The Bear and the Nightingale: A Novel (Winternight Trilogy)

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden is very much a story in the Uprooted vein. At its simplest, we have a rebellious daughter with hidden talents who must align herself with mythological, dubious intentioned entities else lose the lives of her family, her people, and quite possibly her very way of life. At its simplest, that is the story Arden has crafted, but The Bear and the Nightingale is so much more than that simple synopsis. Set in a rich world full of tradition, politics, and magic, the author strikes the perfect balance between nuanced, vibrant characters with complex motives and personalities and a plot that continuously moves forward.

Vasilisa Petrovna’s birth is marked by death when her mother dies giving her life. Her mother, Marina, who is possessed of special gifts, knows Vasilisa, or Vasya, will be her last child and that she will not survive the ordeal, but she gives birth to her daughter anyway because she knows the gifts Vasya will bring into the world will be even greater than her own. Vasya is raised a wild child. Not because of her father’s lack of tutelage but because she is a creature that will not be controlled. Often she slips into the woods on her own, walking the forest paths and meeting the mythological dwellers there that only she can see. On one such walk she comes upon a great tree and a one-eyed man sleeping at its base. The man is no man at all, but a demon who slumbers now but is slowly waking. Once he does wake, he promises “everlasting life” to any who follow him. His offer is not what it may seem, of course, and so Vasya finds herself in opposition to the waking demon.

Vasya is a headstrong woman in a world where such initiative is not often desired nor praised unless such person is a man. But Konstantin, Vasya’s daughter, is an understanding man who knows his daughter’s fire comes from her mother. I liked Konstantin a lot. He is very much walking a line of his own between the traditional world he lives in and a more progressive one where he sees his daughter’s wild spirit free to do as she pleases. The times when he considers his Vasya toiling over a hot stove and seeing to her children and husband’s needs he is stricken with a heavy heart, for he knows the great potential Vasya possesses would be wasted on such a life. At the very end, Konstantin knows what he has to do to set his daughter free forever; his love for her is strong enough that he never hesitates.

There are many other interesting characters: a priest whose story takes an unforeseen turn when he meets Vasya, a stepmother who embodies much of the atypical stepmother role so often seen in fairy tales, and an ensemble of brothers and sisters who are mostly supportive. Then there are the creatures whom only Vasya can see: vodianoy, vazila, upyrs aplenty, rusalka, and the brothers who are demons whom the real story revolves around. I’ll refrain from delving too much into any one of these, especially the brothers, for fear of giving something away, but suffice to say that the brothers are opposed to one another and Vasya finds herself caught in the middle.

Of the world Arden has built for her novel all I can say is very well done. Set in the world of Rus’, it is very much a Russia that may have existed to some degree but many aspects only in folklore. Still, it is a beautiful depiction of a deep winter world where families huddle together around their oven to sleep and stay warm and where the coming snow cuts off entirely the rural community Vasya calls home from the rest of the world.

The Bear and the Nightingale is historical fantasy fiction at its best. A vibrant world, rich characters, more than a hint of the supernatural, and an endearing main character who doesn’t have all the answers but isn’t afraid to find them makes this a must-read. Vasya’s story continues in The Girl in the Tower. It’s already on my reading list.

The Bear and this Nightingale blew me away. Be transported into the frigid Russian wilderness, where creatures of fairytales breathe and frost demons wander the woods. Gather around the warmth of the hearth, around the crackling flame, and hear the story of Vasilisa, the girl marked by the winter king.

The atmosphere and setting of this book was magical. The way Arden writes every word and strings them into sentences and build them into pages is enthralling. Her descriptions are vivid, and made the setting come to life. Set in a village on the edge of the woods, in a place where the snow almost never melts, the role of nature plays a key role in both the plot and the setting. Creatures like the domovi, which are the household spirits that protects the inhabitants, and the lake spirit added a mystical quality and dimension. Throughout the pages, I could see the glint of sunlight on frost, feel my breath mist the air, and look out to a landscape of white. A warm house with a roaring flame never felt so good. This book utterly immersed me into a whole new world that I was eager to be lost in.

