The Witch and the Tsar

By: Olesya Salnikova Gilmore

Narrated by: Katia Kapustin

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Yaga lives deep in the Russian forest, tending to any that call upon her for her healing potions and vast wisdom.

She has been alone for centuries, with only her beloved animals for company. But when Tsaritsa Anastasia, wife of Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, shows up at Yaga’s cottage on the brink of death, Yaga is compelled to travel with her to Moscow to keep her safe.

However, the Russia Yaga sees as she makes her journey to the heart of the country is one 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.

Set in sixteenth century Russia, The Witch and the Tsar upends the stories we know of Baba Yaga as the bony-legged witch of Slavic fairy tales and the stuff of nightmares. For beyond the rumours of her iron nose, fangs for teeth and house on chicken legs, is the story of a woman so wise and strong that she has to be cloaked in lies to hide her true power.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Olesya Salnikova Gilmore (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

"A perfect blend of fantasy and historical fiction, The Witch and the Tsar magnificently paints an old Russia full of vengeful gods, court intrigue and high adventure. In the center of it all is the half-goddess Yaga, isolated and proud, whose compassion for humanity drives her into a war with Ivan the Terrible and the mythical beings who use him for their own ends. Immersive and beautifully written, Yaga’s story reminds us that gods—like humans—can choose their own fates." (Anika Scott, internationally bestselling author of The Soviet Sisters)

"Fierce and fearless, The Witch and the Tsar whisks the reader back to a 16th-century Russia that's enthralling, frightening, and completely unforgettable. With stunning prose and sharp insight, Olesya Salnikova Gilmore conjures up a captivating battle between gods, emperors and folkloric spirits, led by a prickly, powerful heroine who leaps off the page and refuses to be ignored. This is Baba Yaga like you've never seen her before, and you're going to love her." (Allison Epstein, author of A Tip for the Hangman)

"A rich and vivid tapestry of old Russia in an age when Tsar Ivan the Terrible grappled not only with political foes but with the legendary witch Baba Yaga and her command of magic and pagan gods. An evocative journey into old Russian myth and history, and a poignant exploration of what it means to be both human and immortal." (Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of The Splendor Before the Dark)