What the community thinks
summary of 4656 ratings (see reviews)
Content warnings
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Religious bigotry (7 reviewers), Death (6 reviewers), Sexism (5 reviewers), Misogyny (4 reviewers), Child abuse (3 reviewers), Animal death (2 reviewers), Sexual assault (2 reviewers), Blood (2 reviewers), Body horror (2 reviewers), Grief (1 reviewer), Rape (1 reviewer), Confinement (1 reviewer), Gore (1 reviewer), and Adult/minor relationship (1 reviewer)Moderate
Sexism (5 reviewers), Gore (4 reviewers), Pedophilia (4 reviewers), Death (4 reviewers), Religious bigotry (3 reviewers), Animal death (3 reviewers), Child death (3 reviewers), Self harm (3 reviewers), Child abuse (3 reviewers), Blood (3 reviewers), Emotional abuse (3 reviewers), Violence (2 reviewers), Grief (2 reviewers), Misogyny (2 reviewers), Sexual assault (2 reviewers), Rape (2 reviewers), Physical abuse (2 reviewers), Mental illness (2 reviewers), Body horror (2 reviewers), Miscarriage (1 reviewer), Domestic abuse (1 reviewer), Adult/minor relationship (1 reviewer), Ableism (1 reviewer), and Forced institutionalization (1 reviewer)Minor
Sexual assault (4 reviewers), Rape (3 reviewers), Animal cruelty (3 reviewers), Body shaming (2 reviewers), Miscarriage (1 reviewer), Grief (1 reviewer), Self harm (1 reviewer), Child abuse (1 reviewer), Domestic abuse (1 reviewer), Pedophilia (1 reviewer), and Forced institutionalization (1 reviewer)Moods
adventurous 84%
mysterious 69%
dark 49%
emotional 36%
tense 23%
inspiring 11%
hopeful 9%
reflective 9%
sad 6%
challenging 5%
informative 2%
funny 1%
lighthearted 1%
relaxing 1%
mysterious 69%
dark 49%
emotional 36%
tense 23%
inspiring 11%
hopeful 9%
reflective 9%
sad 6%
challenging 5%
informative 2%
funny 1%
lighthearted 1%
relaxing 1%
Pace
medium 47%
slow 44%
fast 7%
slow 44%
fast 7%
Strong character development?
Yes: 81% | No: 11% | It's complicated: 7%Loveable characters?
Yes: 66% | It's complicated: 22% | No: 9% | N/A: 0%Diverse cast of characters?
No: 68% | It's complicated: 14% | Yes: 12% | N/A: 4%Flaws of characters centre-stage?
Yes: 64% | No: 18% | It's complicated: 13% | N/A: 3%Average rating
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At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn't mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse's fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.
After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.
And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.
As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales.
After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.
And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.
As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales.
Buy The Bear and the Nightingale
United States
Bookshop US
Other countries
Bookshop UK
Blackwell's
The StoryGraph is an affiliate of the featured links. We earn commission on any purchases made.
At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn't mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse's fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.
After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.
And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.
As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales.
After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.
And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.
As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales.
What the community thinks
summary of 4656 ratings (see reviews)
Content warnings
View warnings
Graphic
Religious bigotry (7 reviewers), Death (6 reviewers), Sexism (5 reviewers), Misogyny (4 reviewers), Child abuse (3 reviewers), Animal death (2 reviewers), Sexual assault (2 reviewers), Blood (2 reviewers), Body horror (2 reviewers), Grief (1 reviewer), Rape (1 reviewer), Confinement (1 reviewer), Gore (1 reviewer), and Adult/minor relationship (1 reviewer)Moderate
Sexism (5 reviewers), Gore (4 reviewers), Pedophilia (4 reviewers), Death (4 reviewers), Religious bigotry (3 reviewers), Animal death (3 reviewers), Child death (3 reviewers), Self harm (3 reviewers), Child abuse (3 reviewers), Blood (3 reviewers), Emotional abuse (3 reviewers), Violence (2 reviewers), Grief (2 reviewers), Misogyny (2 reviewers), Sexual assault (2 reviewers), Rape (2 reviewers), Physical abuse (2 reviewers), Mental illness (2 reviewers), Body horror (2 reviewers), Miscarriage (1 reviewer), Domestic abuse (1 reviewer), Adult/minor relationship (1 reviewer), Ableism (1 reviewer), and Forced institutionalization (1 reviewer)Minor
Sexual assault (4 reviewers), Rape (3 reviewers), Animal cruelty (3 reviewers), Body shaming (2 reviewers), Miscarriage (1 reviewer), Grief (1 reviewer), Self harm (1 reviewer), Child abuse (1 reviewer), Domestic abuse (1 reviewer), Pedophilia (1 reviewer), and Forced institutionalization (1 reviewer)Moods
adventurous 84%
mysterious 69%
dark 49%
emotional 36%
tense 23%
inspiring 11%
hopeful 9%
reflective 9%
sad 6%
challenging 5%
informative 2%
funny 1%
lighthearted 1%
relaxing 1%
mysterious 69%
dark 49%
emotional 36%
tense 23%
inspiring 11%
hopeful 9%
reflective 9%
sad 6%
challenging 5%
informative 2%
funny 1%
lighthearted 1%
relaxing 1%
Pace
medium 47%
slow 44%
fast 7%
slow 44%
fast 7%
Strong character development?
Yes: 81% | No: 11% | It's complicated: 7%Loveable characters?
Yes: 66% | It's complicated: 22% | No: 9% | N/A: 0%Diverse cast of characters?
No: 68% | It's complicated: 14% | Yes: 12% | N/A: 4%Flaws of characters centre-stage?
Yes: 64% | No: 18% | It's complicated: 13% | N/A: 3%Average rating