There’s a lot of dread and worry about what’s going on in the woods as no one seems to know (or is willing to discuss) what’s out there. The first part of the book is well-balanced. Hungry for lack of offerings, the spirits warn they may no longer be able to protect the townspeople from the dark powers that are stirring in the woods. They need her help because a priest is dissuading townsfolk from the old ways. In this town, Vasya is born with sight that allows her to communicate with the household spirits. It sets the tone well and is an entertaining way of providing key background information for the main story, which takes place in a small Russian town next to the woods. The opening scenes depict a family sitting around and telling old stories of Morozko (Frost). It’s snowy, moody, and packed with magic-the superstitious, fairy-tale kind. The Bear and the Nightingale hits many pitfalls of Chosen One stories, but I didn’t notice until the cheesy climax because it’s such an entertaining read.
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