The Bear and The Nightingale
Katherine Arden
£9.99
Mr B's review
Katherine Arden has created a beautiful, enchanting tale brimming with Russian folklore and stories; when you delve deeper there is so much darkness and menace. We follow Vasya – wild and headstrong she lives for nature and freedom. From the beginning she is unlike everyone around her, she can see the spirits that guard her village. Their isolated view of the world is challenged when a young Priest arrives, set to convert them all to Christianity. This clash of religion throughout is bold and causes so much danger and malice. Each character is unravelled slowly and perfectly and as the dark magic in the forest threatens their existence, we are thrown into this bleak, icy world. Also you will fall in love with Solovey.. just sayin’. – Amy
Description
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Beware the evil in the woods…
In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, an elderly servant tells stories of sorcery, folklore and the Winter King to the children of the family, tales of old magic frowned upon by the church.
But for the young, wild Vasya these are far more than just stories. She alone can see the house spirits that guard her home, and sense the growing forces of dark magic in the woods. . .
Atmospheric and enchanting, with an engrossing adventure at its core, The Bear and the Nightingale is perfect for readers of Naomi Novik’s Uprooted, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, and Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials.
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Now with over 100 5* reviews, readers are spellbound by this magical story:
‘This book stayed with me, I didn’t want it to end’
‘A beautifully written story’
‘An entrancing story, which swept me up from the very first chapter’
‘Full of magic’
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Make sure you’ve read all the books in the acclaimed Winternight Trilogy
1. The Bear and the Nightingale
2. The Girl in the Tower
3. The Winter of the Witch
Publisher Review
“beautiful literary fairytale…incredibly lyrical prose…a joy to read. Arden opens her imagination wide and succeeds in transporting the reader to an evocative world…with a heroine it’s impossible not to love…” * Stylist * “[A]n enchanting wintertime read… fierce and otherworldly[.]” * Psychologies Magazine * “Wonderfully inventive” * Heat Magazine * “Arden’s debut novel has the cadence of a beautiful fairy tale but is darker and more lyrical. The novel is deceptively simple, but its characters and plot are sophisticated and complex. Arden explores what happens when fear and ignorance whip people into a furore, and how society can be persuaded to act against its own interests so easily. It’s a rather apt tale for our times.” * Washington Post * “An extraordinary retelling of a very old tale. A Russian setting adds a unfamiliar spice to the story of a young woman who does not rebel against the limits of her role in her culture so much as transcend them. A wonderfully layered novel of family roles and the harsh wonders of deep winter magic.” — Robin Hobb “A beautiful deep-winter story, full of magic and monsters and the sharp edges of growing up.” — Naomi Novik “Haunting and lyrical, The Bear and the Nightingale tugs at the heart and quickens the pulse. I can’t wait for her next book.” — Terry Brooks “A thrilling tale…perfect…” * Emerald Street * “A beautiful snowy Russian fable set at the border between myth and reality; a cast of demons, priests and royalty centre around a girl fighting to find her own path. Magical, thrilling and entrancing.” * Anna James * “…so detailed and vivid you can practically feel the chill numbing your fingers. Beautifully written and richly textured, it’s a beguiling read.” * SFX Magazine * “Arden’s debut is an earthy, beautifully written love letter to Russian folklore, with an irresistible heroine … [an] exciting fairy tale that will enchant readers from the first page” * Publisher’s Weekly * “Enthralling and enchanting – I literally couldn’t put it down. A wondrous book!” — Tamora Pierce * bestselling author of the Song of the Lionness Quartet * “The Bear and the Nightingale is a marvelous trip into an ancient Russia where magic is a part of everyday life” — Todd McCaffrey * author of The Dragon Books * “beautifully wrought fairytale for adults…” * Writing Magazine * “Fairy tale lovers, if you’re going to read one fantasy book this winter, let this be it…. beautiful debut” * www.bookish.com *
Find this book on the following lists
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Amy’s Favourites
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