The Girl in the Tower

See my full review at The Emerald City Book Review. A copy was received for review purposes from the publisher. No other compensation was received, and all opinions expressed are my own.The Bear and the Nightingale was one of my favorite books of 2017, and just shy of one year later author Katherine Arden has produced a sequel – greatly pleasing those of us who are weary of waiting years for a follow-up book. And I'm glad to say that The Girl in the Tower is a worthy successor, showing no signs of a sophomore slump. A third book is already slated for August of 2018, which will no doubt bring the trilogy to a rousing conclusion.

Girl is a tauter and leaner book than Bear, with a more streamlined plot and fewer POV switches, but still with the atmospheric Russian setting steeped in both history and folklore that so enchanted me in the first book. What was built up over many chapters is now taken for granted in this second volume, with few new elements added, but characters and themes are extended and deepened. New readers will definitely want to start with book one, and not jump into the middle of the story, as they will miss half the pleasure of entering into Arden's half-realistic, half-mythological world. (And you might want to go get that book right now before reading the rest of this review, to avoid spoilers. If you like that one, I'm sure you'll want to continue straight on to the next.)

On the run from her remote village, where she's been branded as a witch by a malicious priest, Vasya encounters her long-lost brother Sasha and sister Olya and enters into a perilous deception that brings her into a treacherous world of shifting alliances. As she journeys to Moscow, powerful but vulnerable heart of her people's land, she must try to reconcile the old powers that still speak to her with the demands and prejudices of this urban world. An explosive climax brings secrets to light and sets the stage for further journeys.

I was especially glad that Vasya got to be reunited with her siblings, who disappeared from the action somewhat suddenly in the first book. Arden fruitfully explores the tensions between them, which arise from their very different upbringings and societal expectations, as well as Vasya's struggle to express herself in a world that represses and limits female power. Her relationship with the frost demon Morozko is also developed into a poignant Beauty-and-the-Beast story arc that yet resists falling into mere stereotype. And a wonderful new character is introduced in Vasya's niece, who, it seems, will play an even more important role in the third book.

I'm definitely looking forward to that one, and glad that we won't have a terribly long wait. In the meantime, if you enjoy the intersection of historical fiction and fantasy, this is a perfect winter treat for you.

The Girl in the Tower is not just my favorite book in the Winternight Trilogy but also one of the best books I've read. It's beautifully written and atmospheric, and I loved Vasya, the focus on sibling relationships, the incorporation of more Slavic myths, Vasya's fiercely protective stallion Solovey, and Morozko. The start is a little slow, though it's not dull???it's just not as engaging as the rest of the book, which is phenomenal.

Full Review on My Website

The Girl in the Tower is the second in the Winternight Trilogy, after the acclaimed debut novel, The Bear and the Nightingale. It's always hard to talk about sequels without giving too much away about the preceding books, so forgive me if I'm vague. One advantage to waiting so long to read The Bear and the Nightingale was that I got to jump straight into the sequel! Now I have to several months for the third.

The Girl in the Tower revisits our heroine, Vasya, from the first book. Now she has left home to begin her adventures - though her travels are curtailed pretty quickly, and she's roped into going to Moscow with her brother and the Grand Prince, while disguised as a boy. While in Moscow she learns a little bit more about her family history, and I'm hoping the rest will be revealed in the third book this summer. (The Winter of the Witch is scheduled to release in August 2018.)

In this second book, Vasya has done some growing, and has learned to make use of the spirits she sees - she knows the hearth spirits can always find their families, and uses that trait to track a kidnapped girl when no one else can. So long as no one realizes what she's doing, she's fine. But Rus is in the crossover period between the old ways and the new, and if she's found talking to spirits, she'll be branded a witch all over again. She keeps her masquerade going through the first two-thirds of the book, but it's obvious it's going to fail eventually. The way in which it does is sudden and unexpected, and the repercussions are harsh.

And then there's Morozko, the Frost Demon, the god of death. I love Morozko. He's by necessity enigmatic - and in a rough position. I want he and Vasya to fall in love and have a happy ending - the attraction between them is impossible to miss - but immortal beings, in this world, can't love. If they love they lose their immortality. And, possibly, their lives entirely. I hope the author has a solution in mind for these two, because I currently don't see one.

