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ishouldreadthat 's review for:
The Girl in the Tower
by Katherine Arden
Originally posted to I Should Read That
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler free, but contains spoilers for [b: The Bear and the Nightingale|25489134|The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1)|Katherine Arden|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470731420s/25489134.jpg|45268929].
As a huge fan of The Bear and the Nightingale, I was a little nervous to read The Girl in the Tower because I just loved the first book so much. However, The Girl in the Tower lived up to its predecessor and expanded on the wonderful world Arden created.
The Girl in the Tower does an amazing job of broadening the scope of the trilogy and the characters, all while carrying on the familiar themes that I loved so much in the first book. It still explores the Russian folklore and culture, however it expands its reach beyond Vasya’s rural village in the frozen north. Vasya continues to encounter the spirits and creatures that populated The Bear and the Nightingale, and she sees the influence the spread of Christianity has on them. However, The Girl in the Tower investigates medieval Russian culture beyond just the folklore. We get a better look at the culture that Vasya is struggling against -- one of the main themes is the treatment by her peers when she is disguised as a boy versus when she is dressed as a girl. It is a fascinating and infuriating part of the story, much like Vasya’s interactions with Father Konstantin in The Bear and the Nightingale.
The biggest change in this book is that a good portion of it takes place in and around Moscow rather than the rural north, therefore the book has a greater focus on the politics of the time rather than the culture in Vasya’s village. We meet powerful men and through them, the politics of the time is explored. The fragile political climate in Moscow is an integral part of the story, and one that I found absolutely fascinating.
One of great strengths of the Winternight trilogy so far is the wonderful cast of characters, heroes and villains alike. Vasya is such a compelling female lead and she only continues to grow in The Girl in the Tower -- she is one of the best characters I’ve read in a long time. Her world has changed dramatically since the end of The Bear and the Nightingale, however she is not stifled by her grief. She remains true to herself and tries to find her own path in a society that rejects her. She is headstrong, stubborn to a fault, and wild, but you cannot help but understand her.
The Girl in the Tower also features some old favourites and new characters. I won't say anything more, but the way each character is woven into the story and the motivations behind their actions are fascinating! One of the best aspects of the first book is that the villains, as much as we may hate them, are operating well within the rules of their society. In Vasya’s world, they are right and she is wrong. Arden continues this grey-area theme with many of the characters in the second book.
Overall, I thought The Girl in the Tower was a worthy sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale. Arden takes the wonderful world she created in the first book enhances it as Vasya goes leaves her home behind. With the book’s increased focus on politics and life in medieval Moscow, The Girl in the Tower has a more historical fiction flavour than The Bear and the Nightingale. The magic is still very much there, and Vasya’s adventures only continue to grow in their excitement.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler free, but contains spoilers for [b: The Bear and the Nightingale|25489134|The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1)|Katherine Arden|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470731420s/25489134.jpg|45268929].
As a huge fan of The Bear and the Nightingale, I was a little nervous to read The Girl in the Tower because I just loved the first book so much. However, The Girl in the Tower lived up to its predecessor and expanded on the wonderful world Arden created.
The Girl in the Tower does an amazing job of broadening the scope of the trilogy and the characters, all while carrying on the familiar themes that I loved so much in the first book. It still explores the Russian folklore and culture, however it expands its reach beyond Vasya’s rural village in the frozen north. Vasya continues to encounter the spirits and creatures that populated The Bear and the Nightingale, and she sees the influence the spread of Christianity has on them. However, The Girl in the Tower investigates medieval Russian culture beyond just the folklore. We get a better look at the culture that Vasya is struggling against -- one of the main themes is the treatment by her peers when she is disguised as a boy versus when she is dressed as a girl. It is a fascinating and infuriating part of the story, much like Vasya’s interactions with Father Konstantin in The Bear and the Nightingale.
The biggest change in this book is that a good portion of it takes place in and around Moscow rather than the rural north, therefore the book has a greater focus on the politics of the time rather than the culture in Vasya’s village. We meet powerful men and through them, the politics of the time is explored. The fragile political climate in Moscow is an integral part of the story, and one that I found absolutely fascinating.
One of great strengths of the Winternight trilogy so far is the wonderful cast of characters, heroes and villains alike. Vasya is such a compelling female lead and she only continues to grow in The Girl in the Tower -- she is one of the best characters I’ve read in a long time. Her world has changed dramatically since the end of The Bear and the Nightingale, however she is not stifled by her grief. She remains true to herself and tries to find her own path in a society that rejects her. She is headstrong, stubborn to a fault, and wild, but you cannot help but understand her.
The Girl in the Tower also features some old favourites and new characters. I won't say anything more, but the way each character is woven into the story and the motivations behind their actions are fascinating! One of the best aspects of the first book is that the villains, as much as we may hate them, are operating well within the rules of their society. In Vasya’s world, they are right and she is wrong. Arden continues this grey-area theme with many of the characters in the second book.
Overall, I thought The Girl in the Tower was a worthy sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale. Arden takes the wonderful world she created in the first book enhances it as Vasya goes leaves her home behind. With the book’s increased focus on politics and life in medieval Moscow, The Girl in the Tower has a more historical fiction flavour than The Bear and the Nightingale. The magic is still very much there, and Vasya’s adventures only continue to grow in their excitement.