The Witch and The Tsar

Rating: 3 ♥’s
Published: September 20, 2022
Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction
Pages: 432

Description: As a half-goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumors about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia—now the wife of the tsar, and suffering from a mysterious illness—arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves.
As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan—soon to become Ivan the Terrible—grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the description of this book I thought it sounded awesome. Witches, Anatasia, and History involved sign me up. Though I am glad I read it, I was a little bit let down. It felt at times that it just kind of dragged on and I found myself skimming a lot of it and trying to get to the main story. I really liked the story that was told, I just felt it could have been executed differently. I wanted more adventure and a faster pace. I did enjoy the history that was part of it and how it meshed in with the story and how the people who are real became part of this story.

The writing was well done minus the too much information given at times. It took away from the flow. I can tell the author though did their research on this period of history and the mythology that goes along with it. I liked how the different gods and goddesses played a part in the story. I like that the main character was Baba Yaga who I have always found fun and fascinating to read about. It was fun to see her throughout the story and I liked that there was some romance involved in the story, but it didn’t take away from it, instead, it just made the story better because it was woven in so quietly that it just worked well.

The characters were good. I did like Baba Yaga and I was rooting for her. I wish we had more of Anastasia in it because I just really like Anastasia and her history. It would have been fun to have more interaction between Baba Yaga and Tsar Ivan the Terrible, I think it would have made the story a little more interesting. The supporting characters were good, I really like a couple of the gods they played a good part in the story and some of them made me laugh.

Overall the story was a good read and I just wanted more from it.

Book Challenges:

Around the Year in 52 Books #19 – That involves alternate reality, alternate worlds, or alternate history
52 Books in 52 Weeks #10 – A book based on a real person
Popsugar #16 – About witches
O.W.L.S #41 – That mentions a historical witch or wizard
Linz Bookworm #53 – That takes place in Russia
A to Z Title – W
A to Z Author – O
Magic in the Books #40 – Featuring an animal
Wizarding World Tour #36 – By a Russian Author