Vasilisa

By M.L Farb

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy; YA Historical Romance; Clean Romance

Pages: 252 + Food For Thought and End Notes

Via: Author Request

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mom: Kimmi, what are you doing?!

Kimber: No interruptions, Mom! I’m practicing the Ruskan hopak and scouting up my balalaika.

Mom (eyes rolling): Hate to break it to you, Kimster. But you’re a dog. Dogs don’t dance the hopak. Or play the balalaika.

Kimber: Wanna bet?

And that’s where we were after turning the final page of M.L. Farb’s mesmerizingly masterful fairy tale/fantasy novel, Vasilisa. One of the main themes that shimmers throughout this witty and uber engaging story is a question: Is the heroine Vasilisa the strong or Vasilisa the good? Can she be both? How?

The 4-1-1

Told in the first person by Vasilisa, the story reads like historical fiction with splashes of romance, fantasy, and fairy tale. It includes lots of dreams which pull “Lisa” toward the forest. Are Lisa’s dreams mere flights of fancy or something else? Speakin’ of something else, she and her mom are servants at the Orlov manor. Vasilisa is constantly bullied by a bunch of idiots who taunt her with “Forest born! Ogre child! You’re nothing but a demon wild!” (Kimber: I’d bite them. But Mom won’t let me.)

Mount Everest?

Rather than retaliating against said idiots, Vasilisa bides her time until she’s sixteen and can return to the forest and freedom. An outcast among the servants and field hands due to her forest birth and fatherlessness, Vasilisa’s life and future at the manor hold only mockery and drudgery. Only Staver, the master’s son, is kind to her. His friendship pulls as strong as the forest. But nobility is prohibited from marrying a commoner by law. Meanwhile, Staver discovers there’s one way – and only one way-  nobility can marry a commoner. But the price is steep Very steep. We’re talkin’ Mount Everest here. Will it be too much?

Rumors

And oh yeah. Rumors fly about a war looming between the tsar and the Khan of the Golden Horde. (Mom: Every time I read “Khan” I kept seeing Ricardo Montalbán. Call it a brain freeze. Incidentally, so nice to see the word “horde” used properly here. For a change. You wouldn’t believe how many times we’ve seen it used improperly. Just sayin’.)

Where were we? Oh yeah. Rumors of war.

Eowyn-like, Lisa is tasked to get the women and children to safety at her birth home on a steep cliff shelf. As the ravaging hordes close in, let’s just say Vasilisa’s skill with a bow comes in handy, as does her courage and resourcefulness. When she winds up a prisoner of the Scythians, she’s shocked to find herself sharing a cell with Askold, son of Rurik. As in the tsar’s son. Prince of Ruska. Heir to the throne.

It soon becomes apparent that Vasilisa is a pawn in a vast and intricate game of chess. And that’s a game Vasilisa knows quite well. She better. Because Staver’s life depends on her skill and strategy. Will it be enough?

Book One of the Hearth and Bard Tale series, Vasilisa is a remarkable accomplishment. There’s a haunting, lyrical quality to the writing that’s almost melodic. We’re hearing echoes of Pasternak and Tolstoy. Maybe a little Chekhov.

A Clever Weft

Indeed, Vasilisa is a clever weft of folk/fairy tale, fantasy, myth and legend, action/adventure, and love story. This could be a royal mess in the hands of a lesser talent. But Farb pulls it off, page after enchanting page. We couldn’t put it down! Kimber: Mom forgot her chocolate break in order to finish this book. (That’s really sayin’ something for Her Momness, if ya know what I mean.)

Compelling, Captivating

In fact, it wasn’t long until we kinda forgot we were reading a story. The writing is so compelling and captivating, we felt like we’d fallen into the book. We weren’t just reading. We were part of the story. Right in the thick of things. Listening to a nightingale sing and a campfire crackle. Sneaking into the palace to grab some healing herbs for Dyeda. Crunching through deep snow. Inhaling apple scent. Watching a glimmering pre-dawn sky. And running like crazy from all the bad guys! And there are lots!

Tip: Pay attention to a wolf. That’s all we’re gonna say about that. So I’d listen up ‘fize you, Toots. (Don’t worry. It all makes sense later.)

One thing we tired of was the way Staver magically falls asleep most every time he and Vasilisa are plunged into peril. It’s just too pat. But it’s a plot device and not a big deal. So we’re willing to let it ride. Besides. It’s kind of cool. And who can resist that cover art? Almost as good as bacon! Almost.

Scene stealers: Dyeda and Baba, Vasilisa’s adoptive grandparents. And Thunder the hound. Our kinda doggie! Would’ve liked to have seen more of this canine.

‘V & V’ and ‘R & R’

We also loved how Vasilia is full of vim and vigor. You won’t find her doing the damsel in distress fluttering a hankie awaiting rescue thing. Nope. Forest born, resourceful and resolute, Vasilisa can take care of herself and her loved ones just fine, thank you very much. (You sooo don’t want to mess with this girl.)

My heart found new place,

Not of house, not of forest.

And wherever we dwell,

I am your home, and you are mine.

Expert

An expert storyteller, Farb packs a lot into 250-ish pages. Hope and despair. The balalaika. Loyalty and betrayal. Treachery. Double-crosses and five-star dumb bells (lookin at you, Gleb.) The balalaika. A wolf amulet. Shape-shifting. The balalaika. Sacrifice. Good and evil. Beauty and vileness. Choices. Longing and belonging. The Ruskan longbow. Red hair with a streak of black. A birch grove. Fair folk. Ogres. The balalaika. Romance. Battles. Shape-shifting. Family. Home. Did we mention the balalaika?

Kimber: Love to stay and chat, friends. But I gotta get back to my balalaika! Don’t tell Mom, okay?

 

Our Rating: 4.5