I actually liked this one more than the first book, which is unusual. I liked the first one, but I wasn't blown away. This one pulled me in and didn't let me go. Amazing sequel, and I hope the third one lives up to this standard!

You can find all my reviews at Goddess in the Stacks.

Remember that movie you loved that had 2 unnecessary, but still semi-ok sequels? That's what happened here.

What I loved about Book 1:
- Heavy on Fairy/folk tales
- Fast plot
- Unpredictable
- Tomboy heroine who could see the old gods/demons/etc
- Wasn't the classic beauty
- Not a perfect happy ending.

Book 2:
What happened?.... It's not a bad book, but the heart and soul of book 1 was entirely destroyed. This was not the same Vasilisa that I loved in book 1. It was as if Katherine Arden's publisher said “Wow, everyone liked your first book. You must make it into a series now and include all of these YA stereotypes!
- Stupid heroine who makes stupid decisions
- “ugly” heroine is now a beauty and multiple people start falling for her
- Unnecessary romance
- Heroine survives unrealistic battles
- SHOCKING enemy revealed to have been with them all along
- lovers quarrels
- Family drama
- Heroine acts like a whiney brat
- Heroine nearly kills everyone with her stupid decisions
- Heroine is super super super special and only she can save the day!

If I hadn't read the first book, I would consider it a solid YA novel. In fact, it's better than many. But this is nowhere near the level of Book 1. The first book haunted me all year. This book, I'll easily forget about and pretend doesn't really exist. It lost the heart of the original. The first 2/3 of the book barely acknowledge the folk/fairy tales that made book 1 so enjoyable. Aside from a few scenes, I would say it's not even worth re-reading that portion. The last 1/3 was excellent and carried the same heart as book 1. I'm still excited for Book 3, but am now wary. I hope it contains less of the YA character tropes and more of the fairy/folk references which made Book 1 so enjoyable.

TLDR: Publisher clearly got involved and said it needed more YA stereotypes. Bratty heroine, unnecessary romance, tons of Drama. Didn't carry the heart of Book 1.

It is such an incredible feeling when the second book in the trilogy turns out to be as great as a previous one. I'm not disappointed at all.

The Girl in the Tower was much more fast-paced than the previous one. There was always something going on. However, the book still didn't lost its fairytale-ish feeling, when the things are bad, but not overcomplicated and, certainly, not boring. As for the plot, it's better to go in the book not expecting any surprises. There wouldn't be any as it is still a fairytale - and when were you last surprised with the finale of one?

Every time you take one path, you must live with the memory of the other: of a life left unchosen. Decide as seems best, one course or the other; each way will have its bitter with its sweet.

I did really enjoy this, but just like the first book I felt like the ending was rushed and a bit confusing.

Morozko actually has a brief paragraph explaining the ending of book 1 - where he says he gave Vasya's father the choice to fight the Bear and die, and that's how he randomly appears in the woods just in time to save Vasya. It was a kind of out of place explanation, and if the author had included it in the first book it would have been a better ending. I remember really liking the first book until the father basically teleported to the fight in the woods and deus ex machina-d the ending.

Anyway, there's a lot to like about the second book. Vasya is such an interesting character, and Solovey was wonderful! The depictions of medieval Russia, the folk tales, the wintery setting, were all beautifully rendered. The terem and depictions of the stifling lives of women were terrifying, especially in contrast to Vasya, a woman so unsuited to such a life. But it seemed like Vasya very quickly went from wanting to be a traveler, to telling Olga she will stay in Moscow to help her manage Marya's magical tendencies. It seemed like a very quick switch.

Full review: https://wordpress.com/post/vicsense.wordpress.com/900

Listen, I thought the first book was awesome, but the second one was even better! Vasya has matured even more than I thought possible. She fearlessly takes on this new crazy job and joins the men in both war and entertainment. As a woman, Vasya could never be allowed to ride horses, race across Moscow, join a war, hunt down bandits, etc. But as a man, Vasilii instead of Vasilisa, she can do all of those things and more! Vasya is one really badass young woman and a modern thinker for her time. She and Morozko are so goddamn perfect for each other. Each other's flaws become the other's strength.

