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A review by cheesy_gordita_grack
The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
- 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
5.0
It's not always the case that the latter books in a series are better than the first ones. I had trouble with The Bear and the Nightingale because the snail's pace to start, and the overwhelming depth of the world-building. But that was all in service of the final books in the series. The Winter of the Witch was incredible, and I wish there were 10 more.
Overall, this series benefited from extremely well-developed characters and rich world-building. The combination of the Russian folklore-inspired world + ties to real historical events gave this book SO much dimension. And I loved all the characters, which never happens! Vasya is the toughest b*tch around. <3 And Arden's writing is really something: I will never get sick of reading about Vasya freezing to death in the Russian winter. I want 17 follow-up novellas following her adventures with Morozko, and her niece training with Baba Yaga, and Solovey hanging out with Miss Firebird lady. There was so much in this world left to be explored.
For this book in particular: You probably couldn't have asked for a better wrap-up. The author addressed so many loose ends, the scope and stakes felt appropriately BIG, and I like the way the romance was handled. Vasya is such a dope protagonist. For realz, Katherine Arden: pls write more.
Overall, this series benefited from extremely well-developed characters and rich world-building. The combination of the Russian folklore-inspired world + ties to real historical events gave this book SO much dimension. And I loved all the characters, which never happens! Vasya is the toughest b*tch around. <3 And Arden's writing is really something: I will never get sick of reading about Vasya freezing to death in the Russian winter. I want 17 follow-up novellas following her adventures with Morozko, and her niece training with Baba Yaga, and Solovey hanging out with Miss Firebird lady. There was so much in this world left to be explored.
For this book in particular: You probably couldn't have asked for a better wrap-up. The author addressed so many loose ends, the scope and stakes felt appropriately BIG, and I like the way the romance was handled. Vasya is such a dope protagonist. For realz, Katherine Arden: pls write more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Violence