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Grishaverse #0.5
The Witch of Duva
There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls…or so the story goes. But it’s just possible that the danger may be a little bit closer to home. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s debut novel, Shadow and Bone.
52 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2012
495 people are currently reading
30980 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Bardugo
84 books185k followersLeigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles and is an associate fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University. For information on new releases and appearances, sign up for her newsletter.
She would be delighted if you visited her at LeighBardugo.com and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on Instagram.
She would be delighted if you visited her at LeighBardugo.com and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,440 reviews
December 13, 2024
After finishing a long book, I've been finding short stories are the ultimate palate cleanse—especially when they’re by Leigh Bardugo.
And this retelling of Hansel and Gretel was easily the finest, darkest, most depraved, twistiest, most creative, unhinged version I’ve ever read. I’d say more, but spoilers—and, tbh, the shock is half the fun.
If you're new to Bardugo, this standalone Grishaverse story is the perfect way to dip your toes in—although you may find yourself binging Bardugo's entire catalogue following it (which is never a bad idea).
You can read it for free on Reactor Mag (Tor) here, but mind your triggers!
And this retelling of Hansel and Gretel was easily the finest, darkest, most depraved, twistiest, most creative, unhinged version I’ve ever read. I’d say more, but spoilers—and, tbh, the shock is half the fun.
If you're new to Bardugo, this standalone Grishaverse story is the perfect way to dip your toes in—although you may find yourself binging Bardugo's entire catalogue following it (which is never a bad idea).
You can read it for free on Reactor Mag (Tor) here, but mind your triggers!
April 9, 2020
There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls.
Ahhhhhhhh! This was fantastic, well written, and so fucking creepy!
AND THAT TWIST AT THE END!
So, Nadya lives in Duva, and...
Yeah, no. Anything I say is going to ruin it, trust me.
This is a short story by Leigh Bardugo, and set in the Grisha world.
However, this is also works as a stand alone novella, and is (I think) an excellent introduction to this writer.
Bonus: : It's Free Here!
Huge thanks to Auntie J, Jess, Miriam, & Cathryn forpushing advising me to read this one.
Ahhhhhhhh! This was fantastic, well written, and so fucking creepy!
AND THAT TWIST AT THE END!
So, Nadya lives in Duva, and...
Yeah, no. Anything I say is going to ruin it, trust me.
This is a short story by Leigh Bardugo, and set in the Grisha world.
However, this is also works as a stand alone novella, and is (I think) an excellent introduction to this writer.
Bonus: : It's Free Here!
Huge thanks to Auntie J, Jess, Miriam, & Cathryn for
January 31, 2023
"Now you know what monsters once lurked in the woods near Duva, and if you ever meet a bear with a golden collar, you will be able to greet him by name. So shut the window tight and make sure the latch is fastened. Dark things have a way of slipping in through narrow spaces."
It was a great short story! I really enjoyed it! What a twist at the end..Wow..I did not see that coming!
It was a great short story! I really enjoyed it! What a twist at the end..Wow..I did not see that coming!
October 24, 2019
“The Witch of Duva” is one of my all-time favorite creepy stories, a short story by Leigh Bardugo that's an online freebie as well. Review first posted at www.fantasyliterature.com:
This short story is related to THE GRISHA young adult fantasy series, but is a stand-alone story unrelated to the characters and events in that series. (Although I liked the series, I think this story is even better.) This folk tale, with elements of both fantasy and horror, might be told on a dark night by a villager living in Ravka, the setting of THE GRISHA series. Or maybe by another witch ... Those who like dark fairy tales will enjoy this twisty tale.
There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls. . . .“The Witch of Duva” is a dark Russian-flavored fairy tale with echoes of Hansel and Gretel and a serial killer twist… or is it wolves? Nadya and her brother Havel are the children of Maxim Grushov, a carpenter and woodcutter. They live in a village on the edge of a deep, dark forest. When a famine hits, Maxim no longer gets enough work from the other impoverished villagers. The children’s mother fades away and dies, the famine deepens, and ― worst of all ― girls begin disappearing from the village.
