A somewhat conventional fantasy story based on Russian folklore. I especially liked the strong sense of place and time, and the descriptions of desperately cold winters in the forest. The pacing is a little off and Vasya, the main character, is a bit too much of the stereotypical Chosen One and Not Like Other Girls characters. Other seemingly important characters vanish midway through the book, which feels like an awkward setup for sequels. I enjoyed reading this, but there was not enough depth in it to really stick with me.