I picked this up as part of a virtual book club I am part of, and right of the bat, i am pleasantly surprised. It was nice to see references to Russian fairytales, use of Russian vocabulary without extensively spoon-feeding the reader on what the words meant (i am looking at you, nabokov). The characters were very well written, even the unlikable ones, and there was lots to investigate, read into and think about.

It was slow-paced at times and, being a slow reader with a bad attention span, I found that descriptive imagery went over my head. Nevertheless, it was a lovely read. Very heartwarming and close to home. Seeing fairytales I have read as a kid written in English, for English-speaking readers, is refreshing and not once did the author sway from their authenticity or make them completely absurd.

I did not realise it was part of a series, I felt that it was perfect as a standalone book. I am not too bothered to read the entire series, however, I most certainly recommend this to everyone, no matter the age (especially if you are familiar with Russian culture, fairytales and history).