Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

The Winter of the Witch - Katherine Arden

May 1, 2020.
Requested by Charlie.

Three chapters in (view spoiler)[

What a start!!

I can't believe the mob murdered Solovey, absolute bastards. He was such a good horse, he didn't deserve this.

Konstantin is rotten to his core. I wish the water demon had eaten him, back in the first book. He only lives to cause misery and fear, I hope the Prince has him killed for inciting a mob and breaking into a palace. (hide spoiler)]

6 chapters in (view spoiler)[ part 1 was fantastic, what a faces paces, exciting start to the book.

So the Bear is back and he's recruited Konstantin. This is not good, we need the Frost King to get his power back. (hide spoiler)]

I've been wondering when we were doing this...

Chapter 9 complete (view spoiler)[

I'm not surprised Konstantin managed to wriggle his way out of trouble.

I want more of Vasya, hers is the perspective I'm most interested in right now. I hope she finds fun in the forest. (hide spoiler)]

14 chapters in (view spoiler)[ This is what I was waiting for. Once again it feels like a fairytale. I love the little mushroom demon, he's adorable.

Vasya's great grandmother is very cold. She seems to have no loyalty to her blood, I'm glad Vasya isn't like her. (hide spoiler)]

Charlie wrote: "14 chapters in .."

I agree! It really feels like a fairytale ❤️ (view spoiler)[ I love the little mushroom demon! :D he's so cute, wants everyone to know he helped her first doesn't he XD
I thought that about her great grandmother too! She didn't care at all haha. (hide spoiler)]

@siobhan (view spoiler)[ The mushroom demon is my favourite. I hope nothing unfortunate happens to him!

I'm not a fan of the Konstantin chapters. I think it's probably because I don't like him. I know he's important to the story but I just don't care. I constantly want to get back to Vasya and her perspective. (hide spoiler)]

Wow, I totally forgot about this. I will start today.

@Aakash that's great!

21 chapters in (view spoiler)[ The Winter King has been found and the Peasants are calling Vasya The Winter Queen!

I'm so excited and so afraid for them all. Moscow is the last place they should be going. (hide spoiler)]

Up to chapter 32 (view spoiler)[ this isn't the direction I thought this book would take but I am loving it. I thought it would be all about defeating the Bear and his dead army but now Vasya has joined forces with him and all the little demons and it's amazing!

This is clearly who she was always meant to be. I love Vasya as an all powerful witch. She wouldn't have been a very good wife and now she doesn't have to try. I hope after the war she goes back to see her great grandmother to learn more magic. (hide spoiler)]

Finished! (view spoiler)[ the ending was perfect, I'm so glad Solovey is alive! (hide spoiler)]

Charlie wrote: "Up to chapter 32 t.."

I love it too!! (view spoiler)[It was the perfect direction I feel. And you put it so well there that you conjured images in my mind of Vasya the all powerful witch!
Can you actually imagine how it would be if she'd actually been forced to marry someone when she was a little girl?! (hide spoiler)]

Charlie wrote: "Finished! [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ :D :D <3 So glad you liked it! I agree it was perfect! (hide spoiler)]

Just ventured out and did a curb side library pick up today ^~^
I'm gonna start reading tonight. It looks like a lot of you finished already ^^; But I'm liking the high reviews thus far :D

Katie wrote: "Just ventured out and did a curb side library pick up today ^~^
I'm gonna start reading tonight. It looks like a lot of you finished already ^^; But I'm liking the high reviews thus far :D"

I read it last year! Just stopping by to chat! :D

Katie wrote: "Just ventured out and did a curb side library pick up today ^~^
I'm gonna start reading tonight. It looks like a lot of you finished already ^^; But I'm liking the high reviews thus far :D"

Fear not, I have only read first chapter. I am hoping to complete the other books so I can pay more attention to this book.

Ohhh! I see now Siobhan XD

Yay! I'm glad you're joining here to Aakash <3

Finally started... beginning has been a bit rough... (view spoiler)[dunno why, but I didn't expect this to jump right in with terrible things happening to the MC... I guess I should have...

Maybe it's because the 2nd book started in a better place, despite how life-changing it all was...

Best thing is the MC starting to accept her witchiness, more and more... (hide spoiler)]

Hopefully have more to say soon... and comments to open...

