Set in medieval Russia, The Girl in the Tower picks up where The Bear and the Nightingale left off: following Vasilisa ("Vasya") Petrova's adventures across the snowy and dangerous forests of her homeland. But first, we meet up with two characters that haven't made an appearance in quite some time: her older siblings, Olga and Sasha, the latter of whom is helping the Grand Prince of Moscow track down bandits who are burning villages and stealing little girls away. When Vasya, in disguise as a boy, joins Sasha and the Prince on their quest, the adventure really gets going.
Katherine Arden's skill with detail, setting, and atmosphere is as strong as ever; I fell in love with her rich descriptions of Russia in wintertime and, though it sounds treacherous, wish I could be there to witness it. Morozko also returns to the story and is as intriguing as ever in his strangeness; Vasya continues to be a strong and compelling heroine, trekking across the Russian wilderness alone on horseback. Overall, this is an addictive and enjoyable follow-up to the first book, and is absolutely recommended for anyone who wanted to know where Vasya would end up next!
Katherine Arden's skill with detail, setting, and atmosphere is as strong as ever; I fell in love with her rich descriptions of Russia in wintertime and, though it sounds treacherous, wish I could be there to witness it. Morozko also returns to the story and is as intriguing as ever in his strangeness; Vasya continues to be a strong and compelling heroine, trekking across the Russian wilderness alone on horseback. Overall, this is an addictive and enjoyable follow-up to the first book, and is absolutely recommended for anyone who wanted to know where Vasya would end up next!