Winternight Trilogy Readalong! discussion

The book is very handily split into three sections for our discussion (although they aren't equal)!

In my edition, Part One ends on page 119 with the words "never even look up".

What do you think of the book so far?
What did you like and didn't like?
Do you have a favourite character?
What are you curious about?
Is the book what you expected?

No spoilers for the upcoming sections please😊

Hey Meg I started the book a day early I was super excited !! I am 25% in and I am loving it already !! I’m actually curious about Anna and Vasya’s characters as to how are they going to develop!! Loving Vasya and Sasha as of now

Just got done with part one and I am hooked 😍😍

I started the book today (Sunday, Nov 1) and just finished part 1 a little bit ago. I am hooked and loving this book. I want to read all night, but have to work early in the morning. I love so many of the characters, basically everyone in the family. Anna, at first I just felt sorry for her because she is just a frightened girl who sees things no one else does, doesn’t really know how to deal with that, and also has no say in her life. But after 7 yrs and apparently no growth from when she first became a part of the main family, I am dreading what part her character may play in the story and have a feeling that it won’t be bode well for Vasya.

I started the book today and just finished Part One. I am reading it for the 1,000 Door Readathon, so I hope to finish the rest of the book today. The book is beautifully written and the atmosphere is perfection. It reads just like a fairytale, and I love that. I am waiting for the plot to pick up. I'm not a fan of politics and political marriages and that has been a lot of part one. I love Vasya and Pyotr. I feel connected to Anna a lot as well. I am excited to see how the magic plays out in the rest of the book! I loved the ending of Part One with the magical creatures and the first chapter was...*chefs kiss*

i’ve just finished part one and i’m definitely intrigued so far! it seems like it will be a quick read and it was really easy to get into. i was a bit confused though because at the beginning of the book the family was starving and weak and then after the mother died they were rich? not sure if i missed something there or not but apart from that i’m really liking it

Just finished part one. Not going to lie the start was hard to get into, I like how it has a magical feel to it, and there something keeping me going. I love Vasya and my interest is peaked by the mysterious stranger we briefly met in Moscow. I can't wait to see where it goes from here and I'm really not a fan of Anna at first i felt bad but now she just cold and mean. Pytor seems like such a good dad but just swept up in his wife's death and new wife bizarre antics and I love the glimpse of all the shadow characters that only Vasya and (anna) can see. Can't wait to see where we go from here.

I haven't got to start yet to much going on how long do we have

I’m definitely liking the book so far! I went in knowing absolutely nothing really about it so I’m just going with the motions of where it’s going. It was somewhat easy to get into, I LOVED the first chapter I’m really interested in folklore especially from other countries and cultures. What’s been a bit difficult for me is the names haha I’m one of those people who need to know how to pronounce something and I can’t move on until I can say It in my head so the Russian names are killing me haha. Otherwise I am really enjoying it Vasya is definitely my favourite so far and I really loved Sasha as well. I definitely respect Pyotr as a father but I’m definitely not into the arranged married with girls that are so young but also I understand this is part of the culture so it’s still interesting to read in this story. Can’t wait to see where the story goes :)

I have today off of work, so I spent this morning reading part 1 and I got so wrapped up in the story that I completely lost track of time. I love fairytale/folklore stories within stories (part of the reason why The Starless Sea is my favorite book), and so I'm really enjoying that aspect of it. I also like how it bounced around to the perspectives of different members of the family instead of just staying with Vasya (who of course, I adore. Her wildness is infectious), because it has me feeling like there's going to be a couple more layers to this story than what I was initially anticipating, especially with Sasha. I can't say I'm far enough into the story to pick out anything that I dislike.

A couple of predictions/curiousities:
At first I speculated that the stranger with the horse was Morozko from the story in the first chapter, but I'm not sure anymore because there was a part in chapter 7 that talks about how he's looking for the witch's daughter, and then he says "The blood holds, brother. She lives and I was not mistaken." I also am wondering if Vasya's grandmother was the woman who Morozko let live in the story in the first chapter, which is why I thought that the stranger was Morozko since he seemed to be looking for Vasya. But then since he said "The blood holds, brother," it makes it sound like he may be working with Morozko instead of actually being him? I'm just spit-balling, but I am very excited to see where everything ties together!

