The Girl in the Tower: A Novel

Katherine Arden

Dec 2017 · Winternight Trilogy Book 2 · Sold by Del Rey

About this ebook

A remarkable young woman blazes her own trail, from the backwoods of Russia to the court of Moscow, in the exhilarating sequel to Katherine Arden’s bestselling debut novel, The Bear and the Nightingale.

Katherine Arden’s enchanting first novel introduced readers to an irresistible heroine. Vasilisa has grown up at the edge of a Russian wilderness, where snowdrifts reach the eaves of her family’s wooden house and there is truth in the fairy tales told around the fire. Vasilisa’s gift for seeing what others do not won her the attention of Morozko—Frost, the winter demon from the stories—and together they saved her people from destruction. But Frost’s aid comes at a cost, and her people have condemned her as a witch.

Now Vasilisa faces an impossible choice. Driven from her home by frightened villagers, the only options left for her are marriage or the convent. She cannot bring herself to accept either fate and instead chooses adventure, dressing herself as a boy and setting off astride her magnificent stallion Solovey.

But after Vasilisa prevails in a skirmish with bandits, everything changes. The Grand Prince of Moscow anoints her a hero for her exploits, and she is reunited with her beloved sister and brother, who are now part of the Grand Prince’s inner circle. She dares not reveal to the court that she is a girl, for if her deception were discovered it would have terrible consequences for herself and her family. Before she can untangle herself from Moscow’s intrigues—and as Frost provides counsel that may or may not be trustworthy—she will also confront an even graver threat lying in wait for all of Moscow itself.

Praise for The Girl in the Tower

“[A] magical story set in an alluring Russia.”—Paste

“Arden’s lush, lyrical writing cultivates an intoxicating, visceral atmosphere, and her marvelous sense of pacing carries the novel along at a propulsive clip. A masterfully told story of folklore, history, and magic with a spellbinding heroine at the heart of it all.”—Booklist (starred review)

“[A] sensual, beautifully written, and emotionally stirring fantasy . . . Fairy tales don’t get better than this.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“[Katherine] Arden once again delivers an engaging fantasy that mixes Russian folklore and history with delightful worldbuilding and lively characters.”—Library Journal

Ratings and reviews

***4 ‘#TeamVasya’ Stars*** And we have another epic chapter in Vasya’s journey and what a ride it was! Things start of right were they ended in the The Bear and the Nightingale and we find that not is as it should be in the land of Rus. The mystical powers that are seen and unseen are wreaking havoc across the land and questions abound as to what the purpose of it all is and unbeknownst to Vasya, and those she calls her own, she has a role to play in all of it. I loved Vasya in The Bear and the Nightingale and that love grew to adoration in The Girl in the Tower. Even though she has no choice but to leave her village, she takes it and runs with it. She finds freedom and with that freedom she finds a well of strength she never realized she had. Of course her determinedly stubborn nature helps that process along, even as it at times hinders her, but she comes out of it all with a better understanding of not only the world but herself by the end of the book. As with the first book, there are multiple POV’s throughout the book and I will admit that sometimes it did slow the pace down for me, but each one added the depth needed to get a well rounded understanding of the various situations going on and the consequences of each action taken or not taken. The supporting cast of characters grows in this one, and I found that Morozko and Solovey are my favorites. And, yes, I realize that having the winter-king/frost-demon and a horse being my favorites may seem strange, but believe me when I say they are amazing and hold pieces of my heart. But Sasha aka Aleksandr Peresvet turned out to be a most pleasant surprise throughout. While there is closure on the main storyline at the end of the book, questions still linger over some of the smaller issues and it looks like the next book in the series will be quite a journey in and of itself and it will be interesting to see the trials and tribulations Vasya will face and how they will impact her view on the world as well as herself. ~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

Having been delighted with the freshness of the first book in the series, Arden returns and presents more of that world that many of us unfamiliar with Slavic and Russian folk and fairy tales can devour and enjoy. Again, the exhaustive research and incorporation of tales combine in the writing as Vasya’s story continues and unfolds before us. As the last story ended, Vasya’s choices were narrow; marry or join a convent. As we have come to see, she takes another unoffered option and runs off disguised as a boy – heading out to make her own life. All of the wonderful moments and traits that made Vasya a solid heroine in the first book are tempered with her own experience and a bit of age: even as she is as determined as ever to follow her own heart and path. Again Arden mixes the fantastical with the plausible (and historic) moments, Vasya’s travels take her through the landscape of 14th century Russia, easily allowing readers to feel as if the landscape was haunted by spirits: some human, others supernatural, as she lands in the midst of political intrigue as the unrest threatens the Moscovian rulers, of which her cousin, Dmitri, is a part. While the overall tone is dark-ish, there are moments that shine as the atmospheric descriptions and visualizations will have you reaching for a cuddly blanket as the chill of the landscape reaches out and tugs at imagination. One of the favorite characters, beyond Vasya and her approach to tackling problems, new people and issues is the Frost demon, Morozko: so utterly complete and present in his depiction – full of the contradictions that we all have, and wholly engaging despite his reputation and power of bad. Arden has used the story of Vasya and her continued saga to present a Russia of old that is both timeless and encompassing. Best read if you are familiar with The Bear and the Nightingale, the story is paced similarly, allowing you to escape into the book and savor the moments as you wonder just how each piece fits into the overall. In this book, several moments from the earlier come clearer and inform Vasya’s decisions and choices, and while the political and societal unrest play on her choices, few are solely determined by any one event, allowing the story to feel as if it is progressing naturally – even with the fantastical moments. Sure to please fans of fairy tales and magically plausible fiction, this second installment promises wonder for the conclusion of the trilogy – and sure to be a favorite of many looking for something that is just a bit different. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

The Girl in the Tower is a fascinating fantasy that takes place in Russia during the medieval times. Vasya Petrovna was a free-spirited woman, on the run. It was rumored that she was a witch. Her father tried to marry her off, but Vasya wanted nothing to do with marriage. She also had no interest in becoming a nun. So, Vasya decided to dress as a boy, adopt the male version of her name, Vasilii, for herself, and gallop off into the woods, on a magic horse. Running into her brother Sasha, and her cousin, Dmitrii, the Grand Prince of Moscow, complicated matters, though. Sasha was reluctant to play along with his sister’s ruse, but did so, for safety’s sake. He knew, however, that if the Prince discovered her deceit, things would not go well for her. Much to Sasha’s dismay, his sister, Vasya, now, Vasilii, was joining them in the fight against the bandits, who were destroying Russian lives. Young girls were being kidnapped, families slaughtered, and villages burned to the ground. War was something that was now unavoidable. The Girl in the Tower is an intriguing novel, well-written and captivating. I would suggest reading, book one in the series, The Bear and the Nightingale, first, though. I had a difficult time, especially in the beginning, following this novel, but wouldn’t have; I’m sure if I had already read the first book. Thank you, Del Rey Publishing and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy.

About the author

Katherine Arden is the author of the national bestseller The Bear and the Nightingale. Born in Austin, Texas, Arden spent a year of high school in Rennes, France. Following her acceptance to Middlebury College in Vermont, she deferred enrollment for a year in order to live and study in Moscow. At Middlebury, she specialized in French and Russian literature. After receiving her BA, she moved to Maui, Hawaii, working every kind of odd job imaginable, from grant writing and making crêpes to guiding horse trips. Currently she lives in Vermont, but really, you never know.