Real fear came upon the town. In the past, girls had vanished every few years. True, there were rumors of girls being taken from other villages from time to time, but those children hardly seemed real. Now, as the famine deepened and the people of Duva went without, it was as if whatever waited in the woods had grown greedier and more desperate, too.Nadya’s father marries a neighboring widow, who makes it clear that Nadya isn’t welcome in her house. She sends Nadya out to check their traps for rabbits in the dark. When Nadya gets lost in the forest, she comes across a strange hut in the woods where an old woman cooks over a vast black cookstove, with bubbling pots and an oven large enough for a child to get inside… I might be forgiven for thinking that I knew where the story was heading at this point, but I was completely wrong.
This short story is related to THE GRISHA young adult fantasy series, but is a stand-alone story unrelated to the characters and events in that series. (Although I liked the series, I think this story is even better.) This folk tale, with elements of both fantasy and horror, might be told on a dark night by a villager living in Ravka, the setting of THE GRISHA series. Or maybe by another witch ... Those who like dark fairy tales will enjoy this twisty tale.
“… come help me stir the pot.”Available free online at http://www.tor.com/stories/2012/06/th....
June 4, 2020
okay, tor shorts, i officially love you again. i am seriously smitten with this leigh bardugo, and as soon as my reading time becomes my own again, i am ON her series like crazy. these free stories were both great, but they are just little teases, little whooshes of "yeah, i'm doing what plenty of other people have done, i just happen to be doing it better, and without breaking a sweat."
i liked this one slightly less than The Too-Clever Fox, but it's still phenomenal. she is very very good at writing a story within a story, adding an unexpected twist and throwing a fairy tale cloak over real-world horrors. this is impressive because the story within a story thing is so difficult to pull off without seeing the author's hand. but when it's done correctly, seamlessly, it draws the reader in in that particularly immersive, inclusive way where the reader is placed on the same level as the character-audience, and it becomes almost personal. but simultaneously, the fairy tale elements are distancing the reader because they are taking place in this fantasy atmosphere right until that very moment when she goes "yeah, no, we are really talking about this, sorry", and brings it back to a recognizable horror and this dance is just breathtaking.
in a way, this one reminded me of Tender Morsels, which is a book that impressed me in its concept and ambition, but left me a little flat in its execution. this one didn't disappoint me in its execution at all. it is scrupulously detailed, and while there a couple of bits that stand out on the second reading as maybe too deliberately misleading, it's just such a perfectly encapsulated story, you don't really fret about that.
it's a tremendous story about perspective, protection, and sacrifice, with excellent food descriptions, and a genuinely haunting tone.
and it's FUCKING FREE!
good lord.
read it for yourself here:
http://www.tor.com/stories/2012/06/th...
come to my blog!
i liked this one slightly less than The Too-Clever Fox, but it's still phenomenal. she is very very good at writing a story within a story, adding an unexpected twist and throwing a fairy tale cloak over real-world horrors. this is impressive because the story within a story thing is so difficult to pull off without seeing the author's hand. but when it's done correctly, seamlessly, it draws the reader in in that particularly immersive, inclusive way where the reader is placed on the same level as the character-audience, and it becomes almost personal. but simultaneously, the fairy tale elements are distancing the reader because they are taking place in this fantasy atmosphere right until that very moment when she goes "yeah, no, we are really talking about this, sorry", and brings it back to a recognizable horror and this dance is just breathtaking.
in a way, this one reminded me of Tender Morsels, which is a book that impressed me in its concept and ambition, but left me a little flat in its execution. this one didn't disappoint me in its execution at all. it is scrupulously detailed, and while there a couple of bits that stand out on the second reading as maybe too deliberately misleading, it's just such a perfectly encapsulated story, you don't really fret about that.
it's a tremendous story about perspective, protection, and sacrifice, with excellent food descriptions, and a genuinely haunting tone.
and it's FUCKING FREE!
good lord.
read it for yourself here:
http://www.tor.com/stories/2012/06/th...
come to my blog!February 7, 2017
3 1/2 ☆'s
Woah this was some twisted dark shit. A great retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I did not see that plot twist coming. I'm starting to really like Leigh Bardugo's writing. And...ITS FREE. You can read it here.
