The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Title: The Bear and the Nightingale

Author: by Katherine Arden

Pages: 319

Finished: September 21, 2017

First Sentence:  It was late winter in Northern Rus', the air sullen with wet that was neither rain nor snow. 

Summary: Vasilisa's mother died in childbirth, leaving the girl with the ability to see all the old spirits of Rus'. Years later, her father travels to Moscow to remarry. He brings home a devout Christian woman who, with the help of a new Priest, forbids the town to leave offerings to the old spirits. Winters become harsher than normal. Crops, livestock, and people fail and die. Only Vasilisa sees whats happening and does what she can to keep everyone alive, even though it labels her a witch.

Thoughts: This may be one of my favorite books from this year. The book started a little slow, but once Pyotr remarried, I was hooked. Vasilisa is exactly the type of character I love. Headstrong, compassionate, and very independent. I'm also a complete sucker for stories of old religions fighting to stay relevant while Christianity tries to take over. Mostly though, I was very impressed with the world building in this story. So very immersive.

Read for the retellings challenge.