I can't wait to read the next (and final!) book from this series.

I WANT MORE WINTER KING PLZ!!

The Girl in the Tower continues the story of Vasilisa Petrovna begun in The Bear and the Nightingale. After the deaths of her father and stepmother, Vasya has few options open to her in the tiny village where many now think her a witch. With the help of the frost demon she takes to the road, seeking adventure. Along the way she stumbles upon a mysterious evil that she may be uniquely suited to help defeat. However, she will have to overcome the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated world in order to save those she loves.
The second installment in the Winternight series is as magical as the first, with colorful characters and a backbone of fairy tale. The author is careful to infuse as much historical accuracy as possible into the story, so that readers feel they have been transported to old Russia. Great for fans of fantasy and fairy tale retellings.

I'm not normally a fantasy reader, but I love this book. The first book in the series, The Bear and the Nightingale, moved at a very slow pace for me, and I struggled through the first half of that book. I ended up liking it, but it was not a fully enjoyable read. This sequel, however, is an enjoyment from start to finish.

In this second book of the Winternight series, the heroine Vasya has left home to find adventure and see more of the world. Along the way, she helps to save young girls from bandits and gets rewarded by the Grand Prince of Moscow. There's just one catch; no one but her siblings knows she is a girl. She must pretend to be a boy or else get locked away in a tower with the other women. In the meantime, a new evil threatens the kingdom, and only Vasya knows how to stop it.

I love the development of Vasya in this book. She gets to be herself, though ironically she must pretend to be a man to do so. The reader can see her wild spirit growing. She is a captivating character. Her relationship with the Frost demon Morozko develops into something much more intense in this second book. He is depicted in a much more human way in this part of their tale. I enjoyed the scenes involving the two of them.

The setting of the books in this series is magical. The winter landscape is depicted so thoroughly that I almost found myself feeling cold while reading. It is a perfect book to read in the winter.

Overall, I enjoyed this second book better than the first, but I would recommend both of them. If you like magic and folklore in your reading, this book will not disappoint.

Continuation of Vasilissa's story. She gets involved with the lords of Moscow and, of course, it ends badly - now, it's the whole Moscow accusing her of witchcraft.
I don't get it. As if... well... no worse spoilers than I already have given.

I think she's selfish. I don't agree with or approve her choices. Doesn't much matter, does it?
There is some “let's make this character react like this because it fits the plot”, and I don't like that.
When she said "You baptized my sister's child, so I let you live", I thought that the a-hole will appear also in the next book, because so far Vasya hasn't shown any interest in such things, and considering that she would have killed him to protect her family, she wouldn't have considered Olga's feelings, because how would Olga even have found out? As if a lot of people didn't die that day, one priest more or less.
But all in all I like this book, I like this story and I like Vasya. I like how she tries to keep the myth alive. Makes me want to leave a bowl of milk to the house guardians and other fairy folks. :-D

The Girl in the Tower continues the story of Vasya, the child called a witch and shunned by her own rural village. This time it takes place mostly in Moscow, and at last we are able to continue the stories of some of Vasya's other family members as well. A great evil is stealing across the land, stealing the daughters of the people, and someone must do something about it. The lords are growing restless and angry with the tzar for not keeping their people safe.The detail and atmosphere in the story have once again managed to amaze and enthrall me. Arden manages to blur the line between fantasy and fiction in such a way that, while the mind “knows” that these things could not happen as written, perhaps...perhaps...perhaps they might have, or could. Taking old stories, and superstitions and tales that are Russian in origin, but often familiar in some form across the globe, the tale told is one that resonates on a deep level and often sends chills down the spine.Vasya is still my sister from another mother, with spunk and intelligence far beyond her age. She refuses to be discouraged or held down by societal expectations, choosing instead to carve her own path in the world. It's a difficult way, but one that sets her soul on fire. She is growing older in this part of the story, coming into womanhood with all of its medieval troubles, which typically far outweigh its charms.The plot does seem to be a little slow, but that only occurred to me later after I finished reading. While I was reading I was so immersed and entranced by the Vasya's world that I did not care. There is action, emotion, and worldbuilding in this book and all are artfully done. Highly recommend.Many thanks to Del Ray for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. ~Full review here on The Bent Bookworm!~2019 - Still in love with this series!Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram Google+

