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

mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I give my congratulations to Katherine Arden for creating a world that is so vivid, atmospheric, and immersive. Usually I prefer books that are very fast paced. This book has more of a medium pace and there are plot points that are planted at the beginning of the book that are not addressed immediately, but rather later. However, the plot is immersed in mystery and suspense that leaves readers curious as to what direction the tale will take. The story changes focus for extended periods of time leaving you wondering what is going on with another plot point, but eventually you get back to it. This also mildly mirrors a Hades/Persephone retelling, which I always appreciate, especially when done this well. There is a variety of characters that range from very unlikeable to super interesting and likeable. Even the unlikeable characters are interesting, though.

This book can stand alone as all of the plot points are answered by the end, but the ending is open to a sequel. This was the perfect book to pick back up in the winter and I can confidently say that it lives up to the hype.
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