Bookmas 2018: Day Four

For day 4 of Bookmas 2018
I'm finally reviewing a book that's
been sat on my tbr for months and I
ended up loving.


So, let's jump into day 4...

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Publisher: Del Rey Books

ISBN: 1101885939

Format: Hardback, Paperback, E-Book,
Audio-Book

Release Date: 10th January 2017

Links: Goodreads, Amazon.com, Indigo,
B&N, Book Depository

Rating: 9/10

Synopsis:

At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses.

After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.

And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.

As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed--this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales

Review:

I'd heard nothing about amazing things when it came to this book and it lived up to all my expectations!

The protagonist is Vasya, a strong willed and stubborn girl who longs for adventure and often finds herself getting into trouble along the way. She is quick-witted and rebellious but I couldn't help but fall in love with her. Her and her family live on the edge of the Russian wilderness; with her father ruling the lands, and her mother having died giving birth to her, knowing that she was special.

Vasya faces many struggles. While her family may accept her, everyone else around her and in the village does not. She doesn't want what the other girls around her do; she's uninterested in marriage and children. Her character arc and development is wonderfully tackled. Vasya starts off more naive and allows her Father to care for her. As she grows throughout the novel she becomes more independent and seeks adventure and her own path in life.

The side characters are just as wonderful as the protagonist. All of the characters leapt off the page. Vasya's brother, sister, stepmother and the villains in the novel are all extremely well written. I felt connected to all the side characters and, especially, towards the protagonist.

Katherine Arden's writing is beautifully descriptive, lyrical and magical. The book never felt too fast-paced. I really enjoyed that it was more slow-paced. More time was spent getting to know all the different characters which only helped me feel more connected to all of them. I loved the descriptions of the setting. I felt as if I was truly inside the novel alongside the various characters.

I was very invested in the storyline and characters. From start to finish I was hooked and I never wanted the book to end. The little twists and turns made the story unique and captivating.

The Bear and the Nightingale is very atmospheric. The writing is magical and Katherine Arden does a wonderful job at mixing Russian folklore, fantasy and historical fiction to create a beautifully written story. It's an amazing book and it's hard to believe that this is only a debut novel with how utterly wonderful it is. I cannot wait to read more books in this series.