The Winter of the Witch

Books | Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure

4.4

(892)

Katherine Arden

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Following their adventures in The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, Vasya and Morozko return in this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Winternight Trilogy, battling enemies mortal and magical to save both Russias, the seen and the unseen.“A tale both intimate and epic, featuring a heroine whose harrowing and wondrous journey culminates in an emotionally resonant finale.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)NAMED ONE OF PASTE’S BEST FANTASY BOOKS OF THE DECADE Vasilisa Petrovna is an unforgettable heroine determined to forge her own path. Her gifts and her courage have drawn the attention of Morozko, the winter-king, but it is too soon to know if this connection will prove a blessing or a curse.Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all.Praise for The Winter of the Witch“Katherine Arden’s Winternight Trilogy isn’t just good—it’s hug-to-your-chest, straight-to-the-favorites-shelf, reread-immediately good, and each book just gets better. The Winter of the Witch plunges us back to fourteenth-century Moscow, where old gods and new vie for the soul of Russia and fate rests on a witch girl’s slender shoulders. Prepare to have your heart ripped out, loaned back to you full of snow and magic, and ripped out some more.”—Laini Taylor “Luxuriously detailed yet briskly suspenseful . . . a striking literary fantasy informed by Arden’s deep knowledge.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Buy now:

More Details:

Author

Katherine Arden

Pages

400

Publisher

Random House Worlds

Published Date

2019-01-08

ISBN

1101886005 9781101886007

Community ReviewsSee all

"This is the last book in the series. With each book, it got better. It’s a very dreamy series, a retelling and updated version of old tales, very rich in imagery and world building. "

CaitVD

"what a satisfying ending to a beyond magical and fantastic series. this book was non-stop and had an amazing pace that kept you guessing which direction it was going at every turn. the characters and this story had a deep and lasting impact that i will never forget. "

kelsey

"The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden 4/5 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ This starts right up from the last book and keeps stride the whole time. I enjoyed the main characters back and forth between damsel and badass, and the chyerti are some of my favorite characters in a long time. The end felt well thought out and I liked the little history epilogue."

Sarah

"This series was incredible! Rich and imaginative and exactly what you need if you want to get into a winter mood! "

Elise Meyers

"The Winter of the Witch was a very strong finish. I was so proud to watch Vasilisa grow and change throughout. I binged all three of these in a month still the first book felt years in the past. Arden wove this fairytale with a rich culture and lush surroundings even when it was in the dead of winter. Just overall beautifully written.<br/><br/>We aren't given enough of Vasilisa and the Winter King but in a good way. It feels good to want something passionately. Many writers over share or tell you how to think. Arden stayed on the edge of the knife. The couple had that soulmate quality. Unconsciously needing to be near one another. Scared to give yourself over completely. Omg and the hot tube scene..... be still my beating heart.<br/><br/>I never thought I would grow to like the bear haha. Of course I thought he was a murderous jerk but playful in a sadistic way. We got to see another side to him even if it didn't cancel out the bad. It was interesting to see Vasilisa struggle with morality. I loved the duo nevertheless."

Ashley

"What a great finale to this series!! Vasyas journey is exciting and beautiful. The way she reaches a resolution and protects all of her people is admirable. The perseverance and soul of this character just jumps out of the book. Read this series!!!"

Courtney Campbell

"4.5 stars. I love Vasilisa. Travelling through Midnight was intriguing. I would have been interested to hear more about her time spent in this other realm as opposed to everything that happened with the war. Folklore is more fascinating than history to me. The story is well told and a worthy conclusion to the trilogy. "

E Hinkes

"⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (This review will contain #spoilers) Wiping away the tears from my eyes as I write this. Ugh! This book was a fantastic end to this trilogy - and it had everything that I felt missing from the first two books. There was action, tension, missions, lil critters, and Vasya’s incredibly well developed path to moral greyness. I love the quote about her doing both good and evil, but being neither. Yes, actual Queen! Solovey’s death was a hammer punch to the gut, but it honestly wasn’t nearly as awful as him coming back. The feels were too big at that point! That’s mostly why I’m wiping away tears. I don’t want to talk about it. And don’t even get me started on the complete whiplash of emotion fricken Konstantin and the Bear put me through. Why KATHERINE! It’s such a feeling to have your hate fizzle away into melancholy empathy in such a short time. I’m sad Sasha didn’t get to live after everything, but his death only made me sad for Vasya. Pozhar, Midnight, and Ded Grib were such whimsical characters - I think they’re what I was desperately missing in the first two books. I will say the ending came upon us rather suddenly. What’s next?! What happened to the horse Vasya won from the douche Tartar (she never wanted to be alone, but she had 2 mins of page time)?! What’s up with Marya?! Are we going to get a sequel storyline of her; she’s got her own prophecy?! What about Vasya’s two other brothers?! I need a “what are we” convo between Morozko and Vasya too, cuz seriously, what are they. Their romance was severely underwhelming and complicated, but not bad by any means. I just thought it’d be more… powerful. This trilogy is amazing, but I think it’d be sooo much better after a reread. Now that I know the story and characters, I think I’d enjoy the parts I considered boring in the first two books a lot more. Vasya is easily one of the best heroines of all time. I’d explore this world some more if Arden is interested, but I don’t have plans to read TWHOG. "

Kaju Katli

"The Winter of the Witch was a beautiful ending to a magical series. Arden neatly wove a complex plot, bringing in a vast array of characters, both mythical and historical, together. Vasya continues to grow, learning from her mistakes, never betraying her values, and navigating a world that would rather see her silenced than free. The ending was the perfect way to see Vasya off, and I appreciated how Arden decided to bring the worlds of Chyerti and the Church together while using the history of Russia as a guideline. The Winternight Trilogy was the perfect cozy winter read and a new favorite."

Madeline

"I love when I can’t anticipate what will happen in a story. I was surprised over and over again in this book and the last quarter of the book was wholly unexpected, but wonderful. The ending was perfect and I couldn’t be more pleased with how the entire story was wrapped up nicely, resolved, but still full of wonder of what the future of the characters might hold. I love Vasya and she has cemented her place as one of my favorite characters of all time. A must read for anyone who loves a fairy tale brought to life."

Reading into the Void

See All

Similar Books

3.8

4.1

3.9

4.2

4.7

3.8

4.6

4.1

3.7

4.1

4.3

3.6

4.3

3.5