2020 review: I gave this book 5 stars the first time around, but this time it really fell in my estimation, and I'm not sure why. Maybe the inherent tension around the “girl dressed as a boy who'll inevitably be discovered” trope has worn smooth from overexposure.

2018 review: As much as l loved THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE, I may actually prefer this sequel. All of the fantastic Russian fairytale elements plus medieval Moscow court intrigue.

When it comes to this series so far, I adore the books while I'm reading them and have no interest in picking them up otherwise. For me this makes a difficult book to rate.

The writing is more like poetry than any other book that I have read. It is this quality that gives the book such a vivid atmosphere and strong characterisation. The audiobook was a fantastic addition to my reading experience as it added to the atmosphere that the book built and kept me immersed in the story.

While I found the first book to be a little slow, the pace of the second book kept increasing until the finale kept me on the edge of my seat.

I would really recommend this series.

So.. I didn't hate this one. But I didn't love it. Everything that made [b:The Bear and the Nightingale 25489134 The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1) Katherine Arden https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470731420s/25489134.jpg 45268929] amazing for me was stripped out of the second in the trilogy. Which doesn't meant to say Vasya's story doesn't follow the natural progression, in the way that fairy tales do, but there was not enough of my particular boat-floating, and I probably won't be picking up the final (although, if it goes where I think it will/should, it will be a great finish to Vasya's character arc).Katherine Arden does provide a reading list for Medieval Russia at the end, though, which has definitely been added to my wishlist.

Schitterende en waardige opvolger van [b:The Bear and the Nightingale|33797941|The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1)|Katherine Arden|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497612172l/33797941.SY75.jpg|45268929]The Bear and the Nightingale.

“Every time you take one path, you must live with the memory of the other: of a life left unchosen. Decide as seems best, one course or the other; each way will have its bitter with its sweet.”

Alle sprookjesachtige en magische winterse elementen die het vorige boek zo geliefd maakten zijn ook hier weer sterk aanwezig. Bovendien worden ze aangevuld met avontuur, intrige, actie en dreiging.

“That which you call magic is simply not allowing the world to be other than as you will it.”

Dit boek geeft antwoorden op elementen die in het eerst boek nog niet helemaal werden uitgespit, terwijl het tegelijkertijd de wereld verder uitdiept en nieuwe sprookjeselementen zijn eigen plek geeft in de opgebouwde mythologie. Deze mix zorgt ervoor dat er opnieuw een verhaal wordt verteld dat enerzijds enorm vertrouwd aanvoelt als een oud traditioneel sprookje vol atmosfeer en magie, en anderzijds volledig nieuw, eigen en uniek is.

“Witch. The word drifted across his mind. We call such women so, because we have no other name.”

Ik ben enorme fan van het hoofdpersonage Vasya en het is echt geweldig om haar als personage te zien groeien. Ja, ze maakt soms fouten en domme keuzes, maar hoe ze daar mee om gaat is wat haar zo echt en dierbaar maakt.

The Girl in the Tower is spannend en meeslepend, geschreven in lyrische en levendige taal, zodat je als lezer volledig wordt ondergedompeld in de Russische folklore. Ik ben enorm benieuwd naar het laatste boek.

Vasya can no longer stay home. After everything that happened in The Bear and the Nightingale, she sets off on a journey. She wants to be free and see the wonders of the world. She also wants to see her brother and sister again. But, as a female, her choices are very limited. She is expected to marry or live out her days in a monastery. She would rather die than do either of those things. So, to be free, Vasya will just have to be a boy. So, disguised as a boy she sets off to Moscow.

I loved this as much as the first book. The folklore is so fascinating. I love the characters, the setting, just everything about it.