Vasilisa, or Vasya for short, was a strong main character. The book spans around 16 years, from birth to her as a young woman. During those times, the only future for a girl was marriage or the covenant. But Vasya is not the type to conform to expectations, and it was easy to root for her as she tried to carve her own path. From an early age Vasya ran wild through the forest, and she never grew out of her love for nature and freedom. Unlike most people, she can see the spirits and can communicate with the horses, and that sets her apart as different. She struggles between pleasing her family by doing what's proper and doing what she wants, which is to be free, but even with the conflict it's clear to see the love that binds them together. For although the story centers around her, none of the characters take a backseat here. They were all in this together.

There is a theme of old vs. new, with the pagan gods slowly fading due to the rise of Christianity. The arrival of the priest Konstantin changes the practices of the village, striking fear of the forest creatures into the hearts of the villagers. The creatures are fading, growing weaker, and are unable to protect them from the real enemy. Konstantin isn't your typical villain, and we see the decisions and choices he made that prompted the climax of the story. I despised him and pitied him at the same time.

I love this book. I started this on a school night, thinking I could put it down a few chapters in and go to sleep, but by the time I looked up from the last page it was early morning the next day. The plot simmers, the tension escalating little by little, building towards an explosive finale. The atmosphere was beautiful, and all the characters felt fleshed out and real. (Sidenote: I think I'm slightly obsessed with Morozko. But that's okay. I hope.) This is the perfect book to read by the fireplace during winter, but regardless of the season, I couldn't recommend it more.

Check out this and other reviews at notapickyreader.blogspot.com

I'll start off by saying that I absolutely loved The Bear and the Nightingale. It reminded me so much of some of the books I read when I was younger, of the Night Circus and Shannon Hale books and books that are original but also based on fairytales or folklore. The writing is fantastic, the storytelling lilting and magical.

The story shifts focus between our protagonist, Vasilisa, better known as Vasya, and another character, Konstantin, the priest that comes to stay in their town. Vasya is not the kind of female heroine one really expects from a story like this - she's not outwardly brave, she's quiet, she often takes the brunt of insults or hurtful words from those around her. However, in the magical world where the cold and forest has it's own kind of magic that those people fear, it is Vasya's kindness that helps her to befriend magical creatures and in the end, help to save those she loves from the more dangerous things in the forest.

While Konstantin is not truly a main character, he is in opposition to Vasya's character. They both attempt to help protect her family but in two very different ways. I loved how their approach differed and how despite the intentions, Vasya's open-mindedness and kindness tends to be more successful that Konstantin's devout yet often times ignorant ideology.

The world is magical and dark and dangerous. It's also bright and romantic. It's one kind of fairytale, one with gods and spirits and the walking dead, within another kind of fairytale, one with Russian aristocracy, a wicked stepmother, and the tensions between Russian lore and religious ideology. It is filled with action, danger, family drama, and a little bit of romance. Cinderella meets Anastasia meets Anna Karena. The story has everything to be successful but I truly think the writing and storytelling is what really makes the Bear and the Nightingale unique and truly shine. You'll be shivering with the cold, be in awe of the Russian court, be scared to look out your window when it's dark. It is so reminiscent of some classic fairytale, told with such elegance, beautiful imagery, and language that immerses the reader in the time period and world.

The language might not be for everyone, sometimes feeling a little heavy or old-fashioned, though I believe that is what really makes the world feel real. The mix of reality with the touch of folklore might not appeal to some, the lines often purposely blurred. However, overall, I think part of the magic of this book are these very things, so I suggest pushing through and giving it a try.

This book was what really helped me get out of my reading slump and reminded me why I love stories like this. It was so refreshing and beautifully told and I highly recommend it to any reader who loves Russian folklore, the tale of East of the Sun West of the Moon, fairytale retellings, or just any well-written magical story with an unlikely heroine. And if you're in a reading slump.

I am a huge lover of cultural anthropology, mythology, folklore, and fairy tales, and this was by far the best book I have read in a long time! It’s categorized as YA Fantasy/Folklore/Fairy tale but it does not feel YA at all when you read it. A lot of Russian cultural research went into the story and even though there were many mythical beings and creatures it never felt hokey or childish.

