The Girl in the Tower (2018)

The Girl In The Tower is a 2017 historical fantasy novel written by Katherine Arden. It is the second novel in the Winternight trilogy. The Girl In The Tower is set in medieval Russia and incorporates elements of Russian folklore.

Plot

Vasilisa "Vasya" Petrovna has departed her childhood home of Lesnaya Zemlya atop her stallion, Solovey, leaving behind her brothers and her paternal half-sister. She rides through the winter forest until she comes across a solitary house in a fir grove. She is greeted by Morozko, the frost-demon, who ushers her inside.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, Vasya's sister, Olga Vladmimirova, restlessly awaits the return of her brother, Aleksandr "Sasha" Petrovich. In the eight years since she left their small countryside village and became the Princess of Serpukhov, Olga gave birth to two children, a daughter and a son, and is heavily pregnant with her third. Sasha has garnered respect and fame as a great warrior monk of the Orthodox church and advisor to the Grand Prince of Moscow, Dmitrii Ivanovich. In Olga's terem (tower) surrounded by her fellow noblewomen, a woman named Darinka shares a frightening ghost story. As she finishes, Olga's daughter, Marya, cries out, claiming to see the ghost she described.

The following morning, Sasha returns in the company of a sick and injured priest named Konstantin Nikonovich whom he found on his journey back to Moscow. Sasha informs his sister that Tatar bandits are burning villages and kidnapping girls. Desperate to put an end to this madness, he seeks to council the Grand Prince. Konstantin awakens and informs Olga that he has travelled from her childhood home. He shares the news that both her father and stepmother are dead, killed by a bear foolishly provoked by her younger sister. He claims that Vasya, whom he calls a witch, fled into the frozen forest and must also be dead.

A boyar with flaming red hair named Kasyan Lutovich arrives in Moscow with a report that bolsters Sasha's claims. Convinced, Dmitrii rides out with Sasha and Kasyan to investigate. The party comes across burnt villages and are informed that girls have indeed been kidnapped. Kasyan sets off to gather more men, promising to reunite with them at Sasha's home, Trinity Lavra monastery. When Sasha and the Grand Prince arrive, they find it already filled with refugees fleeing the bandits. They are stunned when a rider on a great bay stallion appears at the monastery gate with three rescued girls, warning that bandits are in pursuit. Despite having been separated for 8 years, Sasha is quick to recognize the rider as his sister, Vasya, disguised as a boy.

The story returns to the night Vasya fled her village and sought refuge with Morozko. The frost-demon expresses frustration at her recklessness, insisting that she return home and find her place among her people. Vasya reveals her desire to see the world, asking only that Morozko gift her the warm clothes and silver he once offered as her dowry. Morozko cautions that the wilderness is not a safe place for a lone girl, but in the end he respects her wishes and provides her with generous provisions. Before her departure, he makes her promise to never remove the sapphire pendant.

On the road with Solovey, Vasya briefly shares her camp with a chyert she calls Midnight. She reaches the town of Chudovo and, dressed as a boy, has a brief encounter with Kasyan. Not long after, she is attacked by two men in a bathhouse and narrowly escapes thanks to the bannik and a sudden, unnatural snowstorm. In the wake of this altercation, Vasya falls gravely ill. Morozko only intervenes when she is near death. He heals her with the power of the necklace and provides her with shelter and food. Later, his white mare chastises his inability to leave Vasya to her fate, confirming that he harbours affection for the girl. He spends a few more days with Vasya during which he teaches her to fight with a dagger so she might better defend herself.

Following Morozko's departure, Vasya discovers a smouldering village. The survivors inform her that bandits kidnapped three girls, and Vasya resolves to rescue them. The village's domovoi (house spirit) provides her with a magic glowing coal to track the bandits. She locates their camp and, after killing a raider using the dagger gifted to her by Morozko, hauls the girls onto Solovey's back. The chyert Midnight "Polunochnitsa" directs Vasya toward Trinity Lavra monastery.

At the Lavra, Sasha begrudgingly aids Vasya in maintaining her disguise. She calls herself Vasili Petrovich, claiming to be Sasha's younger brother. Impressed by her bravery, Dmitrii insists she guide them back to the bandits' camp. Kasyan arrives with his men, and the party sets upon the raiders. During the battle, Sasha witnesses a white mare and her rider protecting Vasya.

Vasya, Dmitrii, Sasha and Kasyan return to Moscow, where Olga agrees to help Vasya maintain her disguise. She confronts Konstantin, growing suspicious of the verity of his claims surrounding Pyotr and Anna's deaths. As Vasili, Vasya attends a feast with Dmitrii, where she recognizes the new Tatar ambassador, Chelubey, as the surviving bandit leader from the camp. The following day, Vasya meets Olga's daughter, Marya, who reveals that she shares Vasya's gift to see and speak with fantastical creatures. Vasya sways Marya against fearing her powers, suggesting instead that she use them to keep the chyerti of her abode nourished and strong. Marya also informs her that the tower is haunted by a ghost.