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A review by nikkikeist
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
2.0
It reads like a fairy tale, which at first is intriguing and mysterious, but eventually falls flat. Fairy tales are characteristically surface-level and told very simply, which doesn’t translate well to a novel.
The characters’ personalities can all be reduced to a couple words and the plot points were presented without background or explanation. (ex. A man lives in a forest grove. Time doesn’t really exist there. Why? How? We’re never told. It’s just a fairy tale.)
The novel had an interesting premise but didn’t follow through with the depth it needed to bring it to life.
I was also disappointed that there was basically no discussion on the marital and statutory rape of Anna, the new step-mother to Vasya, who is 14 when she’s wed to Vasya’s father. The father was still seen as a great man despite raping her and the author had no discussion on this in the book, just passing over it as if it were normal for this to happen and was nothing to be concerned about. Not to mention that the Priest (a grown man) also desired Vasya, who was 15. I understand historical accuracy, but can we not have a fairy tale in a made-up world where girls aren’t being raped, especially without repercussion or even moral judgement from the author?
The characters’ personalities can all be reduced to a couple words and the plot points were presented without background or explanation. (ex. A man lives in a forest grove. Time doesn’t really exist there. Why? How? We’re never told. It’s just a fairy tale.)
The novel had an interesting premise but didn’t follow through with the depth it needed to bring it to life.
I was also disappointed that there was basically no discussion on the marital and statutory rape of Anna, the new step-mother to Vasya, who is 14 when she’s wed to Vasya’s father. The father was still seen as a great man despite raping her and the author had no discussion on this in the book, just passing over it as if it were normal for this to happen and was nothing to be concerned about. Not to mention that the Priest (a grown man) also desired Vasya, who was 15. I understand historical accuracy, but can we not have a fairy tale in a made-up world where girls aren’t being raped, especially without repercussion or even moral judgement from the author?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexism
The father is pressured/forced to marry a 14 year old girl who becomes the main character’s step-mother. Theres brief descriptions of the girl crying and being afraid of the father before becoming comfortable. No other discussion is present but the girl remains a secondary character.