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The Bear and The Nightingale

(Winternight Trilogy)
4.09 goodreads logo

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( 226,402 ratings, 30,719 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden is a captivating blend of Russian folklore and magical realism. Set in a remote village where harsh winters demand obedience to old pagan rituals, the story follows a young girl, Vasya, who possesses a unique connection to the spiritual world. As Christianity threatens to overshadow ancient customs, Vasya must navigate the tensions between old and new to protect her family and her village.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2400
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this enchanting tale if you are captivated by Russian folklore, strong female protagonists, and richly woven fantasy worlds. The story brings to life the magic of winter, the dance between mythology and reality, and a young woman's courage to defy tradition. Perfect for those who love immersive narratives with a fairy-tale atmosphere.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and snow falls many months of the year, an elderly servant tells stories of sorcery, folklore and the Winter King to the children of the family, tales of old magic frowned upon by the church. But for the young, wild Vasya these are far more than just stories.

A beautiful fairytale full of magic for fans of Naomi Novik, Erin Morgenstern and Philip Pullman

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A beautiful fairytale full of magic for fans of Naomi Novik, Erin Morgenstern and Philip Pullman.

_____________________________

Beware the evil in the woods...

In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, an elderly servant tells stories of sorcery, folklore and the Winter King to the children of the family, tales of old magic frowned upon by the church.

But for the young, wild Vasya these are far more than just stories. She alone can see the house spirits that guard her home, and sense the growing forces of dark magic in the woods...

Atmospheric and enchanting, with an engrossing adventure at its core, The Bear and the Nightingale is perfect for readers of Naomi Novik's Uprooted, Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials.

_____________________________

Now with over 100 5* reviews, readers are spellbound by this magical story:

  • 'This book stayed with me, I didn't want it to end'
  • 'A beautifully written story'
  • 'An entrancing story, which swept me up from the very first chapter'
  • 'Full of magic'

_____________________________

Make sure you've read all the books in the acclaimed Winternight Trilogy:

  1. The Bear and the Nightingale
  2. The Girl in the Tower
  3. The Winter of the Witch

Series: Winternight Trilogy

View all
  • The Girl in The Tower
    A spellbinding fairytale full of magic and wonder, perfect for fans of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. For a young woman in medieval Russia, the choices are stark—marriage or life in a convent. Vasya will choose a third way: magic... The court of the Grand Prince of Moscow is plagued by power struggles and...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Winter of the Witch
    The Winter of the Witch is a thrilling conclusion to the Winternight Trilogy - a magical series perfect for fans of The Night Circus. A magical and captivating coming-of-age novel set in medieval Russia - perfect for fans of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. One girl can make a difference... Moscow is in flames,...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Bear and the Nightingale
    NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A wild and wilful young woman finds herself at the centre of a tale of spirits, ancient evils, and the mysterious winter-king Frost—in the lyrical first novel of the Winternight Trilogy. “A beautiful deep-winter story, full of magic and monsters and the sharp edges of growing up.”—Naomi Novik, bestselling author of Uprooted Winter lasts most of the...
    Paperback
    $5600
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Bear and The Nightingale
    A beautiful fairytale full of magic for fans of Naomi Novik, Erin Morgenstern and Philip Pullman. _____________________________ Beware the evil in the woods... In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, an elderly servant tells stories of sorcery, folklore and the Winter...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Girl in the Tower
    In the sequel to the nationally bestselling The Bear and the Nightingale, a gifted young woman with ties to the old magic of her homeland blazes a trail out of the frozen wilderness and into the court intrigues of Moscow. “A masterfully told story of folklore, history, and magic with a spellbinding heroine at the heart of it all.” —Booklist...
    Paperback
    $5500
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Winter of the Witch
    New York Times Bestseller • The fate of two worlds rests on the shoulders of Vasilisa Petrovna as she contends with forces both mortal and magical in the stirring conclusion to the story that began with The Bear and the Nightingale. “A tale both intimate and epic, featuring a heroine whose harrowing and wondrous journey culminates in an emotionally resonant...
    Paperback
    $5500
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale is praised for its lyrical prose and captivating storytelling, blending Russian folklore with a rich, magical narrative. Reviewers highlight its enchanting, fairy-tale quality, vibrant setting, and a heroine who is both compelling and relatable. The novel's exploration of themes like fear and societal pressures resonates strongly, creating a timeless and sophisticated tale.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781785031052

Publisher: Cornerstone

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 October 2017

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Del Rey

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 322g

Pages: 464

About the Author

Born in Austin, Texas, Katherine Arden has always had a taste for wandering. She spent her junior year of high school in Rennes, France. Following her acceptance to Middlebury College in Vermont, she deferred enrolment for a year in order to live and study in Russia. At Middlebury, she specialized in French and Russian literature, and her studies included sojourns at the Sorbonne in Paris and the Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow. After receiving her BA, she moved to Maui, Hawaii and worked every kind of odd job imaginable, from grant writing and guiding horse tours to serving as a personal tour guide. During this time she wrote what became her debut novel, The Bear and the Nightingale. After a year on the island, she moved to Brian on, France, and spent nine months teaching. She then returned to Maui, where she began writing The Girl in the Tower, the sequel to her debut, and officially launched her career as an author. Currently she lives in Vermont. She is the author of the Winternight Trilogy for adults and the Small Spaces Quartet for children.

Also by Katherine Arden

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  • The Girl in The Tower
    A spellbinding fairytale full of magic and wonder, perfect for fans of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. For a young woman in medieval Russia, the choices are stark—marriage or life in a convent. Vasya will choose a third way: magic... The court of the Grand Prince of Moscow is plagued by power struggles and...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Warm Hands of Ghosts
    In a world torn apart by war, a brother and sister fight to find each other. The sweeping new novel from New York Times bestselling author Katherine Arden. Discover the Sunday Times bestselling supernatural historical fantasy from the author of The Bear and the Nightingale, a spellbinding, sweeping novel set in the trenches of WW1. WATERSTONES SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY...
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    The Winter of the Witch is a thrilling conclusion to the Winternight Trilogy - a magical series perfect for fans of The Night Circus. A magical and captivating coming-of-age novel set in medieval Russia - perfect for fans of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. One girl can make a difference... Moscow is in flames,...
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  • Small Spaces
    The spellbindingly creepy middle-grade debut of the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale, Katherine Arden. Don't panic. That's the first rule of survival. Never panic. Simple enough – until your school trip turns into a waking nightmare. After rescuing a book from the river, eleven-year-old Ollie discovers an unsettling ghost story about...
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    NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A wild and wilful young woman finds herself at the centre of a tale of spirits, ancient evils, and the mysterious winter-king Frost—in the lyrical first novel of the Winternight Trilogy. “A beautiful deep-winter story, full of magic and monsters and the sharp edges of growing up.”—Naomi Novik, bestselling author of Uprooted Winter lasts most of the...
    Paperback
    $5600
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Girl in the Tower
    In the sequel to the nationally bestselling The Bear and the Nightingale, a gifted young woman with ties to the old magic of her homeland blazes a trail out of the frozen wilderness and into the court intrigues of Moscow. “A masterfully told story of folklore, history, and magic with a spellbinding heroine at the heart of it all.” —Booklist...
    Paperback
    $5500
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • The Winter of the Witch
    New York Times Bestseller • The fate of two worlds rests on the shoulders of Vasilisa Petrovna as she contends with forces both mortal and magical in the stirring conclusion to the story that began with The Bear and the Nightingale. “A tale both intimate and epic, featuring a heroine whose harrowing and wondrous journey culminates in an emotionally resonant...
    Paperback
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    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Dark Waters
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