The story follows Vasya, a young girl who grows up into a woman (at the time in 1300s Russia which means she’s a teen). The author never came right out and said the time of the story but with some historical references I was able to figure it out. It takes place between 1310 and 1350. Vasya is a wild child who loves nature and is not like the other girls. She speaks her mind, which made me love her, and she does not want to get married and be a wife. She has a special ability that she can see all the mythical creatures, beings, and demons of her homeland, a country and wintry part of Russia that made me long for a powdered snowstorm the entire time I was reading it. I would say it’s perfect for a Christmas read, but really I would love it anytime of year. Vasya’s mother was like her, a bit magical, but she died in childbirth. Her father finally remarries so that Vasya can have a stepmother, but her stepmother is cruel. I was so surprised at the stepmother because she had the same abilities, to see demons and creatures, but instead of embracing it like Vasya she was terrified of it and that is why she hates Vasya I believe. Vasya spends her days talkin to horses, because she can speak with animals, and hanging out with the nymph- like woodland creatures. Her nursemaid, Dunya, is her best companion. Secretly, she is trying to protect Vasya from the winter demon who seems to want her for himself. He said she is to have a gem when she is old enough but her family does not want her to have it because they fear it will be bad news for her. The frost/winter demon is the brother of a terrible war bringing winter demon who also wants Vasya. As you can probably guess, it ends in an epic battle between both sides. Another aspect of this book was how Christianity came into a land that still honored the old ways and old gods. This is always interesting to me, especially since I am looking at it from a Christian point of view. Vasya does not want the old ways to die and it was interesting the author personified this concept by having her mythological creatures waste away the less people sacrificed to them or gave to them or believed in them. I am a Christian and I love mythology and the old ways, not as a religion but as a study in historic cultures, so this book was everything I didn’t know I was looking for in a book!

This book was full of magic, action, heart, wintry wonderlands, history, mythology, and so much more. It is the first book in a trilogy. Immediately when I finished this one I ordered the next one so I could keep going. It’s been a long time since I’ve read something I’ve liked so much. It reminded me just how much I love mythology from other cultures and the fun things authors can do with them. My series Chronicles of a Supernatural Huntsman takes mythology from different cultures and places those creatures and beings in the main character’s path, but she is usually fighting them because they’re evil. In The Bear and the Nightingale a lot of the beings were good, household demons or elves or whatever you would like to call them. They were friends with Vasya and hardly did harm.

I highly recommend this read. I breezed right through it and never wanted to put it down. I’m so glad it’s a trilogy and I plan to read all of them.

There is an art, I think, to writing about magic. To have a story that features magic is one thing; to have that magic feel truly, well, magical, is a whole other thing. Having characters able to do wondrous, incredible feats of supernatural ability is all well and good, but the best books about magic make it feel truly remarkable and powerful, like something primal and incomprehensible that we are on the verge of comprehending. Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell does this, as do many of the works of Neil Gaiman; Lev Grossman’s The Magicians often does as well.

And now, onto that short list, I can add The Bear and the Nightingale, a captivating, haunting, moody, enchanting debut novel by Katherine Arden, who blends Russian folklore and fairytales with a historical novel, and creates something truly remarkable – a blending of fantasy and coming-of-age novels, a reflection of how the growth of Christianity covered up ancient beliefs, a ground-level view of history, and most of all, a fantastic story that swept me into its rich world and left me hungry for more.

In some ways, The Bear and the Nightingale is a rich meal that should be savored, letting its pleasures reveal themselves over time, so I won’t say much about the plot other than the basic setup: that the book is set in medieval Russia; that it follows a rural family with connections to the Royal Prince of Russia; that its focus is the family’s youngest daughter, whose love of the natural world – and the folkloric creatures who inhabit it – is leading to her independent and willful spirit, which may not bode well for her future as a dutiful wife. How the story becomes something more ambitious – a parable for the replacement of myth with religion, how the magic of nature and history begins to manifest itself, how the old gods begin to awaken…I’ll leave that for you to discover on your own.

What I will tell you that The Bear and the Nightingale is a dazzling mix of fairy tale, coming of age tale, and historical fiction, one that blends the three effortlessly and in a constantly exciting, unpredictable fashion. Arden’s prose is luminous, feeling both like a translated Russian fairy tale and something more poetic and beautiful, finding the beauty of snow-swept forests and of forgotten gods, of frozen rivers and religious icons. More than that, she brings her characters to rich life, letting all of them thrive in their complexity. Each trades off of archetypal roles – there’s even a wicked stepmother, to say nothing of a strict priest who finds witchcraft at a glance – but Arden refuses to let any of them be so simple, giving even her villains pathos, depth, and sympathy.

