The Sisters of the Winter Wood
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4.9 • 7 Ratings
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- $19.99
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
Captivating and boldly imaginative, with a tale of sisterhood at its heart, Rena Rossner's debut fantasy invites you to enter a world filled with magic, folklore, and the dangers of the woods.
*Publishers Weekly: Best Book of 2018: SF/Fantasy/Horror
*BookPage: Best Book of 2018: Science Fiction & Fantasy
"With luscious and hypnotic prose, Rena Rossner tells a gripping, powerful story of family, sisterhood, and two young women trying to find their way in the world." — Madeline Miller, bestselling author of Circe
In a remote village surrounded by vast forests on the border of Moldova and Ukraine, sisters Liba and Laya have been raised on the honeyed scent of their Mami's babka and the low rumble of their Tati's prayers. But when a troupe of mysterious men arrives, Laya falls under their spell -- despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And this is not the only danger lurking in the woods.
As dark forces close in on their village, Liba and Laya discover a family secret passed down through generations. Faced with a magical heritage they never knew existed, the sisters realize the old fairy tales are true. . .and could save them all.
Discover a magical tale of secrets, heritage, and fairy tales weaving through history that will enchant readers of The Bear and the Nightingale, Uprooted and The Golem and the Jinni.
Praise for The Sisters of the Winter Wood:
"Intricately crafted, gorgeously rendered. . .full of heart, history, and enchantment." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A richly detailed story of Jewish identity and sisterhood. . . Ambitious and surprising." —Kirkus
For more from Rena Rossner, check out The Light of the Midnight Stars.
Customer Reviews
Based on Jewish, Russian, and Ukrainian Folklore
This review was first published on Kurt's Frontier.
Synopsis:
Liba and Laya have lived their whole lives in a remote forest village on the border of Ukraine and Moldova. They grew up on their Mami’s honey-scented babka and Tati’s prayers. The two girls are left vulnerable when their parents are called to their father’s home village. When a troupe of mysterious men arrives, Laya, among others, falls under their spell. These men aren’t the only danger lurking in the woods. When people start disappearing, suspicion falls on the Jewish community. Dark forces are closing in on their village, and Liba and Laya discover a magical heritage they never knew existed. Old Fairy tales are true and could save them all.
Review:
The Sisters of the Winter Wood is set in a Jewish community in Eastern Europe. Liba and Laya are two sisters who could not be more different. Liba is darker and more solidly built, while Laya is fair-colored and lighter. The reader finds early on that they’ve inherited the ability to change. Liba can become a bear like her Tati, and Laya can become a swan like her Mami. They just have to learn to use their abilities, if the dark forces stirring up trouble give them time.
Rena Rossner’s The Sisters of the Winter Wood proved a page-turner for me. I enjoyed the interplay between the sisters and the other characters. Rena Rossner based her story on Jewish, Russian, and Ukrainian folklore and storytelling, and is quite captivating.