The Witch and the Tsar

Product Information

And yet, The Witch and the Tsar, written by a Russian and thus presumably above accusations of cultural appropriation and racist stereotypes and Russophobia, is really no different in this sense. After I read Andreas Johns’s Baba Yaga: The Ambiguous Mother and Witch of the Russian Folktale, I learned that the Baba Yaga we know is an invention of the fairy tales written and disseminated in the nineteenth century—mostly by men. Some believe that before Christianity arrived in Russia, Baba Yaga had been a fertility and earth goddess worshipped by Slavic pagans. She may even have been a version of or a descendant of the deity Mokosh herself. 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 But overall, I think that I didn’t have enough working knowledge of the mythology (and even the history! I don’t know much about Russian history, honestly), and that meant that I couldn’t fully appreciate what Gilmore was trying to do. I also thought that it was a little ambling at times as the story went on. It wasn’t really a slog, but I did sometimes find myself skimming a bit to get through specific scenes.

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 book is powerful, thought provoking, captivating, mind bending journey, discussing our beliefs, our prejudices. What we scared of might be our best solution to bring us the redemption we desire. 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.”

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. Women in these sorts of stories—legends, fairytales, and myths—are often relegated to secondary roles: Princesses that need rescuing or witches that need vanquishing, and neither of them is truly capable of making many choices of their own. The Witch and the Tsar is full of complicated, three-dimensional women well beyond its titular heroine, and although they are not all necessary likable or sympathetic or even what we would traditionally define as good, there’s no doubt that they are in charge of their own destinies at last.

Afierce, historically rich reimagining of the story of Baba Yaga.. full of complicated, three-dimensional women.” –Paste Magazine 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. 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). Did I mention she's lived for centuries, since before Russia existed? Well, be prepared for an ignorant witch to give you history lessons, then, because this book is heavy on the infodump as the author often doesn't know how to weave the historical facts into the plot and uses Yaga as your history teacher. A history teacher that thinks Russia is the continuation of Rus' without even mentioning that it was Kyivan Rus', and lets Ivan call Prince Volodymyr the Great, who was Grand Prince of Kyiv, one of the "great princes of Russia"... conveniently ignoring that, just right before this, it was said Russia didn't exist yet and again erasing Kyivan Rus' from the picture. Oh, and also, the Livonian war that's going on for a good chunk of the book isn't a result of, you know, Russia's imperialist ambitions, no, it's the Lady of Death making Ivan hunger for expansionism because she wants to destroy poor old Russia. The villain here is her rather than Ivan, who's just a poor crazy old sod manipulated by the evil goddess and Koschei the Deathless and their minions, thus erasing any semblance of responsibility from Ivan the Terrible as a mere puppet instead of the mastermind and instigator he really was. Good Tsar/Bad Boyars is played throughout with the Oprichnina, too, because the bloodshed is shown in detail and in all its gory glory when it's the Oprichniki acting on their own, but never when it's Ivan spilling the blood. What was I saying about the outrage over the Siege of Leningrad being the fault of folktale characters' infighting in Valente's book? Well, here's one of the bloodiest and "cataclysmic" (Gilmore's word) periods of Russia's history being presented as the fault of Selica, the goddess of Death, and not a very human tsar Ivan Vasilyevich. The man halted at the fence, no doubt trying to decide if the skulls there were human. “Is this the izbushka of Baba Yaga the Bony Leg?”A celebration of the beauty, complexity, and majesty that embodies Russia—her people, her history, her folklore, her culture, her triumphs, her tragedies, her heart. THE WITCH AND THE TSAR is gripping, heartbreaking, romantic, and mesmerizing, and Olesya Salnikova Gilmore’s storytelling is its own enthralling magic. I love, love Stardust by Neil Gaiman. It is a small book, but is quite literally enchanting . The fairy tale world Gaiman creates is filled with a magic that breathes with life, whimsical and entertaining characters, and a romance that takes your breath away. It is fantastical and gritty and charming all at once. And I love the film adaptation, too! A painting portraying Baba Yaga. According to Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga was a witch who often preys on children to eat them. However, some accounts present her as a wise and helpful creature. The painting was created in 1917 and is now located at the House Museum of Viktor Vasnetsov in Moscow. So yeah, I like my witches with more spunk or even teeth. Therefore, while this wasn't bad, it suffered from a modern trend many books are following and it was to the detriment of the myth itself.