Woah this was some twisted dark shit. A great retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I did not see that plot twist coming. I'm starting to really like Leigh Bardugo's writing. And...ITS FREE. You can read it here.
![Profile Image for Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1700013408i%2F101358081._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
February 2, 2025
|| 3.5 stars ||
Oh wow, what a plottwist! I definitely did not see that one coming at all. Damn.
This one really had me shocked, because it basically turns the whole story upside down with the end.
Also, I thought the entire vibe of the story was very creepy and the author really nailed the uncomfortable atmosphere right on the head with her writing.
GRISHAVERSE:
'Shadow and Bone' trilogy:
1. Shadow and Bone - 3.5 stars
2. Siege and Storm - 3.5 stars
3. Ruin and Rising - 3.0 stars
'Six of Crows' duology:
1. Six of Crows - 2.5 stars
2. Crooked Kingdom - 3.5 stars
'King of Scars' duology:
1. King of Scars - 2.5 stars
2. Rule of Wolves - 4.5 stars
Companion Novellas:
The Demon in the Woods - 3.5 stars
The Witch of Duva - 3.5 stars
The Tailor - 2.5 stars
The Too-Clever Fox - 3.5 stars
Little Knife - 3.0 stars
Oh wow, what a plottwist! I definitely did not see that one coming at all. Damn.
This one really had me shocked, because it basically turns the whole story upside down with the end.
Also, I thought the entire vibe of the story was very creepy and the author really nailed the uncomfortable atmosphere right on the head with her writing.
GRISHAVERSE:
'Shadow and Bone' trilogy:
1. Shadow and Bone - 3.5 stars
2. Siege and Storm - 3.5 stars
3. Ruin and Rising - 3.0 stars
'Six of Crows' duology:
1. Six of Crows - 2.5 stars
2. Crooked Kingdom - 3.5 stars
'King of Scars' duology:
1. King of Scars - 2.5 stars
2. Rule of Wolves - 4.5 stars
Companion Novellas:
The Demon in the Woods - 3.5 stars
The Witch of Duva - 3.5 stars
The Tailor - 2.5 stars
The Too-Clever Fox - 3.5 stars
Little Knife - 3.0 stars
August 11, 2021
~ 4 stars ~
*confusion intensifies*
I don't know what to make of this. I thought it was super creepy and well written. The ending caught me off guard, but in a good way. I had no idea what direction this story was taking, but the way if resolved in the end was satisfying. I though that this short story would be about one of the Grishaverse characters, possibly Baghra, like the other two, and although it was not, I thought the idea of a folklore or fable of some sort was quite interesting.
*confusion intensifies*
I don't know what to make of this. I thought it was super creepy and well written. The ending caught me off guard, but in a good way. I had no idea what direction this story was taking, but the way if resolved in the end was satisfying. I though that this short story would be about one of the Grishaverse characters, possibly Baghra, like the other two, and although it was not, I thought the idea of a folklore or fable of some sort was quite interesting.
March 19, 2023
A very dark fairytale that verges on horror. Not all that connected to Grishaverse per se, but still a great story to go with the new show season!
The first half of this reminded me a lot of The Bear and the Nightingale. And by that I mean a LOT, with all the famine, village life, creepy unknown threat hovering over everyone's head, etc. The second half is more different, and although the magic here doesn't seem to be built entirely upon small science (and therefore doesn't feel Grisha at all), I did enjoy the more whimsical/fairytale feel of it. The part where was both so spooky and so cool.
Honestly I'd consider this not part of the Grisha series due to the distinctively different magic, but rather a great story in its own right. Leigh Bardugo sure knows how to write.
The first half of this reminded me a lot of The Bear and the Nightingale. And by that I mean a LOT, with all the famine, village life, creepy unknown threat hovering over everyone's head, etc. The second half is more different, and although the magic here doesn't seem to be built entirely upon small science (and therefore doesn't feel Grisha at all), I did enjoy the more whimsical/fairytale feel of it. The part where was both so spooky and so cool.
Honestly I'd consider this not part of the Grisha series due to the distinctively different magic, but rather a great story in its own right. Leigh Bardugo sure knows how to write.