Things are happening so fast... Part 3 started already...

Part 3 was great... much more to be happy about :D

Just started Part 4... (view spoiler)[it's kinda crazy how far Konstantin has come, from that priest that ran off in fear at the end of the first book... if it wasn't him, tho, it would be someone else... (hide spoiler)]

Charlie wrote: "Three chapters in

What a start!! ..."

Agreed...

Charlie wrote: "Chapter 9 complete..."

Yup

Charlie wrote: "14 chapters in..."

More short responses to short comments, because we're of the same mind :D

Charlie wrote: "@siobhan..."

(view spoiler)[I felt that way, even in the first book... he's just such a horrible person... and easily manipulated...

And sometimes, I'd prefer to just be left in the dark to the bad guy machinations & motivations, and focus on the good guys... (hide spoiler)]

Charlie wrote: "21 chapters in..."

Saw that coming... kinda plays into the title...

Katie wrote: "Just ventured out and did a curb side library pick up today ^~^
I'm gonna start reading tonight. It looks like a lot of you finished already ^^; But I'm liking the high reviews thus far :D"

I actually started today... but that makes very little difference, since I'm about 2.75hrs from finishing today, too... just passed the half way point...

Just read your comments Iain, what did you think overall?

You speedy reader Timelord, lol. Those audiobooks are super nice

3 Chapters.

(view spoiler)[Did that really happened?
Solovey is dead. OMG, I really never gave a single thought of solovey dying. I thought he and Vasya would always be together. I take it back of my statement that the Priest could turn into a good person and help Vasya at some point (technically he saved Vasya's sister and other women in the palace but I am not counting it, I am too angry for that).

I can understand how the common folks felt and came to wrong conclusions but that doesn't stop me from resenting them. They are like sheep and follow whoever has little authority without using their own mind. Seriously, is there any chance Solovey will be back? Please tell me even if it is spoiler. I just want to know if he will be back. (hide spoiler)]

I still haven't finished... I think I went to bed on Wednesday, then was missing things when I continued on Thursday, so I paused again... forgot about it for a day or 2, because I started other books...

Finally remembered I needed to finish, this morning, and picked it back up and rewinded 6 chapters... what I thought was happening was happening (view spoiler)[Vasya teaming up with the Bear vs the Phoenix... (hide spoiler)]... I think I still need to rewind again, after I finish, to fill in (view spoiler)[the fight where the Winter King traps the Bear, and Konstantin is taken care of... (hide spoiler)]

If anyone (who finished) can tell me which chapter to pick back up on, that would be great...

My comments above refer to chapter 28-36, I think... numbers might be off because of Prologue/etc...

Aakash wrote: "3 Chapters.

Did that really happened? ..."

Oh my gosh! I was crushed :'(
(view spoiler)[I can't believe he's really dead. I had to go back and re-read that page because I thought I had to be wrong.

Ugh. That priest is the most terrible person! (hide spoiler)]

Part 1 Finished~
That was how they opened the book?! Oh. My. Gosh!
(view spoiler)[The death of our beloved Solovoy, and our girl being blamed as a witch for the fires >_<

I really hope that priest dies in this series. He is absolutely disgusting! His feelings for lust for that girl are gross. He's just trying to prove his faith? Come on.

I'm so glad she escaped though. I wonder if those little fae creatures helped Vasya at all. Or maybe it was just the bear. THE BEAR?! How?! Why?! The winter prince made an agreement??? oof.

I feel so bad for that little girl. She was devasted at the loss of Vasya's horse and now she hears that Vasya was taken by midnight???

What is midnight again? And who was that fella who helped Vasya escape besides the bear? I'm soooo bad at names ^^;

Also, what is the bear planning with the priest? O.o

So many questions (hide spoiler)]

I just finished Chapter 12 and can I say that I really enjoy this world of (view spoiler)[midnight. It’s so dangerous!! The changing seasons, creatures of the lake, and demons at night...

I do love that little mushroom guy though. So pleased to choose her side first.

Now what kind of deal does the bear want to make? And who is this woman? O.o

As long as they can get rid of Konstantin, I’m good. Lol (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 15
I literally used the word (view spoiler)[Baba Yaga (hide spoiler)] in a game of scategories the other night. XD My family wouldn't believe me in that it was a real word. I was to use the letter B to describe something in faerie tales. lol. I thought It was quite clever. But yes, I'm surprised that we see her in here...

