Name: The Bear and the Nightingale (Thorndike Press Large Print Peer Picks)
Rating: 4.133530405405406 (592 reviews)
ISBN: 9781410496171

Katherine Arden

The Bear and the Nightingale (Thorndike Press Large Print Peer Picks)

Cassandra 

Emma Miller

Vasya was not greatly reassured, but after a moment's reflection she decided that "sometimes" was preferable to "never."

Tell me truly, what is there for me here but walls and cages? I will be free, and I will not count the cost.

Taryn

“Even the maidens of fairy tales do not always end happily. Alenushka was turned into a duck and watched the wicked witch butcher her duck-children” 

Syrina

The prince arrived just as pale spring became dazzling summer with a tender, capricious sky and the fading flowers buried in a wash of summer grass.

his wailing hung like mist over the silent village

'Frost-demons have no interest in mortal girls wed to mortal men. In the stories, they only come for the wild maiden.' 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 Neil Gaiman.

The Bear and the Nightingale

Ashley Denktas

I enjoyed this book, wouldn’t say it’s my favorite but I think it was a fun seasonal read and I liked how it explored paganism/ woman’s roles. 3/4 out of 5 for me. Rounding up to 4.

"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, a stranger with piercing blue eyes presents a new father with a gift - a precious jewel on a delicate chain, intended for his young daughter. Uncertain of its meaning, Pytor hides the gift away and Vasya grows up a wild, willful girl, to the chagrin of her family. But when mysterious forces threaten the happiness of their village, Vasya discovers that, armed only with the necklace, she may be the only one who can keep the darkness at bay"--

Steph

very whimsical, very enchanting. it's just the kind of story you should pick up if you're in the mood for a good storytelling. i was not familiar with russian folklore but this book has opened my eyes and now im eager for more. 

Elda Mengisto

"Blood is one thing. The sight is another. But courage--that is rarest of all, Vasilisa Petrovna." (274) The concept of the book really intrigued me, as it was a Russian-influenced fantasy novel, albeit one tied to folk culture. I read "The Crown's Game" by Evelyn Skye and I really liked it, so I am familiar with the culture. However, Katherine Arden goes to a different point in Russian history, and uses the mythology really really well. And it creates an interesting world from which I couldn't get myself out of. It ties to the story of Vasilisa Petrovna, a young girl born to a rural family, because her mother wanted someone with her magical genes. Because of this, however, her mother dies; therefore her father Pyotr goes off to Moscow to find a new wife, who's strict and demands a lot of her stepdaughter. However, more is added to the story--a devout Christian, Anna Ivanovna strives to make her stepdaughter obedient, and therefore renouncing the pagan magic which kept the town sustainable. This is added to the arrival of a priest named Konstatin, who paints icons and makes them fear God with his voice. This all results in terrible things happening, ranging from crops failing to children dying in the snow. And it's up to Vasya to see what is going on. The primary tale goes through Vasya's coming-of-age, from a girl to a spirited teenager who frequently goes out to the woods and defies the status quo. From riding a horse called "Fire", saving her nephew (and upsetting her betrothed) to bringing crickets to church because "Did not God make all creatures? Why should we alone be allowed to raise our voices in praise?" (117), I got a spirited heroine, albeit with her own flaws. The tension about where her fate lies between a wedding and a convent is paramount in the background, because of the status quo. I was definitely anticipating an escape from her, and it shows in the end. Despite the emphasis on Vasya's role in society, her foil is in the ever-devout Konstatin. Despite his ethereal beauty, he emphasizes the fear of God in every word he takes. While he pursues his mission (and inadvertently bringing trouble to the village), he clashes with Vasya about her behavior. What's interesting was how he feels some form of connection with her, such as when she saves his life from a rusalka. She calls him out for trying to "save him", and returns his cross, where "It was warm from her hand, and his fingers curled reluctantly around it" (140). The voices he hears is an interesting twist, as what he thinks was God commanding him turns out to be Medvev, who demands a witch. I liked hearing from his point of view--despite the last scene with Vasya, I want to see more. The combination of magic and history blends really well, though I felt a bit slogged about the last third of the book. The climax in which Vasya tries to gather snowdrops to avoid being sent to a convent is a good start, but when she meets the frost-demon, it got a bit strange. Though looking back now, it only was a wrinkle in what is otherwise a great book. If you're looking to find some adventure, then I can't recommend a better book than this one. (9/10)

