Download or read book The Witch and the Tsar written by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2023-08-22 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A delicate weaving of myth and history, The Witch and the Tsar breathes new life into stories you think you know."–Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf In this stunning debut novel, the maligned and immortal witch of legend known as Baba Yaga will risk all to save her country and her people from Tsar Ivan the Terrible—and the dangerous gods who seek to drive the twisted hearts of men. As a half-goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumors about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia—now the wife of the tsar, and suffering from a mysterious illness—arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves. As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan—soon to become Ivan the Terrible—grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine. Olesya Salnikova Gilmore weaves a rich tapestry of mythology and Russian history, reclaiming and reinventing the infamous Baba Yaga, and bringing to life a vibrant and tumultuous Russia, where old gods and new tyrants vie for power. This fierce and compelling novel draws from the timeless lore to create a heroine for the modern day, fighting to save her country and those she loves from oppression while also finding her true purpose as a goddess, a witch, and a woman.
Download or read book Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine 1000 1900 written by Valerie A. Kivelson and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2020-11-15 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This sourcebook provides the first systematic overview of witchcraft laws and trials in Russia and Ukraine from medieval times to the late nineteenth century. Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine, 1000–1900 weaves scholarly commentary with never-before-published primary source materials translated from Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian. These sources include the earliest references to witchcraft and sorcery, secular and religious laws regarding witchcraft and possession, full trial transcripts, and a wealth of magical spells. The documents present a rich panorama of daily life and reveal the extraordinary power of magical words. Editors Valerie A. Kivelson and Christine D. Worobec present new analyses of the workings and evolution of legal systems, the interplay and tensions between church and state, and the prosaic concerns of the women and men involved in witchcraft proceedings. The extended documentary commentaries also explore the shifting boundaries and fraught political relations between Russia and Ukraine.
Download or read book The Haunting of Maddy Clare written by Simone St. James and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2022-10-04 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A woman of limited means and even less experience must confront a vengeful spirit in this haunting novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Broken Girls and The Sun Down Motel. 1920s England. Sarah Piper’s lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist an obsessed ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis—rich, handsome, and scarred by World War I—has been summoned to investigate the spirit of the nineteen-year-old maid Maddy Clare, who is said to haunt the barn where she committed suicide. Maddy hated men in life, and she will not speak to them in death. But Sarah is unprepared to confront an angry ghost—real or imagined—on her own. She’s even less prepared for the arrival of Alistair’s associate, rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, also a veteran of the trenches, whose scars go deeper than Sarah can reach. Soon, Sarah is caught up in a desperate struggle. For Maddy’s ghost is no hoax—she’s real, she’s angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Now, Sarah and Matthew must discover who Maddy was, where she came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance—before she destroys them all....
Download or read book Baba Yaga written by Sibelan Elizabeth S. Forrester and published by Univ. Press of Mississippi. This book was released on 2013-08 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A beautiful illustrated collection of fairy tales about the most iconic and active of Russian magical characters
Download or read book Baba Yaga written by Sibelan Forrester and published by Univ. Press of Mississippi. This book was released on 2013-08-13 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Baba Yaga is an ambiguous and fascinating figure. She appears in traditional Russian folktales as a monstrous and hungry cannibal, or as a canny inquisitor of the adolescent hero or heroine of the tale. In new translations and with an introduction by Sibelan Forrester, Baba Yaga: The Wild Witch of the East in Russian Fairy Tales is a selection of tales that draws from the famous collection of Aleksandr Afanas'ev, but also includes some tales from the lesser-known nineteenth-century collection of Ivan Khudiakov. This new collection includes beloved classics such as "Vasilisa the Beautiful" and "The Frog Princess," as well as a version of the tale that is the basis for the ballet "The Firebird." The preface and introduction place these tales in their traditional context with reference to Baba Yaga's continuing presence in today's culture--the witch appears iconically on tennis shoes, tee shirts, even tattoos. The stories are enriched with many wonderful illustrations of Baba Yaga, some old (traditional "lubok" woodcuts), some classical (the marvelous images from Victor Vasnetsov or Ivan Bilibin), and some quite recent or solicited specifically for this collection
