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The Witch of Duva (The Grisha 0.5)

by Leigh Bardugo (Goodreads Author)

4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 · rating details · 792 ratings · 152 reviews

There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls… or so the story goes. But it’s just possible that the danger may be a little bit closer to home. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s debut novel, Shadow and Bone.

ebook, 32 pages

Published June 5th 2012 by Tor

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May 06, 2013 Keertana rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: why-the-hype

Rating: 1.5 Stars

Well...that was a disappointment. The Witch of Duva, unlike what I had expected, has nothing to do with Shadow and Bone except for existing in the same realm. Instead, it's a re-imagined version of Hanzel and Gretel, beautifully written but nothing wholly original or captivating. While I appreciated the small plot twists - if they can be called that in a novella so very short - they didn't do much for me and I was rather detached from this tale. I went into it hoping for at leas...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Pratima rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: awesomeness, fantasy, mystery, book-reviews

I feel a little bit silly writing a review for a short story, but oh well, I might as well write one given how much I enjoyed it.

Going in, I had relatively low expectations of the story because I figured hey it’s a short story, so what big surprise could it have in store for me? I was expecting maybe a one-liner or two that I liked and that’s it. But boy, did I get kicked in the ass for believing that.

First off, the Witch of Duva is a darkish “Ravkan” (pertaining to the fictitious Russian-inspi...more I feel a little bit silly writing a review for a short story, but oh well, I might as well write one given how much I enjoyed it.

Going in, I had relatively low expectations of the story because I figured hey it’s a short story, so what big surprise could it have in store for me? I was expecting maybe a one-liner or two that I liked and that’s it. But boy, did I get kicked in the ass for believing that.

First off, the Witch of Duva is a darkish “Ravkan” (pertaining to the fictitious Russian-inspired world of Ravka in Shadow & Bone) folk tale involving something of a murder mystery. I wasn’t expecting the ending so some of the “clues” sailed right over my head – mainly because these are blended in so very skillfully in the story-telling that you really don’t notice them. And then you think you know who the bad guy is but the author keeps you guessing till the end. I initially fell for the red herring and then halfway through I realized she was too obvious, but I still couldn’t figure out who the bad guy was.

The story is narrated in third person (omnipresent, I guess) and follows the main character Nadya. After her mother’s death, a series of events eventually drive her to the door of Duva’s witch and at the end Nadya manages to resolve the mystery plaguing Duva – it is one scary story (and I’m trying to give a minimum of detail so as not to spoil the story for those who haven’t read it).

An underlying message in this story seems to be that appearance is sometimes deceptive and that most of the time people are not really who you think they are. Quite a few characters are revealed to be something else other than what they first appear to be. We get a skewed perception of them either through their own initial behaviors or through the way other characters or the general society in which they live perceive them.

From start to finish, the writing flows smoothly and the descriptions are vivid and detailed enough so that it is easy to picture the setting and the characters in it. One thing that really stood out for me was the description of these delicious meals that Nadya had in the second half of the story – it just made my mouth water.

So in conclusion, Leigh Bardugo sure can write a damn fine story and it doesn’t matter if it happens over a few pages or a full-length novel. She weaves such a delightful story and puts an unexpected spin on it that the ending just left me gaping – totally didn’t see that one coming.

Oh and I just read one of Leigh’s comments in which she says that the story is a loose retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I also see a glimpse of Gingerbread Man in it as well, but maybe that’s just me.

Thanks for reading my ramblings!

Review available at: http://fableweavings.blogspot.com/201...(less)

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Mar 05, 2013 Nat rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those who loved Shadow and Bone, those who love folklore

You know what? This short story is available for free, and it's worth a lot more than that!

It's set in the Grisha world, but basically a tale of its own, and it's wonderfully told. This little girl named Nadya lives in a town near a forest, a forest that becomes fodder for tales of little girls being snatched away and never heard from again. The tales twist and turn the people in the town grow in their fear, now suspicious of their neighbors and those that are unfamiliar to them.