I am enjoying it quite a bit, and Sasha and Vasja are intriguing characters (so far my favourites) and the man with black hair has piqued my interest, I do not fully know how I feel yet...

The writing style is whimsical and fairytale like, but also not (?), so I am ever so slightly struggling with it and it has slowed me down a bit, but it seems to be picking up pace now that we're going into the second part of the book. The main issue that I have had so far has been the arranged marriages, the talk of women being only child-barers and the consummation of marriage, I guess. Yes, I get it's the time period, and that was common practice, but it has made me very very uncomfortable haha.

But I am loving the old fairytale stories that remind me of stories I have heard as a kid (parents raised in the Soviet era) and the atmosphere is fantastic! Excited to continue

I just finished chapter 7 and... I really dont want this for Olga :( I dont know why but that whole marriage plot gives me bad vibes

I meant I finished chapter 6*

I just finished part one and I'm amazed how much I like this book so far. It's a very slow, character focused story but it works so well within this world. I'm really intrigued as to how Vasya is able to see all these spirits/creatures and how the stranger from Moscow will play into the story later. It's also interesting how Anna has a completely different approach on seeing these spirits, she seems deeply afraid of them and is shocked about how Vasya can just talk to them and not be afraid. The writing is beautiful (I still struggle with all the Russian terms, but reading it gets easier with each chapter). All in all I'm excited to keep reading and will hopefully make some more progress today :)

just finished part 1 and getting more info about these magical creatures is so interestinggg. I'm surprised by all the political stuff going on but that's always something I love in books so I'm happy to see itt

I'm almost done with part 1, late start. Page 25, we meet medved - bear in Russian. So the stranger must have been the nightingale. I'm really enjoying the book so far. I can't wait to find out what happens when Vasa gets the jewel. Vasa is definitely my favorite character so far. Baba Yagas name reminded me of TOGs Baba Yellowlegs. Also had to put on John Wick after reading that. :)

I like the book so far. It reads as a fairy tale, which is great. I'm not yet that much attached to the characters, apart from Vasya. Still waiting for the main plot of the story to be revealed.

I'm loving the book so far. I was hooked from the first chapter when Dunya started telling the folktale to the children by the fireplace in winter. I love the historical setting mixed with the folklore aspect and I'm waiting for more fantasy elements and folktale characters coming to "real life". I find it an atmospheric read and I love how everything is described, especially the food sounds so delicious, I want some honeycakes and freshly baked bread now. I think the writing is very immersive and the story is so intruiguing, it makes me want to keep reading and finding out what will happen next.
I love the house and stable spirits, they're so cute.
:D
I loved how carefree Vasya is in the beginning and how it's natural for her that she sees spirits in the river and forest and it was a bit sad when she realizes that no one else can see the spirits but herself (and Anna) and she starts question whether she's going mad. But luckily she gets over that quickly and doesn't think the spirits are bad or threatening.
I felt bad for Anna. She's probably had a religious upbringing and therefore sees the spirits as inherently bad and demonic and is afraid of them even though they do nothing to harm her.

Hi, I'm a little late to the party, but I'm really liking this book! I just finished part one and wanted to give my thoughts!

I have absolutely no idea what is happening, but in the best way possible! I'm still not 100% sure what this book is about, but I'm digging it! I don't always do well with fantasy/magical realism, but I'm very intrigued by the world. The small creatures are very interesting to me, and I think it's really interesting that only Vasya and Anna can see them.

Not gonna lie, I don't love the marrying off of Olga nor was I a super big fan of Pytor marrying Anna, because there seems to be a huge age gap, but maybe I misinterpreted that a bit.

That said, I really like, or at least am intrigued by, all of the characters. I'm bummed Sasha took off for the monastery, because I'm very interested in his character. And, of course, I really love Vasya, too!

So today makes it 3 years since I read this book (and it became one of my favorite books of all time) so I'm going to reread it, the whole thing, today in honor of that. I'm glad that you guys who were reading it for the first time seemed to enjoy it! It's a beautiful read with such developed, real characters.

The link for the live discussion show is now up!

Set your reminders - it's happening at 8:30pm GMT tomorrow (1st Dec)!!

Can't wait to chat about this book with all of you!

https://youtu.be/Jz0rYBbKpXs