Overly long and meandering, I found it really hard to connect with or care about any of the characters or plots in this book. While this book speedruns through 20 years of Russian history, it takes a lot of time to get through it. I found that everything was very surface level, and I didn't feel particularly strongly about any of the events that happened to the main character. This one wasn't for me, but I can see the appeal it might have for other people

Evocative and immersed in Russian folklore, I enjoyed this reworking of Baba Yaga and her chicken legged house. I didn’t really see much in the way of character development but I do love Russian history. This book didn’t entirely ‘grab’ me and there were parts that didn’t hold my interest. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

I was excited to read this book as it sounded exactly like the type of story I would enjoy though I am somewhat disappointed by it. I just couldn't get invested in the story and barely managed to finish it.

I find there aren't many books featuring Baba Yaga so I was instantly curious. Plus, I also love any Russian setting books so I just couldn't let this opportunity passed.

It started a little bit slow as the setup was a little bit long (about a third of the book) however as the story itself started to unfold, it was a beautiful unfurling with a great character development along with a soulful romance.

It is a dark fantastical tale set in brutal Middle Ages Russia but the protagonist's love for her land and the people around her were palpable; a shining hope amid the blood and gore. Highly recommended for historical (Russian) fantasy fans.

My thanks to HarperVoyager for ecopy of book via NetGalley in exchange of my honest thoughts

.The witch Baba Yaga will use all of her magic and strength to protect her people from Ivan the Terrible. I am really interested in folklore and legends and this was a really enthralling and interesting novel; 3 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

"The Witch and the Tsar" by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore is a captivating novel that explores the complex relationship between magic and power. Set in medieval Russia, the book tells the story of a young witch named Katya who is forced to use her powers to help the cruel and power-hungry Tsar Ivan the Terrible.

The novel is beautifully written, with vivid descriptions of the Russian landscape and a cast of characters that are both compelling and relatable. Katya, in particular, is a fascinating protagonist, struggling to reconcile her loyalty to her people and her desire for personal freedom.

One of the strengths of the book is its exploration of the theme of power and the corrupting influence it can have on those who possess it. Through the character of Tsar Ivan, we see the devastating effects of unchecked ambition and cruelty, while Katya's struggles highlight the tension between individual autonomy and the demands of the state.

Overall, "The Witch and the Tsar" is a thought-provoking and engrossing read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction, fantasy, and political intrigue. Salnikova Gilmore has crafted a rich and complex world that will stay with readers long after they have finished the book. Highly recommended.

Not really familiar with this folktale.
Baba Yaga, basically a good person/God, she was happy living with her Mother also a witch who used her powers to heal people,after her death, Baba did the same. The story is full of Gods and their powers, they can be used for good or bad purposes.
Baba's friend Anastasia the wife of Tsar Ivan, is being slowly poisoned, Baba tries to cure her but fails, the death turns Ivan into a vengeful and cruel person, but the intervention of Selica, the goddess of death pushes him to wage war in his own country. Baba and her friends try to avert a catastrophe but the cost is high.
I did struggle with this book, wish I had found the glossary earlier as one problem was the characters who went by different names.
Thank you NetGalley and Olesya.

I tried so hard with this book, the writing is amazing but I couldn’t get on with the main character!

Personal preference but I just couldn’t click with her!

The writing is amazing and does draw you in and I’m sure a different story by this author would be fantastic

It was at times a tad slow and maybe a little longer than it needed to be, but that was the only complaint about this book I had, and I enjoyed most of it. It also has a beautiful writing style that was very atmospheric.

I thought this book was fine. It was a bit long-winded, and maybe too ambitious in its quest to tell the entire story of Baba Yaga. Entire parts of her life were glossed over, and the author did a lot of telling and not enough showing. It also suffers from the whole "it was actually a magical god behind the mass genocide and not just evil men" trope, which I did not like.

Overall, not for me.

Set in Russia in the 16th century this is the story of Baba Yaga a mythical witch/healer who lives in a forest with her animal friends in a cabin. When her old friend Anastasia visits her with a mystery illness, Yaga finds herself drawn to Moscow. Anastasia is married to Tsar Ivan (later to become ‘The Terrible) and Yaga realises that the future of Russia depends on her getting to the bottom of Anastasia’s illness.
Sadly, Anastasia dies it would appear from poisoning and her death leads to her husband’s bloody campaign of death and destruction, massacre and murder. Everyone is in fear of him and no-one is safe. Only Baba Yage can save them.
If you like mythical, witch, goddess type books this may well be right up your street but when I read the blurb I thought the book would be completely different to how it actually was. I didn’t mind some bits, like when they were in camp planning how they could stop Ivan and his army but I lost interest when there were witches sitting in baths of gunge with snakes encircling their arms, or Yaga was moving between worlds to find her long dead mother. Also, in all honesty, I lost track of some of the characters and if they were mortal or not. I had to read the first part several times before I understood that ‘Little Hen’ was actually her flying cabin that had chicken legs and that set the tone for me being very confused a lot of the time.
Obviously, I didn’t interpret the blurb properly. While I expected a bit of witchcraft I hadn’t expected so much because if I had, I wouldn’t have chosen to review the book. I feel bad for marking it down but I have to be honest and say that I was glad when it was finished.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4****

I think I was expecting to love this as much as I loved “The Bear and the Nightingale” trilogy by Katherine Arden- this just missed the mark but it was so very close!

