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The Witch and the Tsar

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This epic tale brings both history and folklore to vivid life. It’s a fresh, exciting take sure to capture fans of Madeline Miller’s Circe and Jennifer Saint’s Ariadne.”– Publishers Weekly A delicate weaving of myth and history, The Witch and the Tsar breathes new life into stories you think you know’ Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf So first off, this is not actually a book featuring Baba Yaga. This is a book about a half-mortal child of a Slavic goddess, a woman who is physically frozen in her thirties and works as a magical healer, especially of women. Her name is Yaga, but she is not Baba Yaga. The myths and folklore we know are false, lies spread by hateful Christians, particularly hateful Christian men. The Witch and the Tsar is mesmerizing story of Russian history and mythology; as well as reinventing Baba Yaga, who was a fabulous heroine, always fighting to save her country. This is a powerful story, filled with folklore, heartbreak, captivating, and an amazing story from start to finish. THE WITCH AND THE TSAR was a wonderful story, so very well written by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore. If you enjoy history, folklore, with a bit of romance, I suggest you read this book. This is a feminist retelling of Yaga, deconstructing the conventional stories around the figure and exposing the ostracised wise woman behind them. Gilmore sets out to do for Baba Yaga what Miller did for Circe, Saint for Ariadne, North for Penelope…and achieves it beautifully…[A] rich and heady blend of historical fiction and mythological retelling.”

A delicate weaving of myth and history, THE WITCH AND THE TSAR breathes new life into stories you think you know." - Hannah Whitten

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Gilmore impresses with this feminist retelling of the Baba Yaga folktale…immersive prose steeps readers in this wonderfully epic folktale fantasy full of magic and myth” - Library Journal I’m not very versed in Russian folklore and mythology, even while I count Russian authors among the greats who’ve influenced me and my reading/writing /thinking. At a time when the world seems very scary, I’m glad for my world to be enlarged with this greater understanding of old Russia and it’s colorful people, while my belief in the power of women (oh, if only we’d reach out and grab it!) is affirmed and delighted. Besides the beautiful story and evocative world, there’s a rich additional layer of the only recently unleashed brewing power of the female goddess / half-goddess archetype (think Madeline Miller). What I love about The Witch and the Tsar is its evolution for these types of retellings. This book retells the entire folkloric story with another perspective, humanizing Yaga, giving her true defiant, powerful voice she needs. She doesn’t feed herself with children, flying around in a mortar, terrorizing her community as it’s told. It’s a remarkable redefinition and recreation of the character! I truly loved this version more! The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore is a fantasy storyline. This is set in 16 th century Russia, with the legendary Yaga (not the evil witch Baba Yaga), who is a half-goddess and half-mortal, and the main character throughout the story. We meet Yaga, as she lives in the forest, and helps heal others with spells and potions; she is immortal, having lived hundreds of years, and always remaining young and beautiful. Many years ago, she was friends with Anastasia, until she left Russia, due to how mortals perceived her as evil and cruel. Yaga is content to live in her solitude (only those in dire need of her help as a healer), with her wonderful faithful animal companions, Noch (her owl), Dyen (her wolf) and Little Hen (izbushka).

The narrative is rather straightforward and the plot didn’t have the twists and turns that I expected. However, the historical references to actual people and events added a significant layer of interest to the plot. The author’s note is especially helpful in getting insight into what the author wanted to accomplish as well as whether some events were real or fictional. There is also a glossary of key figures (historical, fairy tale, and mythological) as well as places that are key to the story. The historical content seemed well researched. Welcome to the Hive Olesya, and congratulations on the release of your debut novel! How does it feel to know your book is out there on shelves?Here, Baba Yaga is a woman, half-goddess, who’s been burned by gods and mortals alike, so she’s retreated and is simply doing what she does well in the dark of the forest. Soon though, she must answer the call for help from a dear friend, and she spends the rest of the novel trying to fulfill the ultimate goal of this particular quest, as Russia comes more and more under the grip of the increasingly mad Ivan the Terrible. No, she’s not the supposed hag, which familiar tale we’ve accepted from the mouths of men for far, too long. And she’s not embraced her power, hasn’t even had the chance to learn to do so, due to events beyond her control. But this story is where her powerlessness ends, and the crux of the novel finds its way into our hearts. A) fierce, historically rich reimagining…full of complicated, three-dimensional women well beyond its titular heroine.” - Paste Magazine She has been alone for centuries, with only her beloved animals for company. But, when Tsaritsa Anastasia, wife of Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, shows up at Yaga’s cottage on the brink of death, Yaga is compelled to travel with her to Moscow to keep her safe. But there’s far more to it. When reading the author’s note, you learn of what inspired the author and what she hoped to achieve. I think she did. This is one of those books that will only grow richer with rereading.

