A Magical World of Slavic Fantasy: 'Girl with Magical Powers Travels with a Vampire, Wolf, and Shapeshifters' Review

This book has been sitting on my shelf for ages, and I've finally gotten around to reading it – courtesy of a friend. I'm a big fan of fantasy, but it's been a while since I last read a book in this genre. So, I was excited to dive into the world of Slavic fantasy.

Initially released in 2022, this book was published by T8. It's the debut novel by the author, and I think it's a great start. What's a bummer, though, is that the print run was relatively small – my copy has a print run of 5000, which is tiny compared to other popular fantasy books like 'Marusia and Morok', which had a combined print run of over 1 million copies.

Despite its relatively low profile, the book has mostly positive reviews across various platforms.

On LitRes, it has a rating of 4.8;On Chitaigorod, it's 4.9;On World of Books, it's 4.9;Ozon has it at 5;[link]My copy is from AST, published in 2023.

Volume:

448 pages.

Download format:

epub, fb2, fb3, ios.epub, mobi, pdf, txt, zip.

This book is widely available in bookstores across Belarus and Russia – you can even find it on popular marketplaces. The price ranges from 600 to 800 rubles.

I really liked the cover design – it's eye-catching, and the font is easy to read. The book also includes some illustrations, and it's divided into large chapters. The paper is offset, sturdy, but it has yellowed over time.

Book description:

Hayta was saved by the shepherds and given magical powers, but she was shunned by society. Her life was one of loneliness, until fate brought her companions who shared her desire to escape the dark past and live differently. Together, they tried to preserve the remnants of the world between humans and creatures.

But will they be able to see it through to the end?

For in the Shadow Forest, evil is thriving. The Chimaera seeks revenge. And the past that Hayta and her companions so desperately tried to forget is not ready to let them go...

Okay, let's get into it. The foundation of this story is pretty similar to other Slavic fantasy tales. We've got our 16- to 18-year-old protagonist, Hetha, who gets these powers as a kid, but her hometown isn't exactly welcoming. Then, of course, she's declared an outcast – the classic move. This is where the main plot really kicks in (we're talking over 100 pages).

The world's setup is pretty clear: every living being, whether they've got powers or not, lives on their own turf. There are borders in place that've been there for ages, and it's all about people and magic coexisting in harmony – but let's be real, can you really expect everyone to get along with the rules in place?

Time-wise, the book doesn't give us super clear markers, but based on the daily lives of both humans and magical creatures, I'd say it's set in a time period that's roughly equivalent to the pre-industrial era – no machines or tech whatsoever.

At first, I didn't think this book was going to grab me, but things changed the moment Hetha left her hometown and met Gedor, a regular guy who just so happens to be a shapeshifting wolf named Bron, a shapeshifting horse named Harp, and a vampire named Mara. That's when I got fully immersed in this world. I was hooked – I needed to know what happened next to the characters, who they'd meet on their journey, and how their love lives would play out.

– We're outcasts. Drifters without a family, without a home, or a homeland. Fate brought us together, and ever since, we've been wandering.

What I loved about this book is the way the story's told from the third-person perspective. The author does a great job of getting inside each character's head, even the secondary ones. You really feel like you're part of the world they're living in.

The author takes their time to introduce you to the characters' past, explaining how this magical world works. To make it easier to follow, there's a map on the inside covers showing where the characters live. I loved how the author included so many details about the magical creatures, plants, and artifacts in the story. For beginners, there's even a cheat sheet at the beginning that you can refer back to when needed.What I appreciate most is how much care the author puts into describing every little detail. It's like you're right there with the characters, exploring the forest and imagining yourself as the heroine. I can tell the author put a lot of love and attention to detail into this book.I don't know how long it took Jana Wood to write this, but you can tell she's passionate about her work and the natural world. I relate to the main character's love for nature and animals, and her innate curiosity.

One thing that stood out to me was the author's writing style – it's polished and well-edited. I didn't find any typos or punctuation errors, except for a few instances where I wasn't sure about the vocabulary. It's clear that the author and editor put a lot of effort into making this book shine. I also appreciate that the author didn't shy away from using more complex vocabulary, which adds depth to the story.I know it's not a requirement, but I want to give a shout-out to the team that worked on this book. It's clear they're committed to producing high-quality content. Unfortunately, I couldn't find much information about the author, but the fact that she's a linguist speaks volumes about her expertise.

The language used is contemporary, but there are some archaic words and phrases that add to the story's charm. What I found particularly interesting was the way the author created a unique language for different cultures and magical creatures. It's like you're reading a dictionary as much as a novel!