September 6, 2020
“Dark things have a way of slipping in through narrow spaces”.
Creo que, a pesar del final sorprendente, este relato es mi menos favorito hasta ahora.
Aquí la historia empieza en un pueblito de Ravka, cuyos habitantes se enfrentan a dos grandes enemigos: el invierno y los rumores de que chicas están desapareciendo de aldeas cercanas. Sin embargo, un día, empiezan a desaparecer chicas en el pueblo, así que las familias se asustan muchísimo. Una de ellas es la de Maxim, que tiene dos hijos: Havel y Nadya. Eventualmente, Maxim se casa con una mujer bastante sospechosa que se llama Karina y, tras eso, Havel se va a su servicio militar. Nadya se queda sola con Karina, que constantemente la está echando de la casa y, en una de sus misiones al bosque, la pequeña se encuentra con la casa de una bruja muy al estilo de Hansel y Gretel.
Y así, Nadya, atrapada por el invierno en medio del bosque, va a empezar a darse cuenta de que las apariencias engañan y que el destino de las chicas perdidas fue mucho más oscuro de lo que cualquiera se imaginaba.
Hasta que leí este relato no pensé que el subtítulo de este libro, que es Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic, fuera tan importante. Las historias, que empiezan presentándose como fábulas y relatos salidoa de un mundo de hadas, pronto se transforman en lo más oscuro y retorcido que puede imaginar la mente humana. Definitivamente mi parte favorita de estos relatos es ese final en el que todo la magia de escarcha se demorona y quedas enfrentándote a un abismo cruel y sin fondo.
Y nada, quizá no me gustó tantísimo este relato porque encontré a Nadya, la protagonista, bastante sosa. Además, la bruja del bosque tampoco logra un gran impacto en pocas páginas, cosa que sí sucede con otros personajes en diferentes relatos.
Creo que, a pesar del final sorprendente, este relato es mi menos favorito hasta ahora.
Aquí la historia empieza en un pueblito de Ravka, cuyos habitantes se enfrentan a dos grandes enemigos: el invierno y los rumores de que chicas están desapareciendo de aldeas cercanas. Sin embargo, un día, empiezan a desaparecer chicas en el pueblo, así que las familias se asustan muchísimo. Una de ellas es la de Maxim, que tiene dos hijos: Havel y Nadya. Eventualmente, Maxim se casa con una mujer bastante sospechosa que se llama Karina y, tras eso, Havel se va a su servicio militar. Nadya se queda sola con Karina, que constantemente la está echando de la casa y, en una de sus misiones al bosque, la pequeña se encuentra con la casa de una bruja muy al estilo de Hansel y Gretel.
Y así, Nadya, atrapada por el invierno en medio del bosque, va a empezar a darse cuenta de que las apariencias engañan y que el destino de las chicas perdidas fue mucho más oscuro de lo que cualquiera se imaginaba.
Hasta que leí este relato no pensé que el subtítulo de este libro, que es Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic, fuera tan importante. Las historias, que empiezan presentándose como fábulas y relatos salidoa de un mundo de hadas, pronto se transforman en lo más oscuro y retorcido que puede imaginar la mente humana. Definitivamente mi parte favorita de estos relatos es ese final en el que todo la magia de escarcha se demorona y quedas enfrentándote a un abismo cruel y sin fondo.
Y nada, quizá no me gustó tantísimo este relato porque encontré a Nadya, la protagonista, bastante sosa. Además, la bruja del bosque tampoco logra un gran impacto en pocas páginas, cosa que sí sucede con otros personajes en diferentes relatos.
February 13, 2017
“There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls”
The Witch of Duva surprised me. I thought this book would be bloody and creepy but I was wrong. I liked THAT TWIST. Wow ! It's unbelievable that Leigh Bardugo could manage to tell a shocking story in just 40 pages. Stunning. She's so talanted. I fell in love with the Grisha world since the first time I read her book.
However, there's something left unsaid and unexplained. I mean it's awesome to leave things out for the mysterious vibe like this, but I want some explanation to the story telling where this monster came from.
“So shut the window tight and make sure the latch is fastened. Dark things have a way of slipping in through narrow spaces.”
