Rena Rossner

A magical tale of secrets, family ties and fairy tales weaving through history. Raised in a small village surrounded by vast forests, Liba and Laya have lived a peaceful sheltered life - even if they've heard of troubling times for Jews elsewhere. When their parents travel to visit their dying grandfather, the sisters are left behind in their home in the woods. But before they leave, Liba discovers the secret that their Tati can transform into a bear, and their Mami into a swan. Perhaps, Liba realizes, the old fairy tales are true. She must guard this secret carefully, even from her beloved sister. Soon a troupe of mysterious men appear in town and Laya falls under their spell-despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And these are not the only dangers lurking in the woods... The sisters will need each other if they are to become the women they need to be - and save their people from the dark forces that draw closer. Captivating and boldly imaginative, with a tale of sisterhood at its heart, Rena Rossner's debut invites you to enter a world filled with magic, folklore and the dangers of the woods.

The Sisters of the Winter Wood

Julie Burszan 

Kirsten Simkiss

There are things about this book that I thought were great and there were things about this book that I really found grating, so I'm going for 3 stars as a middle rating for this one.

Going into this, I'm not Jewish. My exposure to Jewish culture has been fairly limited due to the Protestant Christian environment that I was raised in. That said, I have made it a point to expose myself to other cultures through reading and media where I can, so I didn't go into this book completely blind. There are things I could relate to despite that culture difference as well: Liba's not feeling beautiful enough, Laya's frustration with religion. I related to the characters mostly outside of the Jewish culture, but it was a massive part of the book that is so, so important to it and cannot be ignored. I have been exposed to western European cultures as well, so some of the folklore was familiar to me in that.

The choice to have one sister, Liba the bear, write in prose while the other sister, Laya the swan, wrote in verse was so cleverly and beautifully done. While I didn't always feel Laya's parts always read like poetry, there were parts that were so lovely. It was a beautiful comparison of the two sisters.

But man, I wanted to physically smack the sisters at times. Each did their own dumb things, some of which were magic induced, I grant, but man... If either of them had just stuck to their convictions at any of the points before it became dire instead of flinging themselves to the whims of their hearts, this book would have been done in less than 200 pages. AND THE MEN??? Seriously, talk about toxic relationships. Instantly falling in love left and right for no reason. They all need to have a serious discussion about BOUNDARIES. Literally all of them.

This was also listed as Adult fiction, but it absolutely isn't. Between the middle school vocabulary and the main characters being 17 and 15, this book is absolutely a YA book.

Would I recommend this? Not really. It was a fun read through for the one time, but I wasn't left feeling satisfied at the end of the book. Don't get me wrong. It's a decent read, but it's not one I loved enough that I feel it will be memorable to me down the road.

Callisone Dozier

The story was engrossing, but the alternate prose was, at times, confusing and disjointing.

Captivating and boldly imaginative, with a tale of sisterhood at its heart, Rena Rossner's debut fantasy invites you to enter a world filled with magic, folklore, and the dangers of the woods. "With luscious and hypnotic prose, Rena Rossner tells a gripping, powerful story of family, sisterhood, and two young women trying to find their way in the world." --Madeline Miller, author of The Song of Achilles and Circe In a remote village surrounded by vast forests on the border of Moldova and Ukraine, sisters Liba and Laya have been raised on the honeyed scent of their Mami's babka and the low rumble of their Tati's prayers. But when a troupe of mysterious men arrives, Laya falls under their spell - despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And this is not the only danger lurking in the woods. As dark forces close in on their village, Liba and Laya discover a family secret passed down through generations. Faced with a magical heritage they never knew existed, the sisters realize the old fairy tales are true...and could save them all. Praise for The Sisters of the Winter Wood: Publishers Weekly: Best Book of 2018: SF/Fantasy/HorrorBookPage: Best Book of 2018: Science Fiction & Fantasy "Intricately crafted, gorgeously rendered...full of heart, history, and enchantment." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A richly detailed story of Jewish identity and sisterhood... emotionally charged, full of sharp historical detail and well-deployed Yiddish phrases...Ambitious and surprising." --Kirkus

Savannah Winchell

2.75⭐️
I think whats so frustrating here is that this book was so close extraordinary but tragically fell short to convenient stupidity, forced miscommunication, and unearned lessons. Like it literally could have been wonderful if the author had an editor that gave a shit

