A review by bannedfrombookclub
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

4.25

This was very immersive and Arden has such a strong and engaging voice for this story set in medieval Russia where the fairytales are real. Characters push the edges of their folklore archetypes to become more real and grounded. Themes include the battle between old and new gods, family, the question of sacrificing one for the good of the many, the lot of women at this time, and low-key romantic tension with a winter demon.

I picked this up at total random from a library shelf and getting to the end I was like - hmm some of these character threads and set ups haven't been resolved - but it's a trilogy, a completed trilogy. So we can all relax. 

Also this is great but it is not a cozy fantasy. It's not grimdark fantasy either. I'd say it's norm-core level of fantasy sad/badness. 
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