The Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy, #3)

by Katherine Arden

It was Lent; they could not eat fat meat.

“Take us together,” she whispered. He did not turn.

man, this book is just going right for the jugular.

“You cursed me with demons.

dude, you did that yourself.

“I wasn’t strong enough,” he said. “I have done what I could; I hope—it may be enough. You won’t see me again. But you will live. You must live.”

You have missed your chance to pray.”

she kind of did pray though. maybe not in a way he would recognize.

Many say, better to die, until the time comes to actually do it, Morozko had told her once. He was right.

So he freed me and sent me.

he did WHAT

forgot the old woman had twins.

wrench away from him, fling herself into the night,

yeah I think I would have chosen the same

She gave a gurgling cry of pain and of love, and clutched the thing to her, gasping in agony and crooning to the thing in the same breath. “I’m here,” she whispered again.

💔

“There are no monsters in the world, and no saints. Only infinite shades woven into the same tapestry, light and dark. One man’s monster is another man’s beloved. The wise know that.”

“The more one knows, the sooner one grows old,” snapped the domovaya.

“Once the old woman and her twins lived in the house by the oak-tree and tended the horses that graze on the lake-shore.”

“You gave me your tears.”

What keeps him here, if not force?

there are many kinds of prisons

Here in this place, this midnight, humankind can see him; they fear him and they love him in equal measure. What more can he want?

Part of you was happy here, feared and beloved, in this prison.

marked her from her childhood,” he said coolly.

thanks, that's really helpful. 🙄

Sergei said reprovingly, “It is not for men and women to presume what the Lord wishes. That way lies evil, when men put themselves too high, saying, I know what God wants, for it is also what I want.

Vasya shut her fists and forgot that the dead thing was not burning.

very Scarlet Witch, reshaping reality magic

the acknowledged kinship,

such a relief? when faith in Dmitrii is justified/ rewarded

“You lied about that too, then,” said Konstantin, his voice small but clear. “You said there was no God. But the holy father prayed and—” “There isn’t a God,” Vasya heard the Bear say. “There is only faith.” “What is the difference?” “I don’t know. Come, we must go.” “Devil, you lied. You lied again.” A break in that flawless voice, a croak like an old man coughing. “God was there—there all the time.” “Perhaps,” said the Bear. “And perhaps not. The truth is that no one knows, man or devil.

“That I do keep faith, in my own fashion,” said the Bear. A twist of his lips. “I did love your hands.”

"As I could, I loved you."

First I needed men to help me defeat a devil, she thought. Now I will need devils to help me defeat men.

But you encouraged their war, those idiot twins.”

“You shouldn’t have told them I was a girl. Then they might have believed that I was dangerous.”

“Men are also wicked,” Vasya returned passionately. “And good, and everything in between. Chyerti are, just as men are, just as the earth herself is. Chyerti are sometimes wise and sometimes foolish, sometimes good and sometimes cruel. God rules the next world, but what of this one?

Sasha said, “She says let men beware of the river. And also to trust that the trees will conceal them, and to fear neither storm nor fire.” “I can’t decide if that is welcome or ominous,” said Dmitrii.

She felt caught again between them: the Bear’s joy in battle and Morozko’s grief at destruction.

she is capable of being the balance

Vasya’s heart was in her mouth, but she couldn’t help him. Nor would she. This was his moment; his teeth were bared, and in his face was glory.

so interesting that we get the single combat only from Vasya's perspective

Trying to control her voice, she said, “Is this what you want?” “It is,” said her brother.

it takes a lot of strength to refuse power. self-assurance? I am glad he chose this and glad Vasya listened.

“Fall back!” he cried. “That is not ideal,” said the Bear.

such a smartass

I knew I wanted to end my trilogy at the Battle of Kulikovo.

I'm honestly not sure I would have guessed that

against pagan, Vasya trying to balance her own desires and ambitions with the needs of her family and her nation.

the concept of dvoeveriye, dual faith, persisted in Russia up until the Revolution.