June 22, 2014
I love folk tales. They slip up on you and turn you in a circle. You think you might have that little story all figured out? Think again.
July 22, 2018
Ok this story is pretty creepy and the twist at the ending... DID NOT SEE THAT COMMING!
I went through a few stages with this:
- At first I thought it would be the story about the human eating trees Tamar was telling us about in Ruin and Rising,
- Then I thought that Karina is the witch,
- And lastly I thought it would all go on like Hansel and Gretel.
Which of these hypothesess was correct?
Well read it yourself and find out. ;)
I went through a few stages with this:
- At first I thought it would be the story about the human eating trees Tamar was telling us about in Ruin and Rising,
- Then I thought that Karina is the witch,
- And lastly I thought it would all go on like Hansel and Gretel.
Which of these hypothesess was correct?
Well read it yourself and find out. ;)
February 27, 2021
This was SO WELL WRITTEN!
A creepy Russian tale about the hungry monsters lurking in the woods and the girls that went missing. I seriously LOVE Magda and I can't believe that plot twist! I just did NOT see that coming.
So just, beware of the monsters in the woods okay? And don't judge people so soon. I just—i can't believe it still. I really hope there's more about what happened to Karina and Nadya and Magda.
Now, don't just read this story and sit there.
_________
My reviews of
The Demon in the Wood 4★
Shadow and Bone 3★ (a generous rating)
The Tailor 4★
Siege and Storm 2★
Little Knife 5★
The Too-Clever Fox 4★
Ruin and Rising 2.5★
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!
Um, edit. Two words from Lilah as well:
"Fuck dad" XD
“Be back before dark,” they whisper. “The trees are hungry tonight.”
A creepy Russian tale about the hungry monsters lurking in the woods and the girls that went missing. I seriously LOVE Magda and I can't believe that plot twist! I just did NOT see that coming.
So just, beware of the monsters in the woods okay? And don't judge people so soon. I just—i can't believe it still. I really hope there's more about what happened to Karina and Nadya and Magda.
Now, don't just read this story and sit there.
Come help me stir the pot. 😅
_________
My reviews of
The Demon in the Wood 4★
Shadow and Bone 3★ (a generous rating)
The Tailor 4★
Siege and Storm 2★
Little Knife 5★
The Too-Clever Fox 4★
Ruin and Rising 2.5★
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!
Um, edit. Two words from Lilah as well:
"Fuck dad" XD
September 17, 2020
"Sometimes she felt her curiosity clawing at her like a different kind of hunger"
Now this was creepy. It was fun and creepy. And still just like Grimm Fairytale. I have a feeling she was aiming for that feel with some of these novellas.
Nadya's mother died. And her father is marrying a monster. Little girls are disappearing. Nadya is being threatened. But she can't leave her father... she can't.
"Now you know what monsters once lurked in the woods near Duva, and if you ever meet a bear with a golden collar, you will be able to greet him by name. So shut the window tight and make sure the latch is fastened. Dark things have a way of slipping in through narrow spaces. Shall we ahve something good to eat?
Well then, come help me stir the pot."
Now this was creepy. It was fun and creepy. And still just like Grimm Fairytale. I have a feeling she was aiming for that feel with some of these novellas.
Nadya's mother died. And her father is marrying a monster. Little girls are disappearing. Nadya is being threatened. But she can't leave her father... she can't.
"Now you know what monsters once lurked in the woods near Duva, and if you ever meet a bear with a golden collar, you will be able to greet him by name. So shut the window tight and make sure the latch is fastened. Dark things have a way of slipping in through narrow spaces. Shall we ahve something good to eat?
Well then, come help me stir the pot."
September 7, 2018
There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls.
Right from the first line Ms Bardugo had me.
This is a creepy, twisty, fairy tale and I didn't guess once which direction the story was heading! I couldn't tear myself away from my computer screen until I had finished my read.
I regret not reading Bardugo when she had other complete short stories on Tor.
Get it while you can!
December 31, 2016
Such a great short story! If there's anyone that can fit amazing world building, an intriguing plotline and nuanced characters in a matter of pages, then it's Bardugo. It was spooky, witchlike and surprising.