Most excitingly, though, Arden makes her story feel thrillingly alive in every single way, from the awe inspired by magic to the immersion in folklore, from the complicated personal relationships to the details that bring medieval Russia to life. The Bear and the Nightingale is my favorite kind of book – one that feels so immersive that taking a break from its story feels like a shock to the system, as you’re thrown out of Arden’s world and back to our reality. (Reading a book about the frozen woods of Russia in the middle of an icy cold winter? Even better for the immersion.)

I truly loved this book; maybe there’s no more obvious tell of this than the fact that, as soon as I finished the final page, I immediately ordered book two in the series and began it without even taking a break. And I already know that having to wait a few months for book 3 will be excruciating. It’s wonderful fantasy, immersive history, and a brilliant story of a young girl keeping the spirit of her homeland alive, even before it was a homeland. I loved it, and am excited that this is only the beginning of Arden’s career.

P.S. How refreshing is it to get a fantasy novel, especially one that’s part of a trilogy, that serves as an entirely self-contained story, with a true ending all of its own, even if the story continues? What a treat, especially in this age of endless series without a conclusion ever in sight.

“Tell the story of Frost, Dunyashka. Tell us of the frost-demon, the winter-king Karachun.”

This book is magical. This book is whimsical. This book is one of the best things I’ve read in my entire life. I loved this with every bone, every red blood cell, every molecule in my body. This book was nothing short of perfection, and I’m sorry to gush, but I never expected this story to captivate me the way it did.

“In Russian, Frost was called Morozko, the demon of winter. But long ago, the people called him Karachun, the death-god. Under that name, he was king of black midwinter who came for bad children and froze them in the night.”

I’m not even sure where to begin with this story, but I guess I will start by saying that this story is a love letter to stories everywhere. This book is a mash-up retelling of many Russian fairy tales, but with unique spins of them, which are woven together to tell such a beautiful tale that makes me breathless just thinking about how expertly it is crafted.

Vasilisa and her family live on the edge of the Russian wilderness. Vasilisa’s father rules these lands, and her mother died giving birth to her, knowing that she was special. Vasilisa was raised by her mother’s nursemaid, who is constantly telling her fairy tales that most Russians fear, but Vasilisa loves.

“You must remember the old stories. Make a stake of rowan-wood. Vasya, be wary. Be brave.”

Vasilisa soon realizes that she is indeed special, and that she can see creatures that most people cannot. And, again, instead of feeling fear, she feels compassion and befriends and takes care of all the different creatures that dwell on her lands.

And even though Vasilisa’s family accepts her, the rest of the community cannot see past how different she is. Vasilisa’s father tries many different things to get her to want the same things most girls in this time want (marriage, babies, performing “womanly” duties), while Vasilisa only wants to be free and see the world.

Meanwhile, there is a frost-demon that does everything to ensure him and Vasilisa’s paths cross. And Vasilisa couldn’t resist the urge to go to him even if she tried. Then a beautiful story unfolds about a girl, a nightingale, and a bear, who are destined to have a story told.

“Before the end, you will pluck snowdrops at midwinter, die by your own choosing, and weep for a nightingale.”

[image] Like I️ said, it’s now an all time favorite for me! I️ truly loved this story that much. It deserves all the praise, all the hype, and all the love.

This book had absolutely everything that I love in my fantasy: ✘ Feminist as all hell ✘ Magical forest ✘ All the morally grey characters ✘ Mythology and folklore ✘ Little fae folk saving the day ✘ Wintery setting

And when I say that this is the perfect winter read, I mean it with everything that I am. Never have I ever read a better seasonal read. Please give this a try in the upcoming months. I promise you, you won’t regret it

This book was nothing short of magical. From the lyrical prose, to the atmospheric town and forest, to the characters that constantly had me crying, to the message that girls can be anything they want to be, no matter what society tries to confine them to. This book is a tangible piece of heaven and I am so thankful that I was able to read this before the end of 2017, because it truly is a shining star in 2017 publications. I cannot wait to start my ARC of The Girl in the Tower tonight!

“I am only a story, Vasya.”

“…though the story of Frost was an old tale, and they had all heard it many times before.” (Arden, p. 5).

The Bear and the Nightingale will immerse you in to a world of Russian folklore and faerie tales. This story will feel old and familiar, all at once. It is magical and lyrical and will enchant you from page one.

