more of an origin story. Maybe a prequel, might do it? I really thought that the ending would bring it full circle and explain the Bear’s history and/or motivations and his connection to Vasya, the witch, and their family. When it became clear that no explanation was forthcoming, it lost me.
Vasya (sp?) is a really interesting, yet wholly relatable character who rebels against society’s expectations of her. I enjoyed the folklore but it felt incomplete somehow. Like the beginning gave a good glimpse into the world but I needed more of an origin story. Maybe a prequel, might do it? I really thought that the ending would bring it full circle and explain the Bear’s history and/or motivations and his connection to Vasya, the witch, and their family. When it became clear that no explanation was forthcoming, it lost me.
I won't lie -- this wasn't the book I was expecting it to be. But it was marvelous. I was enticed by the character and the story; there were some loose ends, but I found myself excited rather than annoyed. The Russian names threw me a bit and made it sometimes hard for me to follow, simply due to the number of characters and my personal unfamiliarity with Russian names. But this 'modern' fairy tale was enchanting, well written, and very different from anything I've read recently!