Serena’s Rating 6: If you haven’t read much Russian fantasy folklore, this might appeal to you. But there are better examples out there that left this one feeling uncomfortably derivative at times. How do you know for sure America won the Cold War? When you have a Russian author living in Chicago depict their quintessential witch running through a blizzard with snowflakes the size of fists forgetting that, unless you're Legolas, you'll sink in real fast instead of daintily sprinting across fresh snow. Expertly drawing from Russian history and mythology, Olesya Salnikova Gilmore transforms Baba Yaga into a complex heroine, whose quest to save her country sparkles with folk magic and supernatural intrigue. Apowerful, original story.”—Mary McMyne, Author of The Book of Gothel Over a couple of decades, Yaga will align with others to stop Tsar Ivan, who has become known as Ivan the Terrible, using his army to kill every one he considers traitors or enemies. Destruction and chaos is all over Russia, destroying everything they held dear.

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Overall, this was a violent and emotional story that kept me engaged. Those that enjoy reimagined folk tales and mythology may want to consider this book as their next read. One of our favourite questions here on the Fantasy Hive: which fantastical creature would you ride into battle and why? An utterly enchanting, wholly immersive debut that deftly reimagines the legend of Baba Yaga. This one is unmissable” - Alexis Henderson, author of THE YEAR OF THE WITCHING

This was an engaging, violent, and emotional story that kept me engaged. Those that enjoy reimagined folk tales and mythology may want to consider this book as their next read.” At this part, we witness the political atmosphere and true historical aspects of Russian history where it has been ruled by blood thirsty, paranoid, threatening leader Ivan IV. And we also enjoy the wild, epic journey of Yaga who really cares more about Russian people than the ruler of the empire, bold enough to fight against the enemy to shed blood and finding a man who sees her and accepts her as she is. This Yaga (don't call her BABA Yaga, as she finds it offensive to be called "grandmother" despite being hundreds of years old) is different though. Still youthful, she does have powers and a connection to deities and sprites, but she also still has ties to the human world. Such as tsarina Anastasia who shows up one day because she's in danger. Turns out, someone is trying to poison her. No longer the ugly hag, Gilmore reimagined Yaga as a powerful feminist heroine and a symbol against tyranny and corruption. As a historical fiction, Gilmore gives an in-depth look in to the reign of Tsar Ivan IV. Her book is a beautiful combination of pre-Christian mythology and historical figures from mid-1500s Russia. Readers looking to discover a new Baba Yaga will enjoy The Witch and the Tsar.” When I started the book in the fall of 2018, I wasn’t specifically writing to current events. Rather, I was focused on the time period and my portrayal of Ivan and his rule as I saw them. After all, Russian history is peppered with autocratic rulers who frequently oppressed their people–with a realpolitik way of ruling that some historians believe was a result of centuries of Mongol occupation. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Ivan’s character and rule has taken on a deeper meaning, and a new kind of relevancy. It is more important than ever to tell these stories from the past and to reveal parts of Russian history the Western world may not know to illuminate the present, to help understand and give context to the tragedy unfolding in the region today, even in some small way.

I can easily appreciate the attempt while feeling a little queasy about the implication. This is on the same level as humanizing Disney Villains and trying to make them misunderstood icons twisted through a man's ugly eye. And maybe that does happen. I'm not saying it doesn't. But it also ignores the fact that all people can be crazily good or evil and no amount of wringing of hands or revisionary writing can whitewash it.

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