The Plot: Vasilisa is the last thing her mother sees before she passes. Her life is born from magic. She grows up in the Russian wilderness, listening to folklore and faerie tales alongside her siblings, and leaving offerings for the creatures of superstitions. All seems well until her father brings home a new, christian bride, Anna. This new bride brings household changes and misfortune and the arrival of a christian priest set with the task of putting the fear of god in to the people of the village. But with this fear comes the suffering of the creatures of the folklore, for they are real and able to be seen by both Vasilisa and Anna. Vasilisa must make a choice to give in to the wants of her stepmother and the priest, take her place as a woman in the kitchen or convent, or to do what she can to save the creatures and her father’s suffering lands. She must step in to the world of the old faerie tales.

“If he goes on as he has, all the guardians of the deep forest will disappear.” (Arden, p. 138).

I was hooked from page one. The Bear and the Nightingale feels like an old faerie tale that would be told at bedtime, as those in the story are told by Dunya, the children’s’ nurse. I enjoyed how the author brought life to these Russian faerie tales and traditions. It felt like a magical world where it was normal for families to leave offerings for the creatures of folklore in exchange for plentiful crops or a warm, safe house. I feel like I could compare the majority of this story to The Mists of Avalon with the traditions and beliefs of the old religion being overpowered and forbidden by the christians, and with this over-powerment comes the death of the magic in the old ways. I find comparison in this story to The Beast Is An Animal because of its dark, creepy faerie tale nature/ I also find a pleasant comparison between Vasilisa and Merida from Brave.

Vasilisa is brave, curious, determined, and independent. She is fierce and does not want to submit to her pre-determined role as a house wife. She has a way with nature, animals, and the creatures of folklore similar to Snow White. She is the stuff of faerie tales, a heroine in her own right. She truly connects with the world around her, holds a high love for her family, and is bullied by an evil stepmother.

“…you are a creature as we are, formed raw from the powers of the world…You are not formed for convents, nor yet to live at the Bear’s creature.” (Arden, p. 255).

Anna has an interesting role in the story. Her background is even more intriguing, and shapes her to be the cruel, evil villain of the story. Anna can see the folkloric creatures, but believes them to be demons. She becomes highly devout in her christian faith, believing it will save her from the sight that she shares with Vasilisa. Anna uses this belief to harass and condemn Vasilisa. She stops at nothing to get rid of her stepdaughter, truly believing that this will fix the problems that she and her priest brought to the village.

“I see–things. Demons, devils. Everywhere. All the time.” (Arden, p. 111).

The story has many strong male characters, such as Vasilisa’s father, Pyotr, and her brothers, Kolya, Sasha, and Alyosha. Pyotr is a strong family man. He does all that he can to care and provide for his family. He is a good role model on his sons, and this results in his sons becoming good, family men. Vasilisa’s brothers show her and her sisters true love, and though all the men in the family reinforce the belief of a woman’s place in this time, they do it out of love because it is what’s expected.

Overall, the story is beautiful and magical. It is also dark and unique and offers a true faerie tale feel. I am looking forward to book 2 in the series!

“…Vasya saw a fir-grove, and firelight glancing between the trees, spilling gold into the snow.” (Arden, p. 312).

This was a very good story. The beginning is a little slower & I've learned not to question the first maybe 15-20 pages because it'll (hopefully) make sense soon & this one did. If it weren't for the little creatures of the forest & in the oven, yes oven, I may not have continued. Totally agreeing with Vasya's thinking of the Priest 'frightening' people, as in fire and brimstone to believe in God-being so wrong and uncalled for and we see so much of that & it's sad in today's society. Anyway, I really did enjoy the story but it was the opposite feelings to it as when I read other books. I loved it but at the end I was not so interested anymore because of all the blood & guts. It doesn't bother me when I feel the fighting is obvious who's gonna win. I love when an author is really descriptive, just not when winding down a lovely tale. War is war but in a beautiful story such as this, the description of it kinda- well, thus my 4 stars instead of the 5. I'd say 5 stars for the majority of it but the ending tossed in the wet rag for me!

