First off I originally wanted to read this book because of the cover. There was something mesmerizing and beautiful about it. For the most part, the cover was more glamorous than the story. The story was a combination of a fairy tale, a fantasy story, and a magical journey. The biggest obstacle I had with the story was the large conglomeration of Russian names that was as confusing as being the only English speaking person in a room full of Martians. I nearly gave up on the story at the halfway point from frustration of keeping the names straight. Luckily for me, the story began to take shape and I was glad that I endured the journey of the young girl conquering her fears and accepting her ability to see and feel more than the average person.

Perhaps I have confined myself to a historical fiction/mystery/thriller genre for so long that I have difficulty appreciating a whimsical, magical, fantasy story, but I'm afraid old habits are hard to break. That being said, I'll stick to what I know intrigues my imagination, causes me to think and recognize that you can't always judge a book by its cover.

A tale where a snowy wonderland is the backdrop for building tension between the real and imagined worlds of medieval Russia. Vasilisa, the young heroine, seems destined for a higher purpose than a good marriage... sure enough, pretty soon she's battling evil forces left and right.

Although our book club members were skeptical about reading a book from the fantasy section of the bookstore, we were all entranced by the insights into medieval times and ancient beliefs of the Russia, which sometimes took the form of house and stable fairies needing care and attention to secure their protection. Great debut novel from an imaginative, young author and although first in a trilogy, it's a good read on its own.