Last night, I closed the cover of the beautifully,
enchanting book The Bear and the Nightingale
by Katherine Arden. It was a tale that dove back into the olden days of Russia;
and was full of the magic that floated softly through the times’ frozen forests
and flared above the warm fires in those ancient homes.
It is the story of Vasilisa, a young girl who lives
with her family weeks away from any major city. For decades, her small village
has lived a peaceful existence inside the rules of the church, all the while
never forgetting the spirits, rituals, and customs of their ancestors. But as
Vasilisa grows, a devout stepmother and young priest, challenge the balance of
that life, and threaten the future of them all. Vasilisa realizes that she must
break with the will of those surrounding her and trust in her own strength, if she is to save her world and the people she loves most.
Certain aspects of it reminded me unmistakably of Eowyn
Ivey’s The Snow Child, one of my most beloved, favorite books. Both stories
existed in an age now forever gone, both were worlds of frozen snow lit beauty,
and both brought to life a young girl full of fierce fire and magic. Just as
with The Snow Child, I’d hoped this book would never end.
If your reading preferences center around books firmly
set in the realities of daily life then this probably isn’t the tale for you.
If however, you love to get lost inside a story that makes you believe true magic
is possible, seek out a copy as soon as possible, and enjoy.
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