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asparagusfern 's review for:
The Bear and the Nightingale
by Katherine Arden
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
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
A dark fairytale about a Russian town divided between Christianity and an older animist religion, centering around a young girl who can see spirits. I think this book had some very interesting themes about religion, fear, familial duty v. personal freedom, and the role of women.
Despite its fairly modest length (for a fantasy book), this is a slow burn family epic told in a distant, subdued style. The first 70% of this book is all setup and most of the action happens within the last third, so if you're looking for something action packed this is not it.
Despite its fairly modest length (for a fantasy book), this is a slow burn family epic told in a distant, subdued style. The first 70% of this book is all setup and most of the action happens within the last third, so if you're looking for something action packed this is not it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Religious bigotry
Minor: Child abuse, Rape, Fire/Fire injury