Oh, how I love the Grishaverse.
Oh, how I love the Grishaverse.
June 11, 2017
Turns out my kindle likes to lie to me about how far I'm into something...
It was a good little story, the ending was a bit of a shock, but still quite enjoyable :)
It was a good little story, the ending was a bit of a shock, but still quite enjoyable :)
April 2, 2016
Omg this was too creepy ...AN EXCELLENT HORROR HISTORY
I can't believe it ... speechless
Definitely you have to reading it ... AMAZING!
“So shut the window tight and make sure the latch is fastened. Dark things have a way of slipping in through narrow spaces.”
I can't believe it ... speechless
Definitely you have to reading it ... AMAZING!
February 6, 2017
In just 50 pages Bardugo has managed to completely enthral and enchant me, before delivering one of the most unexpected plot twists I have ever read!
August 29, 2015
“There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls.”
I expected a twist yet never saw that coming.
I expected a twist yet never saw that coming.
January 10, 2020
“Be back before dark....The trees are hungry tonight.”
Young girls disappear in the woods near Duva. This is a Ravkan Folk Tale. Very dark, spooky with an interesting twist in the end.
Sometimes the predator is closer than we think and sometimes we may misjudge people and people's behaviour.
The story takes place in The Shadow and Bone universe, but it is a standalone. It has elements from the Hancel and Gretel fairytale. And an ending that it maybe be a trigger for some readers.
If you love scary folklore stores, you will love this one.
Young girls disappear in the woods near Duva. This is a Ravkan Folk Tale. Very dark, spooky with an interesting twist in the end.
Sometimes the predator is closer than we think and sometimes we may misjudge people and people's behaviour.
The story takes place in The Shadow and Bone universe, but it is a standalone. It has elements from the Hancel and Gretel fairytale. And an ending that it maybe be a trigger for some readers.
If you love scary folklore stores, you will love this one.
November 14, 2014
Actual rating: 3.5
The Grisha is one of those series that I’ve been wanting to read for ages so when I found out about this short story I thought it would be a nice introduction to Bardugo’s writing. Some reviewers seem to think it’s better to read Shadow and Bone (the first instalment in the series) first but I didn’t and I loved The Witch of Duva all the same.
It really is a great little tale. Well-written, very well-structured, and the world building is pretty amazing considering this is a short story. Bardugo has done a fantastic job here and you really get the feel of an old folktale as you read. Still, Hansel and Gretel this is not. The characters are great. The atmosphere is amazing. The story is as creepy and eerily fascinating as it is lovely. There were some pretty great twists. What more can you ask for?
Now I’m *really* curious as to what Shadow and Bone might be like. I think it’s time I finally read it!
The Grisha is one of those series that I’ve been wanting to read for ages so when I found out about this short story I thought it would be a nice introduction to Bardugo’s writing. Some reviewers seem to think it’s better to read Shadow and Bone (the first instalment in the series) first but I didn’t and I loved The Witch of Duva all the same.
It really is a great little tale. Well-written, very well-structured, and the world building is pretty amazing considering this is a short story. Bardugo has done a fantastic job here and you really get the feel of an old folktale as you read. Still, Hansel and Gretel this is not. The characters are great. The atmosphere is amazing. The story is as creepy and eerily fascinating as it is lovely. There were some pretty great twists. What more can you ask for?
Now I’m *really* curious as to what Shadow and Bone might be like. I think it’s time I finally read it!
March 27, 2015
Evocative, captivating, brillant.
December 19, 2021
Un cuento bastante espeluznante, que nos recuerda donde están los verdaderos monstruos.
No tiene mucha relación con las historias y personajes de otros libros del mundo Grishaverse que he leído, salvo estar ambientado en las mismas locaciones y con el mismo paisaje inhóspito. De todas maneras lo disfruté muchísimo.
No tiene mucha relación con las historias y personajes de otros libros del mundo Grishaverse que he leído, salvo estar ambientado en las mismas locaciones y con el mismo paisaje inhóspito. De todas maneras lo disfruté muchísimo.
