Sisters of the Winter Wood - Rena Rossner

"Raised in a small village surrounded by vast forests, Liba and Laya
have lived a peaceful sheltered life - even if they've heard of troubling times for Jews elsewhere. When their parents travel to visit their dying grandfather, the sisters are left behind in their home in the woods.

But before they leave, Liba discovers the secret that their Tati can transform into a bear, and their Mami into a swan. Perhaps, Liba realizes, the old fairy tales are true. She must guard this secret carefully, even from her beloved sister.

Soon a troupe of mysterious men appear in town and Laya falls under their spell despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And these are not the only dangers lurking in the woods...

The sisters will need each other if they are to become the women they need to be - and save their people from the dark forces that draw closer."

I was so excited for this book. A retelling of Russian Folklore, centring on female connections. Offering a unique insight into Jewish culture and folk traditions. Shapeshifting and myths. The comparison of Kathrine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale. 

But no...teen angst, hormone stew and a never-ending train of terrible ideas with very little way of actual action. Truly a terrible read. 

It doesn't help that half this book is written in terrible meter-less "poetry". Line breaks don't turn indifferent prose into good poetry. They just make you seem pretentious. The good thing is that it reads quickly because there aren't many words. The bad thing is that it drives me batsh*t crazy. I'm not averse to poetry, but good poetry is compact and chewy, with lots of layers to tease out and the occasional transcendent phrase that opens up new ways of seeing or knowing. This is...not good poetry. 

Overall, It needed to be a much darker tale. The potential was there. The mythical and fairy tales on which this was based all have deeply sexual, violent themes and the discriminatory language and behaviour which leads to murderous violence against Jews within the narrative has clear historical origins. In fact, the author has a section at the end of the book that details the ways in which persecution and pogroms in Dubossary and Kupel affected her family, leading to desperate escape and even death. But instead, this is a story of youthful romance, a happy-ever-after tale of first kisses and forever love. It’s not what I was expecting or wanting. Instead of Grimm’s, this is Disney sanitised, with only the barest hints of the more monstrous reality. It’s a YA tale wrapped up in a beautiful cover, but the marketing to adult readers is going to leave many, including myself, disappointed.

Age Rating 14+. A book more suited to a younger audience.