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). However, Yaga soons find out that the tsarina's enemy is a formidable one, has deep knowledge of the supernatural and it's about more than Yaga's childhood friend.

Afierce, historically rich reimagining of the story of Baba Yaga.. full of complicated, three-dimensional women.” –Paste Magazine 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.

But there’s far more to it. When reading the author’s note, you learn of what inspired the author and what she hoped to achieve. I think she did. This is one of those books that will only grow richer with rereading.

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?” Olesya Salnikova Gilmore weaves a rich tapestry of mythology and Russian history, reclaiming and reinventing the infamous Baba Yaga, and bringing to life a vibrant and tumultuous Russia, where old gods and new tyrants vie for power. This fierce and compelling novel draws from the timeless lore to create a heroine for the modern day, fighting to save her country and those she loves from oppression while also finding her true purpose as a goddess, a witch, and a woman. The characterization was a mixed bag. Yaga didn’t seem to have the power, knowledge, and decision-making capability she should have had after living for centuries. Tsar Ivan the Terrible was well-done and brought chills to this reader. A delicate weaving of myth and history, The Witch and the Tsar breathes new life into stories you think you know."–Hannah Whitten , New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf A delicate weaving of myth and history, The Witch and the Tsar breathes new life into stories you think you know.”Russia’s fascinating myths and violent history swirl like ingredients in a magic potion in The Witch and the Tsar, with enchanting results. A vivid, immersive dream of a story.” Your portrayal of Tsar Ivan as he becomes increasingly volatile on his path to becoming Ivan the Terrible – how important was it to you to hold up a mirror to current events through a historical figure? Her old friend Anastasia, now married to Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, visits Yaga, suffering from an unknown illness. Yaga realizes the fate of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s health and travels to Moscow to be with her. A volatile situation, an unknown antagonist, and the tsar being manipulated by one or more individuals are only the beginning of the problems.

So first off, this is not actually a book featuring Baba Yaga. This is a book about a half-mortal child of a Slavic goddess, a woman who is physically frozen in her thirties and works as a magical healer, especially of women. Her name is Yaga, but she is not Baba Yaga. The myths and folklore we know are false, lies spread by hateful Christians, particularly hateful Christian men.

Praise

Either way, it was best to put him at ease, as was my practice with new clients. Those who came for succor found it in my hut. Healing filled the empty hours of my days, kept my hands occupied and my mind busy, gave me a sense of purpose. If I could have lived among mortals, healing and advising them, I would. Malaprop's Bookstore & Cafe - The Book of Gothel: Mary McMyne in convo with Olesya Salnikova Gilmore - video - Gilmore reads from the beginning of her book - 0:00 to 21:48. Mary McMyne then reads from her book - to 39:43. Then Stephanie Jones-Byrne interviews them from about 40 minutes At this part, we witness the political atmosphere and true historical aspects of Russian history where it has been ruled by blood thirsty, paranoid, threatening leader Ivan IV. And we also enjoy the wild, epic journey of Yaga who really cares more about Russian people than the ruler of the empire, bold enough to fight against the enemy to shed blood and finding a man who sees her and accepts her as she is. And always, the males of whatever species ended up being the baddies. The problem? Not all women are good, not all men are evil and making it so is not only feminist revenge porn, it also makes the characters flat. Not to mention that Baba Yaga was unapologetic. She punished and she teased. She wasn't evil, not exactly, but she also didn't give out freebies. Why should she have?! Wishes or magical remedies ... they cost. As they should. And just because there IS a witch living in "your" woods doesn't mean she HAS to help you.