Julie's Review: The Girl in the Tower

Author: Katherine Arden
Series: Winternight Trilogy #2
Publication Date: December 5, 2017
Publisher:Del Rey
Pages: 384
Obtained: publisher via Netgalley
Genre:  Fantasy
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: A wonderful 2nd book in a magical series
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Summary: Katherine Arden’s enchanting first novel introduced readers to an irresistible heroine. Vasilisa has grown up at the edge of a Russian wilderness, where snowdrifts reach the eaves of her family’s wooden house and there is truth in the fairy tales told around the fire. Vasilisa’s gift for seeing what others do not won her the attention of Morozko—Frost, the winter demon from the stories—and together they saved her people from destruction. But Frost’s aid comes at a cost, and her people have condemned her as a witch. Now Vasilisa faces an impossible choice. Driven from her home by frightened villagers, the only options left for her are marriage or the convent. She cannot bring herself to accept either fate and instead chooses adventure, dressing herself as a boy and setting off astride her magnificent stallion Solovey. But after Vasilisa prevails in a skirmish with bandits, everything changes. The Grand Prince of Moscow anoints her a hero for her exploits, and she is reunited with her beloved sister and brother, who are now part of the Grand Prince’s inner circle. She dares not reveal to the court that she is a girl, for if her deception were discovered it would have terrible consequences for herself and her family. Before she can untangle herself from Moscow’s intrigues—and as Frost provides counsel that may or may not be trustworthy—she will also confront an even graver threat lying in wait for all of Moscow itself. ~amazon.com  

Review: The Girl in the Tower is an excellent 2nd novel in the Winternight Trilogy. We see Vasya come into her own, even if she must mask herself as a boy. It is because of her bravery that she is reunited with her brother, Sasha and her sister, Olga. They don't yet know that their father is dead and it is up to Vasya to inform them. 

It is because of her bravery that she garnishes the Grand Prince's attention and causes her brother to lie by saying she's a boy. She goes out to fight the bandits with the Prince with success, which gives her more attention and the nickname Vasilli the Brave. Of course, Vasya is still young and doesn't realize the amount of harm that she can cause her family by saying this one lie.

Since outside of Moscow, Vasya isn't wise to the politics that need to be played and how to watch her back even though Morozko warns her several times. For someone who doesn't have many people to trust, she seems to trust a bit easily.

She doesn’t fit the mold of maiden or nun, so her brother and sister are unsure of what to do with her since she is perceived to be a boy. As the Prince’s thrown is challenged, Vasya fights to save them all.

I can’t wait to see how Ms. Arden finishes the trilogy, which will be published in August 2018!

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