Download or read book The Light of the Midnight Stars written by Rena Rossner and published by Redhook. This book was released on 2021-04-13 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Experience an evocative combination of fantasy, history, and Jewish folklore in this lush and lyrical fairytale-inspired novel from the author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood. Deep in the Hungarian woods, the sacred magic of King Solomon lives on in his descendants. Gathering under the midnight stars, they perform small miracles and none are more gifted than the great Rabbi Isaac and his three daughters. Hannah, bookish and calm, can coax plants to grow even when the weather is bitterly cold. Sarah, defiant and strong, can control the impulsive nature of fire. And Levana, the fey one, can read the path of the stars to decipher their secrets. But darkness is creeping across Europe, threatening the lives of every Jewish person in every village. Each sister will have to make an impossible choice in an effort to survive—and change the fate of their family forever. Praise for The Light of the Midnight Stars: "Storytelling as spellcasting. Rossner has conjured something vivid and wild and true."—Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies "Rossner creates a lush, immersive world through which the sprawling plot meanders, punctuated by moments of intense grief. The result is as lovely as it is heartbreaking." —Publishers Weekly "Rossner's tale is as lyrical as the slow growth of roots, the quick dance of fire, and the stately procession of the stars. Blending folktale with history, hope with tragedy, its touch will linger on your heart long after you put it down."—Marie Brennan For more from Rena Rossner, check out The Sisters of the Winter Wood.
Download or read book Baba Yaga written by Andreas Johns and published by Peter Lang. This book was released on 2004 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Baba Yaga is a well-known witch from the folklore tradition of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. A fascinating and colorful character, she resembles witches of other traditions but is in many ways unique. Living in the forest in a hut that stands and moves on chicken legs, she travels in a mortar with a pestle and sweeps away her tracks with a broom. In some tales she tries to harm the protagonist, while in others she is helpful. This book investigates the image and ambiguity of Baba Yaga in detail and considers the meanings she has for East Slavic culture. Providing a broad survey of folktales and other sources, it is the most thorough study of Baba Yaga yet published and will be of interest to students of anthropology, comparative literature, folklore, and Slavic and East European studies.
Download or read book Babushka Baba Yaga written by Patricia Polacco and published by Penguin. This book was released on 1999-01-25 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the beloved New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of Thank You, Mr. Falker and Pink and Say. Baba Yaga is a witch famous throughout Russia for eating children, but this Babushka Baba Yaga is a lonely old woman who just wants a grandchild--to love. "Kids will respond to the joyful story of the outsider who gets to join in, and Polacco's richly patterned paintings of Russian peasant life on the edge of the woods are full of light and color." -- Booklist "A warm, lively tale, neatly mixing new and old and illustrated with Polacco's usual energetic action, bright folk patterns, and affectionate characterizations." --Kirkus Reviews
Download or read book The Witches of St Petersburg written by Imogen Edwards-Jones and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2019-01-22 with total page 482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Readers fascinated with the Romanovs and this tumultuous period in Russian history will be enthralled by this deliciously dark and memorable novel.” —Publishers Weekly Inspired by real characters, this transporting historical fiction debut spins the fascinating story of two princesses in the Romanov court who practiced black magic, befriended the Tsarina, and invited Rasputin into their lives—forever changing the course of Russian history. As daughters of the impoverished King of Montenegro, Militza and Stana must fulfill their duty to their father and leave their beloved home for St. Petersburg to be married into senior positions in the Romanov court. For their new alliances to the Russian nobility will help secure the future of the sisters’ native country. Immediately, Militza and Stana feel like outcasts as the aristocracy shuns them for their provincial ways and for dabbling in the occult. Undeterred, the sisters become resolved to make their mark by falling in with the lonely, depressed Tsarina Alexandra, who—as an Anglo-German—is also an outsider and is not fully accepted by members of the court. After numerous failed attempts to precipitate the birth of a son and heir, the Tsarina is desperate and decides to place her faith in the sisters’ expertise with black magic. Promising the Tsarina that they will be able to secure an heir for the Russian dynasty, Militza and Stana hold séances and experiment with rituals and spells. Gurus, clairvoyants, holy fools, and charlatans all try their luck. The closer they become to the Tsarina and the royal family, the more their status—and power—is elevated. But when the sisters invoke a spiritual shaman, who goes by the name of Rasputin, the die is cast. For they have not only irrevocably sealed their own fates—but also that of Russia itself.