Yulez

The Bear and the Nightingale, is an exquisite gem of a tale—steeped in myth, shimmering with enchantment, and radiating the kind of timeless magic that lingers long after the final page. Like a story whispered by firelight through generations, it unfolds with an ancient, unhurried grace, weaving threads of wonder and curiosity that wrap around the soul. The narrative feels both intimately human and otherworldly, as though plucked from a dream where folklore and reality blur. Every chapter brims with quiet marvels, drawing you deeper into its spellbinding undercurrent, each page a whispered secret that reignites the wide-eyed anticipation of childhood storytelling. Reading this during winter’s hushed, frost-kissed days only heightened the overall ethereal charm of the story. I’ll carry this tale with me like a talisman, a reminder of stories that don’t merely entertain but transform. Excited to continue the series!

The Bear and The Nightingale

I think you're just going to have to ask me in person what my thoughts are on this book because I have too many and they all deserve to be voiced loudly. I am changed fundamentally after reading this novel. I am inspired and full of light after reading this novel. I am never going to shut up about this novel.

Paige Leitner

Chase Leitner

Melissa

I was a little worried about this book. I loved the goblin emperor, so I thought I would love this book as well. While I did end up loving this book, I felt the beginning was a little slow. It really picked up about half way through. It took me over a month to get through the first half and then I finished it in a day. Katharine Arden really has a knack for creating a world that you can lose yourself in. I am extremely excited to read book 2!

Stephanie Boisvert

Annabella

Maureen

“I do not understand ‘damned.’ You are. And because you are, you can walk where you will, into peace, oblivion, or pits of fire, but you will always choose.”

***

Such a cozy read! My first venture into fantasy novels. The world building was great, so I could forgive the slow plot. But since this is a coming-of-age story, it makes sense Arden focuses on Vasya’s upbringing. The prose was lovely, and the imagery vivid enough for me to imagine the piling of snow, the family gathering around the hearth, and the household creatures and wood spirits lurking about. Looking forward to the second book of this trilogy! I hope for more interactions between Vasya and Morozko—the latter seems to be capable of more than what the lore affords him.

Linara K.S

The start really threw me off, but then a hundred pages in and I was hooked.
From the folklore, to the drama and the mystery . . .
This is definitely reread worthy.
Vasilisa Petrovna you go girl.

I’m always happy to forgo this world for that of fairy tales 

arwen

Hanna Rybchynska

The Bear and the Nightingale is an unexpected book. First, it has a world of its own. Second, its' unpredictably predictable. 

However, sometimes it gets hard to read it. Especially if you are not familiar with some worlds. I think the author didn't explain well how this world works. I also felt that at the beginning of the book it is a bit boring. 

Overall it is an amazing book!

Sarah Sammis

I love the author's newer, shorter books. This one though, I know will be a slog that I don't enjoy. I'm 50 pages in and bored and frustrated. It's actually my husband's book and he's much more into Russian folklore than I am, so he can have his book back.

The final blow for me though, beyond the frustration and boredom, was the realization things wouldn't / couldn't go well for the main character. She's sold off to a marriage to a much older cousin. The Bear and the Nightingale reads like literary agony porn, and I have other things I would rather spend my time with.

