A gripping retelling of an old Russian story…
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Bear and the Nightingale is a gripping retelling of an old Russian story that is neither weighed down by the historical source material or carried away by the more mythical touch of lore. It is a solid start to a trilogy that will inspire research and birth daydreams.
The book is set in the 14th century and has its roots in the fairy tale of Vasilisa, here called Vasya. She is the wild daughter of a Boyar and possesses the site and ability to speak with nature and household spirits from her Grandmother, a rumored witch. Something which is important to the Winter King, Morozko’s, plans. He fills the early role of antagonist, and odd benefactor. But not is all as it seems.
Speaking of him, I found the the use of the Winter Demon, Morozko particularly intriguing. In the old Rus folktales Medved and Morozko appear to be largely depicted as one and the same, with separate aspects, demeanor. Arden separates the two. Morozko is winter, and death – taking on the form of a reaper, or guide to the afterlife – though mostly benevolent, while Medved is the Great Bear; war, rage, fear, and chaos. The story’s main plot centers on the latter’s escape, and the danger it causes to the world of men and Cheryti (a sort of Russian fairy, or spirit).
The nature of the conflict also sets it apart from similar retellings. Outside the fight between brothers, spirits of Winter and Death respectively, and the clash of the pagan world against waxing Christianity, is another that is less obvious, but just as important; Vasya’s often chaotic, freedom seeking nature versus the traditional roles of women in fourteenth century Russia. Even separated by all those centuries, and by genders, I found myself constantly at war with her predicament.
And it is an unforgiving world she lives in. Outside the limitations of a patriarchal society, Vasya must navigate a world that is as deep as any of the other characters written here. The bitter cold. The lonely forests. They all teeter out of the folds of imagination to bring a real sense of foreboding, and depth. Arden’s descriptive writing and ability to set a scene is refreshing in a world of authors that seem to forgo such in favor of plain action.
Final Thoughts: there is plenty to love in this piece, as the prose synchs nicely with the plot, and flavor. It is at times complex, others simple, but always enjoyable. Bear and the Nightingale is an excellent first part to what I expect will be a thrilling trilogy.
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