So this review is a long, long time coming. The final book in the Winternight trilogy came out almost ten years ago, and I bought a hardcover copy as soon as it was released. But I have been very slow to read anything these days, much less a book that has been hiding in my library for nearly a decade, so anyway.
Vasilisa “Vasya” Petrovna’s connection with the mythical creatures of Russia have caused serious death and destruction. After she is imprisoned for witchcraft in Moscow, she manages to escape, and runs away. She soon comes upon the Midnight Road, a magical realm where she can pass between seasons in minutes and travel anywhere in the world where it is midnight. But Vasya doesn’t have time to run around playing; she must rally allies to rise up against an impending invasion, harness her most powerful magic, and save both the mundane and magical Russia.
This book, despite being the conclusion to the trilogy, seems to move more slowly than the other books. There is a lot of action and urgency, since all of Russia is in danger, but it also seems more meditative and intentional. Maybe it’s because Vasya is finally coming to terms with her magical nature, having learned that she will one day go mad from magic use, as all witches have before her. It might also come from Vasya’s brief exploration of the Midnight Road, where she basks in some well-deserved rest in the beauty of summer, away from the Russian winter.
Still, Vasya is put through the wringer in this story. She has lost so many loved ones up to this point, and yearns desperately for companionship. If I remember nothing else about this book, it will be where she reunites with Morozko, the frost demon king of winter that she’s come to love, and they finally rest together. There’s something so tender about a battered young woman who’s been on her own for so long finally resting under a warm blanket, in a safe haven, next to the man she loves.
I was very pleased to see more of Konstantin Nikonovich, the beautiful priest who both lusts after Vasya’s wildness and hates her for tempting him away from holy purity. He falls into a dangerous temptation when the Bear, Morozko’s twin demon brother who reaps chaos with his magic, promises him power and glory if he destroys Vasya. I love characters like Konstantin, who crave control over people, who wield religion like a weapon, and wrestle with both lust and hatred for another character. I’ve compared him before to Judge Claude Frollo and that comparison still stands strong. Besides Vasya, he’s probably the best-drawn character in the trilogy, and it was disappointing when his part in the story was done.
The pacing is pretty slow, but it allows you to see how much larger Vasya’s world is growing. We learn that Vasya’s niece may have the same magical gifts as her, and we see how that news is both wonderful and terrifying to her very Christian family. The love between Vasya and her siblings is so strong, but they still fear for her soul knowing of her magic.
I admit, part of why I was slow to start this book was because I was not quite ready for the story to end. The Winternight trilogy evokes such fairytale warmth, thanks to the many nights it alleviated anxiety or capped off my bedtime routine. And now that it’s over, I won’t be able to have that for the first time with this series anymore. But I am pleased overall with this trilogy and how it ended.
The Library Key 