Myths and Folklore - Baba Yaga

Painting by Ivan Bilibin.

Baba Yaga is the infamous figure of Slavic folklore. She is primarily Russian and Ukrainian, but there are her counterparts in all Slavic lands. In Serbia there's Baba Roga, in Slovenia there's Pehtra Baba, in Czech Republic and Slovakia there is Jezibaba etc.
Nowadays Baba Yaga is usually seen as the old and evil hag who dwells deep in the forest, lives in a hut on a chicken leg, and likes to eat children occasionally. She is a leftover of the pre-Christian world. What she was like before is not easy to tell, as the Slavic folklore was only an oral tradition till the 19th century.
There are many theories about her. Sometimes she is seen as the Great Goddess, or the more terrifying side of the goddess Mokosh. Sometimes she is seen as rival of Mokosh. Another theory sees her as the Slavic Goddess of Death. On the other hand there are academics who are more sceptic when it comes to Baba Yaga's pre-Christian origins.
I personally believe she's really a pagan goddess. And most of all that she was more complex figure before Christianization, because the pre-Christian/pagan understanding of life and death and many other important things is very different from the Christian understanding of these things. This led to flattening of Baba Yaga and turned her into an evil witch, but still some traces of what she used to be remained. For example, she flies around in a mortar, which symbolizes her knowledge of herbs and the fact that she is a healer.
There is also one (more modern) explanation of her connection with death. Usually in the tales a young girl or a boy seek her for a different reason, and the stay with Baba Yaga is complicated, tricky, and often painful, but every-time the young person survives and gets a gift from her. The stay with Baba Yaga is life changing experience where the young person undergoes a symbolic death and becomes an adult.
No matter how is Baba Yaga understood, she is without doubt a fascinating and complex figure who would deserve more attention.

Books:

Russian Fairy Tales by Alexander Afanasyev

There are several stories including Baba Yaga in this collection.

Nearly 200 characteristic and colorful traditional folk and fairy tales are brought together in the only comprehensive edition available in English. Of the original 1945 edition, Eudora Welty wrote, "These Russian tales are rambunctious, full-blooded and temperamental. They are tense with action, magical and human, and move in a kind of cyclone of speed....These tales are gorgeous."

Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave by Marianna Mayer, Kinuko Y. Craft (Illustrator)

A retelling of one the most famous Baba Yaga stories with beautiful illustrations.

On the edge of a dark forest, the gentle and beautiful Vasilisa lives with her jealous stepmother and stepsisters. One night the stepmother orders Vasilisa to visit the fearsome witch Baba Yaga, an errand from which the gentle girl has little hope of returning alive. This classic Russian folktale is lavishly illustrated and thrillingly told. Full color.

Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugrešić

"Baba Yaga is an old hag who lives in a house built on chicken legs and kidnaps small children. She is one of the most pervasive and powerful creatures in all mythology." "But what does she have to do with a writer's journey to Bulgaria in 2007 on behalf of her mother?" "Or with a trio of women who decide in their old age to spend a week together at a hotel spa?" By the end of Dubravka Ugresic's novel, the answers are revealed. Her story is shot through with spellbinding, magic, involving a gambling triumph, sudden death on the golf course, a long-lost grandchild, an invasion of starlings, and wartime flight, the consequences of which are revealed only decades later.

Baba Yaga: The Ambiguous Mother and Witch of the Russian Folktale by Andreas Johns 

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.

Giveaways Winners

The winner of the 100 Followers Giveaway is:

FireStarBooks @ FireStarBooks



And the winner of the Born Wicked Giveaway is:

Christy M.

Congratulations! :) They were both contacted via email.
There's going to be another giveaway soon!


Petra

Review: A Greyhound of a Girl

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle

* Copy received through NetGalley.

Mary O'Hara is a sharp and cheeky 12-year-old Dublin schoolgirl who is bravely facing the fact that her beloved Granny is dying. But Granny can't let go of life, and when a mysterious young woman turns up in Mary's street with a message for her Granny, Mary gets pulled into an unlikely adventure. The woman is the ghost of Granny's own mother, who has come to help her daughter say good-bye to her loved ones and guide her safely out of this world. She needs the help of Mary and her mother, Scarlett, who embark on a road trip to the past. Four generations of women travel on a midnight car journey. One of them is dead, one of them is dying, one of them is driving, and one of them is just starting out.