Nadya has a pr...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fairytales-revisited, fantasy, novellas, reimaginings-retellings

This short story set in the Grisha world is a Hansel & Gretel retelling that is equal parts dark and creepy and terribly enthralling. It's been a while since I read Shadow and Boneso I can't really comment on how this short ties into that storyline without going back for a re-read -- which I will totally be doing soon in preparation for Siege and Storm-- but as a re-imagining of the old Hansel & Gretel fairy tale, it is fantastic.

The Witch of Duvaisn't what I expected at all. I was conti...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

The Witch of Duva is a free short story set in the same world as Leigh Bardugo's novel The Gathering Dark (called Shadow and Bone if you're in the US) but can be read entirely separately to the book because there is no cross over of characters. In fact this story is actually a fairytale that is told by people who live in Ravka to their children.

Our heroine is a young girl called Nadya who loses everything after the death of her mother. Her brother is enlisted into the army and her father quickly...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

(originally reviewed on Starmetal Oak Reviews)

Warning! Mild Spoilers: I discuss some elements of the story that might be considered spoilers, but since this is a short story available for free on Tor.com, you might as well go read it now! Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

Okay? Moving on!

(PS: if you really don’t want to read it, skip to the last paragraph below, it’s spoiler free)

The Witch of Duva is a folk tale set in the same world as Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone. I’ve had my eye on Shadow and Bone and was...more (originally reviewed on Starmetal Oak Reviews)

Warning! Mild Spoilers: I discuss some elements of the story that might be considered spoilers, but since this is a short story available for free on Tor.com, you might as well go read it now! Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

Okay? Moving on!

(PS: if you really don’t want to read it, skip to the last paragraph below, it’s spoiler free)

The Witch of Duva is a folk tale set in the same world as Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone. I’ve had my eye on Shadow and Bone and was trying to decide if I should buy it or not. So when I heard of this story I decided to test the Ravkan waters.

The story is narrated like many of folk tales – with the impression that someone is telling it orally, but we don’t really know who until the end of the story. Sometimes this effect works and sometimes it doesn’t, since it can feel forced and fabricated. In this case, though, Bardugo creates a voice that lends itself to your immersion into the story.

The best part though is the story itself. It centers on a girl, Nadya, who find herself losing everyone important in her life: her mother dies, her brother is drafted and she is left with her shade of a father. Not only that, she has to watch herself since local girls have been disappearing through the frozen winter months. Nadya’s father ends up marrying a village woman, Karina, and things take a turn for the worst. At this point I thought it would be a typical ‘oh no my stepmother is evil’ tale, and it is, for a little while. Then things get creepy.

Nadya is bullied by Karina and made to go out into cold to hunt for food when she comes upon a witch’s cottage. There she barters for some magic to help her deal with her new stepmother, but we find out so, so much more about this village and the girls’ disappearances. To say I was creeped out was an understatement and I actually reread the ending twice to see if I understood what I was reading (because I just didn’t want to believe it!).

Spoiler Free Beyond This Point!

I really loved how this story merges familiar fairy tale and folk elements such as the wicked stepmother, scary forests, missing girls, a witch in the woods and food magic with a refreshing plot. You really think you know what’s coming based on the tropes but Bardugo has a great and frightening reveal to the story and the mystery. I recommend all to read this right now as it’s definitely worth the time. I hope to pick up the author’s novel, Shadow and Bone, to see what else she’s come up with.(less)

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Feb 24, 2013 Sarah (saz101) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've read just one other novella I've enjoyed this much – Gentlemen Send Phantoms by Laini Taylor, and those who know me will know what praise this is. I worship Laini (it's not creepy. I promise. We all wear clothes to the bi-monthly ritual sacrifices).

A sometimes whimsical, sometimes creepy, retelling of Hansel and Gretel, Bardugo retells the classic fairytale with the ease and mastery of my other hero, Neil Gaiman, who I've long considered master of peculiar folk stories.

