Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, stronger than ever and determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself and her history as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all.
My Review:
The Winter of the Witch is the third book in the series, The Bear and the Nightingale. I have enjoyed the series, although there were a few things I could do with out. (For sensitive readers, such as myself, there are several instances of the word b—h, and in this particular book, mostly in reference to a dog with nursing puppies.)
You can read my reviews for The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower here..
Again, I enjoyed this book. I enjoy the way author Katherine Arden writes, the way she weaves her words. But there were a few things I didn’t care for.
The story picks up where The Girl in the Tower left off. A growing mob wants Vasya dead, endangering Vasya’s sister Olga and her family. So Vasya faces the peril head on, and goes into Midnight. Meanwhile, Russia is on the brink of war, the bear is again lose, and Morozko is trapped.
The ending was satisfying.
Sensitive Reader warning: Some language, nudity, and some sensuality. (the b word, Vasya gets naked a few times, such as a scene were she is drying her clothes, and there’s a mostly fade to black sex scene in the bathhouse.)
I initially received an ARC from the publisher, and went on to buy a copy.
Roxbury Books 