Paperback, 360 pages
Published Aug. 9, 2018 by Del Rey.
"The magical adventure begun in The Bear and the Nightingale continues as brave Vasya, now a young woman, is forced to choose between marriage or life in a convent and instead flees her home--but soon finds herself called upon to help defend the city of Moscow when it comes under siege"--
Vasilisa's gift for seeing what others do not won her the attention of Morozko-- Frost, the winter demon. But Frost's aid comes at a cost, and her people have condemned her as a witch. Driven from her home, she faces an impossible choice: marriage or life in a convent. Instead she dresses herself as a boy and sets off astride her stallion Solovey. Prevailing in a skirmish with bandits, the Grand Prince of Moscow anoints her a hero for her exploits. She dares not reveal to the court that she is a girl, but soon she discovers a grave …
"The magical adventure begun in The Bear and the Nightingale continues as brave Vasya, now a young woman, is forced to choose between marriage or life in a convent and instead flees her home--but soon finds herself called upon to help defend the city of Moscow when it comes under siege"--
Vasilisa's gift for seeing what others do not won her the attention of Morozko-- Frost, the winter demon. But Frost's aid comes at a cost, and her people have condemned her as a witch. Driven from her home, she faces an impossible choice: marriage or life in a convent. Instead she dresses herself as a boy and sets off astride her stallion Solovey. Prevailing in a skirmish with bandits, the Grand Prince of Moscow anoints her a hero for her exploits. She dares not reveal to the court that she is a girl, but soon she discovers a grave threat lying in wait for all of Moscow itself.
Witch girl seeks freedom from mediaeval Rus strictures, but her naivety & heedlessness prove her undoing. Still, she saves the day! Less fairytale, more political than prequel. Still excellent.
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Unlike the first book, set around a rural Russian village in a miserable winter, this one feels much more urban. Even the bits that aren't in Moscow. This one felt a lot more Young Adult than the first book; Varya has gotten older but in some ways gets more childish. There's several point where she makes a decision that is clearly telegraphed as The Bad One. Frustrating interpersonal dialogues full of romantic intention wasn't what I was expecting!
