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A review by simplyalexandra
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
5.0
-First Read-
4.5 Stars - I highly recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction or fantasy. It is a lovely blend of the two that was just right for me. I especially recommend if you are looking to read about a different culture or time period. This is extremely fascinating and lovely to read.
Vasya is the youngest daughter of Petyor Petrovich and she is wild like her mother was. In the Northern part of Russia Vasya's city is caught between a primal and pagan past and the church. She is a disgrace to most of her city, but is perhaps the only one who can save them from what is coming.
I loved this book because I really didn't know what to expect when I started reading it. I knew there was a fantasy element to it, and that was it. It turns out that this book was a lovely surprise. It reads more like historical fiction, but weaves the folktales the children learn into the narrative. I took a Slavic Folklore course in college, so it was very fun to look back on that and remember things about Russian culture that I had learned. I like how well researched and imagined the setting, culture, religions, and myths are in this book. Arden really did her work. She does give a disclaimer about a bit of the language though, but that didn't bother me (as I know nothing about Russian language..). This is the kind of book where you become completely swept up in the setting and plot, and that will leave you wanting more. I saw someone say there will be more books later, I don't know if that is true. The ending is not quite a cliffhanger, but does leave me guessing. I would highly recommend this, and look forward to reading more books should there be some later. I recommend glancing through the glossary at the end to familiarize yourself with some of the terms, etc. It will help if you don't have a lot of background knowledge on Russian language, myths, etc. - of course you can always reference it on a case-by-case basis as well. :)
-Second Read-
5 Stars - I highly recommend if you are looking for gorgeously descriptive tale of coming of age, adventure, and a little bit of magic. It reads like historical fiction, and is beautifully woven.
Vasya is the youngest daughter of Petyor Petrovich and she is wild like her mother was. In the Northern part of Russia Vasya's city is caught between a primal and pagan past and the church. She is a disgrace to most of her city, but is perhaps the only one who can save them from what is coming.
I re-read this one so that I could get to my ARC of The Girl in the Tower, a little later than I would have liked. I was worried, especially with the lovely slow pace of the book that I wouldn't enjoy the second read nearly as much, I also rarely re-read... but I loved it just as much, if not more, the second time around. Every season is so lushly described, the setting is so fascinating, the mythology woven so seamlessly into the plot. I loved every moment of the re-read, and it definitely helped me upon reading the sequel!
*I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!
4.5 Stars - I highly recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction or fantasy. It is a lovely blend of the two that was just right for me. I especially recommend if you are looking to read about a different culture or time period. This is extremely fascinating and lovely to read.
Vasya is the youngest daughter of Petyor Petrovich and she is wild like her mother was. In the Northern part of Russia Vasya's city is caught between a primal and pagan past and the church. She is a disgrace to most of her city, but is perhaps the only one who can save them from what is coming.
I loved this book because I really didn't know what to expect when I started reading it. I knew there was a fantasy element to it, and that was it. It turns out that this book was a lovely surprise. It reads more like historical fiction, but weaves the folktales the children learn into the narrative. I took a Slavic Folklore course in college, so it was very fun to look back on that and remember things about Russian culture that I had learned. I like how well researched and imagined the setting, culture, religions, and myths are in this book. Arden really did her work. She does give a disclaimer about a bit of the language though, but that didn't bother me (as I know nothing about Russian language..). This is the kind of book where you become completely swept up in the setting and plot, and that will leave you wanting more. I saw someone say there will be more books later, I don't know if that is true. The ending is not quite a cliffhanger, but does leave me guessing. I would highly recommend this, and look forward to reading more books should there be some later. I recommend glancing through the glossary at the end to familiarize yourself with some of the terms, etc. It will help if you don't have a lot of background knowledge on Russian language, myths, etc. - of course you can always reference it on a case-by-case basis as well. :)
-Second Read-
5 Stars - I highly recommend if you are looking for gorgeously descriptive tale of coming of age, adventure, and a little bit of magic. It reads like historical fiction, and is beautifully woven.
Vasya is the youngest daughter of Petyor Petrovich and she is wild like her mother was. In the Northern part of Russia Vasya's city is caught between a primal and pagan past and the church. She is a disgrace to most of her city, but is perhaps the only one who can save them from what is coming.
I re-read this one so that I could get to my ARC of The Girl in the Tower, a little later than I would have liked. I was worried, especially with the lovely slow pace of the book that I wouldn't enjoy the second read nearly as much, I also rarely re-read... but I loved it just as much, if not more, the second time around. Every season is so lushly described, the setting is so fascinating, the mythology woven so seamlessly into the plot. I loved every moment of the re-read, and it definitely helped me upon reading the sequel!
*I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!