The story starts with Mary going home from school being sad about the fact her best friend moved to another part of Dublin. Close to her house Mary meets a strange woman, old but actually not so old. Quickly we learn this woman is in fact a ghost called Tansey. And so the story begins. It's about Mary, a young and cheeky girl, her mother Scarlett, Scarlett's dying mother Emer, and Emer's dead mother Tansey.
It's always hard when someone close to us is dying, it's difficult to face it. At these times we tend to remember all the important moments we went through with this person. Good and bad, we recall everything. It's beautiful and painful at the same time. And that's exactly what this book is about. It's about life and its natural part, death, and the ways we try to cope with it. We learn about Tansey, Emer, Scarlett, and Mary. About their desires, loves, and fears. We learn about what it means to live and to die.
I loved how complex and human all the characters were. There was nothing fake about them, and with story like this it's a crucial thing.
And what about the Greyhound? Well, you'll see. In the end I almost wanted to say: "I want a greyhound!" But we already have an Irish Wolfhound, and she is a lovely dog with heart so big and pure as the heart of this story.
This was a lovely and touching read. I laughed and I cried, sometimes both at the same time.

Intuition by J. Meyers

 Intuition by J. Meyers

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.


This is a bonus short story and an introduction to J. Meyers YA debut novel Intangible. We meet the twins, Luke and Sera, and learn about their special gifts. He can foresee the future and she can heal with her touch.
It was a quick but enjoyable read and it left me wanting more! First, both protagonists seem likable. Second, the writing was smooth. Third, it's about twins, which I find quite unique, I can't really remember reading a book about twins. (Well, there are Twins in the House of Night series, and however much I love HoN, I can't stand these Twins. And they are not the main characters anyway.)
Simply put, I can't wait to read Intangible.


Petra

New Blog Design & Giveaway

I'm very excited about my new blog design by Blush!nk, and I decided to share my joy and do a little giveaway!


One person will receive a copy of Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood.

It's open internationally, if the Book Depository delivers where you live.


Good luck! ;)

Interview - Wendy Andrew

 

Wendy Andrew is a British artist and writer who was very kind and agreed to do an interview. She is the author of Luna Moon Hare.

You can enter the Lunar Love Giveaway and win this wonderful book!

Wendy's website.

Facebook fan page.

Enjoy ;)

1) Hi Wendy, thank you so much for doing this interview. Could you please introduce yourself?

Hi, I'm Wendy Andrew. Thank you so much for inviting me. 

2) When and how did you get the idea to write Luna Moon Hare?

The concept of 'Luna Moon Hare' came to me in a flash in about 2000. I believe the spark of the idea was given to me by Brigid - Goddess of inspiration. I really wanted to create something that could be enjoyed by adults and children alike and help people understand the wheel of the year. It took about four years for the idea to manifest as a book!

3) What did you enjoy more, writing or illustrating the book?

Ooo that's a tricky question because I love both and also sometimes find both quite challenging! For both writing and painting I need a lot of intense time alone in my studio. I get so steeped in it all that I sometimes find it hard to make the transition back into the everyday world. I guess it is quite like meditation. 

4) Are you planning to write (and illustrate) another one?

I am currently working on a book with a fellow artist.... all will be revealed in Autumn this year!

5) In Luna Moon Hare the reader learns about the eight sabbats, the closest one now is Imbolc. What is this sabbat about, and what does it mean to you?

All the sabbats are so special but Imbolc is one of my favourites! Brigid is such a powerful force in my life. At Imbolc it is Brigid who brings Her fire to gently wake the sleeping winter world... She brings the promise of spring and all new beginnings.

6) What is your inspiration?

The turning of the seasons and the Goddess whispering through the mythical realms.  

7) Who are your favourite authors and artists?

