In this sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale, Vasya is off on an adventure. Accused
of witchcraft by her village, she rejected the choice of marriage or
a convent, and, disguised as a boy, took off on her magical horse,
Solovey. In her travels she helps defeat a group of bandits who are
destroying villages and taking the young girls to sell. She meets the
Grand Prince of Moscow and wins his respect as a fighter, but must be
careful to keep him from learning her sex. In Moscow, she reunites
with her brother, Sasha, and her sister, Olga, and helps defend the
city from a political war that threatens its existence.
As in the previous
book, the text is filled with lyrical descriptions of the
countryside, fairy tales, and courageous escapades. The deep winter
and tales of spirits, weave a dark tapestry against which the action
occurs. I loved the fairy tales, but I found the descriptions of
medieval Russia more interesting. This book is faster paced with more
action than the first book, but the spell is still captivating.
Vasya has grown in
this book. She’s no longer a child and faces adult challenges. She
finds difficulty reuniting with her family, particularly her sister,
Olga.
This is an excellent
sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale. If you love atmospheric
stories with good characters, this is a book you’ll enjoy.
I received this book
from Random Hou
se for this review.
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