This is the third and final book in The Winternight Trilogy. It resumes directly after the events of the second book, The Girl in the Tower. As with the previous books, this sequel is influenced by Russian folklore and is partly set in Moscow. Once again, we follow Vasilisa “Vasya” Petrovna, a young girl trying to find her place in medieval Russia. In this world folklore creatures exist but they are slowly dying as people turn to the church instead of them. To avoid spoilers, I will not be going into detail on the plot as this is the last book in a trilogy. It is one of my most anticipated book releases of 2019.
The first two books were fantastic, so I had high hopes for the conclusion and it did not disappoint. Once again Arden has woven together a compelling story, fantastic characters and an atmospheric world. From the very beginning, I knew I was going to love it as much as the previous two books.
The stakes are higher in this instalment and you are thrown straight back into the action. The plot kept me gripped all the way through and once I started reading, I didn’t want to put the book down. The Winter of the Witch pulls no punches and Arden manages to take the plot to unexpected places. It was fantastic to see how everything fell into place in this conclusion, after all the build-up of the first two books.
The pacing is definitely a little faster than the previous two books and it pulls you through the story at quite a rapid pace. Once again, the writing is fantastic, and I found it so easy to settle into the flow of the story. I will say that there is no recap of past events so if it’s been a while since you read the previous books, it may be best to reread the first and second book before jumping into this one. I had no issues re-entering this world, but it may be something to be aware of.
The characters are another strength of this book and trilogy as a whole. Arden has created a cast of characters that are full of complexity and their development was so well done. Vasya is a fantastic protagonist and Arden has done a great done at developing her character while remaining true to what we know of her from the previous books. We have seen her progress from a young, naïve girl to a strong, independent woman and I loved every second of it.
Vasya is now one of my favourite female protagonists. In terms of other characters, this instalment introduces us to some new ones as well as bringing back many familiar faces. Each character is complex and flawed with distinct voices and interesting back stories. I also loved the moral ambiguity of some characters towards of the end of the book, as it raises the question of what is good and bad. It is not so easily defined, and everyone has a bit of both in them. As with the previous books, romance plays a part in the story, but it never takes centre stage and I love that Vasya remains a strong, independent woman alongside her falling in love.
Lastly the world is once again vivid and atmospheric. We get to spend some more time in Moscow in this instalment, as well as some new areas of the world. I’ve not read any other fantasy books with a Russian setting, so it is quite refreshing for me. The way Arden has blended medieval Russia with a distinct folklore feel is fantastic as it makes for an atmospheric read that will keep you gripped from beginning to end. Arden has captured the feel of fairy tales/folklore so well and I loved that we are introduced to more of the magical parts of this world. If you enjoy good worldbuilding, then these books will not disappoint you. The world is wonderfully written, and I cannot say enough good things about it. I would love to see more books set in this world.
Overall this was an incredible conclusion to the trilogy and I cannot recommend these books enough. The atmospheric and vivid setting is one of the main strengths, along with the well written characters and compelling plot. Each book is just as good as the last, if not better, and they make perfect winter reads. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any future releases by Arden and hope to see more of this world. If you are looking for a new fantasy trilogy to start, then I would recommend checking this one out, especially if you enjoy fantasy influenced by folklore.
Jennie Ivins