Set in Tsarist Russia, Gregory Maguire's (Wicked) suspenseful story conjures the folkloric figure Baba Yaga--a hilariously acerbic old witch--and incorporates fantastic creatures such as the Firebird, an ice-dragon and a talking cat, to create a fairytale saga that will delight and challenge its readers.
Thirteen-year-old Elena struggles to keep her dying mother alive in the poverty-stricken village of Miersk. With no food or medicine, and with one brother working abroad and the other conscripted into the army, she resolves to ask the Tsar for help. Meanwhile, Ekaterina, or "Cat," finds her private train stuck in Miersk, delaying her arrival in St. Petersburg for the Tsar's ball. When the train takes off unexpectedly, Elena is trapped aboard and Cat is sent tumbling out the door and into the path of Baba Yaga. There are larger problems than the girls' swapped fates, however. " 'Something is wrong with the world,' said the witch, almost to herself. 'It appears to be broken.' " As seasons grow erratic and the Firebird--the "Spirit of All the Russias"--goes missing, Cat and Baba Yaga head to St. Petersburg (and Elena) to alert the Tsar. All three characters must band together to restore the world's natural order and magic.
Alternating, ultimately interweaving story lines add complexity to a plot driven by an enticing mix of mystery, danger and magic--a combination sure to appeal to fans of Tom McNeal's Far, Far Away. Themes of friendship, family and self-discovery underpin the girls' fantastic adventures, creating a new take on this classic Russian tale. --Julia Smith, blogger and former children's bookseller