A story about Baba Yaga is all it took me to request this book. And I loved the delve into her life and Ivan the Terrible and the historical setting. I also enjoy fantasy and folklore so this was an added bonus.

The only issue I had it sometimes it tended to go on and I had an issue with pacing.

Thank you to NetGalleyand the publisher for the E-Arc!

A wonderfully imagined retelling of the Baba Yaga story, set in 16th century Russia during Ivan the Terrible’s reign. The Witch and the Tsar is a mix of myth and history, in which we get a very human, Baba Yaga as opposed to the old hag that most people know from the legends.

Half-human, half-immortal, Yaga lives alone in the forest (which she has done since her mother’s death) in her chicken legged house Hen, with her animal companions, and only seeing the people who come to her seeking herbal remedies and healing and magic charms.
The arrival of her old friend Anastasia, Ivan’s wife, who comes seeking help for a mystery illness, see’s Yaga return to human society, and more unsettlingly the royal court of Moscow, in a bid to keep Anastasia safe.

Once Yaga gets to court I found the story became a little flip floppy in her decisions and choices, and the pacing became a little slow. I would also have liked to learn more about Koshey, but sadly he was pushed aside towards the end.
That being said – and without giving more away – this tale is beautifully written and blends history and myth together seamlessly and I would recommend it to anyone who likes their historical fiction with blend of fantasy and to anyone who loves a good re-telling.

4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eArc.

Following Russian mythology and folklore, this reminded me a little of Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy. I really enjoyed this story, but I think the pacing lacked a little bit. I'm glad I read this though, because it was quite interesting to delve deeper into mythology I hadn't been exposed to before. The writing was easy to follow, and the beginning was very strong!

I would recommend this one!

I am afraid that I did not finish this one. I spent part of my high school years in Moscow, so I am always happy to read Russian history and books based around Russian history/folklore. I was waiting impatiently for this book. A feminist retelling of Baba Yaga? YES.

This book, however, was disappointing, but I can't quite pinpoint why. I think a large part of this is because that the main character of Yaga just didn't ring true. I couldn't understand her motivation. She seemed to flip-flop on her ideas and decisions, seemingly on a whim. Considering that most of the narrative is given from the first-person perspective of Yaga, this was a glaring problem. I found myself bored and annoyed with her behaviour, so just couldn't bring myself to read any further. There was some beautiful prose and an interesting mystery (and I am still interested in the premise of a feminist retelling of Baba Yaga), so I am not going to entirely pan the book. I am happy to give any other books by this author a chance, but this book was most definitely a let-down.

Unfortunately, I DNF’d this book at 28%.

I enjoyed the beginning and seeing what Yaga’s life was like, and I was interested by the other world she was able to access through her forest.

However, once she got to court these things disappeared, and I simply found the pacing too slow which caused me to become uninvested in the story and the characters.

I had to hoped to pick it back up but have now accepted that it simply wasn’t for me.

A brilliantly imagined story about Baba Yaga wrapped in historical facts about Ivan the Terrible and the Tsars of Russia. I loved Yaga’s story - half mortal, half god she was never sure of her place in the world so chose to stay alone. I loved how she came to trust and be part of the world again and her relationships were such a wonderful part of the story. The history of Russia is vividly brought to life by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore and I found the descriptions of the gods and other worlds just as fascinating.
Myth and history woven seamlessly together to produce a breathtaking debut.

I loved this one. Anything that leans towards whimsical & folklore and already my imagination is running away with me.
This one did not disappoint, really well written I was involved from the beginning.
This is one I will be thinking about for months to come.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the arc.

This is such a whimsical and magical read, perfect for this time of year!

There are a lot of references to Russian folklore, which I absolutely loved and definitely made me want to look up some more.

Yaga is used to living on her own, we learn that her previous involvement with mortals led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumours about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. However, old friend Anastasia and the wife of the tsar comes to seek her out as she is suffering from a mysterious illness.Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves.

As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine.

It's so clever how perfectly woven the folklore and historical events of Russia are woven together and would highly recommend for anyone into fairytales

Half-human, half-immortal, Yaga lives alone in the forest as she has done for centuries, only encountering people when they come seeking her herbal wisdom and magic charms. Then one day her seclusion is broken by the arrival of an old friend, Anastasia, wife of the Tsar Ivan, seeking help for a mysterious illness. To keep her safe, Yaga must return with her to Moscow, and immerse herself in the affairs of men.



In the city, she finds a ruler growing increasingly tyrannical, intent on crushing anyone who speaks against him, in the centre of a court full of rumours and intrigue. Ivan himself though is being manipulated by forces he couldn't begin to understand - immortal powers, treating Russia as a battleground for their own aims.



Set in 16th century Russia during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, this debut is an interesting mix of myth and history, giving a feminist twist to the scary stories of the witch Baba Yaga, creating a very human, relatable woman, and setting her within a firm historical perspective.



The period of Russian history is a compete blank to me, so I found the depictions of Ivan's court and the wars which ravaged Eastern Europe fascinating (and found myself falling down a rabbit-hole of fact checking and discovering more via Google). Somehow though the whole meshing of historical and fantasy elements didn't quite work for me and the later part of the book failed to hold my attention as the earlier part had.

3 1/2 stars