4.5 stars. I really enjoyed the first book in the Winternight Trilogy, The Bear and the Nightingale, but I loved this book even more. Vasya has fled her family home after a tragedy and has struck off on her own as a traveler. She is older, wiser, stronger and even braver than before as she seeks freedom from those who call her a witch and expect her to marry. The writing is beautiful and the descriptions are breathtaking while the characters are strong yet flawed. The elements of historical Russia are perfectly interspersed with magical elements. It is not often that the second book is better than the first, but this one definitely is and I cannot wait for the last in the trilogy. I received this book from Bookish First in exchange for an honest review.