Gilmore's enchanting debut adds to the growing genre of mythological retellings that reframe the acts of supposedly villainous women. In 1560 Russia, half-mortal and half-goddess Yaga Mokoshevna is called Baba Yaga the Bony Leg by those who only know of her by her demonic reputation. Fearful of magic that they don't understand, mortals seek out Yaga's services in the night, coming to her for aid with illness, love, or other ailments, but never in the light of day--until the czaritza Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina-Yurieva arrives at her doorstep seeking a cure for a mysterious illness. After Yaga determines the czaritza's been poisoned by an unknown would-be assassin, she's reluctantly thrust into the political sphere. Czar Ivan IV, Anastasia's husband, is a paranoid and controlling man who sees betrayal and treachery at every turn. As he drives Russia toward violence and war, Yaga discovers that higher powers may be pulling his strings. Spanning 20 years of Yaga's immortal life as she fights to protect the homeland she loves from those with even greater powers than the czar, this epic tale brings both history and folklore to vivid life. It's a fresh, exciting take sure to capture fans of Madeline Miller's Circe and Jennifer Saint's Ariadne. Agent: Jennifer Weltz, Jean V. Naggar Literary. (Sept.)

How does myth become fact, or a fantastical story meant to frighten children become reality? What happens when the daughter of the fertility and earth goddess, an old god, cares for mortals, but those mortals now worship only the Christian god? Followers of this new god declare this daughter of an old god a witch and twist her healing powers into something nefarious. In this feminist origin story, Baba Yaga is not the distorted and deadly blood-magic dealer from fairytale, but something more complex and human. She has goodness inside and is ripe with desire to protect those for whom she cares. Yaga's good intentions find focus on the tsarina, Anastasia Romanovna, who has come down with a mysterious illness. Taking steps to help Anastasia and her husband--the grand prince and tsar of Russia, Ivan the Terrible--draws Yaga into dangerous political intrigue, which reflect the actual events from Russia's bloody history in the late 1500s. A rich and well-woven story centered on subverted folklore played out against the backdrop of historical events, The Witch and the Tsar is not to be missed.

Blending Russian folklore and history, Gilmore's thrilling debut offers a new interpretation of the fabled witch Baba Yaga. Here, she is not the witch of legend, but rather a half-mortal, half-goddess who contentedly lives in her beloved chicken house with her wolf and bird companions. One day she is approached by the sweet Tsarina Anastasia, who seeks a cure for her mysterious illness. Yaga sees that the Tsarina has been poisoned, and she agrees to help. Her efforts are complicated when Tsar Ivan, soon to become Ivan the Terrible, comes under the influence of fearsome immortals, who put the future of Russia and its people in grave danger. Narrator Katia Kapustin's briskly vigorous presentation conveys Baba Yaga's power and authority. Her distinct characterizations ensure that listeners can easily distinguish between characters. She employs her wide vocal range to great effect, using a forceful, sharp tone when giving voice to men, then switching to a deliciously creepy voice to portray an evil elder goddess. Kapustin's authentic pronunciation of Russian names adds to the overall experience of this Slavic tale. VERDICT Kapustin's deft narration combined with Gilmore's intriguing rendition of the often maligned Baba Yaga makes for an enchanting listen.--B. Allison Gray