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2023/comm...

akynn 

3.73 Stars

I really enjoyed this book it had a beautiful atmosphere and setting. The writing was great, and I feel like this was a great introduction to Russian mythology for me. Something I did wish was a little more developed, or just progressed more was the relationships between the characters, specifically with Vasilisa's siblings. I loved the relationship she had with her family, and family is already a large part of the novel but just personally, I wish there was more to it. I think this might have had to do with the fact that I went into this book thinking there was a romance, and since there wasn't (not that I was really disappointed), I really honed in on Vasilisa's other relationships. 

Something else that really took away for my enjoyment of this novel were the ages. I loved many aspects of this book, but the character's ages wasn't one of them. I understand wanting to be historically accurate but this is a fantasy novel, its okay to age the characters up. I'm trying to think of a possible reason to why the Vasilisa was so young, like how this book is the first in a series, but everything I think up doesn't have any back to it. I really liked this book but if all the characters, especially the girls getting married and having children, could be aged up a bit, I would've liked it even more.

All in all, I definitely want to continue this series and see where Vasilisa's life takes her. And I cannot help but hope that we finally get to see her siblings again.

britt

Laurianne

“Will you bear me to the ends of the earth, if the road will take us so far?”

Vasilisa or Vasya is the last child of Pyotr and Marina. She inherits her grandmother's powers that makes the girl different from the other siblings. All of whom are being taken care by Dunya, an old nursemaid that loves to tell stories. With Marina dying at childbirth, Pyotr was forced to marry a young woman named Anna, then later being gifted another daughter. As Vasya grows up, it's obvious that her stepmother doesn't fancy her very much and it only intensifies as she suspects Vasya for bringing demons all around her and dangers start lurking about their lands.

I ought to write this review now while the memory is still fresh. But hey, I may have just found my best read of 2023! Yay!
I have always loved winter setting in a book, it feels magical, though unsettling, with all those creatures that befriend our Vasya. I hate Anna's character so much, that I'm actually not sorry of what happened to her. But I truly didn't expect to shed tears during that part. I love the battle part so much, I think it was well-written. I can scarcely wait to pick up the second book already and see what awaits in the future.

A novel inspired by Russian fairy tales follows the experiences of a wild young girl who taps the mysterious powers of a precious necklace given to her father years earlier to save her village from dark and dangerous forces.

taryn

3.5 

Slow to get into, but the second half picks up!

Kelsey Munson

The atmosphere here is beautifully descriptive and lyrical. That being said, this was one of the slowest stories I've read this year. Didn't really pick up for me until a bit past the halfway mark. If you are big into historical fiction with fantasy/fairytale elements, this is an enchanting read. But if you're looking for a ton of action or a quick paced plot, I imagine you will be disappointed here. 

I fall somewhere between 3.5-4⭐ and I look forward to continuing on with the series.

Bear and the Nightingale

Jenny Smoothy

Rohit Arondekar

I think this is the first time I've read a fictional book set in Russia and I loved the world, magic system and the little details. The writing is beautiful and engaging making you want to turn the page and find out what will happen next! I've found that not all writers can have this effect. The world reminded me of Winterfell from Game of Thrones (both the book and series) and the writing was like reading J. K Rowling. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Krystyna 

I really loved this book. The first part was a slow-burn for me, which I kind of anticipated because of world-building, a magic system, and characters. It took me a while to get through this book but I really enjoyed it. As with any fantasy, it takes a little bit for the world-building and magic systems to be set up for the reader. So, the first half of the book is rather slow but the last half is a whirlwhind. The last half kept me turning the pages, especially part three. Vasilisa was a kick-butt female character that I loved. I also really liked Frost/Morozko/the winter demon, whichever you want to refer to him as. The story is very fairytale-like, and at times whimisical. It is based off of Russian folklore so it is a fairytale fantasy that is set in medieval Russia. I thought that the writing was beautiful and very atmospheric. It blended Russian culture, history, politics, religion, etc all in this dark, winter fairytale. If you can power through the first part it gets more intriguing as you keep reading. I did end up really loving this book and plan to continue on in this series.

The Bear and the Nightingale (Thorndike Press Large Print Peer Picks)

Reviews

Highlights