The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

 

**This will contain spoilers for the two previous books in the Winternight Trilogy**

After finally finishing my last (very long) book, I decided it was time to pick up The Winter of the Witch and complete Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy. I've been slowly working my way through these Russian folklore-inspired fantasy novels over the past few months and have been mildly enjoying them--at least enough to be interested in finishing out the series. It's been a like-but-not-love situation with these books for me so far. As I headed into the last book, I was hoping to maybe feel a stronger connection to it than the previous ones.  

The plot of this novel picks up right where the second book leaves off, with Moscow reeling from the massive fire Vasilisa accidentally caused when she released the Firebird from its captivity. Although she was able to stop the fire with Morozko's help, and defeat the evil sorcerer menacing the city, the townspeople still consider her to be a dangerous witch and they immediately call for her execution. As a violent mob begins to gather outside the gates of Vasilisa's terem, she decides to leave to protect the rest of her family. She is unable to simply disappear, however, as decisions are being made in Moscow that will lead the country into a war with the Tatars. The army of the Tatars is vast, and Vasilisa knows that Russia's entire existence is threatened by this approaching conflict. While she is very tempted to disappear into Morozko's eternal winter and lose herself in her romance, she can't ignore the needs of her country. She decides to help Russia win the war.

Her journey to help her country takes her into strange, otherworldly realms and awakens a magical ability in her. Her new, fragile magic, however, is not enough to defeat the Tatars on its own. Similarly, Morozko's powers aren't strong enough to turn the tide in their favor. While he can help, this is not his season and not his fight.  So, in order to save Russia, Vasilisa must unite all of her people - the Christians, the Pagans, and the magical creatures hidden away across the land, and lead them to defend their country together. She must also decide whether or not to ally herself with an old enemy who could very well lead them to victory, or betray her and bring about certain defeat.  

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really liked this novel. Vasilisa's mission to unite her people against their common enemy allowed the text to explore worthy themes, and it felt appropriately epic. I thought that Vasilisa's growth as a character showed through clearly. She really comes into her own this novel and is brave, selfless, and powerful. When I think back to the beginning of the series, when she was a frightened child with strange abilities she didn't understand, I can truly appreciate how far she has come. Arden did a nice job transforming her across the series. I thought the romance between her and Morozko was well written here too. There was just enough of it that you felt invested in them being together, but not so much that it took away from the overall story about the war. 

I enjoyed the feminist aspect of the novel as well. This story is set in medieval Russia. Women had few rights and were expected to be either wives or nuns in this time period. Vasilisa's independence, courage, and willingness to defy gender norms send a great "girl power" message throughout the text, even though they frequently get her into trouble. I also liked the theme of working together despite differences for a common good. This was my favorite book of the trilogy by far, and I was happy that the series ends here, on a high note for me.

I've read a few books based on Russian folklore over the years, and none of them have ended up being favorites for me. I think this trilogy is my favorite of these types of stories I've encountered so far, and that's really saying something, because I just don't love Baba Yaga as a character, and she was definitely present here. I still wish that I fell completely in love with Vasilisa, but I enjoyed the journey well enough and The Winter of the Witch was a satisfying ending. I'll be happy to donate all three of these books so that someone else out there will hopefully enjoy them a little bit more than I did. 

Challenge Tally

Clear the Shelves 2021: 8/50 (donate)

Total Books Read in 2021: 14