Fairytales have a cer...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Whiskey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tail-retelling, magic, short-story

Read this and more at Romancing the Laser Pistol

I've been reading a lot of short stories lately. It seems like with the e-book, the novella and the short story are easier to publish. I don't remember nearly as many existing beforehand. Sure, there was the odd paranormal romance anthology that you needed to pick up in order to get a delicious snippet of your favorite characters. Now, like game add-ons, this seems to be the norm. Not that I'm complaining, some of these shorts have introduced me to...more

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Jun 14, 2013 Karissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a short story set in the same world as Bardugo’s Grisha series. This story is set in Ravka but it is a prequel (timeline wise) it also follows different characters and is more of a folktale than anything else. The story has a very traditional dark folklore tale feel to it and was absolutely engrossing. I was amazed at what a great story Bardugo wove in such a small space. The characters were absolutely engaging and the story just sucked me right in.

The woods outside of Duva are said to e...more
This is a short story set in the same world as Bardugo’s Grisha series. This story is set in Ravka but it is a prequel (timeline wise) it also follows different characters and is more of a folktale than anything else. The story has a very traditional dark folklore tale feel to it and was absolutely engrossing. I was amazed at what a great story Bardugo wove in such a small space. The characters were absolutely engaging and the story just sucked me right in.

The woods outside of Duva are said to eat girls, at least that has what Nadya has been raised believing. She gets to test the tale when her evil stepmom forces her out of the house at night and she finds herself at the door of the Witch of Duva herself.

Bardugo has said that Hansel and Gretel influenced this folktale, and you can definitely see the influences here...although this tale kind of turns Hansel and Gretel on its head.

Nadya is an excellent heroine, she is so easy to sympathize with. She’s a young girl with an okay life, but then as circumstances change and her father marries another woman and things get worse and worse for her. She is forced into a desperate situation where she must flee into the forest and confront the very thing that has always haunted her.

I was surprised at how engaging and entertaining all of the characters in this story were. They are so well developed and really came alive for me even though this was a very short story.

The suspense behind who/what the witch of Duva is and around the strange case of the disappearing girls is absolutely engrossing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time trying to figure out and predict what was going on.

There are a lot of twists and turns and by the end of the story no one is who you thought they would be and everyone is different from what you initially expected. The ending totally caught me by surprise, but then when I stopped to think about it I realized that there were a lot of carefully hidden hints throughout the story that supported the surprise ending. It takes a very masterful writter to mislead the reader so deftly and pull such a huge twist that is completely surprising but totally seamless with the rest of the story.

This is a dark and twisted folk tale and echoes many of the original Grimm fairy tales. Children are eaten and disappear, and dark things hunt the woods of Duva. Humanity follows a much harsher code and is much crueler than what we typically see in our day to day life now.

Overall an absolutely outstanding short story, I absolutely loved it. I immediately went out and bought The Too Clever Fox for my Kindle as well and can’t wait to read that. It is amazing that Bardugo can write not only spectacular novels but also spectacular short stories. In my opinion really well done short stories are very hard to write because you have to set up the world, characters, and plot is such a short amount of space. I highly recommend this short story to fans of the Grisha series and to fans of dark and grimm fairy tales.(less)

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Feb 06, 2013 Ashley Ferguson rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really love folk tales and fairy tales, and I was so excited to find that Bardugo wrote one that is told in Ravka. The world that she created in Shadow and Bone was already so rich, and I think that this story adds a little bit more depth and color to that. It does make me want more stories like this though, so I'm going to start hoping that there's going to something like a Grimm Brothers or Hans Christian Anderson collection of fairy tales that are told to Ravkan children.

Bardugo does an exc...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Marizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, horror, cross-genre, short-stories

This is a short story that goes with Bardugo's debut novel Shadow and Bone. It isn't related to the story of the novel itself, but it adds some back story for the people in the world Bardugo created. This is a Ravkan folklore (specific to the Tsibeyan locale). Typically, if you want to learn about the mindset of a people, the easiest way to do so is to familiarize yourself with their lore and superstitions. In this story, Bardugo allows us to do just that.

