Great Second Installment to a Wonderful Series
This was a very good follow-up to The Bear and the Nightingale. While the book started off slowly for me, focusing mainly on Vasya's sister and brother, once Vasya (literally) rode back into the picture, everything picked back up. Vasya had to find her place in the city of Moscow, trying to please her sister, her brother, the Grand Prince, her old friend (?) Morozko, and most importantly, herself. With the threats of being accused of witchcraft, having her true identity revealed, contracting an unwanted marriage, and helping to defend her people against invasion, Vasya must decide who she is, as well as who she wants to be.
The author, as in the first book, does wonderful job of transporting the reader back to medieval Russia, with all the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. I felt as though I could feel the steam of the bathhouses, see the muddy sludge of melting snow, and smell the inside of the towers where the women were confined.
While this is the second book in this series, the ending wraps up the action in the book quite nicely. The story was exciting, well-developed, and compelling. While the very end seemed just a little bit rushed, it didn't bother me.
This is a very good series, steeped in folklore and Russian history with a very strong heroine at the center. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA, Fantasy, Adventure, Folklore, and/or Russian history.
The author, as in the first book, does wonderful job of transporting the reader back to medieval Russia, with all the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. I felt as though I could feel the steam of the bathhouses, see the muddy sludge of melting snow, and smell the inside of the towers where the women were confined.
While this is the second book in this series, the ending wraps up the action in the book quite nicely. The story was exciting, well-developed, and compelling. While the very end seemed just a little bit rushed, it didn't bother me.
This is a very good series, steeped in folklore and Russian history with a very strong heroine at the center. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA, Fantasy, Adventure, Folklore, and/or Russian history.