THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE

Author Katherine Arden and narrator Kathleen Gati are well matched in this lyrical coming-of-age fantasy. As a child, Vasilisa Petrovna runs wild on her family's lands, playing with wood and water spirits and other creatures only she can see. Vasya, as she's known, has magic flowing through her veins. The arrival of a devout new stepmother ends Vasya's attention to the old ways, and evil begins to creep in around the edges of the village. When ancient demons threaten her home, only Vasya can protect her family. The audiobook draws heavily on Russian folk- and fairy tales, and Gati's smooth, subtly accented performance recalls fireside storytelling on a crackling cold night. E.C. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2017]