Title: Vassa in the Night
Author: Sarah Porter
Genre: Magical Realism
Series: standalone
Fairy-tale Inspiration:
Vassilissa the Beautiful
Age group: Young Adult
Author website: https://www.sarahporterbooks.com/
“Turn around,” I sing. My voice comes out thin and crackly. “Turn around and stand like Momma placed you! Face me, face me!”
My Thoughts
Vassa in the Night is a modern retelling of the Russian tale Vasillissa the Beautiful. It is a Baba Yaga story. In this case, the chicken hut is instead a chain of convenience stores. I loved that the saying to get into the chicken hut is turned into a store jingle that customers still have to say to get the store to kneel. I like the idea of a bright orange store with chicken feet. The BY is open all night long, and those nights keep getting longer.
Our main character is Vassa Lisa, who lives with her step and half sisters in Brooklyn. She is special as her late mother gifted her a magical doll, which she feeds regularly (and who happens to be a bit klepto). Vassa is sent out one night by one of her sisters to buy light bulbs, and of course the only store open is the BY. But thiefs get their heads chopped off and stuck on poles around the shop. Vassa saves herself from imminent death, but gets stuck working for the store. She is given impossible tasks each night, and learns more about herself, her mother, and how much more there is to the world around her.
I like that Vassa is stubborn, doesn’t care what others think, and essentially saves herself. I did feel a bit disappointed in the ending as I didn’t feel it answered all the questions I wanted, but I did enjoy the story overall.
Stakes are high. There isn’t really a romance, which could be a pro or con depending on your preferences. You should like this story if you are a fan of the original tale, or if you like snappy modern teenage girls.