The Bear and the Nightingale
A Novel
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The Bear and the Nightingale
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Narrated by:
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Kathleen Gati
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Written by:
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Katherine Arden
About this listen
Katherine Arden’s best-selling debut novel spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent with a gorgeous voice.
“A beautiful deep-winter story, full of magic and monsters and the sharp edges of growing up.” (Naomi Novik, best-selling author of Uprooted)
Winter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil.
Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village.
But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed - to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales.
Praise for The Bear and the Nightingale
“Arden’s debut novel has the cadence of a beautiful fairy tale but is darker and more lyrical.” (The Washington Post)
“Vasya [is] a clever, stalwart girl determined to forge her own path in a time when women had few choices.” (The Christian Science Monitor)
“Stunning...will enchant readers from the first page....with an irresistible heroine who wants only to be free of the bonds placed on her gender and claim her own fate.” (Publishers Weekly [starred review])
“Utterly bewitching...a lush narrative...an immersive, earthy story of folk magic, faith, and hubris, peopled with vivid, dynamic characters, particularly clever, brave Vasya, who outsmarts men and demons alike to save her family.” (Booklist [starred review])
“An extraordinary retelling of a very old tale... The Bear and the Nightingale is a wonderfully layered novel of family and the harsh wonders of deep winter magic.” (Robin Hobb)
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January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, Laura receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital, where she soon hears whispers about haunted trenches and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion.
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 145
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Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th-century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trades she uses to get by - palm readings, zars, and a mysterious gift for healing - are all tricks, both the means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles and a reliable way to survive. But when Nahri accidentally summons Dara, an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior, to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to reconsider her beliefs.
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Dance of Thieves
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A formidable outlaw family that claims to be the first among nations. A son destined to lead, thrust suddenly into power. Three fierce young women of the Rahtan, the queen's premier guard. A legendary street thief leading a mission, determined to prove herself. A dark secret that is a threat to the entire continent. When outlaw leader meets reformed thief, a cat-and-mouse game of false moves ensues, bringing them intimately together in a battle that may cost them their lives - and their hearts.
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The Lost Queen
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- Written by: Signe Pike
- Narrated by: Toni Frutin
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 96
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 81
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 81
In a land of mountains and mist, tradition and superstition, Languoreth and her brother Lailoken are raised in the Old Way of their ancestors. But in Scotland, a new religion is rising, one that brings disruption, bloodshed, and riot. And even as her family faces the burgeoning forces of Christianity, the Anglo-Saxons, bent on colonization, are encroaching from the east. When conflict brings the hero Emrys Pendragon to her father’s door, Languoreth finds love with one of his warriors. Her deep connection to Maelgwn is forged by enchantment, but she is promised in marriage to Rhydderch, son of a Christian king.
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Phenomenal Story!
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Written by: Signe Pike
What the critics say
"Arden's supple, sumptuous first novel transports the reader to a version of medieval Russia where history and myth coexist." (Kirkus Reviews)
What listeners say about The Bear and the Nightingale
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sasha
- 2018-01-25
Great story with horrible narration
A compelling and interesting story with strong traditional Russian elements.
I have no idea what the narrator was trying to accomplish with that weird and annoying accent she invented. It sounds nothing like a Slavic accent. It made it a difficult listen.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- jp
- 2018-08-29
Wonderfully rich story
Wonderfully rich story with sympathetic characters and superb narration. Have not enjoyed a book like this since Guy Gavriel Kay
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- karamarie
- 2020-08-24
An enjoyable fairytale
While the beginning felt rather slow and there were many names to keep track of, it picked up its pace and became interesting by part 2. Good narrating.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anne
- 2020-10-28
stunning
the narrator could not have been more perfect. lush, brilliant, unique, the writing is just lovely. a perfect fantasy, but a tinge of truth in regards to christian suppression, and a nod to romance to come. 4 stars for story telling only because I felt it was a bit slow to start. otherwise... loved it!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- natasha
- 2021-03-10
It was okay I guess
At first I thought this was going to be some kind of Cinderella type story and honestly the first half of the story I found so hard to get into. The writing wasn’t bad but the voice was just something I couldn’t enjoy. The characters are meh some I dislike but their motives and perspectives made sense. It was fairly predictable from 1/4 the way in I could guess how everything would end. It wasn’t that bad but just.. simple?
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2023-05-11
Loved every moment
I loved the unfolding of the story using the backdrop of Russian folklore. Beautifully written. As soon as I finished I downloaded the audiobook to listen to it again!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2021-03-10
Beautiful Story
Loved how it intertwined reality with fantasy. Ending was a bit abrupt though I thought.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chick loves lit
- 2022-01-11
Wow - in every way.
This is an amazing story. Hats off to the author! Perfectly paced. Intriguing. The narrator was well suited to the story, and I will look for more material performed by this talented individual. I burned through this one.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amy Braun
- 2022-08-31
Beautiful Story
An absolutely beautiful story that weaves drama and fairytales, I was enthralled from the very first pages right to the very end.
As the story began with the birth of the main character, Vasya, it quickly became apparent that the family dynamic was going to be the heart of the book. It wasn't what I was expecting, yet the writing and characters quickly won me over.
Vasya is fantastic. She is energetic, brave, determined, and kind. Her relationship with her siblings, father, and the creatures of folklore were among my favorite moments. I also found the priest to be a compelling character, as he warred with faith and desire.
The themes of faith and folklore made for a very, very complex plot. Watching the villagers transition from legends and spirits to Christianity made for some difficult character choices and severe costs. It was one of the best parts of the book and not something I anticipated loving as much as I did.
Seeing creatures and stories from Russian folklore was wonderful. It all blended in seamlessly with the world and its characters. This felt like an alternate version of history rather than a fantasy itself.
This is one of those books that I love the more I think about it. The prose is gorgeous, Vasya is a hero, the supporting characters are complex, and the descriptions make for an immersive experience. A definite recommend to all lovers of historical fantasy and mythology.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- S. Heron
- 2024-11-16
lovely prose
Others have commented on the inconsistent accent the reader held to. She starts out only using a regional accent when one of the major characters is speaking, but by the end of the book she is letting it creep in in all her words. My only comment would be to pick one or the other.As to the book itself, I felt like the whole novel was to give background to another, as yet unwritten novel. it was slow paced and beautiful, but not an engrossing read
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