The Bear and the Nightingale

What a fantastic winter read! I loved the fairytale quality of it, the exotic feel of Medieval Russia and characters I quickly fell in love with, especially our headstrong female protagonist. I loved also how big a roll family played and that they were so tight as a family and that it didn't follow the typical tropes of fairytale, while also still managing to give it that feel. It isn't an action packed story, more of a steady, slow burn to the climax, but that isn't a bad thing in my opinion. It was never boring, due in large part because the writing is so beautiful and manages to convey the feel and atmosphere in such a profound way. I enjoyed just reading descriptions about the weather! The exploration of the spirit folk of Russia and religion was tastefully done I thought, even if it more heavily leaned on the pagan beliefs than the Christian ones, it showcased well the tumultuous time between the two really well. The magic is not overt, but laced into the story in a wonderful way that somehow makes it seem very natural. Overall I really enjoyed it, highly recommend it if you enjoy fairytale fantasy and I am looking forward to book two next!