Glorious new tale of Vasya and Morozko

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This is the second breathtaking tale of magic, love, and bold choices set in wintry Russia. After the events in The Bear and the Nightingale, Vasya stubbornly runs away from home to maintain her independence. Soon, she finds herself having to masquerade as a boy while surviving precariously out on her own. Her sensitivity to the old magical creatures of Russia keeps her engaged in more than just surface battles, and she eventually ends up tangled in the lives of both her sister and brother in Moscow. When a hidden sorcerer arrives with plans of his own, she must draw on all the resources and alliances she has to find the source of his power and stop him before he destroys everyone she loves.

I really enjoyed this story, and I think I read it almost straight through in one sitting. Katherine Arden's lyrical prose is enchanting. Morozko is a searing Winter King, endearingly conflicted as he tries to be aloof towards Vasya and yet finds himself ever more attracted to her. Vasya is headstrong in the best way - driven and courageous, balancing what is best for her family and others with her own desires, occasionally making the wrong choice but overall pushing others to be better. The characters have stayed with me long after the story finished, and I would read it again in a heartbeat!