Ah there are so many amazingly gifted people! I love the work of the Victorian illustrators like Dulac and Rackham...also contemporary illustrators and writers like Jackie Morris and Brian Froud and Kit Berry's Stonewylde series are wonderful books but I guess my favourite artist is Susan Seddon Boulet.  

8) I discovered your book in a shop in Glastonbury, a very special English town. What is your relationship with this place?

Ah yes Glastonbury is a very special place. I have had some very significant life changing experiences in Avalon!

9) Anything you'd like to add?

I'd just like to say thank you again for inviting me. I have been so delighted with how 'Luna Moon Hare' has been received by everybody. She really seems to have touched people's hearts. I have recently written and produced a guided visualization in which Luna leads you to meet The Goddess in Her Maiden, Mother and Crone forms it is called 'Sacred Pouch'

http://www.paintingdreams.co.uk/image.php?name=sacred-pouch

In My Mailbox

IMM is a meme created by Kristi at The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.


Bought books:

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
Homicide In Hardcover by Kate Carlisle 
The Square Root of Murder by Ada Madison 
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman 
The Mysterious Howling - The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood 


That We Might Never Meet Again by Philip Robinson  
Conspiracy, Deception, and Exile by Grace Cavendish
The Human Factor by Graham Greene
A Gun for Sale by Graham Greene


Bought e-book:

The Forever Girl: Sophia's Journey by Rebecca Hamilton




Books & e-books for review:

The Eternal Child by David Wasserman

Initiate, Taboo, and Root by Tara Maya

The Mayfair Moon by J.A. Redmerski

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle

Thank you all for the review copies!

And what did you get in your mailbox? :)

Petra 

Review: The Three Sisters by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

The Three Sisters by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

Goodreads  Book Depository

This famous drama tells the story of Andrei Prozorov and his three sisters, Olga, Masha, and Irina. It is set in a small provincial town somewhere in Russia. Before The Three Sisters I only read The Cherry Orchard, and I remember how irritated I was about the incapability of all the characters to do anything about their miserable situation, even though the solution was right under their noses. Maybe I wasn't prepared for Chekhov then, maybe I'm ready for him now, as The Three Sisters spoke right to the core of my being.
In the first act there is a balance between unhappiness and hope for change. Irina, the youngest sister, seems to be especially positive about the future. Masha and Olga are both unhappy, Masha in her marriage, and Olga with her job. All of them dream about moving back to Moscow to live a better life there along with their brother Andrei who supposedly is going to have a great academic career. At this point you really hope their dreams will come true and there will be a happy ending, but it won't happen, because it's Chekhov, right? And indeed, over the other three acts you'll learn that no matter how kind and educated the three sisters and their brother are, they are still typical Chekhov's characters. Very good at dreaming of better future and moaning over their miserable lives, and very incapable of doing anything at all besides whimpering.
Andrei seems to me to be the weakest one. He loves his books and the academic career appeals to him, however, the "love" between him and Natasha ruins it all. Natasha preys on his weakness and step by step she takes over the household and through that also over the fate of all siblings. And the saddest part is that they let her. Sometimes there is a weak protest, but that is all.
They never move to Moscow, of course, and in the end there is no hope left. Olga ends up as the headmistress at the local grammar school, something she never wanted to be, Masha loses her real love and lover, and Irina loses her fiancé and so also the hope for better future. The only "happy" person is Natasha who rules the household, has a lover, and still her husband talks about his love for her, and how very honourable woman she is. At that point you feel like screaming and hitting Andrei very hard, and hugging him and all of his sisters at the same time. You feel very sorry for them, it's heartbreaking.
On the other hand it is a real eye-opener, or a reminder. If you want something in your life, you have to do something for it, not only whimper and think it will happen without you doing and giving up anything. Also, the fixation with (better) future is unhealthy. Sure, we all like to plan ahead and there is nothing wrong with that, only sometimes it also means forgetting to live in the present, and that is a shame.

PS: Here is one of our cats, Antis, but I renamed him to Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. He loved to look out of a window at the cherry orchard that was right beside our house. And you know what? They cut it down! And Antis just sat on the windowsill and did nothing.