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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
Fantasy violence; a supernatural threat with real consequences; death of characters
Language
Barely any
Clean language; the prose is literary and immersive
Sexual Content
Barely any
No sexual content; a brief romantic interest
Substance Use
Barely any
None
Emotional Intensity
Some
The weight of being a girl who does not fit; the fear of a winter forest where something hunts
What this book is about
Vasilisa, a girl in medieval Russia who can see the household spirits her family's new Christian priest is determined to suppress, must navigate the collision between old magic and new faith—while something dark gathers in the winter forest. Katherine Arden's debut is atmospheric and beautifully written, with a strong heroine and a genuine sense of Russian folklore.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
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