What's the book about?

The book is a charming tale of Koschei and Vasilisa's marriage, and their adventures with their dogs, Hug and Munin. It's a beautifully crafted story with a unique blend of magic and romance.

Is the book part of a series?

No, 'They Lived Happily Ever After' is a standalone novel. However, the author has written several other books in the same genre.

What's the target audience for this book?

The book is suitable for readers of all ages who enjoy romance, magic, and adventure. However, some readers may find the writing style a bit too flowery.

Is the book available in paperback?

Yes, the book is available in paperback, but I haven't seen the print quality myself.

Can I read the book online for free?

No, the book is not available to read online for free. However, you can purchase a digital copy or a physical copy from your local bookstore.

Is the book part of a series?

No, 'They Lived Happily Ever After' is a standalone novel. However, the author has written several other books in the same genre.

What's the book's rating?

I'd give the book 4 out of 5 stars. It's a beautifully crafted story with a unique blend of magic and romance.

Can I return the book if I don't like it?

Yes, most bookstores offer a return policy. However, you should check with your local bookstore for their specific return policy.

How long does it take to read the book?

The book is a bit on the longer side, but it's worth the investment. I'd say it takes around 10-15 hours to read, depending on your reading speed.

A Charming Romance with a Touch of Magic

I'm a big reader, but I rarely write book reviews. I usually finish one book and start the next within a day or two. If you check out my reviews, you'll see that I have a soft spot for re-reads. That's why 'They Lived Happily Ever After' caught my attention.

Cover

The MIF edition is top-notch - great editing, and a beautiful cover. I'm not sure what to say about the print quality, since I haven't seen the book in paperback. The font used for the book title is styled after Old Church Slavonic, and the illustration on the cover features Slavic motifs.

At first, the cover almost put me off. I'm not even sure why. But I'm glad I didn't judge the book by its cover.

Blurb, on the other hand, sold me completely:

Koschei and Vasilisa have been married for many years. They're waiting for their dogs, Hug and Munin, at home, and in the West Siberian Department of Magic and Magical Migration, there are new challenges and problems: sometimes their brother and sister, who've lost their witch mentor, come crashing in, and sometimes their European colleagues drop by for a visit... Koschei and Vasilisa are happy in their marriage. But each of them has secrets and mistakes hiding behind their backs. And when the past drops by uninvited, will they be able to trust each other?..

There are dogs, an unexpected union between Koschei and Vasilisa, an unfamiliar lingo, and the promise of past mysteries. In short, I started reading almost immediately after reading the blurb.

About the author

Aleksandra Selyutina is a Russian author. She's been writing for a while, and this is her first book in print, just a couple of years ago.

I like how she writes. She has a great sense of humor, and that's something I love.

Aside from 'They Lived Happily Ever After', there's also a sequel, 'The Children of Koscheevs' (I'll write a review for it later). And on her website, there are four more books in this universe that are available for free. I plan on reading them too.

Page count is substantial - 704 pages, and the audiobook is 23 hours long. I devoured it in three days, putting all my other tasks on hold - luckily, there weren't many of them during the May holidays. I only regretted that the book was over.

The cost of the paperback is astronomical - between 925 on the MIF website and 2000 rubles! Yes, it's MIF, and yes, it's beautiful. But 2000 for a book?... I saw the minimum price as 660 rubles with discounts.

The e-book on Litres costs 449 rubles, and the audiobook is 549 (I'm listing the full prices, without discounts or bonuses). Both book formats are also included in the Litres subscription (I'll write a review about it someday). I'm a subscriber, and that's how I read it.

Story

I was periodically immersed in two stories: one that unfolds in the present, and another that took place n-number of years ago.

In the past, Vasilisa and Koschei (the main characters) lived in the Thirty-Third Kingdom. Koschei was a king and ruler of Navi, a lonely man. Vasilisa was a young witch, a student of Yaga, and a bride-to-be. To be honest, it was Yaga who brought them together, and later Koschei romantically proposed to Vasilisa, who delicately declined, while Koschei persistently insisted.

While reading those past snippets, I often felt strange and unclear about how these two could become a couple in the present.

In the present, they're actually a married couple, working at the Magic Regulation Office, and living in a world that's eerily similar to ours. And the past begins to interfere with their lives.

Characters

We meet familiar characters, yet they're also different. Here, we encounter characters from Russian folk tales, but with a twist:

Vasilisa is a modern, independent woman who allowed Koschei to marry her. She's still soft and feminine, proper, and principled. I found her quite likable. And, honestly, I think I identified with Vasilisa the most.

Koschei is a tough, authoritative man, but also a bit of a scaredy-cat. He's a dark magician who's willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants (or is he?). I also liked Koschei, but in conflicts, I usually sided with Vasilisa.

Bauyn is probably my favorite character. He's the head of the Magic Regulation Office. A cat who's always in a bad mood, but somehow charming. And he's willing to stick up for his employees, or even discipline them if they mess up.

Lebed is a character I couldn't quite grasp. She seems to emanate a threat, as if she's evil incarnate. But, honestly, she doesn't do anything overtly evil (or I've just forgotten...), and her malevolence isn't justified by the author.

Of course, there are other characters – familiar and new – but I've only mentioned the main ones I found most interesting.

Audiobook

The narrator is Daria Berezoyskaya, a cinema and voice actress. I hadn't heard her before, and she's only narrated six books on LitRes. Besides this series, I'm not particularly interested in her work. To be honest, I'd like to reserve her voice only for this fairy tale.

At first, I wasn't fond of the narration. It was strange, but something about her voice made me feel like I was being told a fairy tale. It wasn't the story itself that bothered me, but the voice – the way she read it. However, I soon became so engrossed in the story that I stopped noticing the narration. And eventually, I even started to enjoy her voice – it was soft and unhurried. I listened at 1.5x speed, wanting to get to the next part sooner.

What I liked

Firstly, the atmosphere, where magic blends with SMS, cars, and coffee. It reminded me of the world described in 'The Iron King' (you can read my review here).

2. I loved how gentle and trustworthy Vasilia and Koschei's relationship was. It was like they could discuss anything and overcome their past and mistakes together.

3. The detective elements were great. I'm a huge fan of fairy tales, but I think my favorite genre is detective stories. Throughout the whole story, there's an ongoing mystery - trying to find the villain and understand their motives. Spoiler alert: they do find and understand the villain.

What didn't I like

1. Despite the sweetness and trustworthiness of Vasilia and Koschei's relationship, I still couldn't understand how their love came to be, especially considering the events that had happened between Vasilia and the people of Navia over the past three years (I'm not going to give away too many spoilers). I just don't get why she forgave him.

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But I would absolutely recommend this book. I'll definitely be re-reading it again.

At the time of writing this review, I stumbled upon an interview with Alena Sel'yutina, where the author answers the question of who her book is for:

— Who would be interested in reading your book?

My books were once compared to a warm drink when you're feeling under the weather - like a tea with honey. I write for people who are feeling under the weather. If you need a helping hand to get back on your feet, then I'm writing for you.

And that's exactly what I needed. I found a helping hand in this book. I hope someone else will find it too after reading my review.

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You can read my reviews of other fairy tales and retellings here:

an unexpected retelling of Snow White

a very unpleasant retelling of Peter Pan

a sad story about the Red Queen, after which I felt sorry for her

a not-so-evil 'evil queen' in the Snow White story