The story is reminiscent to that of Hans...more This is a short story that goes with Bardugo's debut novel Shadow and Bone. It isn't related to the story of the novel itself, but it adds some back story for the people in the world Bardugo created. This is a Ravkan folklore (specific to the Tsibeyan locale). Typically, if you want to learn about the mindset of a people, the easiest way to do so is to familiarize yourself with their lore and superstitions. In this story, Bardugo allows us to do just that.

The story is reminiscent to that of Hansel and Gretel mixed with the Gingerbread Man, with a dash of Little Red Riding Hood. The similarities with traditional folklore are striking, but this story has its own unique qualities. It is a short story, easily read in a short time span, with a haunting edge.

Nadya lives in the small village of Duva with her mother, father, and brother Havel. A long winter is approaching, and Nadya watches helplessly as her mother dies. A mysterious woman, Karina, takes interest in her father and seems to despise Nadya. Meanwhile, girls in the village keep disappearing, leaving only small tokens, a shoe, a ribbon, and blood in their wake. The casualties are increasing, more than Duva has ever seen before. The woods, it is rumored, eat wayward girls.

When Nadya's father marries the seclusive Karina and Havel joins the First Army, Nadya finds herself sent into the woods at sunset. Fearing for her life in the dark labyrinth, she runs blindly into the deeper clutches of clawed branches and deeper drifts of snow.

In the center of the woods she stumbles upon an odd, brightly lit and ominously lopsided witch cottage. Fearing the unknown pursuer in the woods behind her, Nadya determines to take her chances in the odd construct in the heart of the forest, and her world will never be the same...

Highly recommended short story. So far, Bardugo can do no wrong by me. Brilliantly written short story, filled with mystery and tension, richly woven into the fringes of Bardugo's imagined world.(less)

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Jan 29, 2013 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013, fbnlt, free

The Witch of Duva made me want to pull out Shadow and Bone to re-read–even though the two stories only have the world in common. I’d forgotten how much I adore this world and Leigh Bardugo’s storytelling.

This was a fun little short story that requires no background knowledge of the Grisha world. It’s a decent introduction the world and writing style. Yet, at the same time, it provides a good bridge for people wanting to revisit Shadow and Bone before book two. (*points to self*)

The Witch of Duva...more

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May 22, 2013 Lauren Lundin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This short story takes place in the same world as Bardugo's current fantasy series, but none of the characters overlap with the story of the books. I really enjoyed this fairy tale adaptation. I found it's tone to be a bit different than the books; it's darker, a bit more adult and seductively creepy. There seemed to be a lot of attention given to the descriptive language-

"And then she smelled it, hot and sweet, a fragrant cloud so dense with scent it singed the edges of her nostrils: burning s...more

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May 22, 2013 Megan rated it 3 of 5 stars

So this novella was messed up! It started off really slow at the beginning, but I really loved the middle. It is hard for me to say anything about this novella without spoiling a part of the story for y’all that read my reviews.

I will say that I really love the witch character. This story is a lot like Hansel and Gretel, but after reviewing others reviews of this novella I have to echo the same sentiment- do not try to guess what is going to happen in this story! It had some wonderful twists and...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, young-adult, read-in-2012

Okay. This? Was creepy perfect. Just... *shudders* yeah. Although no characters from book 1 put in an appearance, this story easily puts you back into the world of the Grisha. Come to think of it, no Grisha put in an appearance either. That's really beside the point. This world comes alive and pulls you in and twists you up in its mythology.

I do love the feel of this town on the brink of the forest. Food is scarce, the people watch their neighbors with cautious eyes as girls begin disappearing,...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Carina Olsen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I adore Leigh Bardugo. I first heard of her a few months ago, when I requested Shadow and Bone on NetGalley. At first I didn't think I would read it. Then I gave it a chance. And it blew my mind. Shadow and Bone is one of my favorite books. And I love Leigh's writing style. Her writing is perfect. Her words is perfect. Her characters are perfect. And the worlds she creates are perfect as well. I cannot wait to read more from Leigh.

