Winter is almost over and yet its cold and magic can be found in a well-written story taking place in the snow and the frost. That's always the mark of a good winter story. You can read it in the heat of summer and still get a chill. This is one such book. It's rich detail, wonderful characters, and wonderful atmosphere set the tone and make you wish for piles of snow and crisp winter quiet (where I live, all we get for winter is rain and mud...lame). Let's dive in.
Vasilisa is the youngest daughter of a lord, who rules over a village at the edge of the Russian wilderness. Vasilisa's days consist of running off into the woods, mingling with the wood spirits and other hidden creatures, then coming home to her warm hearth and listening to her nurse's tales. But when her father remarries a devout, city woman, things begin to change. Then the arrival of an artistic and charming priest turns the hearts of the villagers and weakens the spirits. With her stepmother and the priest attempting to tame Vasilisa, whether by marriage or a convent, something dark grows in power in the woods, feeding off the fear of the people. Vasilisa must venture into the woods, where the demon Frost awaits her, to fulfill a destiny that even she could never know of.
As I stated earlier, the atmosphere in the book is just spot on. The passing of the seasons, the bite and beauty of Russian winters, the warm glow of an oven and a family gathered around it...it's all just fantastically captured in this book. But not only the environment is well written but also the feeling of magic in the air. Of superstition and creatures lurking just beyond what we can see. The little man who watches over the horses. The woman in the lake who snatches at young men. The house guardians, the ancient beasts, and even the mystical frost demon, Morozko, are all written with this kind of matter-of-fact way. As in, of course these things exist, didn't you know? Also, when fear takes hold of the village and the spirits, and the people, start to weaken and become angry and bitter, you feel it as well. You don't really blame them when they stop caring for their superstitions, but it doesn't really make religion the bad guy here either. The two can co-exist in peace, but fear is not the answer and feeds the true evil. Such intricacies are just perfectly done and it was amazing.
Vasilisa, or Vasya, is just the kind of wild, rebellious, fairy tale protagonist that we love to see in these stories. She takes everything handed to her well and has a great attitude despite some of the stuff she's faced with in this story. Her stepmother's hysteria, Father Constantine shaming her (despite his own deeply inappropriate feelings), even the pressures put on her by her father and her nurse. All attempts to tame her are fruitless, but not because she bites and scratches like a cat. It's her spirit that's wild and puts men to shame. She has a great amount of courage, takes most things in stride except when she's being caged, and is just a really good character. I liked going on this little adventure with her.
The story is told like an elongated fairy tale, a simple story built up to be a great epic. But, as you may sometimes find with things like this, the pace sometimes suffers. It is a long time before things start to get serious and a ton of time is dedicated to the build up. We start before Vasya was even born and we're filled in with details that, honestly, don't go anywhere. We learn about her stepmother's backstory, her brother becoming a monk and her sister getting married, long journeys with her father...there's a lot of fluff. Now, some of it might be hidden material for future evens, seeing as this is the first in the series, but when about a third of the story doesn't even involve Vasya it can drag. It's not the slowest book ever, not at all. On the contrary, it's still interesting but not always relevant, is what I'm getting at. Still, this is nitpick corner here. I'm trying to find something wrong with this book, and if the only thing I can find is a wealth of backstory and interesting padding...you're doing something right.
Final Verdict
A beautiful, icy, epic fairy tale that anyone would enjoy. Great characters, magical detailing, and just the kind of story worth cozying up with next to a fireplace. If you get a chance to read it, you definitely should because this beauty is going straight onto the Shelf of Recommendation.
Have you read the book? What did you think? Comment below and share your thoughts. Please make sure to Follow Midnight Readings for instant updates. Have a book you'd like me to read or would like to make a recommendation? Contact me on goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/65448711-michelle-beer
Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Powerless-Shelley-Miller/dp/1543482546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519062043&sr=8-1&keywords=powerless+by+shelley+miller
Xlibris: https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001175242
Next Time: Be careful what you wish for...seriously...no, really, I mean it, be careful....
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