This urban fantasy, set mainly in Chicago, follows Dymitr in his quest to meet with Baba Jaga. First he harvests an enchanted flower. Then he strikes a bargain with Ala, a cursed zmora: the enchanted flower needed to break her curse in exchange for her aid tracking down Baba Jaga. Along the way, Nikodem, a strzygi, joins them. The clock is ticking on their quest, though; once it dies, the flower loses the power to break Ala’s curse. 

 

It took me a little bit to get my bearings with what was going on, but I was quickly engrossed in the story. It’s a short novella (4 hours 37 minutes on audio), and by the time Nikodem enters the fray in the storyline, I was fully hooked. 

 

I don’t want to reveal too much here but be aware that there are some violent—and somewhat gory—moments along the way as well as a touch of romance. 

 

The three narrators, Helen Laser, James Fouhey, and Tim Campbell, made the audiobook a more immersive experience. There are Polish, Slavic, and American accents utilized in the story, so if you have difficulty understanding accented speech without a visual component, the print version may be the way to go. Personally, the accents and vocal choices enhanced the experience for me. I got swept up in the audiobook and did not want to pause it or put it down. 

 

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio. All review opinions are my own.