Download or read book Last Ones Left Alive written by Sarah Davis-Goff and published by Flatiron Books. This book was released on 2019-08-27 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Combines the spare poetry of The Road with the dizzying pace of 28 Days Later.” —Jennie Melamed, author Gather the Daughters “A riveting novel.” —Eowyn Ivey, bestselling author of The Snow Child Remember your just-in-cases. Beware tall buildings. Always have your knives. Raised in isolation by her mother and Maeve on a small island off the coast of a post-apocalyptic Ireland, Orpen’s life has revolved around training to fight a threat she’s never seen. More and more she feels the call of the mainland, and the prospect of finding other survivors. But that is where danger lies, too, in the form of the flesh-eating menace known as the skrake. Then disaster strikes. Alone, pushing an unconscious Maeve in a wheelbarrow, Orpen decides her last hope is abandoning the safety of the island and journeying across the country to reach the legendary banshees, the rumored all-female fighting force that battles the skrake. But the skrake are not the only threat... Sarah Davis-Goff's Last Ones Left Alive is a brilliantly original imagining of a young woman's journey to discover her true identity.
Download or read book The Golden Tarot of the Tsar written by Atanas Alexandrov Atanassov and published by Llewellyn Publications. This book was released on 2002-06-01 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The latest of Lo Scarabeo's stunning metallic decks, The Golden Tarot of Tsar is printed with shining gold foil, evocative of the richness of the art of the Tsars. Atanassov meticulously captures the intricate art of the Russian miniaturists who exemplified the art of this time. He also brilliantly merges the archetypes of the Tarot with the histories of Christian saints. Just as the saints achieved spiritual enlightenment and expressed their precepts in their daily actions, so the Tarot helps us access the spiritual and manifest it in our everyday lives.
Download or read book The Witch Must Die written by Sheldon Cashdan and published by Basic Books. This book was released on 2014-02-04 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Witch Must Die, Sheldon Cashdan explores how fairy tales help children deal with psychological conflicts by projecting their own internal struggles between good and evil onto the battles enacted by the characters in the stories. Not since Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment has the underlying significance of fantasy and fairy tales been so insightfully and entertainingly mined.
Download or read book The Image of Ivan the Terrible in Russian Folklore written by Maureen Perrie and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2002-04-11 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A study of Ivan the Terrible's depiction in Russian folklore, and the controversies surrounding it.
Download or read book A Wolf for a Spell written by Karah Sutton and published by Yearling. This book was released on 2022-09-27 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The enchanting tale of a wolf who forms an unlikely alliance with Baba Yaga to save the forest from a wicked tsar. "Karah Sutton has crafted a vivid and rollicking adventure that proves a wolf doesn't have to be big or bad to win the day!" --Rosanne Parry, New York Times bestselling author of A Wolf Called Wander Since she was a pup, Zima has been taught to fear humans--especially witches--but when her family is threatened, she has no choice but to seek help from the witch Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga never does magic for free, but it just so happens that she needs a wolf's keen nose for a secret plan she's brewing . . . Before Zima knows what's happening, the witch has cast a switching spell and run off into the woods, while Zima is left behind in Baba Yaga's hut--and Baba Yaga's body! Meanwhile, a young village girl named Nadya is also seeking the witch's help, and when she meets Zima (in Baba Yaga's form), they discover that they face a common enemy. With danger closing in, Zima must unite the wolves, the witches and the villagers against an evil that threatens them all. Infused with Russian folklore and brought vividly to life in Pauliina Hannuniemi's gorgeous illustrations, Karah Sutton's magical debut is a celebration of wolves and witches, and the importance of finding common ground with our so-called enemies.