Celeste Richardson

The Sisters of the Winter Wood was incredibly promising. It’s a heavily Jewish book with lovely fantasy overtones. There are shapeshifters and mysterious newcomers peddling forbidden fruit and a deeply atmospheric forest, as well as a central sibling relationship and deep religious questions to ponder. It sounded made for me. So made for me that I ignored the fact that it’s YA. I should’ve known better. While I enjoyed the plot and the structure, the usual YA all-consuming romances and the characters’ inner struggles with coming to know and accept themselves were cloyingly overabundant and negatively impacted my reading experience. However, I feel like this is on me, not the book. I should know by now that YA usually doesn’t work for me. I was almost as disappointed by this book as I was by Uprooted, which I think is comparable in setting and atmosphere.
“To love means to sacrifice everything that you are.”
I love the alternating formats of the chapters. Liba, the more solid and down-to-earth sister, tells her part of the story in lovely prose. Laya, the flightier, more artistic sister, gives her thoughts in ephemeral free verse. This alternating format was one of my favorite elements of the book. My other favorite element was the inclusion of so much Jewish culture and mythology. I love learning new things about cultures outside of my own, and Jewish culture in particular has always fascinated me, as from it stems my Christian faith. The inclusion of Hebrew words and customs was so enlightening, and is honestly almost entirely responsible for third star in my rating, along with the wonderful afterword that explained the real events that inspired this story, and how those events were tied into her personal heritage. I also found the way the author portrayed racial and religious prejudice as simmering just below the surface of even the most benign of settings, waiting for the smallest trigger to be incited into boiling mistrust and persecution, incredibly telling. Because hasn’t that been the way of the world since time immemorial? We’re also so eager to latch onto any reason to look down on and mistreat those who are not mirror images of ourselves.
“Jews always come out battered, bruised, but still triumphant. Because we believe in God, in community, in compassion, and in the power of our people to endure.”
My least favorite elements of this book go hand in hand. I strongly disliked the author’s handling of romance. It felt forced and trite and never rang true to me. As soon as either sister found a romantic interest, all of the things that made her individual character interesting were completely negated as she was consumed by the relationship. This directly correlates to my other main issue: the sisters themselves. At the very beginning of the novel, I found the sisters interesting. By the time I was a quarter of the way through, I actively disliked them both. Liba was just a ball of fear and self-loathing for much of the book when she was not in the arms of her romantic interest. Laya, on the other hand, was such a free spirit that she seemed incapable of caring for others. Both girls were completely driven by appetite in different ways, and those cravings engulfed all of their other personality traits. Characters I’m sure were supposed to be strong female protagonists ended up coming across as simpering or selfish, respectively. 
“I get to choose what kind of strong I want to be.”
I’ve also come to the conclusion that I have no taste for needless melodrama. When people suffer because they refuse to openly communicate, I have absolutely no sympathy for them. I’m also sick to death of female protagonists who are wracked with such strong self-image issues that they basically hate themselves and think they’re worthless, even when everyone around them thinks they’re wonderful. It’s needy and obnoxious and so overdone. There are a select few authors in my reading experience whose prose can support such flaws in ways that minimize my desire to roll my eyes every other paragraph, but that’s not what was delivered in this particular book. However, this did thankfully improve toward the very end of the book, although the growth felt a bit forced; the author did a good bit of showing instead of telling when it came to character development.
“I am brave enough to stand for what I believe in—and I believe in you.”
The Sisters of the Winter Wood is a book that didn’t quite manage to deliver on its promises, though that is a very subjective opinion. I will say that the ending redeemed both plot and characters, as people finally talked to each other, but that happened a bit too late for me to develop any love for the story. There are plenty of readers who will (and have certainly already) adore this book. I just regret that I’m not one of them.

You can find  this review and more at Novel Notions.

Skyla Jones

Good characters as well as character development. Lots of magic and romance. 

'LUSCIOUS AND HYPNOTIC . . . A gripping, powerful story of family, sisterhood. I gulped it down! - Madeline Miller, author of Song of Achilles and Circe 'An incredible achievement - a rich literary fairy tale' Robert Dinsdale, author of The Toymakers Every family has a secret . . . and every secret tells a story. In a remote village surrounded by forests on the border of Moldova and Ukraine, sisters Liba and Laya have been raised on the honeyed scent of their Mami's babka and the low rumble of their Tati's prayers. But when a troupe of mysterious men arrives, Laya falls under their spell - despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And this is not the only danger lurking in the woods. As dark forces close in on their small village, Liba and Laya discover a family secret passed down through generations. Faced with a magical heritage they never knew existed, the sisters realise the old fairy tales are true . . . and could save them all. Captivating and boldly imaginative, Rena Rossner's debut invites you to enter a magical world of secrets, family ties and fairy tales weaving through history. Perfect for fans of The Bear and the Nightingale, Uprooted and The Night Circus. 'A graceful, poetic, deeply moving novel . . . a simply gorgeous book in every sense' Louisa Morgan 'The kind of book that Neil Gaiman and Naomi Novik might have cooked up together' Robert Dinsdale 'A stunning tapestry of a story unlike anything I've ever read. Laya and Liba are going to stick with me for a long, long time' Sara Holland, author of Everless 'An elegant tapestry of the love between sisters, the value of faith and family, and knowing one's true friends in times of peril' J. Kathleen Cheney 'Full of heart, history and enchantment' Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Liz Carpenter

An enjoyable and occasionally gripping take on dark Russian fairy tales and real-life Jewish history, but with a few more YA overtones ("I can't deal with this right now!") than I'd really like. Still, I think the author shows promise, and if there's a sequel, I'll likely read it.

Eleanor Luhar

I'm going to avoid discussing the plot too much so I don't spoil any potential readers (and I do recommend you read this!).

