I love fantasy novels, and I love historical novels, and this book gave me both both. The historical period and location are unusual - medieval Russia, not a common period for historical novels - and I enjoyed that.Yaroslava a young princess who feels that her birth and upbringing oblige her to become a leader of her people when they need her. The need comes when the population of her town are carried away into slavery. But she needs to grow into the role, and her personal situation - she's a slave herself, and in love with the enemy leader - conflict with her commitment to lead her people. The plot is simple and powerful. The writing style is smooth. The fantasy elements are applied with a light brush and drawn from Russian mythology. I recommend this novel for lovers of historical fiction.
