The protagonist is Masha, a young woman whose widowed father is remarrying and who seems to be more warm and fuzzy towards his new family in the offering than his own daughter. This Baba Yaga tale focuses mostly on that aspect of the witch, though to call her warm and fuzzy would be incorrect. Even when comparing her cannibalistic urges to the witch from “Hansel and Gretel”, Baba Yaga seems less bloodthirsty, and more testing. She is, to a degree I mean she has a taste for young flesh, but there is something about her that defies easy classification. All that said, to call her evil isn’t quite right. She is old, ugly, tough as nails in boots, and doesn’t take crap from anyone.

If it, then she is tied with the White Queen from Narnia. I can see a sequel to this book being quite good.īaba Yaga is perhaps the most famous witch outside of Oz. It's nice to be reminded that a novel doesn't have to be perfect in any way in order to offer a very worthwhile experience. It's a book in which a heroine is struggling at home, for good reason, and goes off on a sort of epic quest. Somehow the registers seem a bit mixed and not fully formed, but that's okay, too. I am talking about the ending, which I won't go into here, but I will say, I really appreciated. The reason I am giving it four stars (oh rating systems, how ambivalent I feel when you are near) is because it does something that I rarely find other books doing. And that it values the resourcefulness of the protagonist and presents Baba Yaga as a delightfully complex character. I love, though, that it is trying to bring folklore into the present moment. No easy task, with children on the menu! Wry, spooky and poignant, Marika McCoola’s debut–with richly layered art by acclaimed graphic artist Emily Carroll–is a storytelling feat and a visual fest.This book is fairly clunky and puppy-ish (awkward? almost feels like an early draft of something) and for at least the first half, doesn't quite come together. To earn her place, Masha must pass a series of tests, outfox a territorial bear, and make dinner for her host. She may be clever enough to enter Baba Yaga’s house on chicken legs, but within its walls, deceit is the rule. The fearsome witch of folklore needs an assistant, and Masha needs an adventure.

Her beloved grandma taught her many things: that stories are useful, that magic is fickle, and that nothing is too difficult or too dirty to clean. Most children think twice before braving a haunted wood filled with terrifying beasties to match wits with a witch, but not Masha. You can read this before Baba Yaga’s Assistant PDF full Download at the bottom.ĪSSISTANT WANTED ASAPMust have skills in hauling, obeying orders, cooking, and cleaning.

Here is a quick description and cover image of book Baba Yaga’s Assistant written by Marika McCoola which was published in August 4, 2015. Brief Summary of Book: Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCoola

Baba Yaga's Assistant by Marika McCoola