The Witch of Duva is a short story of 32 pages. But even though...more I adore Leigh Bardugo. I first heard of her a few months ago, when I requested Shadow and Bone on NetGalley. At first I didn't think I would read it. Then I gave it a chance. And it blew my mind. Shadow and Bone is one of my favorite books. And I love Leigh's writing style. Her writing is perfect. Her words is perfect. Her characters are perfect. And the worlds she creates are perfect as well. I cannot wait to read more from Leigh.

The Witch of Duva is a short story of 32 pages. But even though it is short, I managed to love it a whole lot. It is creepy. And scary. But it is also sort of real. Even though it is Fantasy, it seemed like it could happen. But that might be because I believe in a lot of things. :) This short story is a lot like many fairy tales I have read. But it is also very unique and a lot better than those I have read.

Because Leigh has a special way with words. And I just adored this short story. It is creepy and sad, but it is also amazing. I liked the ending of it. Even though it is mostly horrible. Still. It is written so good and I had no problem getting into it. I just didn't want it to end. But, well, it did. Since it is a short story and all ;p I didn't mind much, though. Because it was enough. And so good.

I don't really want to talk about what happens in it, since it's so short. I don't want to spoil it all. :) But I can say that I liked the characters in this book. I loved Nadya. And Magda. And Vladcheck. So adorable. There is no romance, but I didn't mind that either. I didn't like Maxim. And I didn't like Karina. But every character is done really well even though it is short. And it is so brilliant.

I really think you should read The Witch of Duva. Especially if you like sort of dark fairy tales. And if you have read Shadow and Bone, and loved it like I did, then you really should read this. :) And if you haven't read Shadow and Bone yet, then I do not know what you are waiting for. Cause it is amazing. And you really need to read it. Both of them. I cannot wait to read more by Leigh. <3(less)

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Sep 04, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Went in not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised. There was a bit more suspense (for the characters) and confusion (for me) than I would thought possible for a 20-page short story, but it all worked out in the end.

That's not to say I'm not still confused, because I am. I even went back and re-read the reveal, but I'm still scratching my head a bit. I mean, I get what happened there, I just don't get it. Get it?

Still, I was truly captivated by Nadya and Magda. I wouldn't mind a follow-up...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Katja (aka Tink) rated it 5 of 5 stars

After reading the amazing Shadow and Bones by Leigh Bardugo, I had to read up on the author, and my curiosity led me The Witch of Duva.

Whether you've read Shadow or Bone, or not, this is a folk tale of the world of Ravka that anyone can pick up. Written in the same beautiful style of Shadow and Bone, it is its very own story.

Nadya observes the changes happening in Duva, and it all sounded like an awesome rewrite of Hansel and Gretel to begin with, and then it all changes. When Nadya is forced i...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Jessica (j*&p*) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: shorts-and-novellas, fantasy, series-tie-ins, ya

Reading this story was a bit like jumping into a cold swimming pool -- a bit disorienting and uncomfortable at first, but totally refreshing once I got into it. Set in the same world as Shadow and Bone, The Witch of Duva has the haunting, dangerous qualities of of a Grimm fairy tale and the beautiful writing of Leigh Bardugo's that I fell in love with in S&B. And the ending, oh, the ending, brilliant; I'm still thinking about it days later. I almost gave it five stars just for that. I'd defi...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Eeii rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If I didn't know this book is a "prequel" to The Grisha series, I would mistake it for an independent story.

The only indications that it's related are mentions of the same places (Ryevost, Petrazoi) and the use of Grisha steel.

In the village of Duva, there are grim stories on the mysterious disappearance of girls. For years, the people have enjoyed their quiet peace for the stories remained as they are: nothing but myths that are a part of everyday culture. Problem arose when one by one, girls s...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Tiffany rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm glad I stumbled across Bardugo, she must be a relatively new author but her writing style is that of someone who has been at this a very long time. After reading Shadow & Bone I was ready for my next Bardugo book since book 2 in that series won't be available for a while. The Witch of Duva is one of those $0.99 novellas but it packs a punch! Another great storyline and in typical Bardugo style, she sucks you into the story, leads you down the path and then WHAM throws you for a loop! All...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, fairytale-folklore, fantasy, country-russia, magic

Somehow I've missed this trend of authors publishing short stories in the the world of their novels - has this always been a thing? I love fairy tales re-told and Nadya is my favorite kind of heroine: tough, hard-working, and always suspicious. Honestly, minus a few minor details you'd hardly know that this story was set in the Grisha universe at all and it's a great way to test the waters if you're not sure that Bardugo's work is to your taste.

