The Bear and the NightingaleThe Bear and the Nightingale
Score Modern
What it's about
At the edge of the Russian wilderness, where winter lasts most of the year, Vasilisa and her siblings gather by the fire to hear their nurse's fairy tales. Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, whom wise Russians fear, and she honors the spirits that protect homes from evil, as a darkness gathers in the forest.
Why it's worth reading
It's a beloved debut, a lush fairy tale steeped in Russian folklore.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's the first of the Winternight trilogy and starts slowly.
By the numbers
- Readers58 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller34 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #114 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #250 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #928 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1717 of the 2,816 books we rank
Reads as
Adventurous, Moving
If you like this, read next
A Darker Shade of Magic
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The Book Thief
The Help
The Song of Achilles
Six of CrowsExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Bear and the Nightingale worth reading?
Yes. It's a beloved debut, a lush fairy tale steeped in Russian folklore. It ranks #1,717 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Bear and the Nightingale about?
At the edge of the Russian wilderness, where winter lasts most of the year, Vasilisa and her siblings gather by the fire to hear their nurse's fairy tales. Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, whom wise Russians fear, and she honors the spirits that protect homes from evil, as a darkness gathers in the forest.
How long does it take to read The Bear and the Nightingale?
About 8 hours (322 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Bear and the Nightingale?
If you liked it, try Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, Uprooted by Naomi Novik or Circe by Madeline Miller.