To think that she is related to (view spoiler)[Vasya!!?? Wow! I mean I was a little spoiled by the family tree in the back, but still!

So now she's using the horses to try and find her way back to the winter king. I really hope it works <3

That tidal wave scene was intense! I was worried about the intent of the men too at first. But it seems like the bear is in play again. oof (hide spoiler)]

I do love that little m..."

Katie wrote: "Part 1 Finished~
That was how they opened the book?! ."


I know! What an opening!


Katie wrote: "I just finished Chapter 12 and can I say that I really enjoy this world of midnight. It’s so dangerous!! The changing seasons, creatures of the lake, and demons at night...

I loved (view spoiler)[ Midnight and the little mushroom demon and I thought Baby Yaga was so cold. I don't like her at all, I'm not surprised her daughters ran off! (hide spoiler)]

Just finished Part IV !!!! Wow wow wow! (view spoiler)[So Konstantin killed himself? Slit his own throat to thwat the bear demon??? Oh my gosh. And the bear has the golden bridle on him now, right? So intense.

I was a little confused earlier. Vasya was apologizing for the winter king for something? I was a little lost on why? The fear? hmmm.... (hide spoiler)]

And yes Charlie, that is the best character <3

Katie wrote: "Just finished Part IV !!!! Wow wow wow! So Konstantin killed himself? Slit his own throat to thwat the bear demon??? Oh my gosh. And the bear has the golden bridle on him now, right? So intense.

..."

Konstantin! (view spoiler)[ I'm glad he's dead, I never liked him. His death was great though.

The bear now serves Vasya and I think that's awesome! (hide spoiler)]

Charlie wrote: "Katie wrote: "Just finished Part IV !!!! Konstantin! (view spoiler) ..."

I've never been more (view spoiler)[glad that a character is dead. lol.

That is pretty cool that the bear serves Vasya now. She's gonna need it with where things are leading to O.O (hide spoiler)]

Timelord Iain wrote: "I still haven't finished... I think I went to bed on Wednesday, then was missing things when I continued on Thursday, so I paused again... forgot about it for a day or 2, because I started other bo..."

Hiya Timelord! Just got to your comment. If you want to go back and re-read things I would say start at Chapter 23 ~ Faith and Fear. This takes place right before Part V in the book. And it deals with the villain we loathe so much.

Then as for the (view spoiler)[bear (hide spoiler)] I know we have a bunch of chapters afterwards, but some skips too with Vasya's brother. So Chapter 29 ~ Between Winter and Spring. That's where she really narrows in on (view spoiler)[the bear and seeks his aid (hide spoiler)]

Hope that helps!

I finished the book you guys ^~^
For me I'd rate it a 3.75 overall. While it came to a very satisfying conclusion I almost wanted a bit more faerie tales. In the end it amounted to (view spoiler)[a war that must be fought. I found it interesting that the author based it on history. I like the little notes part at the end there. So a little more of a clash of forces basically. (hide spoiler)]

The things I absolutely loved about this book were the world of (view spoiler)[Midnight and all of the beings there. Mushroom demon for the win! And I've always loved the Baba Yaga character. She's so evil. Love it~

Seeing the origin of the horses on the lake was also a nice touch. And we got to see our firebird again <3 I'm sad to see that we didn't see more of the bond with Vasya's cousin and that horse though. I'm pretty sure that her fortune spoke of a deep bond with such a bird. We honestly didn't see enough of her...

The team up between the Winter King and the Bear was quite a surprise. Well as was noted in the book Vasya has them both now. wink~ lol That being said I'm really glad they were able to be more tame to one another. Keeping true to who they were and helping in the end. (hide spoiler)]

And the best moment of the book? (view spoiler)[Vasya's reunion with Solovy. I'm not crying, you are >_< Honestly this was the sweetest moment. The girl and her horse, the truest relationship in the book. Proving that a lady doesn't need a romantical relationship in a story. Though they certainly did try XP

And now it's over. We have an open endedness there. Vasya will be the lady of the lake, protector of the horses. She'll train with her grandmother and learn more of magics. Maybe something more will happen between her and the winter king. But we know for now that all is well in the realm of Midnight~ (hide spoiler)]