Sam, in case you're wondering: there are no unicorn...more

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Jan 07, 2013 K rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Witch of Duva is probably the best example of how to do a promotional in-between book within a series of novels right that I’ve read so far. God, that’s an awful sentence to read. What I mean is that The Witch of Duva can (and does) stand alone as its own short story that requires no outside knowledge or information. It’s just a fantastic story.

The Witch of Duva is a fairy tale in its purest sense – it’s a story of horror with ugly results and a lesson to be learned, much like anything the G...more The Witch of Duva is probably the best example of how to do a promotional in-between book within a series of novels right that I’ve read so far. God, that’s an awful sentence to read. What I mean is that The Witch of Duva can (and does) stand alone as its own short story that requires no outside knowledge or information. It’s just a fantastic story.

The Witch of Duva is a fairy tale in its purest sense – it’s a story of horror with ugly results and a lesson to be learned, much like anything the Grimm Brothers collected. It’s a story from Ravka, the world in which Shadow and Bone takes place. Duva is a small Ravkan village where people whisper that the surrounding woods sometimes eat girls. Occasionally, a girl is out alone past dark and never comes back. Usually the villagers are able to find only one small personal belonging to identify that the girl even passed by, like a hair ribbon or shoe.

Nadya lives in Duva with her mother, father, and brother. Her father is a traveling woodworker. She never goes out alone past dark. Nadya is happy and safe. Then, Nadya’s world comes crashing down. Ravka is in a depression after bad weather led to poor crop yields, so her father’s traveling is cut short due to no buyers. Her mother falls sick and slowly wastes away.

In the process, her father became a shadow of his former self, and a local widow, Karina, started helping nurse her mother and father. Nadya knows Karina is just looking to marry her father as soon as her mother dies, but can’t see a way to avoid it. After her mother finally passes, Nadya’s father and Karina marry. Her brother joins the army, leaving her with no one to accompany her past dark. Karina barely tolerates Nadya’s existence, as all evil stepmothers must. Girls continue to disappear, at faster rates than ever before.

And then Karina begins sending Nadya into the woods at night by herself. At first, Nadya stays close to home and remains safe. Eventually, Karina requires her to go farther away, and before Nadya knows it, the woods start calling to her and she cannot help but follow their voices. She is led to a small cabin, inhabited by the titular Witch. After that point, what happens to Nadya, Karina, the Witch, and Duva itself is fascinating. Bardugo avoids the easy predictable route(s), and tells a helluva story. I loved it.(less)

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Jan 01, 2013 Joti rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So there's a girl named Nadya, who lives with her brother Havel, her mother & father, Maxim, whose a well known carpenter in Duva & people like him. And they say that there's something in the woods because girls go missing but recently, there have been more. So the winter comes & Nadya's mother gets sick & tired & she passes away. Karina, this seemingly cruel woman, gets close to her father & they do get married eventually. Karina tried to get Nadya to leave home on the n...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Lothfleur rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: short-stories-and-novellas

Cette nouvelle est en fait un conte folklorique qui se passe dans le monde créé par Leigh Bardugo, Ravka, c’est donc une des légendes que des personnages comme Alina, l’héroïne de Shadow and Bone ont pu entendre au cours de leur vie.
Déjà, rien que cette démarche et intéressante, mais en plus le conte est bien ficelé, surprenant, intelligent. C’est l’histoire d’une jeune fille, Nadya. L’hiver est glacial, la famine est aux portes du village de Duva et des jeunes filles disparaissent, on parle mê...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Janus Vielle (The Blair Book Project) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: series-short-story

