The Bear and the Nightingale [Large Print]

By Katherine Arden

Book Overview

This large print edition features an easy-to-read larger type size while preserving the complete text of the original edition.

At the edge of the Russian wilderness, Vasilisa and her siblings spend winter nights around the fire listening to their nurse's fairy tales and admonitions to honor the spirits that protect their home from evil. After their mother dies, the new stepmother forbids these rituals. And as evil circles nearer, Vasilisa calls on dangerous gifts she has concealed to protect her family.

• Format: Library Binding
• Large Print: Yes
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1410496171
• ISBN13: 9781410496171
• Release Date: February 2017
• Publisher: Thorndike Press Large Print
• Length: 552 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.6" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

A Fun, Entertaining Tale

The Bear and the Nightingale feels like reading a folktale inside of a folktale. The characters tell old stories about household spirits, demons, and creatures in the woods—and then, little by little, those stories begin coming alive around them. The writing has the same quality as a story passed down beside a fire. It isn’t deeply emotional or especially detailed, and at first it felt a little disjointed to me. The story simply moves from one event to the next without always providing much explanation. But once I settled into that style, I had a lot of fun with it. There was always something happening, even though the book never felt fast-paced or suspenseful in the traditional sense. I also think I read this at exactly the right time. After finishing two huge, intricate fantasy books that completely consumed me, this was the perfect palate cleanser. I didn’t need it to be another gripping obsession—I could just enjoy a short, wintry story filled with Russian folklore, magic, and increasingly dark consequences. This was probably closer to a 3.5-star read for me, but I enjoyed the experience enough to round it up to four. Sometimes it’s simply fun to be told a good story.

Tough book for me.

This one was a challenge for me. Not sure if it was the Russian names with their multiple variations or the slow pace of the story but it just wasn’t for me. Enjoyed the finale but getting there was difficult

Favorite series

Read ALL the books in this series- soooo good!

Hooked me from the first paragraph...

....and I knew I had to have the others in the trilogy! Beautiful story, beautifully written.

Chilling Winter Magic & Folklore

Recommended to me as a fan of Naomi Novik, this hauntingly dark and enchanting fairy tale did not disappoint! Rich and chilling with deep winter magic, it draws from the legend of the Frost King and beautifully blends Russian folklore with Slavic mythology. Through lyrical prose, it weaves historical fiction and fantasy, exploring themes of courage, strength, faith, identity, and gender roles. I loved the beauty of the writing. Katherine Arden has quickly become a favorite of mine and I've already ordered the other two books in The Winternight Trilogy.

The Best Book I've Ever Read!!!

This is my all-time favorite book! It's perfect for curling with a cat and a mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter night. I would definitely recommend to everyone!

The Best Book I've Ever Read

I loved this entire series; from the writing style to the plot nothing is basic about this book. I loved the story-telling aspect of it and the way that Arden brings Russian folklore to life. It was very different from the fantasy books I'm used to reading; it's a very fresh approach and concept for this historical fantasy. Beautifully told and made me feel like I was living this experience with Vasya herself

I devoured this book, ordering the second and third books before I was half through.

A captivating telling of Russian folklore, the tale weaves itself around you until you don’t want to put the book down. I have firm imagery in my mind for all of the characters and the settings, the writing is spellbinding.

A great read

A strong independent heroine. Intriguing writing style

Such a lovely book!

This is one of the most amazing books! I loved how the author tied Russian folklore and vocabulary into a such an enticing story. A little dark but truly a story to remember.