Part fairy tale and
part reality, The Bear and the Nightingale is an exceptionally
moving story. In feudal Russia, a young girl is born. Her grandmother
was reputed to have magical powers, and although her mother didn't
have them, the young girl is able to see thingsother people
cannot.
Living in a
well-to-do family among a class of illiterate peasants, seeing
spirits is a dangerous ability. The church frowns on any
manifestation of the pagan beliefs that still occur in the region.
The young girl, Vasya, has the ability to see helpful spirits and
tries to aid the village through the long cold months of winter, but
the priest and the peasants don't trust her and call her a witch.
This is the tale of
Vasya's youth. The book is the first in a trilogy, so the next books
should show more of her adulthood. The writing is beautiful. The tale
takes place in the frozen North of Russia. Snow falls for much of the
year covering the plains. The descriptions of the cold and icy
whiteness are exceptional. It's worth reading the book for the
descriptions.
Vasya is a fierce
character. She believes that she must do what's right even if it goes
against the church and her stepmother. You can't help but admire her.
Although this book
is written in the style of a fairy tale, the background is
historically accurate giving a glimpse of old Russia and the life of
the minor nobility and peasants. I highly recommend the book.
I received this book
from Penguin for this review.
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