The Witch of Duva gives readers a taste of Ravkan lore, perceptibly the world of Shadow and Bone. Although, this has really nothing to do with the story of Shadow and Bone, Leigh Bardugo simply lets us get a whiff of this impeccable world. I, for one, would love to know a lot about it, because when I read Shadow and Bone, I was completely overwhelmed. A lot of the words were unfamiliar to me and it made me struggle to understand what exactly was going on at the beginning. Once I got the hang of...more The Witch of Duva gives readers a taste of Ravkan lore, perceptibly the world of Shadow and Bone. Although, this has really nothing to do with the story of Shadow and Bone, Leigh Bardugo simply lets us get a whiff of this impeccable world. I, for one, would love to know a lot about it, because when I read Shadow and Bone, I was completely overwhelmed. A lot of the words were unfamiliar to me and it made me struggle to understand what exactly was going on at the beginning. Once I got the hang of it, it was just such a marvellous read! Anyway, more information is always a good thing.

The Witch of Duva is no exception to the whole grasp-the-idea issue I had with Shadow and Bone. I still had that struggling feeling during the introduction but that didn’t stop me from enjoying this prequel/companion folk tale.

So what exactly is it about? The next paragraph might contain spoilers so if you like to keep the suspense just skip to the next one after.

Well, this story is centered on a girl named Nadya. She lives in a small village called Duva and is suddenly watching her life crumble in front of her. Her mother dies, her brother goes into the army and her father just hasn’t been the same since the loss of his wife. Add another issue that there have been missing girls around the village and Nadya has yet to see if she might be another victim of these disappearances too. Sadly it doesn’t stop there. Her father decides to marry Karina, a village woman that she can’t seem to trust. Enter wicked stepmother act... I’ll stop at this point. Sorry. *Sheepish grin*

I can’t really say much about the characters; quite frankly they confused me during the first pages (I found myself thinking: “Who’s whats-his-name again?”, I am terribly bad with names).Also since this seemed to be more plot driven, there weren’t really moments where you could actually see deep emotional stuff about the characters. Plus it’s only less than 40 pages I think so really, where would it fit in? Haha!

Oh and that plot?! Wow! Creepy! Also... What a surprise! Clearly the stepmother was misunderstood and I have to give her credit for what she sacrificed for the greater good.

This story is like diving into one of those Grimm brothers or Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales. Who doesn’t love those stories? I know I do. It may have nothing to do with Shadow and Bone but it’s an interesting read nonetheless.

For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
The Blair Book Project @ www.theblairbookproject.blogspot.com/(less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Marielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was amazing. I've loved Leigh Bardugo since Shadow and Bone (which wasn't that long ago, but still) and she did not disappoint with this short story. Despite its shortness, there was a twist at the end that was very interesting and slightly confusing (I had to read it twice before I understood), but it was AWESOME. It seriously gave me chills.

You can read it here for free!

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Jun 01, 2013 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think this is such a great idea. Giving the world in the series its own folklore gives such depth, a la Beedle the Bard, and makes it seem more realistic and believable. This story was just so creepy in the best possible way. (view spoiler)...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Very well-written and spooky short folktale. I'd give it 2.5 stars if I could.
The problem for me is that it's a dark and unsettling tale that has left me rather creeped out. Since that's not really the type of story that I enjoy, I couldn't give it 3+ stars. But this is just my personal story preference.
I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys dark folktales that haunt you.
For those looking for something lighter, pass this one over.

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Jun 15, 2013 Jackie Wilson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-completed-books

I'm so confused as to how this is related to the Grisha trilogy in any way, but nonetheless, it was a good stand-alone short story. It was a little bit scary, and a little bit strange, and it took me less than an hour to read. This was definitely different from other novellas I have read, because it didn't tie into the trilogy in any noticeable way.

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About Leigh Bardugo

Leigh Bardugo was born in Jerusalem, raised in Los Angeles, and graduated from Yale University. These days, she hides out in Hollywood and indulges her fondness for glamour, ghouls, and costuming in her other life as makeup artist L.B. Benson.

Her debut novel, Shadow & Bone (Holt Children's/Macmillan) is now a New York Times Best Seller.

She would be delighted if you followed her on Twitter, e...more

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