The Winter of the Witch

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Manufacturer: Katherine Arden
Brand: Fantasy Fiction, Historical Fiction
Brew: Audiobook
Steeping Time: 14 hours 5 minutes
Tea Service: Personal Choice
Strength:

Synopsis: Vasilisa Petrovna is an unforgettable heroine determined to forge her own path. Her gifts and her courage have drawn the attention of Morozko, the winter-king, but it is too soon to know if this connection will prove a blessing or a curse.

Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all.

I’m not sure where to start here, so I’ll begin with my first note, and then we’ll recap.

‘Well, within the first hour, I’m ready to burn the world to the ground. Konstantine, you can suck it.’

If you’ve read The Winter of the Witch, you feel me there.

The Winter of the Witch is book three in the Winternight trilogy. It picks up directly where book two ends, and unlike the first two books in the series, the beginning pace is not a slow one. We hit the ground running with Vasya, and we never stop. Moscow is under siege, but not from the Tatars. Plague is raging through the city as summer temperatures swelter, and citizens are dying left and right. And then, just for fun, they come back, because it’s not complete hell without zombies. The only one who seems to be coming out on top is Konstantine, the captivating priest who shines like a beacon of hope to the people of Moscow. But who is guiding him? None other than the chaos demon, Medved (the bear). Lurking behind the shiny exterior is a soul rotten to the core.

While Moscow fights its own battles, Vasya is madly traversing the world, magical and real, trying to unite the realm and save not only her family but the city of Moscow as well.

I feel like I can’t talk too much about the storyline without throwing out major spoilers, so I won’t touch too much on story details. Even though all I want to do is gush about every detail because IT IS ALL SO GOOD. But I won’t. Because I’d hate to take away the magic of this book for anyone.

The pace of this book is fast. There are a few moments that slow down enough for you to catch your breath, but then it takes off again whether you’re prepared or not. This book broke my heart, made me laugh, made me beyond angry, and had me in tears, both of sadness and of joy. Soon after writing my first note for this review, I distinctly remember having the idea of buying a physical copy of the book, going to Katherine Arden’s house, throwing it at her, and leaving. A few hours later, enter my second note for this review:

‘At 6 hours in, I’ve gone from absolutely regretting this read to thinking it might be my favorite out of the trilogy. Thanks for the roller coaster ride, Katherine.’

My emotions were all over the place while reading The Winter of the Witch, but ultimately, I loved it. It turned out to be my favorite book out of the entire series, which surprised me greatly. Katherine is just so damn good at writing incredible stories. And I’ve never felt a season so deeply in my bones just by a description of the stars. Seriously, Katherine is incredible.

I loved watching Vasya learn and grow. She really comes into her own in this book, and she taught me that some parts of ourselves aren’t perfect, but we are still worthy in spite of that. She is the kind of heroine I love. Vasya does things her own way in her own stride. Sometimes that fails, but she never gives up or gives in. And honestly, if she did, I wouldn’t blame her. She goes through absolute hell in this book. There are parts that are not easy to read, but Vasya, broken and battered, always gets back up. Beat her down to just a spark, and she’ll flare back up in an inferno.

While we get plenty of the characters we’ve come to know and love, we also get to meet new ones along the way. I adored the little mushroom spirit. He is so feisty, and even though he’s small and only but a mushroom, he’s willing to give it all for Vasya.

My only complaint about this book is that it wasn’t long enough.

I know all good things must come to an end, but I’ll miss these characters dearly. I’d have loved to have seen more of Vasya and Morozco’s love story, but I am deeply satisfied with what I got. I also love that some things are left a bit open-ended. It lets me imagine the rest of the story and what Vasya’s future might hold. I know that’s not everyone’s cuppa tea, but I like it.

I’ll admit that I usually scan over or skip the author’s note at the end of a book. Mostly, I think this is so that I can hold the story in my head a little longer before rushing back to reality. I listened to all of the author’s notes in these books, and if you only listen to one (or read one), let it be the one at the end of The Winter of the Witch. I won’t say anything about it, because it will spoil some major plot lines, but I found it fascinating. Katherine did an incredible job at weaving history in right alongside fantasy, and I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect story.

I’d also like to take a moment to acknowledge Kathleen Gati, the narrator for all three books in the series. She was the absolute perfect choice for these stories, and I’m so glad I got to listen to her incredible narration for well over 30 hours. I also appreciate that I got to hear all of the Russian pronunciations rather than garbling something together myself. Beautifully done, Kathleen.

If you’re looking for a phenomenal historical fantasy series, I highly recommend picking up the Winternight trilogy. It is a rough, gritty journey through the harsh Russian landscape that will stay in your heart for years to come. If you’d like, check out my reviews for The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower as well. I thoroughly enjoyed each of these books, but The Winter of the Witch takes the cake.

Have you read The Winter of the Witch? Leave a comment and let me know what you thought about it! Want to read it for yourself? Click here to get a copy of your own.
Cheers,
Lydia