The Bear and the Nightingale Book Reviews

AUTHOR
Katherine Arden
SCORE
4.5
TOTAL RATINGS
673

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden Book Summary

Katherine Arden’s bestselling debut novel spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent with a gorgeous voice.
 
“A beautiful deep-winter story, full of magic and monsters and the sharp edges of growing up.”—Naomi Novik, bestselling author of Uprooted

Winter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil.

Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village.

But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed—to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales.

Praise for The Bear and the Nightingale

“Arden’s debut novel has the cadence of a beautiful fairy tale but is darker and more lyrical.”—The Washington Post

“Vasya [is] a clever, stalwart girl determined to forge her own path in a time when women had few choices.”—The Christian Science Monitor

“Stunning . . . will enchant readers from the first page. . . . with an irresistible heroine who wants only to be free of the bonds placed on her gender and claim her own fate.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Utterly bewitching . . . a lush narrative . . . an immersive, earthy story of folk magic, faith, and hubris, peopled with vivid, dynamic characters, particularly clever, brave Vasya, who outsmarts men and demons alike to save her family.”—Booklist (starred review)

“An extraordinary retelling of a very old tale . . . The Bear and the Nightingale is a wonderfully layered novel of family and the harsh wonders of deep winter magic.”—Robin Hobb

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Book Name The Bear and the Nightingale
Genre Fantasy
Published
Language English
E-Book Size 11.63 MB

The Bear and the Nightingale (Katherine Arden) Book Reviews 2024

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fable with creatures that jump right out of the classic Russian Fairytales.. The Bear and the Nightingale is a fable with creatures that jump right out of the classic Russian Fairytales. It all circles around Vasilisa. Vasilisa has the ability to communicate with the mythical, fabled creatures that her family, neighbors and town have always left tribute too but never seen. When Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow to ask the royalty for matches for his older children when he is given a wife for himself. Her new stepmother can see the same creatures Vasilisa has befriended but instead of treasuring her gifted ability she forbades Vasilisa to honor these spirits. Then the stepmother rallies with a priest to convince the village to turn from the spirit ways. Making the spirits angry is never a good idea. Very slow building. It finally picked up over half way through the tale which by then I was not invested. I'm going with 3.5 stars. The heart of storytelling was there and the premise was completely my kind of read but the characters fell flat as a pancake with zero character connection. Part of me wanted to love it but it became bogged down by daily activities with an occasional snippet that would grab me. I received this ARC copy of The Bear and the Nightingale from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine - Del Rey in exchange for a honest review.

Unique and engaging. My rating system: 5 stars are reserved for books that totally blow me away, or classics that I believe would have when they were new. I don’t give too many of these out, because it’s the highest rating that you could ever possibly give any book on here. 4 stars for books that I would recommend to just about anyone, or, at least, to someone who doesn’t dislike the genre. 3 stars for books that I would only recommend to someone who is fond of the genre. 2 stars for books that I would be hesitant to recommend to anyone at all, but the book was not a total disaster. 1 star for books that I found so terribly ridiculous, or poorly written, that I wish I had not spent time reading to begin with.

Beautiful books. Beautifully written, so vivid In how she writes. She is an incredibly rare talent, she is genuine in her craft. This trilogy may be her debut but I can liken her to storytellers like Alice Hoffman. She’s incredible. My new favorite author.

BEST book of 2017 IMHO. [Disclaimer: I received this book in a GoodReads giveaway so it will not post as a verified review. I am voluntarily choosing to review it. In no way did how I received it affect my opinions. ] This is a very well sculpted book with the foundations of historical folk tales as it looks towards the newness of Christianity. Sometimes dualistic focus might be a good thing though as it "pushes our envelopes" of understanding an acceptance. Historical fantasy? Historical dualism? Magical Realism? Or just a wonderful fantasy. We cannot begin to second guess the author. It is her story to tell, and I for one want to hear some more. I loved it and recommend it highly.

Amazing!. Such a compelling read! I love books that spend time developing the characters and this book really guides you through how the main character became herself. Also, I knew nothing about Russian mythology or history and I was afraid I would be confused, but it’s written so well that it did not matter at all! This is a masterpiece. I loved every word.

Fairytale or Fantasy. In this time of Covid this is a wonderful story for escaping the Now. Well written and told like an old fairytale for adults. I suppose for anyone who enjoys fantasy and stories of the Old Ones, but happily, not classified as Young Adult. I will be ordering the rest of the trilogy next.