This book is set in Dubossary, narrated alternately by Liba and Laya. Liba is the older of the two, the only children in their family. They are Jews, and while this book was hugely about their faith and discrimination against them, it is not only about that. This book was like a new fairytale. It had magic in every page, and was genuinely exciting to read. There were tragic elements, tons of romance, and even a sense of suspense.

The girls are left in their home alone when their parents rush off to Kupel in a family emergency. But just as they plan to leave, the girls' Mami decides it's time to tell her daughters who they really are: a bear and a swan.

As I said, I will not delve into the story too much. But I really loved the story involving Laya and the Hovlin brothers, as well as Liba's own internal struggles. Laya's romance at the end of the book was, in my opinion, a little rushed and unexpected, but that's the only real downside I have.

The writing was lovely - it included Yiddish and Hebrew dialect, which was translated in the Author's Note at the end. (A quick side note; I actually read the entire Note, which is really quite rare for me.) And Laya's account, in particular, felt so poetic. She was definitely my favourite character, as much as I love Liba, too. And the relationship between the girls is so, so lovely. No matter how much they try to push each other away, they are always there for each other in the end.

As I enjoyed this book so much, I tried to talk about it with my boyfriend. However, I soon discovered that describing this story is really quite a feat. It was full of little details and twists that just made the story.

I really liked this book. As I only received an ARC and not a final edition, I didn't have the official layout, which I can imagine may add to it also. Even so, I'm easily giving this 4.5 to 5 stars.

Imie Kent-Muller

The Sisters of Winter Wood is a luscious fantasy read rich in history and folklore. It is a coming-of-age read centred on sisterhood, prejudice, and nothing is as it seems. Thank you Orbit for sending me a review copy to read. 

Inspired by The Goblin Market and events in Jewish history in Dubossary, this gorgeous tale takes these (and other stories from folklore and mythology) to creat a fantastic story about two sisters that are very different. They learn their families secrets when their parents leave town and slowly begin to change into something else. Liba is a devout Jew who wants to make her Tati proud, Laya is more like her Mami and wishes to be free. When a mysterious group of men come to town and Laya falls under temptation, their sisterhood is tested. 

Rossner switches between the two sisters POV in a way that shows their difference. Liba is written in beautiful prose, wordy and intelligent. Laya is written in poetry, made to feel like she is flying off the page. Although I wish Rossner had played with the poetry a bit more, I found the style interesting and engaged with it quickly. Rossner has created characters that you love seeing on the page. You watch as they develop and learn more about themselves and their sisterhood. It is absolutely gorgeous.

If you’re looking for the perfect wintery read, then pick this one up! It's full of wonderful writing, brilliant characters, and truth wrapped in fantasy. It is a really clever read, and I definitely recommend reading the Authors note at the end about her inspiration - it had me almost in tears!

Manon van Heumen

This book was something. It was enchanting and captivating, and I couldn't put it down! I wish I could read this over and over again, and I would never get sick of it.

Aleks

Captivating and boldly imaginative, with a tale of sisterhood at its heart, Rena Rossner's debut fantasy invites you to enter a world filled with magic, folklore, and the dangers of the woods. *Publishers Weekly: Best Book of 2018: SF/Fantasy/Horror *BookPage: Best Book of 2018: Science Fiction & Fantasy "With luscious and hypnotic prose, Rena Rossner tells a gripping, powerful story of family, sisterhood, and two young women trying to find their way in the world." — Madeline Miller, bestselling author of Circe In a remote village surrounded by vast forests on the border of Moldova and Ukraine, sisters Liba and Laya have been raised on the honeyed scent of their Mami's babka and the low rumble of their Tati's prayers. But when a troupe of mysterious men arrives, Laya falls under their spell -- despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And this is not the only danger lurking in the woods. As dark forces close in on their village, Liba and Laya discover a family secret passed down through generations. Faced with a magical heritage they never knew existed, the sisters realize the old fairy tales are true. . .and could save them all. Discover a magical tale of secrets, heritage, and fairy tales weaving through history that will enchant readers of The Bear and the Nightingale, Uprooted and The Golem and the Jinni. Praise for The Sisters of the Winter Wood: "Intricately crafted, gorgeously rendered. . .full of heart, history, and enchantment." —Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A richly detailed story of Jewish identity and sisterhood. . . Ambitious and surprising." —Kirkus For more from Rena Rossner, check out The Light of the Midnight Stars.

Rachel Livingston

Captivating and boldly imaginative, with a tale of sisterhood at its heart, Rena Rossner's debut fantasy invites you to enter a world filled with magic, folklore, and the dangers of the woods. Raised in a remote village surrounded by vast forests on the border of Moldova and Ukraine, sisters Liba and Laya live a peaceful, sheltered life. But when a troupe of mysterious men arrives, Laya falls under their spell-despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And this is not the only danger lurking in the woods.... As dark forces close in on their small village, Liba and Laya discover a family secret passed down through generations. Faced with a magical heritage they never knew existed, the sisters realize the old fairy tales are true...and could save them all. "Mixes fairy tale, poetry, history, and heart to create an enchanting and mesmerizing tale of sisterly love. I adored this book!" --- Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queens of Renthia series

The Sisters of the Winter Wood

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