At the crossroad between historical fiction, fantasy and fairy tale, The Girl in the Tower looks like a very promising read. In these first thirty pages, we are given hints of the beautiful and exotic norther setting of Moscow, of folkloric ghostly and magical elements, possessed sisters, royal intrigues and wars, and journeys to come. The style reminds that of fairy tales from the north: poetic, but with dark foreshadowings. And even if I read the first few pages with a bit of hesitation, worried that the writing might be a bit 'stiff' or 'academic,' I can now say that I was wrong. It's almost as if Catherine Arden had heard me, because her pen suddenly was more comfortable and daring and, as soon as the Olga started telling her story, I was as enchanted as the other listeners:
'The princess considered her audience. Whatever grief she had felt
standing alone by the window was now quite absent from her expression.
The waiting-women put down their needles and curled up eagerly
on their cushions.'
'The princess considered her audience. Whatever grief she had felt
standing alone by the window was now quite absent from her expression.
The waiting-women put down their needles and curled up eagerly
on their cushions.'