Download or read book Witch Hunts in Europe and America written by William E. Burns and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2003-10-30 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From early sorcery trials of the 14th century—associated primarily with French and Papal courts—to the witch executions of the late 18th century, this book's entries cover witch-hunting in individual countries, major witch trials from Chelmsford, England, to Salem, Massachusetts, and significant individuals from famous witches to the devout persecutors. Entries such as the evil eye, familiars, and witch-finders cover specific aspects of the witch-hunting process, while entries on writers and modern interpretations provide insight into the current thinking on early modern witch hunts. From the wicked witch of children's stories to Halloween and present-day Wiccan groups, witches and witchcraft still fascinate observers of Western culture. Witches were believed to affect climatological catastrophes, put spells on their neighbors, and cavort with the devil. In early modern Europe and the Americas, witches and witch-hunting were an integral part of everyday life, touching major events such as the Reformation and the Scientific Revolution, as well as politics, law, medicine, and culture.
Download or read book Koshka s Tales written by James Mayhew and published by eBook Partnership. This book was released on 2020-05-01 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Brave princes, evil witches and beautiful maidens abound as the tales of Koshka, the wise old story-telling cat, unfold. James Mayhew has drawn inspiration from the traditional stories and art style of old Russia to re-tell five enchanting tales in this re-published edition of a children's classic.Stories include: The Tale of the Snowmaiden The Tale of Sadko the Minstrel The Tale of Iven, the Greywolf and the Firebird The Tale of Vassilisa the Fair and Baby Yaga Tsar Saltan and Koshka the Cat'I loved the constant references to stories as inherently magical and powerful, full of rare secrets that you would be justified in sailing "e;beyond thrice-nine realms and over the seven seas"e; in search of. Thankfully, readers and listeners (and lovers of illustration) only need open this magic box to be immediately transported.' Dr Nick Campbell, writer, researcher and bookseller'Every children's book deserves to be lavishly-illustrated, a task taken on by the author himself. It's herd to say which are better, the words or the pictures. But at the end of the day, it hardly matters because they complement each other perfectly in a book that captures the essence of the old-fashioned Noel of traditional story-telling.' The Bay magazine, 2019'It's the energy that shines out in the boldness, the verve, the lack of reticence that says: Look at this beautiful thing! Look again! It's the kind of work that welcomes readers (because in this book, James has written the words too!) as well as spectators. The combination is a real joy. [...] Today's children are lucky to have this version of the stories. And James Mayhew is lucky to have Graffeg realising that we need them as much as we did in 1993.' Adele Geras'Here is a fabulous collection of folk tales from Russia by James Mayhew, written in luminous language and accompanied by equally luminous artwork... Beyond the classroom, I will be recommending it to boys and girls in Year 4 who still love the accessibility of traditional fairy stories but need to develop their reading stamina and confidence with a little more challenge. I am hoping it will provide a gateway to longer novels such as The House with Chicken Legs or Harry Potter.' Books for Topics
Download or read book The Witch as Teacher in Fairy Tales written by Nuria Daly and published by Balboa Press. This book was released on 2017-02-17 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By unlocking the hidden spiritual truths of fairy tales, we gain understanding of the deep mystical meaning, hidden in the depths of such stories, and how these insights can be applied to the lives of modern day truth seekers. Through study, we realize the journey itself and the great battles we must fight to overcome the demons and dragons deep within us. In The Witch and the Fairy as Teacher in Fairy Tales, Sufi leader Nuria Daly explores the inner realms of the creative imagination and our common crucial purpose of finding and integrating the Creative Feminine. This book introduces many worthy themes for reflection as a wonderful eye-opener to reading the symbolic psychological dimension of popular stories. Great stuff. I love it! a beautiful telling of the inner spiritual journey from the outer realm of dualism via the union of opposites, through growth in wholeness, towards oneness with the divine. Can be read time and again, and as the lessons are learnt and practiced, ones subsequent understanding and self-realization are deepened. This is the essence of wisdom literature indeedDr Nicholas Coleman, Director of School of Spiritual Studies The book springs from decades of teaching Sufi wisdom. The voice is not a narrative voice but a meditative one, providing a renewal or indeed a reimagining of the wisdom voice of Sufism. The text is an allegory of the teaching process. It teaches about teaching. - William M. Johnston, Emeritus Professor of History (University of Massachusetts) and Editor, The Encyclopedia of Monasticism.