July 26, 2022
1st read - October 2012
2nd read - April 2020 (listened to the free audiobook via Audible Stories https://stories.audible.com/)
3rd read - May 2021
The Witch of Duva is a free short story set in the same world as Leigh Bardugo's novel The Gathering Dark (called Shadow and Bone if you're in the US) but can be read entirely separately to the book because there is no cross over of characters. In fact this story is actually a fairytale that is told by people who live in Ravka to their children.
Our heroine is a young girl called Nadya who loses everything after the death of her mother. Her brother is enlisted into the army and her father quickly gets remarried to Karina, a woman who very obviously hates her. To make matters worse the village is currently suffering from famine and young girls are disappearing making the villagers believe there is a monster in the forest. When Karina forces Nadya to go into the woods on her own after dark she finds something very unexpected.
Leigh Bardugo has created a perfect, dark fairytale that the Grimm brothers would have been proud of. The story has all the major elements you'd expect from a fairytale - the evil stepmother, a wicked witch, a child lost and alone in the dark and scary woods - but I guarantee that you won't be expecting the outcome! There is such a fantastic twist at the end I had to read part of the story twice to believe it. I wouldn't have been disappointed if I'd paid for this short story so the fact that it has been posted online for free is an extra bonus. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves fairytales with dark and twisted endings.
2nd read - April 2020 (listened to the free audiobook via Audible Stories https://stories.audible.com/)
3rd read - May 2021
The Witch of Duva is a free short story set in the same world as Leigh Bardugo's novel The Gathering Dark (called Shadow and Bone if you're in the US) but can be read entirely separately to the book because there is no cross over of characters. In fact this story is actually a fairytale that is told by people who live in Ravka to their children.
Our heroine is a young girl called Nadya who loses everything after the death of her mother. Her brother is enlisted into the army and her father quickly gets remarried to Karina, a woman who very obviously hates her. To make matters worse the village is currently suffering from famine and young girls are disappearing making the villagers believe there is a monster in the forest. When Karina forces Nadya to go into the woods on her own after dark she finds something very unexpected.
Leigh Bardugo has created a perfect, dark fairytale that the Grimm brothers would have been proud of. The story has all the major elements you'd expect from a fairytale - the evil stepmother, a wicked witch, a child lost and alone in the dark and scary woods - but I guarantee that you won't be expecting the outcome! There is such a fantastic twist at the end I had to read part of the story twice to believe it. I wouldn't have been disappointed if I'd paid for this short story so the fact that it has been posted online for free is an extra bonus. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves fairytales with dark and twisted endings.
December 18, 2019
Dark things have a way of slipping in through narrow spaces.
When I finish this story I gave it four stars. I’m a big critic of these short-stories than authors add in between books of a series. Mostly I feel they are lacking; and it’s more of a teaser than actual useful information.
While the The Witch of Duva isn’t that useful and doesn’t really add anything to the original series; my mind was blown away by it. And as time progressed and my mind kept returning to this dark and haunting tale, I came to the conclusion that I need to give it full stars!
Bardugois a brilliant author and just again proved it with this mind blowing piece of work.
I’m in a big hurry to get my hands on the rest of the Grishaverse Folklore. I believe The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic is my next acquisition.
When I finish this story I gave it four stars. I’m a big critic of these short-stories than authors add in between books of a series. Mostly I feel they are lacking; and it’s more of a teaser than actual useful information.
While the The Witch of Duva isn’t that useful and doesn’t really add anything to the original series; my mind was blown away by it. And as time progressed and my mind kept returning to this dark and haunting tale, I came to the conclusion that I need to give it full stars!
Bardugois a brilliant author and just again proved it with this mind blowing piece of work.
I’m in a big hurry to get my hands on the rest of the Grishaverse Folklore. I believe The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic is my next acquisition.
May 23, 2016
Apparently LB can write creepy too.
This is why she's one of my favorites. I swear I was creeped out and intrigued and THE TWISTS OMG.
Definitely gonna read her other short stories.
This is why she's one of my favorites. I swear I was creeped out and intrigued and THE TWISTS OMG.
Definitely gonna read her other short stories.
May 7, 2016
Well, that was creepy!
Read
June 24, 2020
Didn't see that coming...
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