Series: The Grisha
Published by Tor on June 5th 2012
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 43
Format: eBook
Source: Bought
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The Witch of Duva
There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls...or so the story goes. But it’s just possible that the danger may be a little bit closer to home. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s debut novel, Shadow and Bone.
The Too-Clever Fox
In Ravka, just because you avoid one trap, it doesn't mean you'll escape the next. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s upcoming novel, Siege and Storm, the second book in the Grisha Trilogy.
Dark Fairy Tales
It’s no secret that we Bookworms are fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha series. So when I saw that she had published two novellas set in the Grisha series world, I snapped them up. I was thrilled to find they were as just as edgy and dreamy as the novels whose world they share.
In The Witch of Duva, the Hansel and Gretel tale is skillfully interwoven with threads of horror to morph into a tale that is uniquely of the Grisha world. Nadya is very much a fairy tale figure: mother dead, father estranged, starving along with her fellow villagers as a strange evil lurks in the forest just at the edge of her home. Enter a woman, beautiful and looking to replace Nadya’s mother and soon Nadya’s forced into the forest. What does she find there? Knowledge? Yes. Power? Again, yes. Yet in the end, her happily-ever-after is bittersweet. But what else could one expect when Leigh Bardugo is at the helm of the story? And how does this novella flesh out the Ravkan world? Think on this: what is the price of knowledge and power? And what price would you pay, to stop a monster?
If The Witch of Duva is an exploration of knowledge and it’s price, then The Too-Clever Fox, ponders the question of whether cleverness is a blessing or a curse. As with everything in the dark world Leigh Bardugo has created, every gift waits to cut it’s beneficiary like a knife offered blade out. Interestingly enough, this story is told from the perspective of the animals, with Koja the fox the unlikely hero. A runt, fighting for his life since the day he was born, he’s used to using his wits to keep his hide attached to his bones. When a hunter of mythic proportions enters his forest, it will take all his wits to save his companions in the forest. And when he comes upon the hunters’ sad sister, he must learn that some secrets are best left unexplored.
Dark and lovely, these novellas glitter like bright jewels in the night. Enjoy these stories while you wait for what’s next in Alina’s tale.
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This sounds like an excellent series. Can the novellas be read as a stand alone? Or would I need to read the first two books in the series first?
Laureen recently posted..Three by Jay Posey
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I definitely am enjoying it, Laureen!! The novellas are totally stand-alone, they’re more like folk tales from the Shadow and Bone world.
Pushy recently posted..Super Six Sunday – Pushy’s Super 6 Killer Endings
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That’s awesome. I’ll have to look for those novellas then. Thanks for letting me know!
Laureen recently posted..Stacking the Shelves [1]
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LOVE Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha series!! I hear that she’d written fairy tales for her world (now, isn’t that a cool idea!) but haven’t read them. Looks like I’m going to have to remedy that, especially since I do so adore dark fairy tales (well, original fairy tales. Because those suckers are all dark!).
Mary @ BookSwarm recently posted..Multiple Minis: Bagging a Supernatural of My Own
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I still haven’t read these! I know I have a novella of hers but I don’t recall which one. I should really give it a read! I love her world!
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I read both of these, but couldn’t review them, but you’ve done the perfect job of it here, Pushy. I completely agree with your thoughts! There’s something about Leigh Bardugo’s writing that makes it so easy for me to read her work. I’m really glad you loved both of these short stories. 🙂
Sam @ Realm of Fiction recently posted..Review: Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay
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Thanks so much, Sam!!!
Pushy recently posted..Super Six Sunday – Pushy’s Super 6 Killer Endings
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Just finished the first two books in the Grisham Trilogy. I must say that the chatter about these books is all true! I did enjoy Siege and Storm just a bit more than Shadow and Bone primarily because of the introduction of Sturmhund, a “privateer” (aka pirate of sorts) who is just fantastic! This series is a MUST READ!
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I really enjoyed these as well!! I love how Leigh Bardugo created her own fairy tales to just extend that world building one more layer. They felt like real stories (although I guess all fairy tales are really just myths anyway) but it felt like this was an entirely real world. Very entertaining, great stories, and even twists!! Absolutely loved them.
Brittany @ The Book Addict’s Guide recently posted..Beauty Queens – Libba Bray
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I love the Witch of Duva, I really need to check out The Too-Clever Fox!
Claire @ Bitches With Books recently posted..A to Z Survey
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I definitely need to check out these novellas…and pick up the second book in this series:)
Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf recently posted..Mini Book Reviews: Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L Reid & Domino Falls by Steven Barnes & Tananarive Due
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As a fan of Bardugo’s books, it sounds like I definitely need to check out both of these novellas!
“Dark and lovely, these novellas glitter like bright jewels in the night.” — nicely stated! 🙂
YA Book Queen recently posted..Review: DARE YOU TO by Katie McGarry
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It’s nice to see that these aren’t about the main characters from the Grisha trilogy cause you know….I just loathe Mal. haha
pabkins recently posted..Review: Queen’s Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle
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