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The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)

Katherine Arden

Start date: March 1, 2020

Finish date: March 31, 2020

Discussion: Series

Why we're reading this: Won the poll for the series BOTM
[close] Won the poll for the series BOTM

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Series

* Continuing Series- Accomplice to the Villain
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What Members Thought

Jan 23, 2019 Naomi rated it it was amazing

Re-read: Just as good the second time around, if not better. So glad I decided to reread the first two books before reading the third.

I'm so happy. It's been too long since I truly loved a YA fantasy book. This was just so good. Vasya is everything I look for in a character. I loved the winter and the myths and the stories. I liked that this book was so family based. That Vasya loved her brothers and sisters and parents and tried to keep them safe. This felt slow and steady on one hand, and yet ...more

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Oct 21, 2019 Katie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I read this a little unexpectedly, but it was on my Kindle and caught my eye. I love reading spooky, traditional tales in the autumn and winter, and this was recommended to me because I loved the Grishaverse series by Leigh Bardugo. That series is fantasy, with a Russian theme, and The Bear and the Nightingale also is based on Russian folklore. It's cozy and old-fashioned in some places, and chilling and stark, even ghostly, in others, just like fairy tales.

Vasilisa is born into a lord's family ...more

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Jan 20, 2017 Melissa rated it really liked it

I knew I wanted to read this as soon as I understood it was a retelling of mythology, especially one that I'm not familiar. And while I've seen people equate Frost with Jack Frost in nature (and I totally see why), he felt more like a Russian version of Hades and his twin brother reminded me of Ares and Phobos combined. We also get some house spirits that reminded me of the mythology of Brownies but friendlier. Yes, you can safely say I enjoyed this book.

You follow Vasya who comes from an unusua ...more

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Apr 20, 2020 Ellie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

Beautiful original fairy tale steeped in Russian folklore. Wonderful characterization, loved the MC. Gorgeous prose. Sometimes moved a bit slow, but most of the time I didn't mind because the pace was well-suited to the setting. ...more

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