I love how the dialogue isn't dry, it's like real conversations. There's humor and witty banter between the characters (Mahr, the vampire, really shines in this department). It's great to see how the main characters bond with each other. Not just because the author says they're close, but because they show real-life situations that make Hetta's new friends feel like family, not just temporary acquaintances.– You're so small, – her lips curled up. – So brave. And so... alone. Your heart is searching for something. Friendship, love. Naive child. You're alone now – you'll be alone forever.

I was glad to know this is the first book in a series, so I didn't get all the answers right away. That's exactly what the author wants – to keep me hooked and curious about what's to come. The stories of the characters will unfold gradually, including their romantic relationships – there are two of them, Hetta and Harpy. We also don't know much about Hetta's abilities yet.

Warning: there are no explicit scenes in this book (no sex or erotic content). However, if you consider detailed descriptions of injuries or fights as explicit, then there's a bit of that. There's also no profanity or bad language.The book is built around everyday actions: Hetta and the others travel the world using a special stone to help people or magical creatures in need. They use a map to find the location of the problem. But by the end of the book (and even before that), it's clear that Hetta's main goal is to save the world from the ultimate evil... That's roughly where the first book ends. During one of these adventures, we'll meet Harpy's family: her father and brother. Since the characters don't know who to trust or who the villain is, you might even get to play detective along with them.

– A magical map! But how do you understand it? – It shows where the trouble is, – replied the tracker. – Where the red light appears is where the two worlds intersect: the human world and the world of magic.

I've got to say, there's no moment of utter ridiculousness or stupidity in this book that makes you want to pull your hair out. The one thing that did catch my attention about the main character, Heta, is that she's way too good. Sometimes, it's to the point where it's hard to believe. For instance, she's still debating whether it's okay to kill someone who's done something terrible to someone else, and so on. But other than that, her thoughts are pretty sound. She doesn't want to 'create' evil, considering how much of it's already out there in the world.

– There's already enough evil in the world. You don't need to know about your magic map for that. And if we want to reduce the amount of evil, we should try not to create any more, right? That's just pointless...

As for the other characters, Gedor is someone who doesn't have supernatural powers, but he's incredibly strong, can fight, and is wise. He's the one who possessed the stone and the map. He's like the father figure to the group, and everyone looks up to him. There's no mention of his age in the book, but considering his past, I'd say he's the oldest in this unusual bunch.

Mahr is a vampire, and he's the group's resident jokester and prankster. I really liked him. Without him, the book would have been dull. In the first book, we don't know much about his past. As for his special abilities, he can control people's minds.

Bron is a werewolf. He's serious, brooding, and pessimistic. He's got superhuman strength and a keen sense of smell. He's also in love with one of the heroines.

Harpa is a fierce, brave, and strong lynx-shifter. She's also sarcastic and quick-witted. At first, she doesn't like Heta (she's protective of someone), but that's not the point of the story. She's not one to go easy on people who've wronged her (I completely agree with her).

As for the magical creatures, their bodies can regenerate quickly, and they live longer than humans. Each of them has a past they'd rather forget, and they've all done things they're not proud of at some point.

Now, about Heta. I mentioned her already. She can heal others, but not herself. As the story progresses, her abilities expand. She can emit magical light from her hands and eyes. The animals in the forest don't fear her, sensing the power of nature within her.

The book is full of quotes that are worth remembering. There are plenty of thoughts that resonate with me, especially when it comes to hunting:

– Dad, old Gal said that hunters and trackers kill animals. – Enar pulled his warm blanket up to his chin. – Is that true? – Yeah, son, – Gedor nodded. – But only to survive. A true hunter wouldn't kill an animal just for fun or when they've got enough food. Anyone who does that is just a plain killer.

I've seen people say that true age isn't measured in years, but in the experiences you've had, the stuff that's broken you, worn you down, and left you feeling older than your actual age. And I've experienced that firsthand. It's not just about the wrinkles or gray hair – it's about the look in your eyes. A look that says you've seen it all, and you're not impressed. That's what I saw in the characters of these books.

Over the weekend, I devoured both books, and I'm not ashamed to admit it – I read over 1,000 pages in just a couple of days. Now, I'm itching to get my hands on the next one.

\'You're Fae-Cha, the child of two worlds,\' she said with a knowing smile. \'The times ahead will be tumultuous, filled with great events. And you'll play a crucial role in them.\'

Verdict. If you're a fan of the genre, I highly recommend it! If you've enjoyed books like 'Maru and Morok' or 'KSHIR', you'll love this one. And I'm excited to continue sharing my thoughts on this series!