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Mar 20, 2020littlebadbooks rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
PLOT: It is medieval Russia and a mother dies shortly after childbirth- finally getting the daughter she wanted- one that she knew would have the same magical gifts as her own mother once had. Gifts that were rumored to have been used to enchant the Grand Prince of Moscow himself. This wild child is Vasilisa Petrovna, beloved daughter to a Russian boyar (a land-holding Lord), sister to four siblings, and pain in the ass to devout step-mother Anna. Just as Vasya's mother had predicted, her daughter was gifted with magic- the ability to see and talk to spirits of the hearth, stables, and forest. Even as a child, young Vasya would bravely traverse into the forest without a care in the world, learning about plants, ponds, rivers, and the spirits that resided within. And thus she grows into a teenager who is willful, playful, and spirited. She is not like her sister Olga, who wishes to be married and have children. Vasya is at home in the forest, and sees herself as friend of the spirits around her. One day, a young, attractive, and ambitious priest (batyushka) arrives in her small village of Lesnaya Zemlya and almost immediately is drawn (obsessively) by the young and wild Vasilisa. The priest also finds that he is remarkably good at enrapturing the peasants around him- by preaching fear of God and promising hell to those who follow the old ways of Russia (offerings, etc. to household spirits). Vasya's stepmother also sees spirits, but to the devout woman, they are demons. Already a nervous and emotional mess, she immediately develops an obsessive dislike for her youngest daughter as quickly as she begins to obsess over the priest (she keeps telling herself it's solely religious respect). Add to the mix Vasya's meeting of Medved, the Bear, spirit of chaos who is trapped in the grips of a great tree by his brother Morozko, death, or the Winter King, and trouble ensues. The Bear is nearing his time for freedom, Morozko's power is waning, and Vasya's fate is entwined with both the Bear and Winter King's destinies. As the dead start walking, the priest becomes increasingly obsessed, Anna calls for the convent life for Vasya to be rid of her, the crops start failing, and the Winter King beckons... well... V is in for a hell of a ride... PROS: Everything. This story is intricate, with various points of view that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and told with such expertise that you will not want to put this book down. My plot line did not even mention all of the characters that play major roles and so does not scratch the surface of this deep and poignant tale. This novel is not just about the conflicts between Russia's old ways and the incoming Catholic faith, a story about a girl struggling to remain true to herself, impossible love, or the saving of an empire, it is a story that weaves all to create a masterpiece of a folklore-based novel. CONS: None. Zero. Zilch. Just read it.