Simply breathtakingly beautiful. A joy to read, to remember and to wish for more

Fine. I guess I'm just not that interested 100s of pages of gaslighting & neuroticism. I think the setting & the pacing is fine, but: I can read awful things from better writers; or, awesome things from worse writers.

Hgfshfadbjtd. I've

Had meaning in the book. Utterly loved it,will finish the trilogy

Loved it. Great characters, storyline was engrossing.

Loved!. Not something I would have normally picked up to read but it was recommended by a friend and I read this quickly and enjoyed it! I pictured Adam Driver as the winter king, I want this to be a movie! I felt like I was there, can’t wait to read the others.

A fantastic debut novel. I’m not usually a reader of fantasy or magical realism, but after a friend recommended TBATN to me, I decided to check it out. I’m so glad I did! Katherine Arden’s writing is so clear and descriptive, and the plot was engaging. I felt like I really was engaged with the different characters, and the book had a satisfying, non-cliffhanger ending that still leaves me excited for the next book in the series. I can’t wait to see how the characters grow over the next two novels in the series. Overall, I would highly recommend to fans of fantasy, people interested in folklore, people interested in Russia, or anyone looking for a great, quick read!

Arden is an author to watch. I wasn’t entirely sure what I’d find in the pages of this book, but I am so very glad that I went on and explored. The exhaustive research into folk and faerie tales from the Slavic world is impressive, and resonates on each page. This book is not a rush to the finish story, but often hesitates and stalls, allowing the descriptions their time to shine, and imbuing readers with that sense of being there, enmeshed in the cold, as the pages turn. A mix of historic fiction and faerie tale, Arden spends much of the book in explanation and family history for Vasilia, the heroine, and much of the information serves to highlight the source of her unusual powers and the conflicts that will come to be hers as benevolent and not so forces combine to test, task and strengthen her. Told in multiple perspectives, some working better than others, the head jumping does take effort for the reader, but as the story is moving slowly, these moments often serve to flush out a visualization and allow the moments to grow exponentially, fixing the images in mind and place. Like all faerie tales, there are decidedly good and bad characters, and Arden has managed to place shades of grey in there, allowing choice and intention determine the outcomes. Wholly engaging and immersive, you expect to look out the window and see nothing but snow and trees as far as the eye can see. The first of three planned novels that combine Slavic folk and faerie tales with fiction and a perspective that is wholly her own, Arden is an author to watch for those readers who enjoy a slower-paced story that arrives with a solid feel of new and different. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Russian folklore, fairy tales, and fantasy for a modern audience. The Bear and the Nightingale is Russian folklore, fairy tales, and fantasy for a modern audience. It is a beguiling debut novel from Katherine Arden. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a rich future ahead of her as a writer. I was enthralled. As a Christian, I must say that you cannot read this book without pulling all of your hair out unless you understand that it is based upon the medieval beliefs of the Russian people. A people that experienced Christianization but whom never fully eradicated their pagan beliefs. While the church is a large part of the story, The Bear and the Nightingale doesn’t portray the true church. The primary “Christian” that we are introduced to is Konstantin, often addressed as Batyuska, meaning “little father”, a respectful address for Orthodox ecclesiastics. Konstantin is fighting his own battle to understand God. Throughout the majority of the book, he is possessed by a demon. When the demon is gone, Konstantin is lost and bewildered. Therefore, there isn’t a true tension between the two belief systems. It is more like one magic in opposition to another magic. It is the quintessential folktale and needs to be read as such. I loved the story and look forward to reading further books by Arden. I received a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. My thanks to the author and publisher. For all of my reviews visit my blog at www (dot) blessedandbewildered (dot) com

Creative, clever and insightful. Creative telling of the development of religion and life in Russia. I did not know northern Russia was inhabited by mostly Scandinavian descendants. I loved the interplay between old gods and the new one true god religion. I loved the story of a family and their struggles and character.

Please read if you are a fan of epics rooted in legend. This book sweeps you up and carries you into the next two.

Captivating and lush. This checked all my boxes—magic, folklore, adventure, and heart. The love between family even in a stoic people was so real, and it managed to be a cozy tale in spite of the cold and unforgiving setting. It gives many of the same feelings as Naomi Novick’s works, which are some of my favorites. Loved it. Thrilled to read the next.

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A new favourite. A beautiful, exciting and enchanting read. So glad to have found it and can’t wait to pass it on to others.

Loved it!. This is a great book! Full of mystery and magic

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Summary of The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

The The Bear and the Nightingale book written by Katherine Arden was published on 10 January 2017, Tuesday in the Fantasy category. A total of 673 readers of the book gave the book 4.5 points out of 5.

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