The story centers on Vasya, the daughter of a boyar who lives in the freezing countryside in medieval Russia. Life is harsh, but good. As the grandaughter of a woman who was rumored to be enchanted somehow, Vasya, as a young girl quickly discovers that she has certain powers. For one, she is able to see the household spirits that secretly keep the house running smoothly. No one else can see them, though people have a tradition of leaving little sacrifices (a crust of bread, some milk) around the house for them. Vasya also has the ability to tame and talk to animals. Her wildness and strangeness quickly causes her stepmother to hate her. Things change when the stepmother sends for a new priest and in return gets Konstantin Nikonovich, a vain and arrogant man tells the village that because of their belief and sacrifices to the household spirits, they have been cursed by God (partly because he believes it is his divine mission and partly because he wants to have the people's loyalty, fear and admiration). The people, terrified, stop leaving sacrifices to the old spirits, and as a result, famine, fire, cold, and death quickly overtake the land and only Vasya has the power to stop it.

Let me start of with the things the book does well. The Bear and the Nightingale is a captivating and original fairytale crafted by the very talented Katherine Arden. One would never guess upon reading this novel, that it's her first. She has quite a way with words, as her prose is immensely poetic and vivid, almost cinematic in the way it paints a picture of the harsh Russian countryside. This novel exuded originality--a rare thing in the fantasy genre--and was unpredictable enough that for most of the novel I had no idea what was going to happen next. I have never read anything quite like it, and for that it gets major points from me. Another thing that stuck out to me was just how real her characters felt--both important players like the priest Konstantin Nikonovich, to minor characters like Sasha, are fleshed out and three-dimensional with their own dreams, fears, personalities, and desires. For the writers out there, it might be worth reading this book just to study how well Arden accomplishes this. Konstantin is easily one of the most complex and interesting characters I've ever come across in a fantasy novel.

Now for the things this novel doesn't do so well. Unfortunately, I felt that the character that received some of the least character development was the protagonist herself. While we do see Vasya mature and grow throughout the novel, from a wild, selfish child into a woman willing to give her life for her family, I felt like we didn't really get a good glimpse at her internal motivations like we do with the other characters. By the end I felt like she was the typical independent young heroine that you find in just about every fantasy novel. I was especially confused as to why she was so intent on saving everyone when her family mistreats her and the villagers hate her and constantly accuse her of being a witch. The author uses alternating viewpoints throughout the story, with some chapters shown from Pyotr (Vasya's father), Anna (the stepmother), Dunya (the nursemaid), and Konstantin's point of view. Without this convention we wouldn't be able to have all the details we need to understand the story, but on the other hand, it makes certain characters seem more important than the are (in particular I think Anna takes up way too much space). This leads me to my next point: this story has a lot of loose ends. A lot. It wastes what could have been immensely interesting plot threads. Vasya is given a special necklace about halfway through the novel that is seemingly enchanted, yet its importance and/or purpose are never explained. Vasya's older brother, Sasha, leaves to be a warrior-monk and guardian of the prince, yet his storyline is never followed up on (I would love to read a novel just focusing on Sasha and his adventures). There a quasi, not-quite romance that begins to develop between Konstantin and Vasya in the first half of the novel, that then all of a sudden kind of drops off. Pyotr goes to aid the survivors of a mysteriously burned down village, but we are never told what he found there or why it took him so long to return. Arden also never quite gives us enough backstory or context as to why the things that are happening are happening.[SPOILER ALERT] Who was Vasya's grandmother? What did her powers entail? Why wasMedved so interesting in her descendant, Vasya, anyway? Why did some of the creatures warn Vasya not to trust Morozko? Who is Solovey the horse, is he an actual horse or some sort of shapeshifting spirit? How were the household spirits able to leave their hearths to help Vasya in the climax? Did Vasya fall for Morozko by the end? [SPOILER ALERT END] Lastly, the ending felt very rush. This book was a slow burn, slowly knitting a careful tapestry of foreshadowing and dread that left you hanging on the edge of your seat, wondering how it was going to all play out. Unfortunately, the big climax of the novel was sudden and unoriginal--your stereotypical big battle against the monster in the woods--and left me severely disappointed. The way the bad guy was defeated was also very cliche, and made very little sense. I honestly felt like the climax and ending of the novel should have been at least twice as long and better developed.

Again that said, it is still a great read with a (mostly) original plot and interesting characters. I can only hope Arden will consider writing some sort of follow-up to this novel to tie up all her many loose ends.