Author: Katherine Arden
Genre: Historical/Fantasy
Release Date: January 2017
Rating: 5/5 Stars
One of my favorite areas of study when working on my history undergrad was medieval Russia. Russia has a medieval period so unlike the rest of Europe, having been settled largely by Scandinavian invaders who took over the land from the native Slavic population. Meanwhile, influences from the Byzantine Empire and the Mongols permeate throughout medieval Russian culture. Plus, the political system of sons inheriting the title of Grand Prince, and the super complicated familial murders that occurred because of this system, make it a fascinating area of study. Russian folklore, meanwhile, is full of dark, creepy creatures that are at home in the wintery landscape. Debut novel The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden manages to capture this world, wavering between the real and the unreal, as well as creating memorable, likeable characters and a compelling plotline.
Taking place during the reign of Ivan II, the Fair (1353 - 1359) and his subsequent death, this story follows the lives of a lord’s family living on a remote estate surrounded by forest. Pyotr, the patriarch of the family, married Marina, a half sister of Ivan II, whose mother was a mysterious but beautiful child of the woods. They have a healthy brood of children (three sons and a girl) when the youngest member of the family, Vasilisa, or Vasya, is born. Marina longs for a magical daughter to live in her mother’s image, and claims that Vasya is that promised daughter. Pyotr would prefer to have his wife rather than a magical daughter, but he’s a good father and dedicated to his family so he supports Marina’s decision to have this baby even if it risks her life. From there, Arden weaves a spellbinding tale following Vasya throughout her girlhood into womanhood, as her connection with the magic of the land grows alongside the religious fervor building in the nearby village.
Much of the magic throughout the book will be familiar to readers of folklore and fairy tales, but you may encounter new words for some of these supernatural creatures. There are rusalkas, forest guardian spirits, vampires, and a cast of spirits of the hearth that guard homes and stables. These creatures live in an invisible plane that most mortals cannot see, unless you are born with the sign. Surprise, surprise, our heroine possesses the sight, but she’s not the only one, and not all possessors of this gift view it as a positive power. The magic in Vasya’s world feels very real, making this book border on fantasy and magical realism in my reading. The idea of magic in the medieval world is a fascinating one; most believed it to be real, an explanation for what could not be seen, and a companion to the answers provided by Christianity.
Throughout the book, we grow up with Vasya as she faces different challenges, and she is supported by her brother Alyosha, and the magical spirits that she defends. Since Vasya is a girl throughout most of the book, I've seen some call this Young Adult but I don't think it really falls into that category at all. I don’t want to explain too much about the plot in order to avoid spoilers, but the overall feeling this book gave me was hands-down five stars. The writing casts a spell over the reader, compelling you to keep turning the pages in order to stay in this beautifully rendered world. When I came to the end of the book, I almost didn’t have any words and it took me a little while to formulate my review. I think that this would appeal to readers of magical realism works, like The Night Circus, as well as historical fiction lovers. It also reminded me a bit of The Book of Speculation, which also features Eastern European folklore, but I thought that this book executed its plot much better. A wonderful new release to start of 2017!
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