![]() ![]() ![]() It builds upon the Russian legends of Morozko, who is essentially the god of death, the god of winter, and Father Christmas rolled into one. This is what I would class as “fairytale fantasy”. The book follows Vasilisa-a girl born with a touch of magic-as she grows and rebels against “her place” in the world, despite familial and religious pressure. Her knowledge of the subject area shows, and despite this being fantasy, the events have a certain gravity that makes them almost seem real. Katherine Arden is not a native Russian, but has a degree in French and Russian literature. It’s set in our world, for one, in the forests of medieval Russia-then called Rus’. The Bear and the Nightingale is a novel quite unlike the majority of fantasy that is out there nowadays. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. 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. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |