The richness and intricacy of this trilogy, and especially this installment can't possibly be overstated. This is a brilliantly written book full of lush imagery and interwoven within a framework of almost a thousand years of Russian folklore. It has gravitas. In quite a lot of ways it reminds me of truly iconic fantasies, Lord of the Rings, Earthsea, Amber, Melnibone, Dune, etc.
This is an epic coming-of-age fantasy but so much more. I love that the heroine Vasya is the captain of her own story. And through all the sacrifice and pain in this book, she's admirable and determined.
The author's facility with the written word is amazing. I spent a great percentage of my time reading this book in gob-smacked admiration with her writing. It also includes an extensive glossary as well as author's notes which provide a fascinating glimpse into her creative process and some of the real historical background frameworks upon which she wove the story.
Just a beautiful reading experience. I will be revisiting these again.
Five stars for both the book and the trilogy. Wonderful.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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