Rating: ★★★★★
Recommend: Yes
Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Add to your TBR: Goodreads, Skoob
Well, this was darker than I expected! Which always means extra points with me.
The Bear and The Nightingale follows Vasilisa, a young girl with the gift to see creatures no one else sees, as her father decides to re-marry. The new wife is a devout catholic young woman who fiercely demands that the old rituals be ceased, so that this Russian village in the middle of the wilderness can finally see the light of the Catholic God. But as misfortune increases, Vasilisa tries to maintain the old costumes alive to save her village from an old, dangerous creature from the creepiest fairy tales she heard…
This book is hardly a story – it’s an experience. The darkness and magic throughout it is so wonderfully interwoven within the world, I could almost feel the chill deep in my bones, the fear and ignorance of people, the danger creeping from between what is being said. I loved reading about this retelling of Russian fairy tales and the uniqueness of the main character, Vasilisa. Each of the creatures presented was fascinating and fit perfectly in the story.
I read it as a Halloween read, but I think as a winter read it would have been even more perfect! It’s not a long book, a bit above 300 pages, so it’s quite perfect for an afternoon of coziness and watching the cold wind howling. I need to re-read this, I think it’s the kind of book that I will like even more upon re-reading.
Trigger Warnings: goriness, religious intolerance, sexism.
Beautiful written review, Naty! So it’s darker than you had anticipated.. well, that’ll be extra points to me as well!😁🤗✨📚
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, my friend! ❤ Yesss I loved that! I totally didn't expect it to be so dark!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you enjoyed this one. I’ll be reading my ARC of the sequel next month, and I’m hoping it is just as good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ohhh I hope so too! Do you know when it comes out?
LikeLiked by 1 person
December 5th.
LikeLiked by 1 person
ohhh great! Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve heard such great things about this book! Great review 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Ally! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
wonderful review naty! 😍
i am so looking forward to this book! 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Alex!! I hope you like it too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I read this in February last year so it was perfect as there was still snow outside! I really loved this book so much! I have an arc of the sequel and I’m just so excited to get to it! Lovely review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Danielle!! Yes, I think I’ll re-read this once the weather is colder… will be quite perfect, specially with the snow falling!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Most definitely!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So psyched to read this- though I am planning for it to be a winter read- so I’m glad you think it’ll be suited for that. Great review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!! I hope you like it, I think it’ll be perfect for you to read in winter!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome!! Oh wonderful 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s not a story, it’s an experience… I love it! It’s not my genre but I still want to read it because it sounds too good to miss :-). Great review!
LikeLike
Pingback: Mini-Reviews Of My October Reads | Naty's Bookshelf
Pingback: Winter & Christmas Book Recommendations | Naty's Bookshelf
Pingback: The Best Books I Read in 2017 | Naty's Bookshelf