This one was a birthday present from my parents that had been calling out to me from my bookshelf. I’m a sucker for anything that incorporates mythology and folklore! I buddy read this one with the lovely @freyreads from Instagram and had such a brilliant time. It made the experience so much more memorable and I was able to freak out about certain events that happened…
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From the very beginning Arden had me hoooked! The Bear and the Nightingale draws on Russian folklore and mythology to create a rich and vivid historical fiction. I wanted to fall into the chilling and magical world that she paints so perfectly around you.
The 4* rating comes as I’m trying to be a little stricter on my rating system. So whilst I absolutely loved this book, there was something missing for me. I did love it, but I wasn’t obsessed with it and struggling to put it down. However, I am absolutely going to read the next books in the series. The Bear and the Nightingale ends perfectly – it leaves you wanting more without being on an annoying cliffhanger.
If you’re a fan of Russian folklore then this is certainly for you and if you just enjoy folklore and mythology then get ready to fall in love. This truly is a delightful read that absorbs you in a wonderful world struggling to maintain their traditional culture with the rise of Christianity. It also draws on historical fiction elements. You should definitely give this one a go!
Prose Amongst Thorns 