Book Review: The Bear and the Nightingale

[Joey Stark]

Title of the book: The Bear and the Nightingale
Authors: Katherine Arden
Series: Winternight Trilogy (#1)
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction
Summary and evaluation:

The Bear and the Nightingale is by far my favourite book of 2018 so far!

I didn’t expect it to love this story half as much as I ended up doing. I chose it on a bit of a whim (honestly, the cover was pretty and the brief mention of an ice demon somewhere caught my interest) but I’m so glad I did. The book is now making the rounds through my family and I’m recommending it to everyone I can!

This is a wonderful fantasy story set in the northern wilderness of Russia, where the equally wild young Vaysa listens to her grandmother tell fairy tales by the fire. But as Vasya grows, the fairy tales only become more real and soon she finds herself torn between the duties of two entirely different worlds. As midwinter approaches once again, Vasya will have to make a choice; become the woman and daughter her people expect of her or a warrior for the spirit world, fighting shoulder to shoulder with the King of Winter himself.

The pace of this book was wonderful. Suspense built steadily as the tensions in the characters (and the weather) rose but it was encapsulating from the very beginning. Instead of feeling as though Arden was fighting to keep my interest, my interest was very naturally caught and I didn’t want to put the book down. Neither could I seem to only read a few pages at time as every occasion I started reading again, the story enveloped me anew. I became invested in the feisty, odd Vasya and anticipated her interactions with the different spirits derived from Russian folklore (the Domovoi – a gentle little bearded man who lived in the oven and guarded the house, emerging occasionally to mend clothes, was a personal favourite).

I was only a few chapters in when I went ahead and bought the sequel, ‘The Girl in the Tower’. I feel like I’ve seen Vasya grow up in this book and now I can’t wait to see how far she’ll go

[Vanessa Tilley]

I actually just finished this book today!

I found it to be a little slow to start but I am glad I hung in there because it was worth it. I love Vasya and I look forward to seeing what the next book brings!

[Prof. Tarma Amelia Black]

I read this book because of Joey's review.

It's amazingly lovely and so richly written. I could feel the cold of the winters, the warmth of that stove. The details of the life, of what people did, how they acted -- it's totally amazing.

I don't want to say much of the story itself. Suffice it to say, though, the end of it is valid -- and good.
Thank you, Joey, for bringing it to my attention.

[Joey Stark]

Ahh I'm so glad you guys both read it (and enjoyed it!)

Nessa, the second book I think it potentially even better than the first, I hope you get to read it soon! The third and final instalment I think comes out in January!

Tarma, I very much agree with your assessment. It's one of those books that really transports you!